About the
Project

The Atlantic Coast of Belize, Guatemala and Honduras is known as Central America’s “hurricane corridor.” The region has endured approximately 65 hurricanes and tropical storms over the past 60 years, bringing devastating floods that wipe out nearby crops, landslides that damage homes, and fierce winds that damage ecosystems. Decades of deforestation have made coastal communities in Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras even more vulnerable to these climate impacts.

The REFORES Project addresses these challenges by restoring critical ecosystems as natural barriers against climate disasters. Through partnerships with local communities, the project demonstrates how healthy landscapes can reduce landslides, prevent erosion, and create hurricane buffers.

Priority Landscapes

The REFORES Project focuses its efforts in three strategically selected landscapes in Central America’s Atlantic corridor. We work alongside local organizations to integrate nature-based solutions and drive community-led restoration.

Belize: Monkey River Watershed

Honduras: Sierra del Merendon and Cusuco National Park

Guatemala: Cerro San Gil Reserve & Rio Dulce

Project Outcomes

With a special emphasis on supporting women
and minority groups, this project aims to:

Incorporate Restoration in Adaptation Policy and Planning:

Through workshops and government engagement, the project partners help the decision-makers to incorporate restoration into public policies and land-use plans.

Strengthen Climate Adaptation:

The project works with communities to restore land and to design locally managed early warning systems to protect against the worst effects of extreme weather events. By leveraging Initiative 20×20’s vast partner network, these communities can adopt best practices from coastal restoration sites across the region and share their stories with others looking to improve their climate resiliency.