AnnaKarizzaEsguerra

Communication1080
11December2015

TheBlueForestConflict

TheconflictoftheBlueForest,HonduraswasanalyzedbyPrins,Castillo,and
Almendares.Theyexaminedaconflictbetweenlegalandillegaluseoftimberbetweenthree
communitiesneartheBlueForest.Afewofthevillagersweregiventherighttoexploitthe
reservebutothervillagersdidnot.However,legalandinstitutionalrequirementsmadethe
villagerslegaltimberclearingoperationslessmoneythantheircompetitionwhichhandled
illegallyharvestingtimber.However,aprojectthatwassponsoredbytheTropicalAgriculture
ResearchandHigherEducationCenterengagedinmultitaskstakeholderstrategytobeableto
managetheconflict.Byusingdevelopmentactivities,facilitation,mediationandcollaborative
planning.Theoutcomeofthisstrategycausedtheratesofillegalloggingtodropdramatically
however,thepolicyenvironmentismuchneededtoenhancetheprofitoflegallogging(p.101).

TheForest

TheBlueForestwasabigforestwhichcovered1200ha.Duringthe200stheremainder
oftheforestfelltoabout800ha,which124haaccountedforaselectedwatershedprotection.a
totalof680hacouldbeusedformanufacturingtimberandothergoodsproducedbytheforest.
Forthelastfiveyears400hahavebeenillegallychangedintoanagriculturalland.Moreover,if
theforestisntgivenanyattention,itiscalculatedthattheforestwillcompletelybedestroyed
withaspanoftenyears(p.105).

However,somepartofthemountainwhichareriversspringprovideswaterresourcesprotected
bytheforestecosystem.Thewaterresourcesprovidesdrinkingwaterto30communitiesinthe
Jutiapaandalsoprovidesgroundwaterforirrigatingpartofthelowerterrainonwhichbanana
plantationshavebeenestablished(p.105).

Parties

ThepartiesinvolvedintheBlueForestconflictareSanRamon,NuevaGranada,and
BrisasDelNorte.Thethreecommunitieshavebeeninconflictaboutwhoisintherightabout
producingtimber.ThecommunitythathasthelegalrightsoffullforestaccessisSanRamon
whichisaboutthreehoursawayinwalkingdistance.Thefactthatitisthreehoursawaymakesit
difficultforSanRamontoaccesstheforestandusetheirrights.Thetwoothercommunitiesthat
areclosertotheforestareNuevaGranadawhichisoneandahalfhoursawayandBrisasDel

Nortewhichislocatedintheborderoftheforest.Thesetwocommunitieshavebeenexploiting
timberandhaveturnedpartoftheforestintoanagriculturalland.Halfofthelandthats
controlledbythepeopleofBrisasDelNortewasoriginallyapartoftheareasetasideasthe
BlueForest.Thisconflicthasbeenfoundtobedamagingtotheconservationandsustainableuse
oftheforest.Alsobecauseofthepoorroadconditionsallgoodandtimberproducedfromthe
forestaretransportedonmulesandhorsestopointsaccessiblebylargetrucks.Theillegal
communitiesusetheroadforsmugglingtimberfromtheBlueForestwhichpassesthe
communityofNuevaGranadaandgoesontoNiDuermes(p.106).Thecommunitiesdothe
illegalsmugglingovernightsothetruckscanenterandtakeawaythetimberillegallyandsell
thematthelocalmarket.ThecommunityoftheBrisasDelNorteisbetween750and900m.
abovesealevel,whichisfarfromthemoderninfrastructure(p.107).BrisaDelNorteisthe
youngestandpoorestcommunityoutofallthree.Thiscommunityispoorbasedontheirincome,
employment,andsocialservices.OntheotherhandSanRamonisbetween300and400m.itis
alsotheoldestandtheleastpooroutofthethreecommunities.However,NuevaGranadalies
halfwaybetweenBrisasDelNorteandSanRamonandthelevelofpovertysitsinthemiddle
betweenthetwoothercommunities.Agricultureiscarriedoutonsteep,erosionpronehillsides,
andmainlystaplegoodssuchasmaize,rice,andbeansaregrown(p.107).Slashandburn
agricultureisstillwidespreadandisusuallycarriedoutbeforethefirstplantingofmaizeduring
themonthofMay(p.107).Thepeoplearemakinganefforttoconvincefarmerstoadoptnew
practicessuchasapplyingmulch.Formostofthemembersofthethreecommunitieslocated
neartheforest,harvestingtimberisasourceofincome.Sincethe1980s,nationalpolicyslightly
changedbecauseoftheforestconservation.In1994,forestrygroupsinthecommunitiesearned
thelegalrighttoutilizestateownedforestthroughacontractwiththeNationalHonduran
CorporationforForestryDevelopment(COHDEFOR).Forthisrighttobepracticedthegroup
neededtoensuresustainableexploitationoftheforestthroughalongtermmanagementplanand
annualoperationalplans(p.108).ThenegativeoutcomeofthisprojectisthatCOHDEFORsigns
thecontractwithaparticulargroupwithinthecommunitythatisengagedinforestry,andnotin
thecommunityasawholethroughitsrepresentativelocalorganizationknownaselpatronato(p.
108).Althoughthesituationisalittlecomplicateditdoesnotnecessarilymeanthattherewillbe
aconflictbetweentheforestrygroupandtherestofthecommunitybecausenoteveryoneis
associatedwithintimberexploitation.However,itdoeslowertheinvolvementofthecommunity
inforestconservationandprotection.

Theeconomic,political,andinstitutionalenvironmentisnotquiteconduciveto
sustainableforestmanagementandlegallogging.LegalLoggersneedtocomplywithmany
formalobligationssuchasadheringtosustainableharvestingguidelines,followbureaucratic
procedures,paytaxesandtoleratecomplicatedpaymentschemes(p.108).Theslightlybetter
priceforlegallyproducedtimberisoffsetbythesebarriers(p.108).Thecertificationof
sustainablyproducedtimberandpaymentforenvironmentalservicesisjustbeginningin

Honduras(p.108).Thelegalandinstitutionalflawscombinedwithaweaklydeveloped
incentivesystemcontributetothewidescaleillegalexploitationoftimberpromotedbysome
traders(p.108).Thecontrolofillegaltrafficofthetimberandincarcerationofthosethose
responsibleisnoteffectiveatall.Motmembersofthelegalforestrygroupsareinducedtoleave
themandbecomeinvolvedintheillegaltimberextraction(p.108).

History

In1994,PiedrasAmarillaswhichisknowntobeafamousforestrygroupreceivedforest
userightsfortheBlueForestfromCOHDEFOR.Backthenthisgroupwascomposedofallthree
conflictedcommunities.Lateron,peoplewerentsatisfiedabouthowfundswerebeing
managed,thedecisionmakingprocess,andthewaytimberquotaswereallotted.Themembersof
thegroupthatwerecomingfromBrisasDelNorteandNuevaGranadacomplainedthatthe
allotmentwerenotatallequitable.Itcametothedecisionofabandoningtheorganizationtostart
harvestingtimberillegallyandunsustainablyintheBlueForest,sellingthemostpreciousspecies
forthehighestprices.

ThePiedrasAmarillasgroupkepttheforestuserights,butitdidnotpreventtheillegal
loggingandwaspreventedfrommakingfulluseofofitsrightsbythedistancebetweenthe
communityandtheforest.Thegroupfoundthatwhentheyenteredtheforesttodoinventorytree
speciesforharvesting,theprecioustimberspecieshadalreadybeenfelledbymembersofthe
communities.In1996,aCATIEprojectcalledOLAFOorganizationbeganworkinginthe
communityofSanRamon.Theprojecthelpedthecommunityobtainnumbersofsocialservices
(suchasdrinkingwater),promotedsustainablehillsidelandusepracticesandhelpedstrengthen
thelocalorganization.AfterawhileElPatronatowaswasrevivedandbecametheencompassing
localorganizationforpreviouslyexistingandnewlyformedgroups.Thiswaythelocal
organizationinSanRamonbecamemoreunifiedinitsgoalsetting(p.110).

TheTurningPoint

Thecommunitiesbecamemoremotivatedandwereabletodiscusstheconflictina
negotiableway.InthearticlewrittenabouttheBlueForestconflicttheymentionedthat,A
physicalclashoccurredbetweenagroupofforestersfromthePiedrasAmarillasgroupand
inhabitantsofBrisasDelNorte,whenthelattergrouptriedtopreventtheformerfromwalking
onwhathadpreviouslybeenforestland.Thislandhadbeenconvertedintoagriculturallandand
hadbeenclaimedbytheinhabitantsofBrisasDelNorte.Theclasharousedstrongemotions,but
didconvincetheauthoritiesandpeopleofSanRamonthatnegotiationwasneeded.

Twomonthslater,timbersmugglersfromBrisasDelNortewascapturedbythe
authoritieswhileillegallytransportingtimber.OLAFO,whichisthemunicipalityandthehuman
rightsorganizationmediatedtoobtaintheirfreedomafterbeingcaptured.Thefactthatthe
peoplethatwereillegallytransportingtimberfearedimprisonmentconvincedthemthata

negotiationwiththeothercommunitiesmightbenecessaryandmightalsobringingood
opportunitiesforthem(p.113).

Thecommonreflectioninthecommitteeinregardstotheeventscontributedto
enhancingthewillingnessofthethreecommunitiestoworkoutasolutionthatwouldbenefit
them.Balancingtherightsandobligations,thehumanrightsorganizationstressedtheneedto
respectthesocialrightsofpoorpeople,whiletherepresentativesfromtheenvironmental
protectionagencystressedtheneedforallpeopletofollowtheestablishedlaws(p.113).

Solutions

Thelegalcommunityfiguredoutawayoffindingcommonground,support,andtrust
betweenthetwocitiesbyprovidingmedicalaidincasesofillnessandoraccidentsthat
associateswithillegaltimberproduction.Forexample,oneoftheworkerscuthislegwitha
chainsawandbecauseofthemedicalhelpedprovided,theworkerwasabletosavehisleg.The
outcomeofthisexampleisthatthecommunitieswereabletohelpeachotheroutintimesof
needandbecauseofthistheywereabletogainhelpandsupportfromeachother.

TheFuture

Thesecommunitieswereabletocomeupwithsolutionsthatbetteredtheirrelationship
witheachotherwhichwasnegotiatingandbecauseofthismethodtheycancontinuetobetter
andshapetheirrelationshipsinthenearfuture.Forexample,thefirstelectedcommittee
representativefromBrisasDelNortedidntworkoutbecausethisrepresentativefailedtoreport
openlytheagreementsdiscussedinthemeetingstothecommunity.Thispersonhadahidden
agendainregardstosmuggling.Thispersonattemptedtosabotagetheprocessbygivingbogus
informationandspeakingoutagainstthecommitteewhichruineditsprogress.Although,thefirst
attemptwasquitedisturbingthecommunitiesthencameupwithasolutionwhichwassending
twopeoplefromeachcommunityparticipateinthemeetingsthiswayitwouldntcomplicate
anything.Throughoutthisprocesstheywereabletomakeprogressandtheywereabletobetter
theircommunicationwitheachother.

Ibelievethatthesecommunitiescanfurtherbettertheirrelationshipsuchashelpingeach
otheroutbyprovidinghelptothepeoplethatneedit.Everytimeacommunityneedshelpwith
theirharvestsoneofthecommunitiescaoverhelptotheonesinneed.Forexample,ifa
communityisstrugglingtocomeupwithharvestingtomakemoney,othercommunitiescan
suggestwaystobettertheirfarmingthatwaythecommunitywhoisneedcanchangetheway
theirrunthingsintheforest,thenthiswaytheyareabletobettertheirfarming.Allcommunities
willgainmoretrustandsupportfromeachotherbynotbeinghelpfulratherthanbeingselfish.

Anotherwaytokeepthecommunitiesgreatrelationshipwouldbeinvitingdifferent
familiesfromeachcommunitytogettogether,catchup,andshareideastohelptheircommunity.
Forexample,afamilyinSanRamoncaninvitedifferentfamiliesfromBrisasDelNorteand
NuevaGranadatoagatheringandtalkaboutwaystohelpeachotherout,shareideastobetter

theirfarming,andtohelpeachothertransporttheirproducts.Thiswaythepeopleinall
communitiescankeeptheirgoodrelationshipgoing.MaybeinthenearfuturetheBlueForest
canbecombinedasoneandallcommunitiescanworkasawholetobeabletoprovidethebest
productsinHonduras.

ThelessonlearnedintheBlueForestconflictisthatcommunicationcanhelpsolve
issues.Communicatingisawayforpeopletobetterrelationshipsnomatterwhatthe
circumstancemightbe.Although,itmayormaynotsetthingsstraight,itcanstillsmooththings
outbetweenpeoplealmosteverytime.TheBlueForestcasetaughtusthatitisbetterto
communicatetobetterrelationshipsandcomeupwithsolutionsratherthanleavingitthewayit
isandinthefuturemightevenmakethingsworse.Thefactthatthecommunitieswereableto
findacommongroundteachesusthattherewillalwaysbesomethingthatcanbenegotiated
betweenpeople.

WorkCited

Prins,Cornelius,OscarCastillo,andRosaAlmendares."FromConflictTo
CoManagement:TheCaseOfTheBlueForest."
NaturalResourceConflictManagement
CaseStudies:AnAnalysisofPower,Participation,andProtectedAreas
(n.d.):10124.
Web.11Dec.2015.