Transcript Conservation in Belize: A brief History

Environmental Challenges in
in Belize: From Rivers to Sea
By
Dr. Colin A. Young
Galen University
Belizean History
• Belize first settled by European pirates between 16301638
• 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
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)
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
Red-footed booby
History of PAs Designation
• Exploitation of timber resources (forest
reserves);
• Scenic value;
• Wildlife protection;
• Ecological or scientific purposes
Protected Area Analysis
N
W
Archaeological Reserve
Bird Sanctuary
Forest Reserve
Marine Reserve
Marine Reserve:
Spawning Aggregation
Natural Monum ent
Nature Reserve
Private Reserve
Wildlife Sanctuary
National Park
E
S
Map Prepared by Jan Meerman
April 2005
Grid: UTM zone 16, NAD 1927
0
10
20
30 Miles
94 protected areas exist in
Belize
• Most are extractive
reserves
•
NPAPSP Protected Area
Analysis
Only 26.2 % and NOT 42% of Belize’s national
territory is protected
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.
Belize’s unparallel biodiversity
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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)
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
Management Challenges: Post
1981
• Challenges magnified post independence
• PA management ceded to multiple ministries
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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
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
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
The Belize National Protected Areas
System Plan
N
W
Archaeological Reserve
Bird Sanctuary
Forest Reserve
Marine Reserve
Marine Reserve:
Spawning Aggregation
Natural Monum ent
Nature Reserve
Private Reserve
Wildlife Sanctuary
National Park
E
S
The challenge:
Current Situation
Map Prepared by Jan Meerman
April 2005
Grid: UTM zone 16, NAD 1927
0
10
20
30 Miles
NPAPSP Protected Area Analysis
Gap Analysis: Location of currently under-represented ecosystems
Human Footprint:
The Belize National Protected Areas
System Plan
The Vision
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.,
Community Conservation cont.
• Are Community-based conservation
initiatives a viable and sustainable
strategy?
• Will they work everywhere?
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
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
Other Threats to PAs
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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
Oil Prospecting & PAs
N
Archaeological Reserve
Bird Sanctuary
Forest Reserve
Marine Reserve
Marine Reserve:
Spawning Aggregation
Natural Monum ent
Nature Reserve
Private Reserve
Wildlife Sanctuary
National Park
E
W
S
Map Prepared by Jan Meerman
April 2005
Grid: UTM zone 16, NAD 1927
0
10
20
30 Miles
Poverty in Belize
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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
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
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
Impact of Poverty
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Environmental
Social issues (health, education, crime )
Economic
Institution and lack of capacity
Solutions
• Need more transparency and integrated PAs
management
• Need clear criteria for PA resignation, dereservation 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
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
THANK YOU
Questions!!!!