By Belize Live News Staff: Belize has launched a project to protect its portion of the Selva Maya Forest, one of Central America’s largest tropical rainforests, with funding from the UK’s Biodiverse Landscapes Fund.
The project, called “Resilient and Biodiverse Landscapes of Northern Mesoamerica,” was officially launched on July 18th in partnership with the British High Commission and other organizations. It aims to promote conservation, sustainable livelihoods, and climate resilience in the region.
The initiative is backed by approximately USD $3.2 million in funding from the Biodiverse Landscapes Fund, a UK government initiative focused on supporting poverty reduction, biodiversity conservation, and climate change adaptation in key ecosystems worldwide.
The project will be implemented by a consortium of local and international organizations, including the Wildlife Conservation Society, Belize Maya Forest Trust, and Friends for Conservation and Development.
The Selva Maya Forest is a critical habitat for numerous plant and animal species, including jaguars, howler monkeys, and scarlet macaws. It also plays a crucial role in regulating the regional climate and providing ecosystem services such as water purification and carbon sequestration.
The project’s launch was marked by a site visit to the Valley of Peace Community Centre in Cayo District, where initiatives such as community-led climate resilience planning and sustainable agriculture training are already underway.
The project is expected to run until October 2029 and will focus on four key areas: promoting sustainable livelihoods for local communities, strengthening protected areas and species protection, improving policy and financing mechanisms for conservation, and implementing adaptive management based on monitoring and evaluation.
