Project Description
With the increase in development around Placencia Lagoon, the environment is losing one of the most important players in a healthy ecosystem – mangroves!!!! Many new residents and investors are unaware of the ecological AND cultural importance of mangroves, thus CRC has partnered up with the Belize Mangrove Alliance to restore and protect mangroves around the Placencia Lagoon.
What will ensure the long-term pride and stewardship of mangroves is ensuring that the community is involved in the process of restoration and protection. Thus, we created the Community Mangrove Alliance (CMA), a program to foster mangrove (and wildlife) champions that can assist government in ensuring the re-establishment or protection of mangroves given people will have a personal commitment as those participants will plant their own mangrove and ensure the protection of THEIR mangrove. The idea of CMA is supported by the Belize World Wildlife Fund (WWF), and WWF has provided educational flyers for our program.
To help us successfully execute this program, the CRC has teamed up with Allies of the Wild in 2024. Our first collaborative mangrove restoration and protection project will be on Placencia Caye, where we plan to plant close to 1000 mangrove propagules (seeds), as well as conduct monthly trash pick-ups in collaboration with Prana Maya Island Resort to ensure the health of the mangrove system. As more funds come in, we will expand this project to other parts of the Placencia Lagoon.
The CMA composes of the following components, and will be implemented in phases:
- Further education via social media about importance of mangroves as well as laws.
- Illustrate the restoration process of mangroves to the community of Placencia Lagoon by focusing on the restoration and management of mangroves on Placencia Caye. Education to resident and business owners of the caye will be implemented to ensure all key stakeholders are proper stewards of the mangrove ecosystem.
- Host a community meeting in several locations to introduce the CMA, and begin identifying neighborhood mangrove champions to assist us in monitoring of mangrove restoration and protection.
- Conduct a house-to-house, business-to-business campaign to sign up residents and businesses to CMA.
- Host a workshop for those interested in how to restore mangrove on their property as well as monitor mangrove. From this workshop we can identify certified mangrove trimmers. This could provide a small contract job for a few people on the peninsula as if anyone is in need of mangrove trimming, they can contact these people who have been trained and provide a small fee.
- After training, the CRC along with other members of BMA can help with the initial mangrove planting at various businesses and residents. Afterwards, CMA neighborhood champions, resorts and residents can input information on their monitoring status along with images in a shared google doc for records.
- We eventually would like to provide some type of certification that is linked to Belize Tourism Board (BTB) and Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA) with either a sign and/or sticker participants can proudly display at their home or business. Businesses participating in CMA can be highlighted by BTB and BTIA, further promoting their businesses.
Anticipated Results
The CRC anticipates with this simple yet community involved program, we will observe an increase in education, appreciation, and interest in mangrove restoration and preservation. Community members will feel a higher responsibility in protecting wildlife and habitat, especially as they learn the importance of mangroves for their own well-being. This pilot study can thus be implemented in other areas of the country and hopefully secure Belize’s responsibility in the restoration of mangroves and protection of habitat.
Mangrove Restoration Update:
A site visit by Valentine Rosaldo was conducted on Placencia Caye in November 2024 to identify the first areas of restoration, in addition to what restoration methods would be best to implement. Planting of mangrove propagules will begin between January-March 2025.
Allies of the Wild is an organization that champions the protection and rejuvenation of our planet’s wildest places, along with the critically endangered species that call them home. We harness the power of rave culture, rebellion and art in order to raise money to protect these habitats, protecting nature both internationally and at home. We run rewilding and land acquisition operations with the sole focus of buying and protecting critically endangered habitats earmarked for deforestation. Protecting these vital ecosystems while making sure ownership and stewardship of the land is under the control of local communities and the indigenous people is at the heart of all of our projects. We fund these conservation efforts by running raves and gigs across the UK and Ireland, with events taking place in Galway city, Bristol and Swansea since our beginning in May 2019. As young people ourselves, we believe that the young people of today have the power to be part of the change that our planet so desperately needs. The content we create through social media, photography and documentaries are intrinsically influenced by and linked to the creative youth of our generation. Our goal is to create a community of like-minded people who are passionate about our planet. Our planet is a wonderous place, and we can party to protect it.
