- The Maya Forest extends across Belize, northern Guatemala, and southeastern Mexico and represents one of the most important ecological systems globally.
- It is considered the largest tropical forest in Mesoamerica and has an area of more than 5.6 million hectares.
(Calakmul, Campeche, Mexico, August 15, 2025).- The global environmental conservation organization WWF congratulates the governments of Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico for affirming their commitment to the present and future of the Maya Forest by signing the Calakmul Declaration to establish the Great Maya Forest Biocultural Corridor.
Through this declaration, the heads of government of the three countries reinforced their shared responsibility for biodiversity conservation, inclusive and sustainable development, and the protection of human rights in this biome.
Within this framework, the leaders adopted the “Great Maya Fores Biocultural Corridor” initiative as a framework for cooperation to conserve natural and cultural heritage, strengthen community and indigenous practices, and generate well-being and security for its inhabitants through joint projects, sustainable use of resources, and mutual assistance in the face of threats to nature.
The leaders also agreed to strengthen financial and cooperation mechanisms and invited the international community to redirect its contributions toward inclusive and sustainable development in this region.
In addition, they agreed to coordinate efforts to conserve and restore the ecological connectivity of protected areas, protect species and habitats, and share information, technology, and research to address threats such as forest fires, illegal logging, deforestation, and environmental pollution.
To implement the initiative, the following authorities were designated as responsible: the Mexican Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources, through the National Commission for Protected Natural Areas; the Guatemalan National Council for Protected Areas; and the Belize Ministry of Sustainable Development. These entities will form the Council of Protected Area Authorities, which will be responsible for designing an Action Plan and an investment plan, and will submit triennial reports.
The Council will establish a Tri-national Support Group for the Great Maya Forest Biocultural Corridor, composed of academic, private, social, and environmental sectors, with the aim of mobilizing and managing national and international resources for conservation.
August 15 was established as the Day of the Great Maya Forest, and the Great Maya Forest Conservation Merit Award was created to honor those who contribute to its protection and sustainable use.
WWF reiterated its willingness to continue collaborating with the conservation of the Great Maya Forest Biocultural Corridor in Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico, and to contribute to the action plan developed to implement this visionary declaration.
María José Villanueva, Director General of WWF Mexico, said: "The Maya Forest unites our countries not only geographically, but also culturally, socially, environmentally, and economically. This Declaration fills us with pride and comes at the most opportune moment, motivating us to continue promoting our efforts to protect the jaguar's habitat, mangrove forests, protected areas, and the entire Mayan heritage expressed in its ancestral productive activities."
Óscar Rojas, Conservation Director of WWF Mesoamerica, said: “We applaud the decision of the leaders of the three countries that are custodians of the Great Maya Forest Biocultural Corridor to give renewed impetus to efforts to safeguard this natural and cultural wonder of global importance, and to guide its development along a path of conservation, good governance, and local inclusion, which will enable a more prosperous and sustainable future for people and nature.”
Together with other organizations, WWF has a presence in the three countries that share the Maya Forest, where it has been supporting conservation efforts for several years.
Importance of the Maya Forest
Different ecosystems are distributed throughout the Maya Forest, from the humid forests of Petén in Guatemala to the dry forests in the north of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. These ecosystems play an important role in terms of water production and maintaining landscape connectivity, as the multiple ecological corridors allow for mobility between organisms and species, as well as the functionality of the ecosystem as a whole.
It has a population of approximately two million people of ethnic and cultural diversity, located around the protected areas. Although diverse, the people who inhabit it depend on the same natural resources. To ensure its long-term existence and population, it is necessary to establish sustainable use of nature and intercultural cooperation.
One of the main fronts of deforestation in the world
A recent study published by WWF on the 24 main deforestation fronts in the world identified the Maya Forest as part of this group. The Maya Forest, one of the largest tropical forests in the Americas, provides important environmental services, including carbon sequestration and biodiversity and vital forest resources for rural communities.
While this region has long been subject to deforestation, the boundaries of forest loss have shifted. In the last decade, deforestation has shifted from the south to the northwest of Petén (Guatemala) and has increasingly advanced into northeastern Campeche and southern Quintana Roo (Mexico). The drivers of deforestation have also changed. While cattle ranching and slash-and-burn farming were the main drivers in the past, urban expansion and agriculture (small-scale, but especially large-scale) now play an increasingly important role.
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Luis Rodríguez
Media Relations Coordinator, WWF Mexico
Maria del Rosario Calderon
Communications Manager, WWF Mesoamerica