Rancho Dolores appeals to birdwatchers
When it comes to nature based tourism, a number of Belizean villages have begun to capitalize on either their beautiful surroundings or their wildlife, or both. Perhaps the most recent entry into this segment of the tourism market is Rancho Dolores. But unlike Bermudian Landing, which made a name for itself with its howler monkeys, Rancho is banking on its birds to bring in the visitors. Jacqueline Woods reports.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
It was my first bird watching experience and I never thought that I would have gotten as thrilled as I did trying to see just how many different birds I could see along one of the newest trails in the country. The path is situated in the Spanish Creek Canoe Trail Wildlife Sanctuary at Rancho Dolores Village, the last community in the Belize River Valley.
(Guide calling bird)
The calling did not attract the attention of the over two hundred different species of birds in the area, but it was not long before we began to hear some chirps and then see a few of the areas’ feathery residents like the wood creeper.
The trail is about a twenty-minute walk and it was cleared by village residents in an effort to attract visitors and boost tourism.
Jacqueline Woods
“Do a lot of tourists come through here?”
Cristy Jeffords, Resident, Rancho Dolores
“Well since we began with this project, a fair amount has come through at this point. I believe in the future we will have a lot more.”
Cristylane Clarke, Resident, Rancho Dolores
“Well so far it improved the population, more people the come in back. And the tourists come in sometimes.”
Jacqueline Woods
“And it gives the residents something do?
Cristylane Clarke, Resident, Rancho Dolores
“Yeah, it keeps us home, and most of the time we spend di develop the place, clean out.”
Roman Pott, Resident, Rancho Dolores
“Yes, definitely it is a source of income for us in the village. And we gonna build up out village stringer in tourism.”
In fact, Roman Pott, Cristylane Clarke, Cristy Jeffords, and three other community residents just completed a six-week intensive bird guide-training programme. The course was conducted by researchers from Birds Without Borders and held under the Belize Zoo’s U.N.D.P./G.E.F. Small Grants Programme funded project, Harpy Eagle Reintroduction to Belize, A support and Education program.
Celso Poot
“The bird guide training programme includes bird identification by sound and by visual. It includes learning to use equipment such as binoculars and field scopes, as well as the checklist and other field guides.”
The trainees say they are now ready to receive both tourists and locals and do their first tour.
Roman Pott
“Presently I am a tour guide and I do tours in Belize City. I am prepared to do tours in Rancho. Whenever the tourists come we are prepared.”
The residents say visitors to their community will be pleasantly surprised to know that you do not need to travel a long distance to get a taste of the rain forest. Jacqueline Woods reporting for News 5.
During the certificate ceremony U.N.D.P.’S Global Environmental Fund Small Grants Programme handed over nineteen thousand dollars to the Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Centre to assist in the harpy eagle education and awareness programme. In addition, the Rancho Dolores Environmental and Development Group also received a donation of twenty thousand dollars to help protect the biodiversity of the Spanish Creek Wildlife Sanctuary. All tour operators who wish to bring visitors to Rancho Dolores are asked to call Roman Pott at 609-4749 as all visitors must be accompanied by a local village guide.
