| Fast Facts |
location
north-central Nicaragua, on border with Honduras
ecoregion
Central America Moist Atlantic Forest
project size
1.8 million acres
partners
CEDAPRODE, Bosawas Technical Secretariat
natural events
annual migration of birds including the wood thrush, cerulean warbler and the Canada warbler, late summer -- early spring | |
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| Lacking official records of ancestral rights to their land, indigenous peoples race to claim and protect a landscape containing unrealized treasures. |
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On the Rio Coco.
© Lynda Richardson |
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In the mountains of north-central Nicaragua, the Bosawas Biosphere Reserve takes its name from three natural features - the Bocay River, Mount Saslaya and the Waspuk River. The Coco River forms the reserve's northern boundary and carves out the border with neighboring Honduras. The 1.8 million-acre Bosawas Reserve contains 7 percent of Nicaragua's land and its richest reservoir of natural resources.
Most of this isolated terrain has not been studied, although Bosawas is known to harbor large populations of endangered species such as Baird's tapir, jaguar and the harpy eagle. Mahogany, ceiba, Spanish cedar, rosewood and rubber provide fruit for keel-billed toucans and a haven for the scarlet tanager and other songbirds migrating from North America. Howler monkeys play among the branches, their screeches heard for several miles. Gaudy leaf frogs cling to the moist leaves of rare orchids and bromeliads. |
Baird’s tapir.
© Kevin Schafer
/kevinschafer.com |
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Also inhabiting this secluded corner of Central America are Mayangna and Miskito Indians, who live in villages scattered throughout the reserve. Numerous petroglyphs attest to their long history in these tropical forests. Although the Mayangna and Miskito claim this land through ancestral heritage, they have no official title of land ownership. But recently, as timber, ranching and agriculture interests have begun moving their activities into this "unclaimed" land, promising to turn a profit for a country that is deeply in debt, the conflict between traditional and exploitative uses of the land has grown. | |
Since 1993, as an essential part of efforts to protect the Bosawas reserve, The Nature Conservancy has helped document the historical presence of Mayangna and Miskito in the region. We are using this information to assist them in applying for legal title to their ancestral lands. We've also provided technical support in the mapping of their territories and the creation of land-use management plans.
Learn more about The Nature Conservancy's work in Nicaragua. |
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| Conservation Profile |
targets
Baird's tapir, jaguar, harpy eagle, wood thrush, cerulean warbler
stresses
agriculture, deforestation, colonization
strategies
strengthen local partner organizations, build conservation alliances, undertake scientific research, promote ecologically compatible land-use practices
results
established a federation that ensures inclusion of Mayangna and Miskito Indians in government decision-making related to the reserve | | | | |
