The cutting of trees for fuelwood by 800 families in 31 communities living in the buffer zone is a major threat to the El Ocote Biosphere reserve. To reduce the impact of fuelwood gathering in the reserve, GGI assisted communities by implementing a two-pronged program: 1) the planting of fast growing trees for fuel, and 2) the introduction of more fuel-efficient stoves. GGI successfully introdcued a redesigned version of the local stove that achieves much higher efficiency and uses a workshop process that involves a high degree of local communities input and materials. Community members involved in the program exchanged their labor -- planting fast growing trees that can be used as firewood -- for a new, fuel-efficient stove.

Project Update