Maya environmental successes and failures in the Yucatan Peninsula

This is a case study of environmental management by an indigenous people, the Mayas of the Yucatan Peninsula, a geographic area shared by Mexico, Belize, and northern Guatemala. The purpose is to contribute information to the debate among environmental policy makers concerning indigenous peoples and their local knowledge. It summarizes recent findings that call into question older theories, often referred to in this debate. The focus is on the evidence for changes in resource use over time: the adoption and abandonment of technologies as affected by climate change and population pressures, including evidence concerning variations in the resources themselves.