Environment

The San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) is embarking on a significant new project in collaboration with a mission team from the World Bank under the Blue Cities and Beyond Project. This project is not just about nature-based solutions for marine and freshwater management but also about spurring economic growth, attracting investments, and ensuring the well-being of water resources. It's a crucial initiative to concentrate on coastal areas vulnerable to climate events such as storms, assessing the impact on these "blue spaces."

Belize's efforts in Natural Capital Accounting and its Blue Bond Program are being showcased at the People, Planet, and Prosperity Forum (3Ps) at the Standford University campus in California, USA, from June 3 to 4.

As of May 26th, wildfires have severely impacted several locations in Belize, including the Toledo District and the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve in the Cayo District. In Toledo, large tracts of agricultural land have been destroyed, while national parks and even communities have been affected in Cayo. Volunteers and officials from government and non-governmental agencies have been collectively battling the flames that displace wildlife, destroy habitats, and threaten the livelihood of thousands in the tourism industry in western Belize.

The 2024 Ambergris Sea Turtle Nesting Season is underway, and the Hol Chan Marine Reserve (HCMR) team is actively monitoring it. On Thursday, May 15th, around 1:47PM, they confirmed two turtle crawls, likely occurring at night. The turtle made three unsuccessful attempts at digging her nest before finally succeeding. This brings the number of sea turtle nests in Ambergris Caye to six. While everyone is excited about the season, Hol Chan stressed that human activity remains a significant threat to a successful turtle nesting season. The urgency of this situation cannot be overstated.

After years of community requests, the Department of the Environment (DOE) is preparing to open an office in San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye. The tentative opening date is mid-June, and the office will have jurisdiction over Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker, and Caye Chapel. The San Pedro DOE office will collaborate closely with the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, further emphasizing the community's role in this endeavor.

The Belize Fisheries Department hereby informs all fishers and the public that, in accordance with Statutory Instrument No. 54 of 2012, the Honourable Andre Perez, Minister of Blue Economy and Disaster Risk Management, will declare the Queen Conch (Strombus gigas) fishery closed at the close of business on June 9th, 2024. This is necessary due to the realization of the Queen Conch production quota for the 2023-2024 fishing season.

San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, and other beaches across the country are currently dealing with an influx of Sargassum seaweed, and stakeholders and sanitation personnel of the San Pedro Town Council face challenges in removing the brown algae. On Wednesday, May 15th, Area Representative Honourable Andre Perez announced that two sargassum skimmers had been acquired and are now in the country. These skimmers, or harvester machines, are part of a collaborative project with the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. They are boat-like machines designed to capture sargassum at sea before it reaches the shoreline.

Under the collaborative leadership of Mayor Wally Nuñez, the San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) is spearheading a nature-based restoration project. This initiative, aimed at addressing decades of man-made impacts on the beach, is a testament to the current administration’s commitment to protect the shoreline. With the invaluable guidance of science advisor Guadalupe “Valentine” Rosado and other experts, SPTC focuses on restoring native island plants to stabilize the beach and gain a deeper understanding of sediment movement along the shoreline. The project also emphasizes using smart and sustainable strategies for beach nourishment, reflecting the collective responsibility towards the environment.