Environmental Challenges in in Belize: From Rivers to Sea

1. Environmental Challenges in in Belize: From Rivers to Sea By Dr. Colin A. Young Galen University

2. Belizean History • Belize first settled by European pirates between 1630-1638 • Raison d’ Etre in 17th century was logwood and later mahogany • 1st African slaves in Belize arrived in 1722; by 1824, 2,300 slaves • Last Spanish attempt to claim Belize was 1798 – Battle of St. Georges Caye Day • Slavery abolished in 1832-38 • British Honduras declared a colony in 1862 • 1954 Universal Adult Suffrage • 1973 – Name changed to Belize • 1981 – New Independent Nation

3. History cont. • Since settlement in early 17th century Belize’s economy was based on forestry • Forestry-based dependence contrasted sharply with rest of region and Caribbean • Implication: dependence of forestry spared much of Belize’s forest; current forest cover of 69% • Large scale agriculture replaced forestry in 1960 as the primary income earner (more later)

4. History cont. • Belize’s 1st attempt at conservation occurred in 1920 (Silk Grass and Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve) • First nature reserve established in 1928 (Half Moon Caye) to protect Red-footed Boobies • By 1981, the colonial government designated 15 forests reserves covering ca. 20% of Belize

5. Red-footed booby

6. History of PAs Designation • Exploitation of timber resources (forest reserves); • Scenic value; • Wildlife protection; • Ecological or scientific purposes

7. Protected Area Analysis • 94 protected areas exist in Belize • Most are extractive reserves

8. NPAPSP Protected Area Analysis Only26.2% and NOT 42% of Belize’s national territory is protected

9. NPAPSP Protected Area Analysis • Terrestrially 36.46% is protected; • Extractive reserves form 17% • Only 13.64% of the marine realm is protected; • 8% is extractive reserves.

10. Belize’s unparallel biodiversity • 571 species of birds, • 162 species of mammals, • 121 species of reptiles, • 43 species of fresh water fish, • 117 species of total inland fish, • 157 mollusks, crustacean, • 43 species of amphibians, • 288 species of Lepidoptera, • 176 species of Odonata and 2 other terrestrial invertebrate. • 4,000 species of flowering plants (incl. 700 species of trees)

11. Early Management challenges • Lacked financial resources • Lack human resources and capacities • Deferred management to NGO rather than build internal capacity • Relevant govt. ministries remain un-empowered until independence; • Early designation lacked clear criteria, integrated management; • Inadequate legal framework w/ respect to PAs • These challenges were inherited post indepedence

12. Management Challenges: Post 1981 • Challenges magnified post independence • PA management ceded to multiple ministries • Archeology – Ministry of Archeology • Terrestrial – Forest Department & BAS • Marine – Fisheries & BAS • Tourism – Ministry of Tourism • Ministries lacked capacity, cooperation and coordination; • Led to ‘turf wars’ among Ministries • Management lacked integration and was always myopic and reactive

13. Management Challenges: Post 1981 cont. • Large scale agriculture embraced as driver of economic growth post independence • Led to increasing deforestation rates, including riparian deforestation • Lacked of land zoning regulations led to disparate uses (e..g, farms adjacent to PAs) • CIREFCA agreement allowed large influx of immigrants; many settled in riparian zones; • Led to increase deforestation, sedimentation

14. Management Challenges: Post 1981 cont. • Rather than build internal capacity, GoB embraced co-management of Pas • While co-management is a viable, sustainable strategy, co-managers lacked capacity • GoB saw co-management as a means to absolve them of management and financial responsibility

15. The Belize National Protected Areas System Plan The challenge: Current Situation

16. NPAPSP Protected Area AnalysisGap Analysis: Location of currently under-represented ecosystems

17. Human Footprint:

18. The Belize National Protected Areas System Plan The Vision

19. Community Conservation cont. • Was there a niche? • What role do community conservation initiatives play in conservation? • What has been the history of these in Belize? • They usually fail - why? • Lack capacity (financial, management, etc.,

20. Community Conservation cont. • Are Community-based conservation initiatives a viable and sustainable strategy? • Will they work everywhere?

21. Threats to Belize’s biodiversity • Habitat destruction and fragmentation (2.3%/yr)m sedimentation; • Invasive species • Population growth (2.7%/yr; doubling time of 25 years) • Pollution (both terrestrial and marine) • Overharvesting (marine and forests) • Corruption • Climate Change • Coastal Zone Developments (ca. 70% foreign owned) • Migration • Tourism

22. Threats to PA network: Marine • Decline in fish stocks, possibly from over fishing and illegal commercial fishing; • Pollution from sewage from Chetumal and rivers discharges of the shrimp farms and agrochemicals • Unsupervised excessive visitation by tourists (cruise ships) leading to degradation/ destruction of parts of the coral reef; • Lack of pump-out stations for sailboats leading to dumping of sewage at sea; • Increase intensity and frequency of storms • Climate change (warm temperatures, coral bleaching etc.,) • Increased mangrove destruction

23. Other Threats to PAs • Poor institutional capacity/coordination • Paper parks • Oil development (overlay with PA) • Lack of monitoring and enforcement of laws • Lack of zonation of sensitive areas • Little benefits to indigenous groups • Poverty -33% Belizeans poor

24. Oil Prospecting & PAs

25. Poverty in Belize • 33% of population below poverty line • 10% of population indigent • 13% unemployment rate • What does it mean to be poor in Belize? • In Belize, Poverty Line and Indigence Line were estimated at $1,287.48 and $751.32 respectively. • Minimum wage = $3.00/hr; agricultural workers = $2.50/hr • Imagine raising a family of four on $1,287.48 = $25/week

26. Causes of Belizean poverty • The historical underdevelopment especially of the South of the country • Subsistence economy; • Lack of infrastructure; • Deficiency in human resource development. • Lack of training and educational upgrading has inhibited the development of skills in Belize; • The substantial influx of poor immigrants • Belize, as a signatory of the CIREFCA Agreement, agreed to host Central American refugees

27. Causes of Belizean poverty cont… • Difficulty in resolving macro-economic problems. • Increased public debt (now 97% of GDP) discouraged private investment; lacked of infrastructural development • Debt service led to reduction of employment and expenditure on and services in education and health and environmental management • Trade deficit

28. Impact of Poverty • Environmental • Social issues (health, education, crime ) • Economic • Institution and lack of capacity

29. Solutions • Need more transparency and integrated PAs management • Need clear criteria for PA resignation, de-reservation etc., • Implement NPAPSP • NGOs agenda must become les esoteric • Conservation must become profitable to local Belizeans • Socio-economic improvement through empowerment initiatives • Improved legislative environment

30. Conclusions • Independent nation of Belize inherited a inefficient protected areas system that lacked human resources and capacity • GoB differed responsibility which slowed capacity building • Globalization and high population growth poses new and serious challenges • PAs system needs integration and simplified management structure to be effective

31. THANK YOUQuestions!!!!