The CIP is an organization that represents 1,536 families of the Poqomam people in the municipality of Palín, Escuintla. They manage a communal forest known as El Chilar, comprising 3,735 hectares of broadleaf forest, 70% of which is natural forest and the remainder is used for crops, following an agroforestry approach. Under their own ancestral system of governance, management, and forest protection, they have established a successful model for managing various natural resources, and their forest area is now considered the last “lung” of the southern coast. Its location makes it even more significant, as it lies between two cities (40 kilometers from Guatemala City and 20 kilometers from the departmental capital of Escuintla), since it currently has 50 registered water sources, the three direct beneficiaries of which are: the departmental capital of Escuintla, the National Institute of Electrification (INDE), and the sugar mills adjacent to the forested area.

The indigenous community of Palín has collectively established a system for the protection and sustainable use of its natural resources. They have a forestry committee that oversees the area’s forest resources, particularly during the summer months, when they conduct firebreaks, patrols, and efforts to monitor and control illegal hunting and logging. Together, these actions help maintain control over the territory in the face of the threat of forest fires.