The Milpa Cycle Shaped the Maya Forest

Over thousands of years the Maya have used milpa cycle principles to sustainably manage native forests.  Over many generations, Maya forest gardeners’ keen understanding of their environment has allowed them to maximize agricultural productivity by mimicking nature’s successional processes and taking advantage of the natural diversity at every stage.  As a result of this ancient “select and grow strategy,” more than 90% of the dominant tree species found in the Maya forest have utility for humans, creating the forest garden we are familiar with in the Maya area today.

  • Milpa Cycle Annimaiton 4
  • Milpa Cycle Annimaiton 1
  • Milpa Cycle Annimaiton 2
  • Milpa Cycle Annimaiton 3
  • Milpa Cycle Annimaiton 4
  • Milpa Cycle Annimaiton 1
  • Milpa Cycle Annimaiton 2
  • Milpa Cycle Annimaiton 3

This model shows the mosaic landscape that is created by the milpa cycle as each individual milpa cycles through stages one through four and back again. This continual rotation ensures that Maya farmers have at least one milpa in stage one providing invaluable staple crops year after year.