Forests for the Future: Income and Hope for Youth in Guatemala

Guatemala is a land of cloud forests, volcanoes, and great biodiversity that shelters water, species, and ancestral memory. In this mountainous landscape, young people from rural communities preserve, protect, and safeguard the forests, turning them into a livelihood for their communities.

In Loma Linda (Quetzaltenango) and Santa Lucía Utatlán (Sololá), sustainable community tourism and beekeeping are paving the way for new generations to find income and build a future in their own communities, with support from the World Bank and guidance from Sotz’il.

Youth Finds a Future in the Forests

Claudio Sarat recalls that in 2006, when the Sustainable Association for Integral and Tourism Development of Loma Linda (ASODILL) was founded, it seemed like a dream that young people could make a living from tourism without leaving their hometowns. Years later, that dream came true with the opening of the trail to the Chilamate waterfall, carved “machete in hand” along the riverbanks and turned into a source of income for local guides and caretakers.

In Santa Lucía Utatlán, several kilometers from Loma Linda, another young man is building his own path in the community, this time, through beekeeping.

There, the hum of bees captivated Abner Roberto Xitamul, of K’iche’ origin, who joined the Integral Association for the Development of Honey Beekeeping (AIDAM) in 2017. 

Income That Multiplies

In both initiatives, the benefits are shared among the association members, generating livelihoods for local families. In Loma Linda, entrance fees to the trail allow members to be hired as guides, maintain the trails, and open firebreaks. “These is wages help our families while also strengthen conservation,” says Claudio Sarat of ASODILL, which is made up of 30 families and receives an average of 500 visitors a year.

In Santa Lucía, bees are a true treasure. Producers have modernized their processes: they went from using rustic boxes to standardized hives and acquired honey extractors, which has reduced losses and increased efficiency. In the past, AIDAM, an association made up of 20 families managing around 400 hives, produced between 10 and 11 pounds of honey per hive.

Today, thanks to the support received, they have tripled production, reaching 30 pounds per hive. Honey is mainly sold at local fairs, small shops, and nearby restaurants. Members also make soaps, creams, and shampoos from honey.

Obed Cux Chávez, one of AIDAM’s leaders, explains: “When production is high, we organize and hire other colleagues to help with extraction and packaging. That creates jobs and motivates more young people to get involved.”

Living from the Forest

In Loma Linda and Santa Lucía, the forest is a synonymous of well-being. “Conserving forests brings us health, food, and economic resources,” says Claudio, convinced that tourism and conservation must always go hand in hand.

In Santa Lucía, the bond with the forest is ancestral: without forest and flowers, there are no bees, and without bees, there is no honey. From his K’iche’ identity, Abner tells us: “K’iche means place of many trees. Our ancestors knew that the forest was life and food. That’s why our honey is unique: because it is produced by caring for the forests.”

Women have also become more actively involved. Sonia Geteyá Cochoy, a single mother and AIDAM member, comments: “We take part in harvesting the honey, bottling it, and pressing the wax. By selling honey, we earn income for the family.”

Perseverance That Generates Support

Projects like those of ASODILL and AIDAM, supported by the Dedicated Grant Mechanism for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (DGM), financed by the World Bank and implemented by the Sotz’il Association, show that it is possible to combine forest protection with the generation of sustainable income.

In Loma Linda, tourism infrastructure was improved, a training hall was built, and promotion strategies were strengthened. In Santa Lucía, beekeeping production was modernized with standardized hives, protective equipment, and extractors; technical training and a market study were also offered to guide honey production and sales in a profitable and sustainable way. Seedlings were also provided for reforestation.

The MDE was implemented in 18 departments of Guatemala, supporting indigenous and rural communities in sustainable forest management and the creation of economic opportunities. It has benefited more than 2,500 people, 19% of whom are youth.

The support received allowed Obed to modernize his production and Claudio to strengthen tourism, two different paths that show it is possible to earn a living and build a sustainable future through the forest.