PACT funds more conservation project s

The Protected Areas Conservation Trust has announced the names of those Belizean environmental organisations whose project proposals have been approved for grant funding. According to a release from PACT, more than two hundred thousand dollars will be divided between the University of Belize, the Sarstoon Temash Institute for Indigenous Management, the Rio Blanco Maya Association, the Toledo Association for Sustainable Tourism and Empowerment, the Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Friends of Swallow Caye. The monies are awarded to organisations whose programmes are geared towards the management, conservation, promotion and development of protected areas as well as environmental education, awareness and community development. Representatives from each of the six groups participated in a brief award ceremony held at the Father Ring Parish Hall in Punta Gorda this morning. PACT’s small grants programme is financed by a conservation fee of seven dollars and fifty cents charged to each overnight visitor leaving the country and two dollars for each arriving cruise passenger.