The Visis Cabá biosphere reserve

Biosphere reserve

The Man and the Biosphere Programme of UNESCO was established in 1971 to promote interdisciplinary approaches to management, research and education in ecosystem conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.-Development:...

is a 450 square kilometre protected area

Protected area

Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...

  in the department of El Quiché. It is also known as Biósfera Ixil, and is located in the North of the municipality of Chajul

Chajul

Chajul is a municipality in the Guatemalan department of El Quiché. Chajul is part of the Ixil Community, along with San Juan Cotzal and Santa Maria Nebaj. The Ixil region is isolated by beautiful mountains and has maintained its rich Ixil Mayan traditions and language...

, on the communal lands of the Ixil

Ixil

Ixil is a Mayan language. It is the primary language of the Ixil Community -- the three villages of San Juan Cotzal, Santa Maria Nebaj, and San Gaspar Chajul -- in the highlands of Guatemala. Possibly it is three different languages.-Grammar:...

 communities.

The creation of the Visis Cabá biosphere reserve has gone through a long and complex process of negotiations between the Ixil communities, government institutions, and the communities of civil-war

Guatemalan Civil War

The Guatemalan Civil War ran from 1960-1996. The thirty-six-year civil war began as a grassroots, popular response to the rightist and military usurpation of civil government , and the President's disrespect for the human and civil rights of the majority of the population...

refugees (CPR) living in that area.