World Land Trust’s partner in Honduras, Asociación Ecológica de San Marcos de Ocotepeque (AESMO), has hired a new Keeper of the Wild to fill the vacancy left by Carlos Ardón.
Lurvin Mejía is 25 years old with a Bachelor of Sciences and Letters degree. He will take over Carlos’ duties as head ranger, which include patrolling the Güisayote Reserve, and implementing AESMO’s environmental education and food security programmes by working with local entrepreneurs and farmers.
First rains
On his first day Lurvin was involved in managing the water flow from the Rio Hondo watershed. He also carried out his first patrol, and was delighted when it began to rain. He said it filled him with hope “because there has been a lack of rain due to climate change. I have been concerned about the people who rely on these rains when they sow their fields in early May.”
The rains are also welcome due to the risk of forest fires as the landscape becomes exceedingly dry.
Forest fire
One of Lurvin’s first duties was to fight a forest fire on Colopeca hill. Although the fire only destroyed 2 acres (almost 1 hectare) of land before Lurvin and a team of local volunteers put it out, it had passed over a coffee plantation and narrowly missed a house by 50 metres.
Fortunately the first rains fell on the area a few days later, which will protect the forest against further fires to the relief of the local Pashapa community, who rely on Colopeca hill as their household water source.
More information
The tropical forests of western Honduras are not only important for their high biodiversity, but also as a vital source of clean water for local villages. WLT supports the management of this important area by funding Lurvin Mejía to work in Güisayote Reserve through Keepers of the Wild.