Guatemala is launching the Forest Protection and Recovery Fund (Fobosques) with a budget of 40 million quetzales to finance reforestation and forest management projects starting in May 2026.
This new mechanism, administered by the National Mortgage Credit Corporation in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN), aims to accelerate the path towards net-zero deforestation and would enable the active restoration of national ecosystems, as reported by Minister Patricia Orantes through the ministry's official channels.
Minister Orantes explained in an institutional video that, unlike the situation in 1975, when two-thirds of the national territory was covered by forest, Guatemala currently only retains one-third of its original forests.
More than half of this remaining area is located in protected areas; the rest is in the hands of local communities. Minister Orantes emphasized: "Fifty years ago, Guatemala had two-thirds of its territory covered by forest. Since then, we have lost half. Today, we only have one-third, and of that third, just slightly more than half is within protected areas."
According to MARN, the application period to access funds from the Fobosques program will be from May 11th to May 29th, 2026. Organizations, foundations, and associations with proven experience in forest management will be able to submit project proposals.
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Guatemala has launched Fobosques, a fund of 40 million quetzals dedicated to financing reforestation and forest management projects starting in 2026, with the aim of achieving net-zero deforestation and restoring national ecosystems. (Illustrative Image: Infobae)
Guatemala is launching the Forest Protection and Recovery Fund (Fobosques) with a budget of 40 million quetzals to finance reforestation and forest management projects starting in May 2026. This new mechanism, administered by the National Mortgage Credit Corporation together with the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN), seeks to accelerate the path towards net-zero deforestation and would enable the active restoration of national ecosystems, as reported by Minister Patricia Orantes through the ministry's official channels.
Minister Orantes explained in an institutional video that, unlike the situation in 1975, when two-thirds of the national territory was covered by forest, Guatemala today only preserves one-third of its original forests. More than half of this remaining area is located in protected areas; the rest is in the hands of local communities. Orantes emphasized: "Fifty years ago, Guatemala had two-thirds of its territory covered by forest. Since then, we have lost half. Today, we only have one-third, and just over half of that is within protected areas."
Guatemala is launching the Fobosques Fund with 40 million quetzals for reforestation and forest management starting in 2026. (Photograph: CONAP Guatemala)
According to the MARN, the call for applications to access funds from the Fobosques program will be available from May 11 to May 29, 2026. Organizations, foundations, and associations with proven experience in forest management will be able to submit project proposals for protection, restoration, and management, both in protected areas and outside of them. Selected projects will have access to between 2 and 8 million quetzals to be implemented over periods of one to three years. The Vice Ministry of Natural Resources and Climate Change will regulate the distribution of funds, requiring that interventions comply with technical criteria and avoid overlaps with other incentives, in accordance with current territorial planning. Only proposals focused on the use of native species will be eligible, in line with the national strategy for the reconstruction of forest biodiversity.
Orantes stated: "The fund will exclusively support the use of native species, which are key to rebuilding our forest biodiversity."
Guatemala is launching the Fobosques Fund with 40 million quetzals for reforestation and forest management starting in 2026. (Photograph: CONAP Guatemala)
The Minister of MARN highlighted that Guatemala is recognized as the American country with the highest density of coniferous trees, surpassing Mexico, the United States, Canada, and Brazil. This diversity is reflected in more than twenty types of forests distributed throughout Guatemalan territory: "We have more than twenty types of forests, including broadleaf forests, those of Petén, Alta Verapaz, and Izabal, mangrove forests, cloud forests, Quetzal forests, dry and thorny forests, and pine forests. And as you can see, we are the country in America with the highest density of coniferous or pine trees, far exceeding Mexico, the United States, Canada, and Brazil."
According to Decree Number 3-2026 of the Congress of the Republic and the regulations approved by Orantes on April 27, the 40 million quetzals of the fund constitute the initial annual allocation to ensure the consolidation of results. The explicit objective is to advance towards a net-zero deforestation rate, a national goal agreed upon between the MARN and its technical offices. Grantee organizations must demonstrate experience in forest management and implement their projects in areas defined as priority by the corresponding vice ministry, avoiding duplication with other existing incentives. This approach will primarily benefit non-profit organizations with proven capacity to intervene in large areas of natural forest and ensure sustainable management for several years, in accordance with the guidelines of the MARN.
Minister Orantes summarized the purpose of the call with a phrase in Nahuatl: "We are going to recover Coactemallan, land of forests." Guatemala—historically known by that name, the official emphasized—aspires to position itself as a regional benchmark in reforestation and ecological restoration, supporting a public policy that prioritizes the integrity of native ecosystems and community leadership in the sustainable management of forests.