Nestled among towering volcanoes, Guatemala’s Lake Atitlan is often described as one of the world’s most beautiful lakes. Four of the Central American region’s seven biomes meet in the Atitlan region, making it a biodiversity hotspot and a natural “gas station” for migrating birds. But here, as elsewhere in the developing world, a lack of economic opportunities often drives local residents toward activities that devalue local ecosystems for biodiversity and for the people who rely on them for resources.