Transboundary Forestry and Water Management in Nicaragua and Honduras: From Conflicts to Opportunities for Cooperation

Abstract

In the mountainous western border region of Nicaragua and Honduras, a lack of integrated forestry, water, and land-use policies has contributed to a series of interrelated conflicts both within and across country borders. These conflicts are manifested in increases in illegal deforestation, forest fires, and deteriorating surface water resources. Although problems appear most obviously in terms of natural resource shortages, the root of the problems is often the inadequate decision-making process. In this study, we use a problem-oriented approach to describe three natural resource conflicts, analyze the decision-making and social processes contributing to these conflicts, and offer recommendations by describing how a bi-national community-based water monitoring regime could improve data collection and the inclusivity of the decision-making process.