Tikal National Park Conservation

Since 1970, the National Institute of Anthropology and History in Guatemala is the institute that coordinates the excavation and conservation works in the Tikal National Park.

Besides the Mayan ruins, Tikal National Park is also important for the wide variety of flora and fauna found here.

The thick forest as well as lakes and swamps are very important for migratory birds.

The biosphere reserve is administered by CONAP, through its executive secretariat, with the participation of various institutions.

The Comite Coordinador de la Reserva Maya (Maya Reserve Coordinating Committee) was created to ensure coordination between the administrative entities within the reserve and other authorities.

It consists of members of CONAP, who preside over it, the Instituto de Antropologia e Historia, the Centro de Estudios Conservacionistas de la Universidad de San Carlos and the National Army, through the Commandant of military zone No. 23 and the Commandant of the Air Base of Santa Elena, who jointly coordinate a special system of patrolling the borders of the reserve.

There is a high degree of cooperation between the site and the MAB authorities, as well as between regional planning and development authorities, local communities around the reserve, and the coordinating body for integrating scientific activities at the site.

The core area of the Biosphere Reserve consists of the existing Tikal National Park and the protected biotopes, the new areas include the national parks. The buffer zone consists of a 15 km-wide border surrounding the reserve and within Guatemalan territory.

The main objectives of the reserve are to conserve the natural environment, to provide the legal basis for resource protection and management, to conserve specific genetic resources in situ, to promote local participation in land-use and management, to promote regional planning and rural development, to disseminate knowledge about conservation and management of the reserve, to conduct scientific research and to promote environmental education and training.

Activities taking place in the core area are biological inventories, long-term environmental monitoring, environmental education and professional training. In the buffer zone forestry, agriculture, biological inventories and collections, fishing and environmental education are undertaken.

In the multiple use area main activities include conservation management, environmental education, forestry, fishing, gathering, long-term monitoring, agriculture, professional training, restoration of wetlands and terrestrial habitats, biological collections, tourist development and crafts.