Creating native handicrafts with forest resources

Cañoncillo Forest Craftswomen:Marina, Milagros, Teodora (Image by Xavier Saer, July 2022)

El Cañoncillo Natural Forest Private Conservation Area has three lagoons: Gallinazo, Larga and Cañoncillo. Creeping weeds and bushes have been obscuring the view of visitors to one of the lagoons, Gallinazo.  As a result, La Libertad Dry Forest project conducted a harvesting campaign of the lagoon in May this year with the Agricultural Cooperative of Tecapa (CAU) and the Cañoncillo Forest Craftswomen Association.  The harvesting campaign was to provide the artisan women’s group hand harvested natural resources to make their handicrafts but the right materials were not found.   The project team acquired wool, and different local grasses such as viruli and reeds for the craftswomen to use.  These resources helped motivate the craftswomen to meet and make their handicrafts.   In addition, the women were trained to improve their products in Artisan workshops and explore new alternatives for their development. Selling non-timber products contributes to sustainable, forest-friendly livelihoods that help preserve the dry forest and sustain livelihoods.