By Belize Live News Staff: Belize’s Forest Department has received a significant financial boost from Taiwan to combat wildlife trafficking and trade. In a ceremony on Thursday, Minister of Sustainable Development Orlando Habet, Chief Forest Officer Wilber Sabido, and Deputy Chief Forest Officer John Pinelo Jr. were presented with a cheque for BZD $40,000 by H.E. Lily Li-Wen Hsu, Taiwan’s Ambassador to Belize. The funds, provided by Taiwan’s Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, will support two micro-projects aimed at curbing illegal wildlife activities.
Each initiative is backed by a US $10,000 grant. The first project will focus on educational awareness campaigns to enhance the public’s understanding of illegal wildlife trafficking. The second grant will be directed towards bolstering enforcement efforts, providing the necessary resources to crack down on wildlife traffickers effectively. Both projects will run for a year and are expected to improve the Forest Department’s ability to manage wildlife trafficking in Belize and the region.
In a statement, the Belize Forest Department and the Ministry of Sustainable Development expressed their gratitude to Taiwan for the generous funding, acknowledging the critical role it will play in addressing wildlife trafficking challenges.
