Strengthening Heloderma Natural Reserve as an Education and Habitat Restoration Center for MotAgua Spiny-tailed Iguana

By Daniel Ariano and Johana Gil, Heloderma Natural Reserve | $11,920

overview

Heloderma Natural Reserve (HNR) in Motagua Valley, Guatemala, is a 58-hectare reserve dedicated to conserving a unique tropical dry forest ecosystem that is inhabited by the Motagua Spiny-tailed Iguana (Ctenosaura palearis), as well as the endemic Guatemalan Beaded Lizard. Our goal is to ensure that these species are protected for future generations through community education and habitat protection/restoration programs. We built a tree nursery to expand the production of young trees and cactus to be planted, and the species produced are those that either provide food or shelter to sustain this highly threatened iguana.

Reforestation

With IIF support, we built a new tree nursery that allowed us to expand production from 500 to 4,000