Environment

A series of socialization sessions to discuss the development of a National Seagrass Policy is currently taking place across Belize. One of the stakeholder engagement sessions was held in San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye, on May 21st, where several suggestions were shared on how best to manage the country’s extensive seagrass meadows, which are critical for fisheries, coastal protection, and carbon sequestration. The new policy aims to curb damage caused by dredging, coastal construction, and pollution.

San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) officials and personnel from the Department of the Environment (DOE) recently conducted inspections in neighborhoods, including San Mateo, to address illegal garbage disposal practices after reports surfaced that some residents were using household refuse as landfill material on private and public properties. The visits aimed to document illegal dumping sites, raise awareness about proper waste disposal, and begin coordinated cleanup efforts across the island.

A coalition of several of Belize’s leading conservation and environmental organizations issued a joint release on May 18th calling on the Government of Belize to strengthen protections for the country’s coastal areas and marine ecosystems. One of the coalition’s strongest demands was for a halt to approvals for coastal developments, arguing that mangrove forests, fishing and nursery grounds, and portions of the Belize Barrier Reef System continue to face growing threats from what they described as unsustainable development practices.

The San Pedro Lions Club organized a community cleanup at Mosquito Coast Park on Saturday, May 16th, from 7AM until about noon. The event brought together 14 Lions Club members and Lion Cubs, along with volunteers from several local groups, to clear litter and overgrown vegetation from the park and beach. Staff from the San Pedro Town Council (SPTC), Playa De Sala Boutique Hotel, Casa Boheme Art House, and Some Place South also participated in the effort.

We the undersigned, on behalf of our respective organizations, write to formally and forcibly register our profound and collective frustration and disappointment regarding the management and protection of our sensitive marine and coastal ecosystems. Across Belize, citizens are witnessing the daily degradation of mangrove forests, seagrass beds, beaches, fishing flats and coral reefs, resulting in biodiversity loss and to the detriment of the tens of thousands of Belizeans who depend on these ecosystems. And yet repeated requests for meaningful dialogue and transparency regarding proposed developments, even just the status of required permits, are continually ignored. Effective marine and coastal conservation and climate resilience targets cannot be achieved without the active engagement of local leaders, conservationists, scientists, and frontline communities. Sustainable development cannot take place in an environment that is continuously degraded.

The 2026 sea turtle nesting season has officially started in northern Ambergris Caye, with the first four nests confirmed by the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. Over the years, Hol Chan has monitored sea turtle nesting sites along the island's northern beaches during the nesting period, which typically runs until November. However, human activities and natural challenges, such as the increasing amount of Sargassum, continue to threaten these nesting areas.

San Pedro authorities issued a stern warning against the burning of garbage and other materials in open areas, prohibiting the practice amid the extreme dry conditions currently affecting Belize. The alert, shared on May 12th, emphasized that such fires pose serious threats to homes, public health, and emergency response resources across the island community. Officials also stressed that the practice constitutes illegal garbage disposal.

Several coastal communities across Belize, including the Cayes, continue to battle the growing threat of erosion. To address the ongoing issue, the Government of Belize has launched a new initiative, “Enhancing the Resilience of Belize’s Coastal Communities to Climate Change Impacts,” with a US$4 million investment. The project, led by the Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT), aims to strengthen the climate resilience of coastal communities, ecosystems, and related infrastructure.