The northern beaches of Ambergris Caye are now cleaner thanks to a group of volunteers who participated in a clean-up campaign on Sunday, November 10th. The initiative, led by islander Elito Arceo, covered an area stretching from El Norte Bar north to Robles Point, approximately 14 miles north of San Pedro Town. Organizers reported that the clean-up collected 150 bags of rubbish. Another clean-up is planned before the start of the tourism season to ensure these northern beaches are completely garbage-free.
One of the reasons for the clean-up was to create a safe and clean environment for visitors and nesting sea turtles and to ensure the hatchlings’ safety. The activity started early on Sunday, and a large group of volunteers came together on that sunny day. This group included students, members of the San Pedro Town Council, conservation advocates, representatives from the private sector, the San Pedro Police Formation, the Belize Coast Guard, and even members of the Sarteneja Alliance for Conservation and Development (SACD). They all worked diligently to remove as much rubbish as possible from this stretch of beach.
Arceo expressed that the turnout for the clean-up was great, but the job is far from finished. “We need to organize another clean-up because there is still a lot of garbage to collect,” he stated. “We were not expecting to find so much trash, and we even ran out of bags. We need to return to complete the clean-up.” He pointed out that much of the trash collected appears to have been discarded by people visiting the beaches over the weekend. Arceo urges anyone traveling to these remote areas of the island to take their rubbish back with them instead of leaving it on the beach or in nearby areas.
Most of the items collected during the clean-up were plastic bottles, plastic bags, and beer bottles, among other things. While some trash may wash ashore, those participating in the community effort stated that most of the waste originates from the island itself. It is believed that visitors to these beaches contribute to the problem. Beach clean-ups are conducted every year, yet the issue of trash persists or has even worsened.
After the beach clean-up, the group enjoyed lunch and refreshments together. The beauty of Ambergris Caye struck many volunteers. One participant noted that the lack of docks contributes to the charm of the beaches and inspires them to preserve these areas as they are. They hoped the northern beaches would not become like downtown San Pedro, where the coastline is lined with docks.
The volunteers were praised and encouraged to continue their conservation efforts. Arceo thanked them for their time and expressed gratitude to the following stakeholders for their support: students from San Pedro High School, Bowen & Bowen Ltd, El Pescador, Caribbean Villas, Victoria House Resort & Spa, SACD, Blue Tang Inn, Ramon’s Village Resort, Alaia, Taco Girl, the Belize Coast Guard, the Police Department, Abner Bacab, The San Pedro Town Council, and community members.
Share
Read more
