Prevention and action: community workshops on forest fire prevention

As part of the Caribbean Resilient Communities (CCR) project, Centro Naturaleza held a specialized training workshop for forest firefighters and reforestation brigade members in the region. This initiative is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen local capacities to respond to environmental threats, especially forest fires that affect biodiversity and rural livelihoods.

During the workshop, participants received theoretical and practical training on basic fire control techniques, including the proper use of tools such as water backpacks, machetes, and forest rakes. The importance of coordination in emergency situations was emphasized, as well as the strategic role of firebreaks as a preventive measure.

As part of the training process, a controlled fire drill was conducted, in which participants applied the knowledge they had acquired by building firebreaks and evaluating their effectiveness in real conditions. This experience allowed them to consolidate key skills for rapid and safe response to fire events in forested areas.

The activity took place in the community of Ceiba de Bonet, a priority area due to its ecological richness and vulnerability to fires. Thirty people were trained in this workshop, of whom four were women and 26 were men. This initiative reinforces Centro Naturaleza's commitment to protecting ecosystems and promoting prepared and resilient communities.

In the project's area of intervention, there are various environmental problems that directly affect local biodiversity. Among these, the itinerant practice of citrus cultivation (Persian lemons) in micro-basins stands out, as well as migratory agriculture, which is subsequently oriented towards planting grass for livestock. These activities are key factors in the spread of forest fires, as they involve the clearing of coniferous and broadleaf species, many of which are found in orographic depressions where aquifers originate. This alteration of the landscape modifies the microclimate in the different soil and climate gradients, negatively affecting the region's flora and fauna.

##### Record of fires in the area:Bold

• 2019 - 14 Forest Fires • 2020 - 12 Forest Fires • 2021 - 12 Forest Fires • 2022 - 16 Forest Fires • 2023 - 39 Forest Fires • 2024 - 13 forest fires • 2025 (to date) - 23 forest fires

*Note: The above records do not include grass burning for livestock, the use of fire on agricultural plots, or cases of intentional logging and burning.