PACT challenge ends with new respect for Chiquibul

Last Thursday we introduced you to the bold participants of the first annual PACT challenge…a group of ten hardy souls who agreed to take part in an adventurous four day tour of the Chiquibul National Park and Forest Reserve. The PACT challenge 2005 ended on Monday and according to officials, was a resounding success with the participants handing in a long list of recommendations for the sustainable development and management of the area. As part of their journey, the group canoed the Rio Chiquibul, getting a little wet in the process, camped in the bush and spelunked in one of the longest cave systems in the world, Actun Cabal. During their hike through the jungle, the challengers also came across a xatero camp, complete with xate palms. In addition to clothing and personal effects, the challengers also discovered harvested marijuana. With the authority of their bodyguards from the Belize Defence Force, the entire camp, including the weed and palms, were destroyed by fire. According to the authorities, the presence of such activity within the Chiquibul reinforces the need for proper management of the area. News 5 understands a ten episode documentary of the trip, produced by Richard and Carol Foster, will be aired on local television. This week officials representing government, NGOs and the area’s co-managers, Friends of Conservation and Development, will meet to discuss the recommendations submitted from the challenge.