Bacalar Chico National Park

Following the co-management agreement signed between the Government of Belize and conservation organizations in March of 2023, the Sarteneja Alliance for Conservation and Development (SACD) will oversee the management of the terrestrial portion of the Bacalar Chico National Park in northern Ambergris Caye. While some island residents have reported no management activities within the area, the SACD explained they are working on a strategic plan to look after Bacalar Chico with the involvement of island organizations and stakeholders. SACD is a non-governmental organization (NGO) promoting the conservation and sustainable use of marine resources for the benefit of present and future generations. Located in Sarteneja, a traditional fishing village in the northern Corozal District, it also co-manages the Corozal Bay Wildlife Sanctuary alongside the Belize Forestry Department.

The co-management agreements signed with conservation partners last month (March) for a number of protected areas raised eyebrows in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, when it was revealed that the Bacalar Chico National Park, located north of the island, would be managed by the Sarteneja Alliance for Conservation and Development (SACD). This led the non-governmental organization (NGO) Ambergris Caye Citizens for Sustainable Development (ACCSD) to register its disappointment as they stated they had been working on a plan with government authorities to manage the protected area. In an official note released on Monday, April 3rd, they indicated that they were not consulted in such an important matter despite their interest in being part of Bacalar Chico's administration.

The Ministry of Sustainable Development, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management officially continued the formalization of public-private partnerships (or co-management) for several protected areas across the National Protected Areas System (NPAS) with several of its conservation partners.

The World Heritage Committee in its 2017 decision to retain the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System (BBRRS) on the Danger List, stressing the urgency of addressing development issues within the BBRRS.