Pico Bonito

Pico Bonito National Park (PBNP) is located on the north coast of Honduras, in the mountain range called Nombre de Dios, to the southwest of the city La Ceiba. It is part of the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor (MBC).

It has a surface area of 1,073 square kilometres including its buffer zone - i.e. approximately 20 x 20 miles or 30 x 35 km.

This area is very popular for the practice of rafting, kayaking and hiking, and a number of tour operators offer transportation, tours and lodging. The management of this protected space is the responsibility of the Pico Bonito National Park Foundation (FUPNAPIB), a non-profit non-governmental organization, which was formed as a legal entity in 1993, by the law 192-93 of the National Congress. Currentlythe exists an agreement for the co-management between the State Forest Administration (AFE-COHDEFOR) and FUPNAPIB whichformalises the actions of the latter organisation.

The Pico Bonito National Park Foundation (FUPNAPIB) has programs in forest protection, the integrated management of resources, environmental education and gender equality. In partnership with the Ecologic Development Fund and the World Bank’s BioCarbon Fund, FUPNAPIB launched a carbon capture and storage project in 2005. The project aims to mitigate the negative effects of climate change through providing local communities with training and employment opportunities in reforestation and agroforestry.

External links

* [http://www.picobonito.org/ Fundación Parque Nacíonal Pico Bonito FUPNAPIB]
* [http://www.ecologic.org Ecologic Development Fund]
* [http://carbonfinance.org/Router.cfm?Page=BioCF&FID=9708&ItemID=9708&ft=Projects&ProjID=9637 World Bank BioCarbon Fund: Pico Bonito Forests]