Mexico & Central America

Goal

We aim to protect forests and the climate by strengthening indigenous and community land rights and forest management in Mexico and Central America and by sharing experiences from the region with forest communities and countries around the world.

Mexico & Central America Initiative

The Alliance focuses our efforts in Mexico and Central America on supporting regional indigenous peoples’ organizations, grassroots community forest organizations, policymakers, and other funders in their efforts to conserve forests by securing the rights and livelihoods of forest communities. Download the Mexico and Central America Initiative Summary:

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Why Mexico & Central America?

Deforestation in Mexico and the expansion of the agricultural frontier throughout Central America threaten biologically diverse forests and the communities who live within them. Such communities are among the best defenders of forests— studies show that indigenous territories with secure land rights and forest management policies have lower deforestation rates. More than 60% of Mexican forests are on lands owned or managed by communities. Although many forest communities in Central America own or manage a large share of regional forests, their land rights must be more comprehensively secured and protected.

Securing indigenous and community land rights and promoting community forest management is also critical to global efforts to reduce climate change. Mexico and Central America’s experiences provide lessons other tropical forest nations can follow in their efforts to reduce forest loss and slow climate change by strengthening community forest rights and management.

Sharing Lessons from Community Forest Rights & Management

Promoting land rights and community forest management experiences from Mexico and Central America to inform policies, programs, and practitioners around the world to more effectively pursue climate change mitigation, biodiversity conservation, and secure community forest rights and livelihoods.

Where we Focus

Grassroots Advocacy & Exchange
Allies for Community Forest Rights & Management

Community Land Management in Mexico

Advancing inclusive models of community forest management and communities’ rights to make decisions affecting their natural resources within Mexico’s federal, state, and municipal policies and investments.

Where we Focus

Public Sector Support for Community Management
Strong Community Forest Enterprises
Reducing Threats from Extractives & Infrastructure Development
Inclusive Forest Policies & Programs for Women & Youth

Secure Land & Resource Rights in Central America

Encouraging Central American governments and international donors to adopt policies and programs that provide forest communities with secure land and resource rights and promote inclusive models of community management in forested landscapes.

Where we Focus

Indigenous & Forest Communities’ Tenure Security
Effective, Inclusive Funding for Community Forestry
Reducing Threats from Extractive & Infrastructure Development
Protection of Land Defenders

Indigenous & Community Forest Organizations

Supporting rural grassroots organizations in Mexico and Central America in their advocacy efforts by helping them strengthen their governance, leadership, inclusiveness, and access to resources while protecting their members from violence and criminalization for defending their rights.

Where we Focus

Capacity, Leadership, & Inclusivity
Strong Internal Governance

Grants

The Alliance partner foundations work closely together to identify funding opportunities that create impact. Explore our Grants Database to learn more about what we support. The Climate and Land Use Alliance does not accept unsolicited grant proposals.

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Where We Focus

The Alliance focuses its grantmaking in key geographic regions that are home to globally important tropical forests with significant potential for mitigating climate change.

Where We Focus

Goal