Conservationists discuss funding of protected areas
In Belize we have no shortage of protected areas, both on land and sea. But while parks and reserves have proliferated like termites, their financing has not necessarily kept pace. Janelle Chanona reports from Caye Caulker.
Janelle Chanona, Reporting
Today, people involved with Belize’s marine protected areas met in Caye Caulker to discuss the conservation of Belize’s natural resources. The main agenda item was how to fund the ongoing operation of the parks and reserves.
Edilberto Romero, Technical Co-ordinator, P.F.B.
“But at the same time, we need to finance the protection of them. It needs to provide benefits for the communities and stakeholders as well. There are several agents and the government funding the management of it, but donations, fundraising, it’s becoming more difficult for the management of these protected areas at this point it’s under-financed.”
Belize Tourism Board’s Anthony Mahler says the topic of fee generation has been on the table for some time, but now the parks must begin to sustain themselves.
Anthony Mahler, Belize Tourism Board
“If done right it can work. There is going to be a minor downturn of people that will be deterred from going to marine protected areas. In Belize, I think we have a tremendous amount of resources and people are willing to pay for that as long as they get value for money. They want to know that the monies that they are paying will be used to manage and preserve the areas they are visiting. So I don’t think it’s going to be as much as a deterrent as some people think.”
But just how much money are we talking about? A Program for Belize study, conducted by Dr. Vincent Palacio, has revealed that most tourists would be willing to pay anywhere between ten and twenty U.S. dollars to visit the parks.
Dr. Vincent Palacio, P.F.B. Consultant
“People are even willing to pay more than they are currently charging at some of parks. So there’s obviously the will there so we need to quickly sit down and develop some strategy, some fee structure for the marine protected areas.”
But like all good ideas, the success of this plan will depend on a key element: co-operation.
Dr. Vincent Palacio
“It’s important that at every step of this fee structuring formulation there must be adequate consultation with every player. And not just us decision makers here in the room, we need to go to the people out there in the field: the tour guides, the tour operators, the local people, the fisher folks, just about everyone that uses the resource out there and to get their feedback as well.”
Anthony Mahler
“Sixty percent of the people who visit Belize come for marine attractions: snorkelling diving, fishing whatever it may be. And from an industry that’s attracting two hundred thousand people, and close to two hundred and fifty million dollars, the economic benefits for the communities surrounding those areas can be tremendous. So I think as long as we do it right, it can be for the benefit of the Belizean people, so we must continue the dialogue and consultation process.”
The consulting will continue in Caye Caulker until Friday, at which time participants hope to have come up with a pilot design plan for fees. Reporting for News 5, I am Janelle Chanona.
Belize’s marine protected areas include Bacalar Chico, Hol Chan, Caye Caulker, the Blue Hole, Half Moon Caye, Glover’s Reef, South Water Caye, Laughing Bird Caye, Port Honduras and the Sapodilla Cayes.
