Belize Audubon Society News

On Saturday, April 25^th 2009, the Belize Audubon Society (BAS) celebrated Earth Day with a “Walk for a Green Belize” from Belize City to Guanacaste National Park. The event commenced 6:30 am at the Constitution Park in Belize City where the Mayor, Ms. Zeniada Moya, officially welcomed the participants and led the group in commencing the walk. Around 500 people participated in the “Walk for a Green Belize” and it is estimated that a total of 800 bags of trash were collected representing an average of 16 trash bags per mile. Groups involved in the clean-up included: Belize City Council, Costa Rican Embassy, Dangriga Youth Group, Forest Department, Golden Citizens, Guatemalan Embassy, LoveFM, Mr. Lopez–Mayor of Belmopan, Mexican Embassy, OAK, PACT, Palotti’s Nature Protectors, Scouts Association, SMART, UB Environmental Club, US Embassy, WWF, and Belize Audubon Members and staff. Additionally logistical assistance was rendered by the Belize Red Cross, Old Belize, Police Department, Police Recruits, and SJCJC First Aid Team. The event was a great success and BAS applauds all participants as they contributed to making Belize a little cleaner, a more conscientious country and toward creating a greener generation.The groups reunited at the Guanacaste National Park where the official Earth Day ceremonies were held. Entertainment was provided by the Hoppin John String Band, Ms. Leela Vernon and Brother Fem. To conclude the day, all in attendance had the opportunity to experience the park through a variety of tours. BAS extends its appreciation to everyone who made the event a great success. We would like to acknowledge the following for their support of conservation: Belize City Council, Bowen & Bowen Ltd., Eco Solutions, Embassy of Mexico, LoveFM, National Council of Ageing, PACT, U.S. Embassy, and Zeta Ice Factory.

The Belize Audubon Society (BAS) hosted its 40th Annual General Meeting on Saturday, April 18, 2009 at the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary with around two hundred (200) members attending from across Belize to share in the achievements of the organizations for the year 2008 and to elect members of the Board.

Key achievements for the Belize Audubon Society in 2008 were the infrastructural improvements at Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary and Half Moon Caye Natural Monument; implementation of a database membership management system and more active membership coordination; increased visibility on the work of the Society including the Today Show on NBC; on site research on marine and terrestrial species; community development initiatives such as the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary wetland campaign; diligent work in the field of environmental education promoting a sustainable future; and the launch and promotion of the Environmental Agenda 2008-2013. The work of BAS continues as 2008 marked the completion of a strategic plan for the next five years. The new plan indicates that the work of the Society will continue towards maintaining an environment that sustains healthy livelihoods and a productive citizenry.

At the close of the AGM, the Board of Directors of the Belize Audubon Society for the year 2009 - 2010 are: Earl Green, President; Mike Heusner, 1^st Vice President; Carlos Matus, 2^nd Vice President; Mark Hulse, Treasurer; Linda Searle, 1^st Secretary; Melissa Espat, 2^nd Secretary; Lascelle Tillett, Director; Jude Lizama, Director; Carlos Santos, Director; Carlton Young, Director; Anicasio Garcia, Director; Mario Teul, Director and Mark McField, Director.

Members in attendance proceeded to immerse themselves in nature as they had a fun filled afternoon of activities.

The Belize Audubon Society aims at creating a balance between people and the environment, and has never been against sustainable development, nor does it plan to do so. We call on developments that are properly planned and are sustainable, thus are socially desirable, economically feasible and with the least negative impacts to the environment.

In adhering to our mission, the Belize Audubon Society wishes to categorically state that we do not support developments that are not aligned with the country’s national development ethos, and are not sustainable or incur negative impacts that far outweigh their positive outputs.

Development of mega projects, such as South Beach Belize, requires close examination and analysis. The Belize Audubon Society does not support mega projects for various reasons, most notable being:

in this particular case, the proximity of Hol Chan Marine Reserve to the proposed development, places the project in a sensitive area, making it imperative that any development be approached with caution;

the infrastructural demands of these developments cannot be met given the current systems in place (such as solid waste disposal and labor force); and

given the global economic climate, all financial inclinations are that investments in second home mortgages and vacation properties are decreasing in viability, increasing the likelihood that mega projects may be left unfinished.

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) produced by the South Beach Belize developer proposed a five phase project. While Phase I seems to have the least environmental impact, the plan in its entirety can not be supported by the Belize Audubon Society. The EIA process focuses on the environmental merits and the proposed development’s environmental ramifications such as mangrove clearance, dredging and filling, etc. In addressing EIAs, such as in the case of South Beach Belize, the social component is not assessed with due merit. The National Environmental Appraisal Committee (NEAC), which reviews EIAs for large scale projects primarily, focuses on the environmental factors that affect biological diversity, with few voices representing the social sector. As a membership organization, the Belize Audubon Society takes its responsibility to its members seriously, and has been and continues to advocate for more active and responsible social participation so that the voices of all concerned can be heard. In addition BAS recommends that NEAC have equal social representation to address the social impacts. We encourage all citizens to express their views and exert the pressures necessary for social concerns to be adequately addressed on NEAC.

Whilst the EIA for South Beach has received clearance, some concerns remain unaddressed. One such concern is that the boundary between Hol Chan and the development site has not been clearly defined nor has a buffer between the two been attributed. Additionally, the dredging site for the rest of the development has not been identified. Both outstanding issues must be addressed prior to proceeding to Phase II of the project.

The Department of Environment has produced the Environmental Compliance Plan (ECP) that stipulates a large security bond and a significant monitoring fee to ensure that the developer adheres to environmental regulations and the conditions of the ECP. Additionally the South Beach project has a requirement that it must return for approval by NEAC of each subsequent phase (prior to commencement of construction), at which point, based on merit of the achieved development, the developer may or may not proceed. It is important to note that each approval is subject to the current laws and regulations at the time of review.

This project is expansive with great potential to cause negative impacts to society and the environment, and therefore BAS cannot support this initiative. In holding steadfast to our mission, we cannot support this type of project, as in our view it does not “create a balance between people and environment”.

The Belize Audubon Society is a non-governmental environmental organization working in partnership with government, non-government and community-based organizations, as well as regional and international agencies for the better management of Belize’s protected areas.

To view the  Financial Statement of 2006 and 2007 click the follwing link: Financials 2006 and 2007

Matt Lauer broadcasted live from Blue Hole Natural Monument and Half Moon Caye Natural Monument on November 17 and 18 as part of NBC Today’s “Ends of the Earth” theme week. The Belize Audubon Society’s work on Turtle conservation on Half Moon Caye was highlighted, and the Marine Parks Manager Ms. Losita Lee was also featured on the show. She focused the Red-Footed Booby Birds on the island. Belize Audubon Society was proud to host the NBC crew at both protected areas as we know these are key conservation sites for the country of Belize and the world.