New road causes environmental stir

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There's been much fanfare lately in Guatemala concerning the construction of a new road. Known as the Franja Transversal del Norte, it will traverse the departments of Huehuetenango, Quiche, Alta Verapaz and Izabal west to east, connecting the Mexican border and Guatemala's Caribbean coast. The road already exists in rudimentary form. It's a dirt road at present, where the going can get get very rough. Some parts are impassable during the rainy season. The government has already started on the road's construction and plans call for a broad highway with two lanes on each side. Residents and government officials are optimistic that the project will help connect many of Guatemala's rural areas and bring much-needed development.

Not everyone welcomes the project with open arms, however. Guatemalan environmentalists have been sounding the alarm as of late, claiming the road will adversely affect several protected areas. Among them is Laguna Lachua National Park, which the new road would traverse on its northern fringes.

Now, I consider myself very environmentally-conscious but in this case I wonder if things aren't being blown out of proportion. Having bounced my way on the rutted, future Transversal from Huehuetenango to Laguna Lachua for 10 hours, I'd have to say I'd welcome a paved alternative. I know that roads often bring settlers but the fact of the matter is the road already traverses part of the park (see satellite photo). The only change would be that it would now be a paved road. Several other Guatemalan national parks, including Tikal National Park, have paved roads going through their borders with little or no ill effects. It's really a matter of park management once the road is built. Several of the park guards I spoke to at Lachua concurred that the new road really wouldn't change things all that much. If anything, they're hoping better roads will bring more visitors to the remote park.

Good or bad, love it or hate it, the new road is being built. We'll just have to wait and see what the future holds. Feel free to share your thoughts here.