Red Bank Villagers Detained for Illegal Logging in Maya Mountain Forest Reserve

Reports of illegal logging have been on the increase. On Tuesday, the Compliance Management Unit of the Forest Department responded to one such report of the illegal activity taking place in the Maya Mountain Foreign Reserve north of the Red Bank Village in the Stann Creek District. The Unit successfully detained a resident of Red Bank and a minor conducting illegal logging.  The duo is in custody pending charges of unlawful possession of forest produce and illegal conversion using a chainsaw without a valid permit.  Coordinator of the Unit, George Hanson, is asking the public to report any illegal logging activity they see in their area.

George Hanson

George Hanson, Coordinator, Compliance Management Unit, Forest Department

“The Compliance Management Unit is a new unit in the Forest Department that is designated specifically to combat all illegal forest offences, from wildlife to illegal logging; any offence that relates to wildlife cutting of bush sticks all the way down to pouching to illegal entry to national parks.”

Reporter

“What can you tell me about your recent operations?”

George Hanson

“We operate countrywide from the Sarstoon to the Temash. Recently up to last night we were doing some operations in the Red Bank area where we were successful in prosecuting perpetrators for illegal logging that was conducted within the Maya Mountain north Forest Reserve.”

Reporter

“Is there any information that you want to share with Belizeans as it relates to permits?”

George Hanson

“First of all, the Forest Department is here to serve the public. We are here to provide the general public with any assistance that relates to the protection and management of our forest resource. We provide anybody with permits providing that they meet the criteria for those permits, if they go through the proper permit process then Forestry will facilitate. What we are trying to do is to reduce the illegal logging impact. Even those who have permits are impacted by those doing illegal activities. So our job is to ensure that even those who have permits follow the regulations because each permit has specific guidelines and conditions. So we also ensure enforce those as well and we also enforce those activities that are done illegally.”

The logging season opens in mid-October which means that the Unit will remain vigilant. Persons who log are encouraged to acquire the relevant permits from Forest Department offices countrywide.