Political economy in Guatemala Forest - Essay Example

g political development, environmental and ecological issues challenge policy development because of their dependency on prevailing political perspectives. This has been particularly apparent in developing countries that often have substantial natural resources but lack the means to develop, monitor and manage their use. An example of such a scenario is the case of El Petén or the Petén region in Guatemala. The region is known for its rich forestry resources that has attracted industries and, in most recent years in particular, ecotourism (World Tourism Organization 29-32).

Organization and management of the region’s area is defined by management regimes: biotopes, core habitats, private preserves, buffer zones and areas for multiple-use (see Figure 1). A substantial part of the region is not under state regularization, the majority of which are held by private parties. The reservation for ecological use or reserves was defined by research identifying key areas for species under threat and topological significance for the eco-management of the rest of the region (Schwartz).

The most recent classification of environmental protection areas were modified to allow for ecotourism and long-term biological/ecosystem studies (World Tourism Organization 66-67). Property ownership can be procured outright or through lease agreements and processing or utilization of resources is generally regulated through state franchises. Development programs have also been initiated independently by private sectors and the government, with the majority of development programs financed though international funding in the form of aid and research, build operate and transfer agreements and industry-based initiatives primarily from tourism, communications and transportation interests.

The foremost mandate is the protection of ecological and a heritage site, which in the case of Petén encompasses also those of cultural significance. Agricultural and forestry are the main areas of