The Mesoamerican Biological Corridor (MBC) is an initiative of Central America and Mexico which encompasses many projects, both national and transboundary and is funded and supported by a variety of different organisations, including IUCN. As a terrestrial land bridge between North and South America, bordered by two oceans with the 2nd largest coral reef in the world, extensive mountain chains, and areas ranging from deserts to rain forests, Mesoamerica possesses between 7-10% of all known life forms on the planet.
Experiences and lessons learned
Experience from the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor: Mexico to Panama
Lessons Learned
Exactly half of the natural habitats of Central America have been converted to other land uses. All of the region's protected areas are thus under intense pressure. Achieving the MBC goals of integrating the Mesoamerican protected area system into the regional economy continues to be a significant challenge requiring ongoing focus on indigenous land rights, on the financial sustainability of protected areas, and on natural resource management in buffer zones and corridor areas.
In the nearly 10 years that the MBC has been in existence, the countries of Mesoamerica and their partners have been learning what does and does not work. The shifting priorities of the MBC and the changes in the concept itself, as it shifts increasingly toward integrated actions of rural development, are signposts of the directions taken.
To know more about IUCN's work in Mesoamerica, click here.
