Projects?

Our projects are determined by:
1) the Copan Association's assessment of local and site needs
2) our international board of directors and advisors' decades of academic, business and practical experience in Central America
3) the Copan Management Plan document published in March, 2001

Procedures:

Twice a year, the foundation will review proposals. The directors and advisors will determine which are the most urgent, and how they will be most effectively carried out. At any time of the year, the foundation will convene to consider particularly pressing proposals.

Current Projects:

The Copan Maya Foundation will contribute to the following projects over the next three years (2001-2003). They are in order of our attention at this point.


  Copan Children’s Learning Center

This center would serve the existing 30,000 Honduran children who come to Copan anually. It would provide much needed education for students and teachers about the cultural, social and ecological aspects of this region’s important ancient and contemporary history. Needs: physical building, exhibits, training of teachers, guides/docents, and guidebooks.

Copan Nature Trails

The Copan Nature Trails need didactic information, "way-finding" signage and an illustrated guidebook. Winding through Copan National Park and throughout the valley, trails would showcase unique plants, mammals and birds of this region. These trails will assist in developing environmental awareness in the local community as well as encouraging specialized tourists and extending visitors' stays.

Copan Library and Lecture Hall

Copan needs a mesoamerican library with furnishings and books as well as a lecture/film area for scholars (archaeologists, art historians, botanists, anthropologists, etc.) to share insights, research and new perspectives with each other, people from Copan and with international visitors.

Illustrated updated guide book for the site of Copan

To keep up with the exciting field of Maya research, Copan needs to update its site guidebook every three years.

Expenses

The foundation seeks to assist Central American students interested in Maya-related topics to attend a university with a strong Middle American program. Augmenting their stipend for books, and support for them to attend lectures, and pursue summer field school opportunities.

Training seminars

Copan guides - including the ancestors of the ancient Maya, the modern Ch'orti' - need continuing education to keep current in serving the national and international communities. The foundation will act as a vehicle by which scholars offer the results of their research to guides, who are the "public" mouthpiece for the site.

Reforestation

The Copan Valley needs reforestation of native plants and trees in Hurricane Mitch-devastated areas. The focus would be on watershed regions and valley sidewalls as they are the most fragile.

Urban plan for the Copan Valley

Using the efficient and effective layering technology of geographic information systems, the plan will offer input from local business people, residents, farmers as well as archaeologists, soil scientists, geologists, civil engineers, landscape ecologists, botanists, and watershed master planners. This plan will ensure a balanced and logical approach to future human impact and our animal, land and water use for this ancient, significant valley in Honduras.