Forest Department Investigates Deforestation in Manatee Reserve

When the Coastal Plain Highway was inundated by floodwaters back in June, concerns over deforestation within the area were heightened. The Maya Forest Corridor Trust, a group of NGOs committed to preserving the forest along that area, sounded the alarm. They called on the Government of Belize to seriously investigate reports of deforestation within the Manatee Forest Reserve. News Five visited the area several weeks ago and found out that concern is shared among residents and businesses along the highway. Today, we spoke with Orlando Habet, the Minister of Sustainable Development, who informed us that his ministry has been doing its investigation. He revealed that several parcels of land within the reserve have been privatized. The ministry also found squatters within the reserve.

 

Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development

“The Prime Minister has advised us to form a subcommittee, the same committee with agriculture, natural resources and sustainable development. We had met with the people from Maya Forest Corridor Trust, but also from other NGO communities who are concerned because of some of the deforestation happening. In this case it was particularly because of the problems we had on the coastal road, some of the eroding, which shouldn’t have happened. So, part of the blame was being put on deforestation in the Manatee. So we were to investigate what that deforestation entailed. We got our technical teams together. They went to do the survey along with the NGOs and private sector. They discovered that there are some lands that are given out from past administration and they are titled, surveyed and everything in place. There are lands being squatted upon which we will have to address, which will have to come out. Then there are some illegal logging which is a perpetual problem that we will have to try to continue address. So we are asking even the NGO community, the private sector community that in these cases they also have to assist us because we don’t have the personnel to be in every corner of the country, all the mountain sides at the same time. So it is difficult. So the police might have to assist. The NGO can assist the community can assist to say we heard a motor saw in this area come and do the investigation. So, the committee has met two times. We are meeting a third time. I saw an email this morning from the Forest Department asking for a third meeting. Then we will come up with a report that will be sent to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet.”