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	<title>The Future of Petén</title>
	<link>http://www.futureofpeten.com</link>
	<description>Firsthand reports on ecotourism, logging and political change in northern Guatemala</description>
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		<title>A Harsh Season of Forest Fires Predicted for 2010</title>
		<description><![CDATA[A new report by CONAP, Guatemala’s national parks agency, and the Wildlife Conservation Society, predicts an intense year to come for forest fires in northern Guatemala. Each year, forest fires burn large sections of old-growth tropical forest in Petén, Guatemala’s northernmost province. Some fires begin naturally. Others are set by farmers, ranchers, or drug traffickers [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.futureofpeten.com/a-harsh-season-of-forest-fires-for-2010/</link>
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		<title>IDB Approves Funds for Cuatro Balam</title>
		<description><![CDATA[On April 30, the Inter-American Development Bank approved $907,780 in funding for sustainable tourism development in northern Petèn. The Executing Agency is the Fundación Para El Desarrollo de Guatemala, FUNDESA.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.futureofpeten.com/idb-approves-funds-for-cuatro-balam/</link>
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		<title>Guatemalan rangers promise more land reclamation</title>
		<description><![CDATA[It looks like the Guatemalan forest rangers from CONAP, the Council of Protected Areas, think they can make a dent in the eviction of ranchers who have staked illegal claims to the land in the Maya forest &#8212; if they get a lot more funding from the federal government. Claudia Santizo, CONAP&#8217;s secretary, said the [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.futureofpeten.com/guatemalan-rangers-promise-more-land-reclamation/</link>
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		<title>The Meaning of &#8220;Cuatro Balam&#8221;</title>
		<description><![CDATA[From what we&#8217;ve heard, &#8220;Cuatro Balam&#8221; is a name with symbolic resonance. Bayron Castellanos, of the NGO Balam (a separate entity from the government plan), tells us it&#8217;s not geographic reference but an allusion to Maya cosmology where the four cardinal directions have to be in balance. In other words, what they do in the [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.futureofpeten.com/the-meaning-of-cuatro-balam/</link>
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		<title>Is Cuatro Balam just an initiative or also a cultural reference?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Please take a look at our new Wikipedia entry on &#8220;Cuatro Balam&#8221; and feel free to edit and add more accurate content. One of the items we&#8217;re in discussion about is the origins of Cuatro Balam. Many people we talked with seemed to suggest that Cuatro Balam was not just an initative, but a geographic reference too, [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.futureofpeten.com/is-cuatro-balam-just-an-initiative-or-also-a-cultural-reference/</link>
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		<title>A Tale of Two Wildernesses</title>
		<description><![CDATA[A Tale of Two Wildernesses by Michael Stoll Published in the Earth Island Journal, a publication of the Earth Island Institute To read the article as it appeared in the magazine, click here. I knew things were bad when Paulino dipped his empty plastic water bottle into a shallow, muddy swamp puddle. After attempting to [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.futureofpeten.com/a-tale-of-two-wildernesses/</link>
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		<title>Explore Guatemala&#8217;s ancient Maya metropolis before the crowds come</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The road to El Mirador  By Nadia Sussman for the Mercury News Buried beneath deep jungle growth in Guatemala&#8217;s northern reaches, the ancient Maya metropolis of El Mirador is worth the walking. And walking, and walking some more. Go now for the rare chance to experience lush tropical forest and have the ancient city — more [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.futureofpeten.com/explore-guatemalas-ancient-maya-metropolis-before-the-crowds-come/</link>
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		<title>Are evictions the future of the Maya Biosphere Reserve?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[On July 16, when Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom presented the Cuatro Balam plan for increased tourism and environmental protection within the Maya Biosphere Reserve, he showed the following video: The video invokes the wisdom of the ancient Maya, their superior knowledge of the heavens and the natural world. It goes on to paint a picture [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.futureofpeten.com/are-evictions-the-future-of-the-maya-biosphere-reserve/</link>
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		<title>Richard Hansen to Receive Environmental Award</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Richard Hansen, Director of the Mirador Basin Project and head archaeologist at El Mirador archaeological site was named Environmentalist of the Year by Latin Trade magazine. Latin Trade today announced the winners of the Latin Trade Bravo Business Awards intended to &#8220;honor government and business leaders for their contributions to progress in Latin America.&#8221; The [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.futureofpeten.com/richard-hansen-to-receive-environmental-award/</link>
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		<title>Communities and concessions</title>
		<description><![CDATA[SAN FRANCISCO — One of the strangest things about Guatemala is how close it is to the US. And how easy to leave. In our plane, we effortlessly crossed the border where Mexico tries to keep the Guatemalans out, then cleared the wall the US is building to keep the Mexicans out. Just four and [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.futureofpeten.com/concessions-and-their-challenges/</link>
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