Minister returns felled wood to Crooked Tree resident

Two weeks ago, the residents of Crooked Tree were up in arms threatening to put the Belize Audubon Society out of the village. BAS co-manages the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary and it was the expressed view of the residents, that because of the restrictions and conditions relating to the Sanctuary, their ability to earn a livelihood was affected. Things came to a head when a patrol involving the police, BAS and the Forestry Department confiscated logs from one of the residents. Audubon told the villagers to take it up with the relevant agencies and that’s just what they did. The Crooked Tree Action group met this morning with the Lisel Alamilla, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development.  Alamilla directed that the confiscated logwood is to be returned.  It was also agreed that a follow-up meeting will be held with relevant stakeholders on December tenth. The Crooked Tree Action Group also maintains that current arrangement with BAS has not yielded much benefit for the community and that it wants to become involved in the management of the Sanctuary.  Alamilla also informed that there is a current exercise underway which is looking at the viability of the present status of the protected areas, and this includes the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary.