SACD hosts consultation regarding co-management of Bacalar Chico National Park

On Wednesday, July 17th, the Sarteneja Alliance For Conservation and Development (SACD) held a meeting at the San Pedro House of Culture to work on a strategic plan to manage the terrestrial part of the Bacalar Chico National Park, a World Heritage Site in northern Ambergris Caye. SACD, a non-governmental organization in Corozal District, was given the co-management of this protected area by the Government of Belize in March 2023. With reports of illegal activities in the park, such as hunting and logging, a plan of action is essential to protecting this area of Ambergris Caye. The meeting obtained feedback from key stakeholders on completing a management plan reflecting the island community’s and local organizations’ input. The SACD team said there will be three follow-up sessions at the end of July, and by mid-August, there will be a management presence at Bacalar Chico.
Present at the meeting were representatives from the tourism sector, including tour operators, fly-fishing guides, local environmental organizations like the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, and representatives from the Belize Fisheries Department, the Forest Department, and the San Pedro Chapter of the Belize Tourism Industry Association. SACD’s Executive Director, Joel Verde, opened the session with a presentation highlighting his organization’s functions and commitment to preservation and management. He said a management plan is needed to have a vision, goals, and objectives that will guide the activities leading to a financial sustainability program that is expected to be for five years initially. Verde said this plan will also provide a baseline against which to monitor the success of goals and objectives. Verde added that this management plan will also ensure transparency of action and provide a mechanism for stakeholder involvement.
The attendees were invited to participate in the discussion of the management plan. Each one contributed with positive and negative remarks about the best way to run the park. Some of the positive contributions included maintaining an active and effective presence in the park, respecting the community’s opinion during future consultations, and trying to maintain the status of the World Heritage Site. Other remarks asked the SACD to include sustainable tourism infrastructure, ranger stations, and education programs for students, adults, and visitors alike in the plan.
Other recommendations to protect the park included no fishing traps in the reserve, restricting development like cruise ports, docks, roadways, and airports and making a part of the national park a public area. This was mentioned because there are reportedly private properties within the national park. The SACD plans to join efforts with the Forest and Fisheries Department and other government agencies to tackle this matter.
The upcoming planning sessions later this month will engage more partners and island stakeholders to complete the management plan. Afterward, there are plans to present it to a wider audience on the island to make the rest of the community aware of it. Furthermore, the project is also intended to maintain coastal ecosystem functions and natural resource values, providing tourism benefits and supporting local fishers of the area.
Bacalar Chico National Park marine portion is co-managed by the Belize Fisheries Department. The national park measures more than 12,600 acres, including its dry land and part of the surrounding waters around the island.