Mesoamerica 2020 Launch and Experts Meeting
June 12, 2014
The Organization of American States and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) launched today Mesoamerica 2020, a conservation initiative that seeks to capitalize on the region’s most valuable natural resource: people. The objective of Mesoamerica 2020 is two-fold: 1) work with key actors at the individual, organizational and group levels to address the underlying human dimensions of species and ecosystem conservation at the landscape level and 2) strengthen the capacity of Mesoamerican individuals and institutions to be stewards of the land and secure a sustainable future. The overarching conservation goals are to reduce unsustainable land use activities, mitigate the impacts of extractive industries, and reduce threats to highly endangered wildlife and plant species.
Mesoamerica 2020 will partner with the Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza (CATIE) to host a regional stakeholder meeting in August 2014 to bring together conservation practitioners from Mesoamerica to share lessons learned, promote the use of best practices, and to identify training needs for the region. The initiative has a seed fund for small grants to support projects that utilize best practices and address the region’s capacity development needs.
The launch ceremony was followed by an experts meeting where NGOs and OAS Member States shared the projects and activities currently in implementation in Mesoamerica. The discussion centered on lessons learned and key actions and gaps for biodiversity conservation in the region.
Richard Huber Department of Sustainable Development |
Organization of American States | Presentation |
Melida Tajbakhsh Chief, Western Hemisphere Branch |
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Wildlife Without Borders Program | Presentation |
Pedro Carlos Álvarez-Icaza Longoria Coordinador General de Corredores y Recursos Biológicos |
Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad | Presentation |
Guy Foulks & Andrea Grosse Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act Program |
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act Program | Presentation |
Isabel A. Gutiérrez Montes Programa Académico de Práctica del Desarrollo |
Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza | Presentation |
Barbara Vallarino Executive Director |
Ecologic | Presentation |
Heather O'Neil |
EcoAgriculture Partners | |
Adam Henson Technical Director |
Fauna and Flora International | Presentation |
Jeremy Radachowsky Assistant Director of Latin America and Caribbean Program |
Wildlife Conservation Society | Presentation |
Deb Hahn International Relations Director |
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies | Presentation |
David Younkman Vice President for Conservation |
American Bird Conservancy | Presentation |
John Beavers Executive Director, International Alliances Program |
Audubon | Presentation |
Becky Regnery Deputy Director |
Humane Society International | Presentation |