Honduras - El Escondido Watershed

Summary

This was a proposal for a scheme of direct payments to landowners on land crucial to watershed protection around lake Yojoa. Negotiations were suspended due to changes in the staff of the institutions involved, but it is expected to be revitalized with the appointment of the new national director of The Nature Conservancy (TNC).

Maturity of the initiative

Pilot project since 2001, implementation process stopped in 2005. Current status is unclear

Driver

The Nature Conservancy and local partner AMUPROLAGO, an association of local municipalities, began working to safeguard threatened private lands in order to protect the water resources being used for hydroelectric power , grazing, agriculture, fisheries and human consumption.

Stakeholders

Supply

80 ha of land crucial to watershed protection. Owned by 14 families (monthly income of $34 - $134); eight local landowners have agreed to limit development of their land in exchange for financial benefits from the local municipalities.

Demand

Water users in Santa Bárbara, second largest city in AMUPROLAGO area.

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and local partner AMUPROLAGO, an association of 21 local municipalities created to protect the lake Yojoa

Market design

Service

Water quantity (the water level in the lake has been decreasing rapidly over the last years).

Commodity

Probably improved management practices, see above in supplyPayment mechanismNo information.

Type of Payment

No information.

Funds involved

Analysis of costs and benefits

Economic

No information.

Environmental

No information.

Social

Legislation Issues

Since 2001,Honduras has had a National Committee for Environmental goods and services (CONABISAH).

Monitoring

No information.

Main Constraints

The development of this initiative was stopped in 2005 but is expected to be revitalized with the arrival of the new national director of TNC, Julio Cárcamo. However the current status of the project is unclear.

Main policy lessons

No information.

Other information

No information.

Contact

Tulio Monterroso, AMUPROLOAGO: mailto:tulio@optinet.hn; tuliomonterroso@multivisionhn.net ;

References

Cohen, S. 28-2-2002. Pro-poor Markets for Environmental Services Carbon Sequestration and Watershed Protection. Nature Conservancy. http://biodiversityeconom ics.org/incentives/020828-01.htm.

Links

http://www.serna.gob.hn/ (secretaria de recursos naturales y de ambiente)

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