Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the Ixcán. One component of the plan is the construction of the Xalalá dam, a hydroelec-
tric project. Despite claims that the dam will produce 886 GWh of hydroelectric energy
per year, thus reducing the country's energy deficit and reliance on fossil fuels, the project
has run into stiff opposition, as detractors claim that construction will displace local com-
munities, affect water quality downstream and alter the ecology of the area through habitat
loss
For information about the spectacular Chelemhá cloud forest, check out www.chelemha.org .
Transnational mining companies are moving in, most notably in San Marcos in the
Western Highlands and the Sierra de las Minas in the southeast. Without the proper com-
munity consultation called for by law, the government has granted these companies li-
cense to operate open-cut mines in search of silver and gold. Chemical runoff, deforesta-
tion, eviction of local communities and water pollution are the main issues here. Police
have been used to forcibly evict residents and quash community groups' peaceful protests.
Bird-lovers must get hold of either The Birds of Tikal: An Annotated Checklist, by Randell A Beavers, or The Birds
of Tikal, by Frank B Smithe. If you can't find them elsewhere, at least one should be on sale at Tikal itself,
and both are useful much further afield.
Environmental Organizations
Despite such a dire-sounding list of obstacles, a number of Guatemalan organizations are
doing valiant work to protect the country's environment and biodiversity. The following
are good sources of information for finding out more about Guatemala's natural and pro-
tected areas:
» Alianza Verde ( www.alianzaverde.org ; Parque Central, Flores, Petén) Association of organizations, businesses and
people involved in conservation and tourism in El Petén; provides information services such as Destination Petén
magazine, and Cincap, the Centro de Información Sobre la Naturaleza, Cultura y Artesanía de Petén, in Flores.
» Arcas (Asociación de Rescate y Conservación de Vida Silvestre; 7830-1374; www.arcasguatemala.com ; Calle
Hillary, Km 30, Lote 6, Casa Villa Conchita, San Lucas Sacatepéquez, Guatemala) NGO working with volunteers in sea
turtle conservation and rehabilitation of Petén wildlife.
» Asociación Ak' Tenamit ( www.aktenamit.org ) Maya-run NGO working to reduce poverty and promote conservation
and ecotourism in the rainforests of eastern Guatemala. Branches in Guatemala City (
2254-1560; 11a Av A 9-39,
Zona 2) and Río Dulce (
5908-3392) .
 
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