PACT announces $250,000 in new grants

Belize City, Belize, October 6, 2010 - The Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT) is proud to announce investments of $250,000 in new grants. On Wednesday, October 6, 2010, PACT awarded grants to the Belize Fishermen Cooperative Association, Friends for Conservation and Development, Restore Belize and Ya’axché Conservation Trust at a short Media Briefing held at the Best Western Biltmore Plaza in Belize City.PACT grants programme was established in 1997 to provide grant funding to our protected areas system. The following four grants have been identified as priority areas of investments by key stakeholders and the PACT Board. $100,000 will be invested in key biodiversity areas of the Maya Mountains via the Ya’axché Conservation Trust (YCT) and the Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD) for management of the Bladen Nature Reserve and Chiquibul National Park respectively. This investment seeks to enforce a structured biodiversity research and monitoring program for the Bladen Nature Reserve and address the threats from illegal incursions to the Chiquibul Forest, the largest protected area in Belize.
Our partnership with Restore Belize is a unique one in that it is a one-time investment and geared to providing high school scholarship aid to many young men and women who would not otherwise have the opportunity attend high school. In addition, the efforts are geared toward affording these children an opportunity to visit our protected areas and instill in them a sense of ownership of our natural and cultural resources. The Restore Belize Programme was established in June of this year by the Government of Belize with the goal of making Belize a safe home for its residents.
Lastly, $50,000 was awarded to the Belize Fishermen Cooperative Association to strengthen their capacity for a greater level of fishermen participation in the fisheries management. The institutional strengthening of the Belize Fishermen Cooperative Association is important to us since the membership of this association utilize our marine protected areas. Therefore, by strengthening this organization they will be able reach out to over 1,200 fishermen throughout Belize and provide the necessary training in best practices.
These investments today bring PACT’s total investment since January 2010 to 1,637,069.18. PACT serves as a key partner in financing biodiversity conservation with clear and tangible benefits to the natural heritage, economy and people of Belize. As Belize’s National Trust, PACT continues to promote sustainable management and development of Belize for the benefit of all Belizeans.
PACT takes this opportunity to thank its constituents, especially its grantees, mission partners and visitors for their commitment and continued efforts to sustainably manage our natural resources.
For more information and complete list of PACT grants visit www.pactbelize.org or email info@pactbelize.org.

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38” Pelican Boat goes missing in San Pedro

Tracey Leask of Belize Academy of Diving visited The San Pedro Sun’s office this morning to report of a missing boat. The reports are that between the hours of 10:30pm Monday night and 7:00am Tuesday morning, the boat “Bad Girl” went missing from Caesar Rivero’s work-shop, located in the San Pedrito Area. The vessel was at the workshop getting some maintenance done.
The boat is a 38” Pelican Boat, white in color, propelled by two 200 Horse Power engines. The incident has been reported to the San Pedro Police Department as well as the Belize Port Authority. If this vessel is seen or if anyone has any information assist in the recovery of the vessel, you are asked to please notify the San Pedro Police Department, Port Authority, or contact Tracey Leask and or Mr. Craig Coones at telephone number 600-4753.

A smooth ride...

Drivers up north (across the bridge), bike riders, and even pedestrians, are enjoying the nicely graded roads from the bridge through to the Cloisters thanks to the newly purchased grader from Reef Village.

Every time it rains, this area gets extra muddy and is filled with pot-holes, which of course makes it hard to navigate. With the new purchase, there is a bit of relief from the bad streets...kudos!

Green Reef Receives PACT Grant for Sport Fish Conservation Plan

Press Release - Green Reef - Oct. 1, 2010 - Green Reef was awarded a PACT grant to develop a sport fish conservation plan for Belize. One component of the project is to conduct community workshops with the objective of developing recommendations that will be presented to policy makers for the further development of appropriate conservation and management measures for the protection of critical sport fish habitat.

Four stakeholder community workshops have been planned throughout the country to provide input towards the strategies and actions of the conservation plan. As a key stakeholder for your local destination, Green Reef would like to invite you to attend the community workshop for your area as indicated in the attached invitation. Below are the scheduled dates and locations. Please plan on attending.

Belize Forest Department Issues Press Release Regarding ACES

September 29, 2010 - The American Crocodile Education Sanctuary ( ACES) has been working under the Authority of the Belize Forest Department since 2006. The sanctuary was established to provide a refuge to ‘problem’ crocodiles which would have otherwise have to be killed. ACES also rehabilitates crocodiles for release back into the wild and has also conducted research in the south of the country.
ACES was first allowed to capture and relocate problem crocodiles from Punta Gorda, Belize City and Ambergris Caye but with increasing reports of problem crocodiles from other parts of the country, the organization was given the authority to respond to such reports along with the Belize Forest Department.

ACES has also played an import role in educating locals and foreigners alike on the need for the continued protection of both Morelet's and American Crocodiles in Belize. ACES has been working closely with the Forest Department and have not at any time operated without authorization.

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Belize Forest Department
Headquarters: Forest Drive, Belmopan
Phone Numbers: (501) 822-1524/2079
Email: wildlife@mnrei.gov.bz
Fax: 822-1523