Mesoamerica is currently undergoing a significant transformation as territorial and political landscapes evolve. A newly released work critically examines this change through the lens of borderlands, geographical remoteness, geopolitics, and conservation. Titled The Maya Forest Waterlands: Shared Conservation, Entangled Politics and Fluid Borders, this compelling book distills the complexities of natural resource politics and geopolitics that hinge upon the idea of borders. The authors, Senior Researchers Hanna Laako from the University of Eastern Finland and Edith Kauffer from CIESAS, Mexico, delve into this rich tapestry, revealing insights that could redefine our understanding of conservation practices in the region, now published under the esteemed Routledge Studies in Conservation and the Environment series.
The authors elucidate the creation of the Maya Forest, a concept pioneered in the 1990s by scientists and conservationists aimed at safeguarding the tropical rainforest and the Mayan ruins straddling Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico. By tracing the collaborative efforts of archaeologists, anthropologists, and natural scientists in this endeavor, the book illustrates how the Maya Forest emerged not just as a geographical entity, but as a significant cultural and ecological space. It emphasizes the necessity of reevaluating knowledge production in a region labeled an eco-region and biodiversity hotspot—a status observed by conservationists and Mayanists alike. The power dynamics within knowledge production are compelling, as they influence perspectives related to the region’s ecological and socio-political fabric, affecting the utilization of its land and resources.
In examining these themes, the book also contextualizes contemporary transformations that color the Maya Forest. Tourism, particularly, stirs shifts in cultural identities, economic livelihoods, and even prompts gentrification, a trend that complicates local dynamics further. The influence of drug cartels and criminal organizations is noted as well, proliferating across border regions, creating challenges that complicate conservation efforts and disrupt the lives of those inhabiting these unique landscapes. The authors illuminate how the Maya Forest, often viewed as an isolated and mystical realm, simultaneously acts as a narrative vehicle for new developmental agendas. A notable example highlighted is the Maya Train project—the ambitious railway infrastructure initiative recently inaugurated in the Yucatán Peninsula, which is central to ongoing debates about regional geopolitics and conservation.
Yet, while the concepts surrounding the Maya Forest are quite expansive, they often overlook vital contemporary Indigenous voices. The book delves into this oversight, positing that Indigenous groups, particularly those belonging to the various Mayan communities, have largely been marginalized within the dominant narratives of the region. It portrays how Indigenous struggles persist in Belize, where local Maya movements have engaged in counter-mapping as a means to assert their rights, and critiques the sustainability of practices such as bioprospecting in Mexico. These ongoing struggles are emblematic of the complex intersectionality of colonial histories, environmental issues, and contemporary Indigenous rights movements.
One of the book’s most significant contributions is the spotlighting of the largely overlooked history of the chicleros, or chewing-gum collectors, whose influence has permeated the region for over a century. These collectors have not only fostered the establishment of new forest communities but have built crucial ecological knowledge that informs current conservation practices. The transboundary trails created by chicleros are now integral for conservationists and archaeologists working to protect the invaluable resources within the Maya Forest. Their story serves as a testament to the unseen socio-ecological intertwining that characterizes the region.
Moreover, a novel concept introduced by the authors is that of "forest waterlands." This innovative idea prompts a reconsideration of conventional categorizations, which traditionally separate natural resources—such as water, forests, and land use policies—into distinct units. In the context of the Maya Forest Waterlands, the authors argue that these categories converge and cannot be disentangled from one another, providing a more holistic understanding of resource politics. This emergent perspective underscores the imperative for transboundary analyses within biodiversity research, a burgeoning field that beckons to be explored more comprehensively.
The insights presented in the book are grounded in the authors’ extensive field research and multifaceted transboundary experiences, providing a nuanced understanding of the complex challenges confronted in this ecologically significant region. Notably, an open-access version of the book is available, ensuring that a wider audience can engage with its critical findings. The authors have even produced a complementary video that brings these themes to life, accessible in English with Finnish and Spanish subtitles to promote broader dissemination of this essential knowledge.
The research underpinning this publication has been supported by the Kone Foundation in Finland, which awarded a grant to Laako’s project “Political Forests – the Maya Forest.” Additional backing came from the Department of Social Sciences and the Department of Historical and Geographical Studies at the University of Eastern Finland, further illustrating the collaborative nature of this work and the institutional support for insightful academic inquiry into the Maya Forest and its surrounding areas.
In summation, The Maya Forest Waterlands: Shared Conservation, Entangled Politics and Fluid Borders presents a thought-provoking examination not only of conservation efforts but also the socio-political and historical contexts within which these efforts operate. It compels readers to recognize the myriad voices that contribute to the narratives of the Maya Forest and underscores the necessity of inclusive and multifaceted dialogue in addressing the complexities of territorial and natural resource governance in Mesoamerica.
Subject of Research: The interaction of conservation efforts and Indigenous rights in the Maya Forest region.
Article Title: The Maya Forest Waterlands: Shared Conservation, Entangled Politics and Fluid Borders.
News Publication Date: October 2023.
Web References: Book DOI
References: To be determined based on specific citations within the text.
Image Credits: To be determined based on image usage in publication.
Keywords: Mesoamerica, Maya Forest, conservation, Indigenous rights, geopolitical transformations, borderlands, ecological knowledge, chicleros, forest waterlands, transboundary research.
