06.03.2026
On March 3, we connected territory and market. More than 40 participants from Europe and Latin America joined the webinar that brought together the entire community forest value chain: from the forest to the European market. This action took place within the framework of the “Madera Cero Deforestación” project, funded by the EU's AL-INVEST Verde program, and was reinforced by the presence of other community forests.
The European market framing was presented by Eli Prins (Probos), who explained the context of the EUDR regulation, and the challenges importers face in terms of due diligence and traceability. Complementing this perspective, Steven Paulussen (Belgian Timber Trade) shared the European buyer’s viewpoint, highlighting the importance of reducing technical uncertainty and validating the market positioning of lesser-known species.
In an uncommon development, a forest ejido and a network of women entrepreneurs presented directly to European buyers, sharing not only their product offer but also their model of territorial management, traceability, and value addition.
Ejido Noh Bec presented its experience in certified forest management and in implementing digital traceability tools aligned with the EUDR— a process whose architecture and technical support were developed by Minkadev, in coordination with local stakeholders. The Women Carpenters’ Network showed how local value addition strengthens the chain and diversifies business opportunities.
Crucially, Productos Forestales del Sureste and FORESCOM (Guatemala) took part not only as industrial players and exporters, but also as facilitators of structured, transparent commercial processes guided by a vision of shared responsibility across the supply chain. Their integration into this framework represents significant progress toward more open coordination models, where trust-building and a win–win approach become part of commercial design.
We also benefited from the participation of CONAFOR, which provided institutional backing and national production context, and CONANP, which underscored the biocultural importance of the Selva Maya Corridor as one of Mesoamerica’s most significant forest landscapes. In addition, Rainforest Alliance reinforced this collective effort, emphasizing the importance of linking sustainability, markets, and territorial governance as a single system.
The outcome was tangible: requests were received for samples of lesser-known timber species (LKTS), as well as a specific request for chicozapote decking, confirming that when traceability, FSC certification, and territorial coordination are communicated clearly, the market responds.
This webinar is part of a process spanning more than two years, now consolidating through commercial events that aim to structure community supply chains aligned with new European regulations.
The project is funded by the European Union under AL-INVEST Verde “Madera Cero Deforestación,” implemented by ATIBT, in coordination with the local cooperative Túumben Kooben, the Secretariat for Economic Development of Quintana Roo, the Secretariat for the Environment of the Government of Campeche, Probos, in a major strategic partnership with Rainforest Alliance, and with the active participation of community forest enterprises and key territorial stakeholders.
ATIBT and its partners warmly thank all participants for their attendance and collaborative spirit, which have helped move toward a more coordinated value chain better prepared and guided by a shared long-term vision. We will share more news soon about the next steps.
Watch the Webinar video here.
