Biodiversity and conservation value of agricultural landscapes of Mesoamerica

This working group will synthesize information from research conducted across eight Mesoamerican countries to elucidate and promote principles for conservation action in human-impacted landscapes of Mesoamerica and to enhance the contribution to biodiversity conservation of forest fragments, extant agriculture, post-agricultural secondary forests, and forest restoration projects. Substantial ecological data sources are available now to develop such a synthesis and to promote the use of current knowledge in conservation planning, biodiversity assessment, corridor development, and transnational cooperation, all with local community participation. We anticipate that this internationally-based effort will provide scientific information critical to the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor and to harmonizing biodiversity conservation and agricultural production throughout Mesoamerica.