Reginaldo Chayax This is Me

 Web References

1. 1. Certified Tourism Matters - November 2006

   www.rainforestalliance.org/pro - [Cached]

   Published on: 11/1/2006   Last Visited: 11/18/2006

   And, farther north, the Guatemalan Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources named Reginaldo Chayax, the environmental defender and director of the Bio Itzá Association, as "Protector of Earth's Nature" for his work in protecting the Maya Itzá culture in Petén. Bio Itzá, a community-run project certified by Green Deal almost five years ago, brings families, the local government and international students together in a variety of sustainable development projects.
   
   We are proud to give the Ministry of Tourism and Hosteria Alandaluz in Ecuador and Reginaldo Chayax from the Bio Itzá Association our sincerest congratulations.

2. 2. BIO ITZÁ ACTION UPDATE

   www.ecologic.org/projects/guat - [Cached]

   Published on: 3/12/1998   Last Visited: 11/29/2002

   Tensions erupted when the Mayor and the leader of the Bio Itzá Association, Reginaldo Chayax, started fist fighting after the Mayor cut down trees in a patch of land belonging to Reginaldo's relative. This dispute polarized the town. Members of the Bio Itzá Association were threatened, one of its leaders' horses was mysteriously killed, and plants in the women's medicinal plant garden were uprooted. At one point the Mayor unsuccessfully ordered the police to remove the Bio Itzá park guards and imprison Reginaldo. In return, many of the Itzá sought to occupy the Municipal building. Local authorities, including the police, and most of the international groups active in Petén saw the dispute as a local matter and did not want to get involved. The only exceptions were ProPeten and EcoLogic, which provided much-needed assistance and counsel to the Bio Itzá Association.
   
   First, EcoLogic supported legal action to oppose the Mayor's attempt to dissolve the Association. EcoLogic then helped this community group upgrade its status from a Committee to an Association with personalidad juridica.
   ...
   News spread quickly and Reginaldo was heartily congratulated by his people. A major Guatemalan newspaper, Prensa Libre, printed a favorable article about the day's events and the Mayor appeared on the local radio station to announce "peace for conservation." Reginaldo told me that this was the second greatest highlight of his tenure as president of the Bio Itzá Association. When I asked about the first, Reginaldo said that his greatest joy was when his group received the legal papers attesting to their status as an Association with personalidad juridica. A lasting solution seemed to be in sight.
   
   There did, however, remain one major outstanding issue. Originally, the Municipality conceded its lands to the Itzá in 1991, charging the customary nominal rent. Due to the size of the forest and the years of back rent owed, the Bio Itzá Association recognized as part of the agreement that it needed to pay $8,000 to the Municipality "as soon as it was able." While the agreement called for eliminating the need to pay rent in the future, the Itzá had to settle their debt.

3. 3. Certified Tourism Matters - November 2006

   www.ra.org/programs/tourism/ne - [Cached]

   Published on: 11/1/2006   Last Visited: 11/17/2006

   And, farther north, the Guatemalan Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources named Reginaldo Chayax, the environmental defender and director of the Bio Itzá Association, as "Protector of Earth's Nature" for his work in protecting the Maya Itzá culture in Petén. Bio Itzá, a community-run project certified by Green Deal almost five years ago, brings families, the local government and international students together in a variety of sustainable development projects.
   
   We are proud to give the Ministry of Tourism and Hosteria Alandaluz in Ecuador and Reginaldo Chayax from the Bio Itzá Association our sincerest congratulations.