Date of Workshop: November 29-30, 2017 

Workshop Coordinators: Miriam Castillo and Julio Zetina

Uaxactún, officially declared a village in the 1950s, has been inhabited long before that. Situated approximately 96 kilometers from Flores and near the northern border of Tikal National Park, Uaxactún lies close to the Mexican border within the Maya Biosphere Reserve. The community manages an 83,558-hectare forest concession for both timber and non-timber products.

With a population of 770, Uaxactún focuses on the extraction of non-timber forest products, including xate (Chamaedorea spp.), chicle (Manilkara zapota, used in chewing gum), and pepper (Pimienta dioica). It was the first community to sign a Conservation Agreement that provides incentive payments and technical assistance in exchange for conservation activities. This agreement supports the community through education and payments for sustainable xate harvesting, along with activities such as the enrichment of natural xate populations, control and monitoring plans, and fire prevention measures.

In 2000, the government granted Uaxactún a 25-year concession to manage 83,000 hectares of forest. With 37% of the population between 15 and 30 years old, these future leaders will play a crucial role in advocating for the renewal of the concession after 2025.

In November 2017, a Youth Visioning Workshop was held with 15 participants aged 15-29. The workshop highlighted the youth’s high level of awareness regarding the importance of renewing the concession and fulfilling its requirements. They demonstrated a clear understanding of income opportunities and many expressed plans to pursue education and jobs outside the community.

One of the most surprising findings was the enthusiasm and joy the youth brought to the workshop. They proactively prepared local foods and organized a tour itinerary in advance, showing their readiness to lead in tourism and pride in hosting. During the workshop, they shared insights on connecting the sawmill to timber management plans and linking community organizations, the museum, the Mayan ruins, and tourism revenue. As one participant noted, "When I go out of Uaxactún to continue my studies, I will make new friends from other regions. It will be important for me to learn about the other cultures of my country."

Fermin, a community member, remarked on the impact: "The most important part was seeing the youth so excited. Normally, only adults are invited to meetings like this. The youth are often forgotten, but this workshop sparked their interest in having a greater platform and voice. Just 20 days later, they held a youth assembly and began planning to form an organization to represent themselves and future youth in the community, giving them a greater role in community decisions."