2019 BioBlitz A Success!

Three years ago, Ya’axché Conservation Trust began engaging students from communities within Ya’axché’s focal area, the Maya Golden Landscape, on the importance of biodiversity and conservation through its BioBlitz event.  The event was held once more this year under the theme, “Empowering Communities, Conserving Biodiversity, Connecting the World.”  The BioBlitz focused on finding and identifying as many species as possible in a specific area over a short period of time. This year, more than one hundred and twenty primary school students joined to learn about and participate in ongoing wildlife research and monitoring.

Elizabeth Dorgay

Elizabeth Dorgay, Science Manager, Ya’axché

“This is an event that happens globally. It’s really a chance for communities to come together like scientists and to indentify as many species as possible in a short time frame. We have modified this event to make it more kid friendly. We had this year students from Big Falls, Silver Creek and Bladen join us. We focused our message on the plants and animals that we monitor here in the Maya landscape.”

Karisha McKenzie

Karisha McKenzie, Student

“My favourite one was the bird watching because we got to see a lot of birds and locate them. Also hearing what they sound. My other one was using the compass to know what is located on the different maps and where you can find different species.”

Cerio Ack

Cerio Ack, Student

“Navigation was the best one that I liked because it was mostly teaching about how to use a compass. It was so educational to me and to the others.”

Maya Chub

Maya Chub, Student

“About trees, how to identify them by the leaves, their shapes and how they are arranged. From mammals, I learned a lot of different animals and for navigation; I learned how to use a compass. For me it was very fun.”

Christina Garcia

Christina Garcia, Executive Director, Ya’axché

“We are super excited to have students join us today to learn about the different works that the staff is doing specifically the work of protected area management because we do believe that communities and the younger generation do play a vital role in  protected area management and of course the protection of natural resources.”

The event was supported private donors and the Protected Areas Conservation Trust.