On 18th July, the UK Government in collaboration with the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Climate Change, through the Belize Forest Department and partner organisations, celebrated the in-country launch of the project “Resilient and Biodiverse Landscapes of Northern Mesoamerica” funded through the Biodiverse Landscape Fund.
This was followed by a site visit to the Valley of Peace Community Center in Cayo District where the project is already assisting the development of a Community Climate Resilience Plan and building capacity for regenerative agriculture, fire management and sustainable livelihoods through training, and microgrants and scholarships that can be accessed through Belize Maya Forest Trust’s Community Stewards Program.
During the event Hon. Minister Orlando Habet highlighted “The Ministry of Sustainable Development and Climate change and by extension the Government of Belize is happy to be engaged in this project that promotes landscape level restoration, conservation and affords livelihood activities for communities through regenerative agriculture and other sustainable practices within the context of the Selva Maya Forest”
The British High Commissioner said, “The UK Government is proud to fund the Biodiverse Landscape Fund which will support the ongoing work of NGOs and local communities as we partner to conserve and restore the Selva Maya Forest in Belize – one of the greatest forests within the Mesoamerica Landscape."
The Biodiverse Landscapes Fund (BLF) is financed with UK International Development funds from the UK Government. BLF is a programme which supports poverty reduction, biodiversity protection and conservation, climate change mitigation and adaptation outcomes across six biologically diverse landscapes worldwide. The Mesoamerica Landscape covers areas of Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras.
In Belize, the Biodiverse Landscapes Fund will invest approximately USD $3.2 million between September 2023 to October 2029. Activities in country are being implemented through a consortium of organisations including the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Belize Maya Forest Trust (BMFT), Programme for Belize, Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD), and the Julian Cho Society. BLF will be supporting these organisations in the protection and conservation of Selva Maya Forest in Belize, one of the great forests of the Mesoamerica Landscape. The programme is based on four components:
- Prosperous and resilient communities: Activities to secure land and resource rights, develop forest-based income streams, and implement climate-adapted rural development with proper social safeguards.
- Protected areas and species protection: Ensuring well-governed conservation areas and targeted protection activities for endangered species.
- Enabling policy and financing mechanisms: Building consensus, multisector collaboration, and policy reforms to incentivize forest protection and strengthen IPLC rights.
- Learning and adaptive management: Implementing a monitoring and evaluation framework as a core component to evaluate impact and guide decision-making.
