Amigos de El Pilar Background	Amigos de El Pilar Bullet Tree Falls, Cayo BePukte Road to Bullet Tree Camino a Bullet Tree

Amigos de El Pilar is a broad-based community organization in Bullet Tree Falls Village made up of women and men (including young adults) that was formed in June 1993. The purpose of Amigos de El Pilar is to address issues of alternative income-generation activities and community development. Recognizing the increasing problems caused by traditional slash-and-burn subsistence farming to environmental degradation and decreased biodiversity, Amigos de El Pilar hope to work to educate the community in environmental issues and directly participate in the resource management of the development of the El Pilar Natural and Cultural Park Reserve. Amigos de El Pilar wish to establish Bullet Tree Falls village as the gateway for visitors destined for the El Pilar Archeological Reserve for Maya Flora and Fauna. To take advantage of the future opportunities that management of El Pilar will engender, Amigos de El Pilar wish to stand ready with the background and education to participate meaningfully in the community's future and to help the community grow and flourish. To accomplish our important community goals we are seeking support from a variety of different areas. Our long-term goals are to educate the community so that we can:
1) fosters traditional knowledge of our environment, 
2) begin preserving biodiversity, 
3) encourages participation in the protection and management of El Pilar, and
4) develop activities both in Bullet Tree Falls and El Pilar that are related to the growing eco-tourism industry of Cayo. 

Amigos de El Pilar is begining to work with Cayo BTIA and is a full collaborator with the BRASS/El Pilar Archaeological Project and its Director, Dr. Anabel Ford. Amigos is wholly involved with and supports the work of Dr. Ford and as the results of her work will be for our benefit as well as our enjoyment.