Small Grants, Big Impact on Belize’s Protected Areas

The Belize Nature Conservation Foundation (BNCF) has awarded a total of $100,000 in grant funding to strengthen enforcement within Belize’s protected areas. During its annual grant award ceremony, two conservation organisations each received $50,000 to support their efforts in safeguarding critical ecosystems. The recipients—Monkey Bay Wildlife Sanctuary and the Sarteneja Alliance for Conservation and Development—plan to use the funds to enhance monitoring, enforcement, and overall management within their respective conservation areas.

Monkey Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, which spans 3,000 acres, integrates tourism and conservation. Revenue generated from its accommodations and guided tours is reinvested into environmental education, community outreach, and habitat management. Managing Director Eli Miller stressed the importance of enforcement, particularly within the Maya Forest Corridor, a region increasingly threatened by deforestation for monocrop expansion. “A lot of the rules were not being respected,” Miller stated. “So, we are trying to bring that park back from one that is being respected to being enjoyed by the general public.” To support this mission, the organisation will use its grant to acquire an all-terrain vehicle (ATV), enabling rangers to respond quickly to illegal activities, incursions, and potential wildfires within the corridor.

Meanwhile, the Sarteneja Alliance for Conservation and Development will use its funding to enhance enforcement within the Corozal Wildlife Sanctuary and Bacalar Chico National Park—an expansive 72,000-hectare marine conservation area. The grant will help establish a permanent ranger presence in the park, ensuring round-the-clock monitoring and protection of Belize’s marine resources. Samuel Barrett, the organisation’s Development Director, highlighted illegal hunting and the extraction of forest products—such as bush sticks and royal palms for resort development in northern San Pedro—as significant threats to the area. “We are now at a point where we will be launching a permanent presence by stationing a team of rangers on rolling shift patterns so that we have 365 days of presence within the national park,” Barrett said.

The Belize Nature Conservation Foundation carefully selects its grant recipients through a rigorous application process, ensuring that projects align with its conservation objectives. For the last 20 years, the Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT) has administered the BNCF’s endowment and operational funds, overseeing grant management, and project monitoring.