Environmental Challenges in in Belize: From Rivers to Sea
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Transcript of Environmental Challenges in in Belize: From Rivers to Sea
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
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
History of PAs Designation
• Exploitation of timber resources (forest reserves);
• Scenic value;
• Wildlife protection;
• Ecological or scientific purposes
Protected Area Analysis
• 94 protected areas exist in Belize
• Most are extractive reserves
N
EW
S
Archaeological ReserveBird SanctuaryForest ReserveMarine Reserve
National Park
Natural MonumentNature ReservePrivate Reserve
Marine Reserve:Spawning Aggregation
Wildlife Sanctuary
Map Prepared by Jan MeermanApril 2005
Grid: UTM zone 16, NAD 19270 10 20 30 Miles
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
• 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
• 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
EW
S
Archaeological ReserveBird SanctuaryForest ReserveMarine Reserve
National Park
Natural MonumentNature ReservePrivate Reserve
Marine Reserve:Spawning Aggregation
Wildlife Sanctuary
Map Prepared by Jan MeermanApril 2005
Grid: UTM zone 16, NAD 19270 10 20 30 Miles
The challenge:
Current Situation
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
• 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 & PAsN
EW
S
Archaeological ReserveBird SanctuaryForest ReserveMarine Reserve
National Park
Natural MonumentNature ReservePrivate Reserve
Marine Reserve:Spawning Aggregation
Wildlife Sanctuary
Map Prepared by Jan MeermanApril 2005
Grid: UTM zone 16, NAD 19270 10 20 30 Miles
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
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
• 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, 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
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