Trifinio Biosphere Reserve

The Trifinio Biosphere Reserve is a protected area in Guatemala, located where the borders of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras meet (thus the prefix tri in its name). The reserve was created in 1987, and has an area of 221.79 km2.[1] It protects the Guatemalan portion of the Montecristo massif and its cloud forests, and is the Guatemalan portion of the Trifinio Fraternidad Transboundary Biosphere Reserve, which spans the three countries' borders.

Trifinio Biosphere Reserve
IUCN category VI (protected area with sustainable use of natural resources)[1]
Map showing the location of Trifinio Biosphere Reserve
Map showing the location of Trifinio Biosphere Reserve
LocationChiquimula Department, Guatemala
Coordinates14°25′15″N 89°21′22″W / 14.42083°N 89.35611°W / 14.42083; -89.35611
Area221.79 km2 (85.63 sq mi)[1]
DesignationBiosphere reserve
Designated1987
Governing bodyCONAP / MAGA / PLAN Trifinio

Flora and fauna edit

The biosphere reserve was created to protect the Montecristo cloud forest and its rare flora and fauna.[2] The dense cloud forest of oak and laurel trees, which grow up to 30 meters high, houses rare wildlife species like the two-fingered anteater, striped owls, toucans, agoutis, pumas, and spider monkeys.

Conservation edit

Protection of the Montecristo massif was a joint initiative of these three countries. Guatemala's Trifinio Biosphere Reserve and Honduras' Montecristo Trifinio National Park were created in 1987.[3] El Salvador's Montecristo National Park was created in 2008. The international biosphere reserve was created in 2011.[4]

The protection of the Montecristo massif was part of a broader plan, known as the Trifinio plan, to develop this border region.[5][6]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c UNEP-WCMC (2021). Protected Area Profile for Trifinio from the World Database of Protected Areas. Accessed 9 September 2021. [1]
  2. ^ CONAP. "Listado de Áreas Protegidas (enero, 2011)". conap.gob.gt. Archived from the original (xls) on 2011-10-08. Retrieved 2011-06-27.
  3. ^ UNEP-WCMC (2021). Protected Area Profile for Montecristo Trifinio from the World Database of Protected Areas. Accessed September 2021. [2]
  4. ^ UNEP-WCMC (2021). Protected Area Profile for Parque Nacional Montecristo from the World Database of Protected Areas. Accessed 9 September 2021. [3]
  5. ^ Comisión Trinacional del Plan Trifinio (CTPT). "El Plan Trifinio" (in Spanish). Sistema de Integración Centroamericana (SICA). Archived from the original on 2007-01-11.
  6. ^ Secretariat General of the Organization of American States (OAS). "Plan Trifinio: El Salvador - Guatemala - Honduras" (pdf) (in Spanish). Organization of American States (OAS). Retrieved 2011-10-20.