Paso Caballos is Q'eqchí community located in a key access point to Laguna del Tigre National Park and surrounding forest concessions. Currently Paso Caballos has a population of 1,500 in habitants, and in 1997 signed an Agreement of Intent with Guatemalan govern through the CONAP, which recognizes the presence and permanence of the community in this area, delimiting a territorial polygon called Community Management Unit of 6,382.12 ha, distributed into the 112 families living in that area at the time of the agreement.

In 2010, WCS signed the second Conservation Agreement with this community, and the community under the agreement promised to be strictly controlled during the period of agricultural fires to prevent the spread of fire to other areas, migration regulation and prohibition the settlement of new people in the community, control and prohibition of cattle,control and surveillance of surrounding forests. In return, the community receives technical assistance for streng thening and local authorities, improving school and health infrastructure. Among the most important achievements since the signing of the agreement include a considerable improvement in the relationship between the community and government authorities (CONAP), two periods of agricultural burning in strict internal control and without incident in the area, efficient control of threats related to the usurpation of protected areas and illegal land business selling in the community.

Conservation Challenges

Among the most important challenges of this community emphasizes the streng thening of community organization for the control and protection of agricultural burning during the dry season, and the control of immigration of people to the community. In addition to being a community that has experienced rapid growth, streng thening education and health services for children and youth is an immediate priority, as the economic diversification in community practices environmentally friendly production.