The Parks and Preserves of Belize

The major draw of Belize for most tourists is the variety and awesomeness of its natural resources. Travellers come here to see tropical rainforests, the barrier reef, tropical islands, coastal marshes and mangroves, tropical decidicuous forests, palm and palmetto forests, tropical pine forests, and all the wildlife, tropical fruit, and marine life encompassed in the vast natural world of Belize. Luckily, because of slow development and a careful government, more than two-thirds of Belize is still covered by tropical forest. There are government agencies, programs, parks and preserves in place to protect the natural resources, but alas the government lacks the funding to fully maintain the protected lands. There is a new cabinet-level department in the Belize government meant to oversee the development of Ecotourism, theMinistry of tourism and the Environment, and there are recent laws serving Ecotourism as well, under the Belize Enviromental Protection Act of 1992. For all the good intentions, however, the government lacks funding to fully support these endeavors.

Partnerships

Out of love and appreciation for the natural treasures of Belize and concern for natural resources of the world in general, private agencies have stepped in to help out the Belize government with its environmental programs. The Ministry of Tourism and the Environment shares goals with many private groups, which include both domestic and international not-for-profit groups, some for-profit groups, and some local community associations. The largest of these, and the group which has formed the largest partnership with the Belize government is the Belize Audubon Society. The Belize Audubon Society has provided many services to the Belize government over the years since its inception in 1969, but its most important and largest function since the early 1980s has been to actually administer and manage national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. The following parks and preserves are now managed by the Belize Audubon Society, in return for a major portion of fees collected.

• Blue Hole National Park
• Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary
• Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve
• Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
• Half Moon Caye Natural Monument
• Guanacaste National Park

The Parks and Reserves

There are so many wonderful different types of parks and reserves in Belize, from wildlife sanctuaries run by local groups to the larger parks run by the Belize Audubon Society. We've selected the ones an eco-traveller might be most apt to visit, and included a short description so you can plan your travels. We've also included some Reserves whose major feature is Mayan ruins left behind and preserved by the same groups, in some cases, that protect the natural resources. The parks, reserves, and nature sites listed here do not represent all the the parks and reserves in Belize, but here is a list of the major sites visted by ecotourists, and the sites that are most worth visiting.

Rio Bravo Conservation Area

If you're in Orange Walk town, an hour's drive southeast will land you at the Rio Bravo Conservation Area, a relatively new preserve. It's operated by the programme for Belize, established for protection of habitat of migrating birds to North America. The land is protected from illegal logging and hunting, and works with the local community on sustainable farming projects. You can stay at the La Milpa Field Reserach Station, which fits about thirty people. There are programs for ecotourists such as guided tours, jungle walks, and visits to Mayan ruins on the site. Wildlife is abundant here, and if you're lucky you may spot the threatened Central American River Turtle or Morelet's Crocodile as well as 350 species of birds, 70 species of mammals, and 250 species of trees.

Lamanai Archeological Reserve

The Lamanai Archeological Reserve is located in the Orange Walk District, which is in Northwestern Belize, about 50 miles northwest of Belize City. If you want to see Mayan Ruins, this is one of the easiest sites to get to, and also happens to be one of the largest ruins sites. Lots of the ecotours stop here, and for good reason. There are over 700 structures on the site, and you can actually see some parially excavated temples. The site sits on the edge of a lagoon of the New River, and forest trails branch out in all directions from the center. Some people arrive by boat from Orange Walk town, which is a good idea during rainy season because roads get soggy and sometimes impassable. There are also other river access spots to Lamanai. Enjoy the site and keep an ear to the jungle for howler monkeys which inhabit the area surrounding the ruins.

Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary (The Jaguar Sanctuary)

If you're in Dangriga, in Southeastern Belize, and the weather is dry, an hour's drive will take you to the Jaguar Sanctuary beneath the Cockscomb Mountains. The area prohibits hunting, specifically in order to protect jaguars, and is part of the larger Cockscomb Basin Forest Reeserve, named because this ridge of the Mayan Mountiains resembles the comb of a rooster. The Wildlife Conservation Society has sponsored jaguar research here in the past, and was actually responsible for initiating the movement in the Belize government to establish the sanctuary in the first place. There are jaguars here, but jaguars are nocturnal and hard to spot, so your chances of actually seeing one arent' that great. However, there is plenty of wildlife here, and the trip is well worth the drive even if you never spot the elusive jaguar. You can stay in dorm-style lodgings if you make reservations ahead of time, or you can stay in a hotel in Dangriga or Placencia, which can also arrange a trip to the Sanctuary as well. The dormitory lodgings in the park are wonderful because some of the best times to spot wildlife is at dusk or dawn. Look for the following wonders of nature:

• Ocelots
• Margays
• Jaguarundi
• Scarlet Macaws
• Baird's Tapir
• Puma
• Black Howler Monkeys
• Reptiles Reptiles Reptiels

There's a Mayan village called Maya Centre just outside the borders of the Sanctuary, where you can find a crafts store. Also look for waterfalls, streams, and rivers amidst this broadleaf rainforest environment.

Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary

In Eastern Belize, about 35 miles northwest of Belize City, lies the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary. Just over two decades old, this Sanctuary was established primarily for the protection of migratory birds. Resident birds also benefit from the protection, and most birds in this area are water birds, meaning they dwell near water most of the time. Included are duck, cormorants, storks, spoonbills, marsh birds, herons, egrets, and Snail Kites. Over 270 species of birds have been spotted here, as well as Morelet's Crocodile and the threatened Central American River Turtle. Since this is a very water-oriented Sanctuary, there is lots and lots of aquatic wildlife to spot as well. Look for trails that lead to lagoons where you can see waterfowl like Vermillion Flycatchers and kingfishers. The village of Crooked Tree offer eco tours and everything else an eco-tourist might need: hotels, restaurants, B∓B's, and small stores. During the off season, from Spring through Fall, the Sanctuary is almost deserted.

Community Baboon Sanctuary

Less than an hour's drive out of Belize City you can find a wonderful world of Baboons. Set along a twenty-mile stretch of the Belize River, this Sanctuary is a prime example of how well a partnership between several different forces can work together to protect natural resources. This is a three-way partnership between ecotourism, conservation and community development, enacted by private landowners, scientists interested in doing research, and conservationists. All three groups have in common one goal: to preserve the land and the baboons, thereby attracting ecotourists who will pay fees which will keep their efforts funded. The "baboons" in question are actually Yucatan Black Howler Monkeys, found only in Belize, northern Guatemala, and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. More than 100 farmers and eight villages are involved in making sure enough forest is left along the river to support the "baboons". There were about 800 howler monkeys living in the sanctuary in the mid-1980's, when it was formed, and today there are more than 2000 monkeys. Howler monkeys are strong here now, strong enough that some can be taken from the sanctuary and relocated to other parts of Belize for reintroduction into other areas where the howler monkey population has been devasted by habitat destruction.

Visitors can take tuided tours to learn about wildlife, vegetation and local culture. There is a small museum where you can learn about local ecological communities and details some of the wildlife and plants found in the sanctuary. There are about 5000 visitors a year to the Community Baboon Sanctuary, but few of them visit during the off season, which is April through October.

Blue Hole National Park

This National Park is located in the Western part of the country, about 12 miles southeast of Belmopan. You can take the Hummingbird Highway to this water filled hole, which is really an underground river over 300 feet wide. About 100 feet deep, the exposed part of the underground river makes for a great swimming hole, especially on weekends. There are also some hiking trails here as well as a visitors' center and St. Herman's Cave. Blue HOle is also administered by the Belize Audubon Society.

Tapir Mountian Natural Reserve

About 11 miles southwest of Belmopan, accessible via the Western Highway, Tapir Mountain Natural Reserve protects wildlife of the lower Maya Mountians. The site is relatively small, and is mainly for research, so in order to visit you have to contact the Belize Audobon Society. You can find anteaters in this broadleaf forest, as well as howler monkeys, peccaries, Baird's Tapir, and Paca.

Monkey Bay Wildlife Sanctuary and Nature Reserve

Only about 30 miles southwest of Belize City, accessible from the Western Highway, this reserve is run by a private, non-profit organization furthering the cause of ecotourism. Established in 1990, the sanctuary also promotes sustainable vegetarianism, and manages a section of land given to them by the government, as a National Park. The National Park is called Monkey Bay Nature Reserve and contains field research station, accommodations, education programs, an arboretum, river access, and hiking and camping. This is a great place to visit to view birds and go camping. There are more than 200 species of birds here on the Reserve in this broadleaf rainforest with pine savannah.

Bladen Branch Nature Reserve

Located in Southern Belize, the Bladen branch Nature Reserve is a large tract of protected land in the Maya Mountains. This is very pristine wilderness located in a remote area so naturally the wildlife is abundant and impressive, as is the scenery. The access road is in bad shape, and it's officially not even open to tourists, not even eco tourits, but you can get an organized tour and special permissionto come inside to Bladen, which is named for the Bladen River. Reptiles and Amphibians are especially abundant here in Bladen, but birding will prove very satisfying, too, as there are almost 200 species of birds here in the reserve. There are caves here, too, and you might spot some spider monkeys or a jaguar or puma. The reserve covers almost 100,000 acres and includes broadleaf rainforest, tropical pine forest, scrub thicket, savannah, and of course the Bladen River.

Columbia River Forest Reserve

If you travel to the western edge of Belize, up against the Guatemala border, you will encounter a large, out-of-the-way jungly Forest Reserve. This place is really out of the way, but those who make the trek are rewarded with stunning wildlife diversity and lush tropical forest scenery. The function of the forest is to preserve biodivsity, sustain the riparian areas, and the create a sustainable hardwood logging industry for the area. The area has a long history of logging, albeit it hasn't always been the case that sustainable logging practices have been in place. There are numerous Mayan villages surrounding the preserve, and over 200 species of birds have been spotted within its borders. You can take a bus to the Columbia River Forest Reserve, from Punta Gorda to one of the Mayan farming villages, such as San Jose, San Pedro Columbia, san Miguel, Na Luum 'Ca, or Crique Jute. From the villages, you have to walk for several hours, then walk the logging tracks! It's a good idea here to hire a local guide to take you to this wonderful tropical pine savannah and broadleaf rainforest reserve.

Blue Creek Field Station and Nature Reserve

If you are in Punta Gorda, an hour's drive west will take you to the Blue Creek Field Station and Nature Reserve, a research and education-minded reserve run by a private company based in Massachusetts. The station offers dorm-style accommodations amidst it broadleaf rainforest habitat, as well as home-style cooking and a classroom in the trees. Don't miss the canopy walkway which offers visitors a chance to walk along the canopy of the rainforest, observing life from the treetops and a view of the Blue Creek below. Wander inside the forest on foot trails, some of which will lead you to caves. Blue Creek swells dramatically when the rains get heavy, so it's soggy much of the time, but this just adds to the overall rainforest experience you'll never forget. Local guides are a good idea if you plan to explore the walking trails or roads. You can get a ride (not free) from Punta Gorda through the company which runs this field station and nature reserve, which is named International Zoological Expeditions. They also run a marine reserve on South Water Caye.

Ambergris Caye & Caye Caulker

Ambergris Caye is the most commercialized tourist area in Belize. It, along with Caye Caulker, is the most popular tourist destination in Beilze, so it is on these two islands that you see the most commercial tourist development in the whole country. There are large hotels on Ambergris Caye, and many big tours make stops here as well. There is, fortunately, a Marine Reserve off the southern end of Ambergris Caye, just off the coast of the town of San Pedro, named Hol Chan Marine Reserve. It covers about 2800 acres of marine area, including the northern part of the barrier reef. There is also lagoon habitat inside the reserve, with seagrass beds and small key islands cayes, or keys, with mangroves. There is a Marine Reserve office in the town of San Pedro, where you can find out about the fantastic diving and snorkeling opportunities in the reserve. About 26,000 tourists take advantage of the beautiful protected waters each year, making it the most popular dive spot in Belize.

Caye Caulker is also a mecca for diving enthusiasts, and has tons of tiny dive shops to cater to these diving tourists. Caye Caulker is smaller than Ambergris Caye, and more laid back. You will find more hippies here, who may be in part responsible for the small movement to make the southern end of Caye Caulker a marine sanctuary. It's proposed name is Siwa-ban Marine Reserve, with Siwa-ban meaning Black Catbird in the Mayan language. The Black Catbird's habitat would be protected as part of the Siwa-ban Marine Reserve. The area is also a spot for migratory birds, and over 140 species have been spotted here.

Glover's Reef atoll is the site of another marine reserve, located east of the city of Dangriga. It was established in 1993, and has within its borders spectacular coral reef, some of the best examples in the entire Caribbean region. The reserve covers over 81,000 acres. The following small cayes have also been designated as parks and/or bird sanctuaries:

• Little Monkey Caye
• Bird Caye
• Little Guana Caye
• Laughing Bird Caye (a National Park)
• Doubloon Bank Caye
• Man-o-War Caye

These small parks on offshore areas of Belize ae important nesting areas for Anhingas, herons, egrets, cormorants, gulls, frigates, and ibises, and therefore because of the small size of the cayes and their importance as bird nesting areas, there are no tourist facilities on the parks and sanctuaries. Tourists are welcome to visit, but just be aware that these are primitive conditions. Bring your own water and don't leave any garbage whatsoever.

Half Moon Caye Natural Monument

This is Belize's oldest wildlife protection site, dating back to 1928 when the British established this island as a National Monument. Protection is centered around the Red-footed Boobie population, which has a nesting colony on the western part of Half Moon Caye. Visitors can hike to a viewing platform to see the nesting areas, and along the brushy trail you might also spot numerous species of lizards, including the Green Iguana, anoles, geckos, and Spiny-tailed Iguana. The surrounding marind area is also protected, making for a total of about 10,000 acres of protected area.