PACT Foundation last week awarded over $119,000 in new grants. Three grants were awarded to Friends of Swallow Caye (FOSC), Sarstoon Temash Institute for Indigenous Management (SATIIM), and Ya’axche Conservation Trust (Ya’axche).

FOSC’s project, valued at $39,000, is a 1 year project for Critical Support to Mangrove Protection at Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuary. This grant will assist general management needs of the sanctuary; improve employee working conditions; and more importantly hire and train 2 rangers/research assistants in basic forest research, mangrove identification, and GPS and GIS. Specifically the grant will cover the salary for the 2 rangers/research assistants hired on a part-time basis. The Ranger Station and the Main Office will be outfitted with basic restroom fixtures to meet legal requirements. Furthermore, the office will be updated with telecommunications utilities and water to improve working conditions and to flush outboard engines daily. In addition, this grant will provide funding for the purchase of first aid kits and safety equipment including, anchor, poles, flares, running lights, and life vests for the two patrol vessels.

Another 1 year project, also valued at $39,000 was awarded to Ya’axche for their project entitled “Strengthening the Protection and Monitoring of Biodiversity within the Maya Golden Landscape.” This project seeks to sustain the integrity of Bladen Nature Reserve and Golden Stream Corridor Preserve by maintaining frequent ranger patrols to gather evidence of illegal activities/threats to biodiversity and enforce protected area laws. Ya’axche will also document Indigenous and rare medicinal plants found in the area. To ensure the success of this effort, two traditional Mayan healers, who have extensive knowledge of rare medicinal plants, will accompany rangers and field botanist on the patrols. Furthermore, this project will build support for conservation within the five buffer communities of Bladen Nature Reserve via educational school trips. It is Ya’axche’s aim to reduce illegal hunting/extraction through better-informed, effective and coordinated multi-agency landscape-level patrols; and increase support for conservation and protected areas in Belize.

SATIIM’s project entitled “Reducing Deforestation and Enhancing Biodiversity Protection in the Sarstoon Temash Region” is a 6 month project valued at $39,823.75. This project supports SATIIM’s management of the Sarstoon Temash National Park, including five community rangers who conduct joint monthly foot and river patrols with the Belize Defense Force in and around the park and along the Sarstoon River to monitor biodiversity and reduce illegal activities (including illegal logging).  The project also emphasizes environmental education in local schools on the importance and benefits of mangroves, as well as the promotion of sustainable livelihoods and conservation through a birder training course with indigenous community rangers. To ensure successful completion, SATIIM has several activities planned:

• Conduct monthly river patrols and weekly foot patrols;
• Continue to record incidence and sightings of species of interest and enter into an established database;
• Develop a curriculum and establish training for community rangers/teachers who will participate as guests lecturers at the schools;
• Hold weekly environmental education sessions in local primary schools of each buffer community; and
• Hold a training course for community rangers on birding, identifying local species, local ecosystems and migratory patterns.

PACT will monitor these projects and will be sure to post updates throughout the different stages of the projects. To view photos of these protected areas visit our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/pactbelize.