Friends of Nature accept UNDP/G.E.F. grant

This morning, an environmental group from Placencia accepted a well-needed donation from the United Nations Development Programme and Global Environmental Fund. At a brief ceremony on the peninsula today, head of Friends of Nature–formerly Friends of Laughing Bird Caye–Brian Young, received just over thirty-one thousand Belize dollars towards various projects for the national park. According to Young, in addition to the overall strengthening of the organization, the money will be used towards the construction of a multi-purpose building, a compost toilet, moorings and personnel wages. Through the UNDP’s Small Grants Scheme and similar donations from the agencies like the Coastal Zone Management and Authority, Friends of Nature has been able to hire three rangers to regularly patrol the waters around caye. The group was formed in 1996 in an effort to protect the natural beauty of Laughing Bird Caye National Park.