Browsing by Subject "Belize"
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Item Open Access A Preliminary Assessment of the Blue Carbon Capacity of Belizean Mangroves with Ecological, Economic, and Policy Perspectives(2015-04-24) Chang, Sylvia; Green, Ashley; Kelley, EmmaIn recent years, mangrove forests have experienced increasing deforestation rates in Belize due to coastal development. Our client, the Belize Ministry of Forestry, Fisheries, and Sustainable Development, wants to determine the potential for Belizean mangrove blue carbon to provide funding opportunities through international financing schemes for the conservation and enhancement of mangroves. Mangrove forests are coastal wetlands along the intertidal zone of tropical and subtropical coastlines. Mangrove, salt marsh, and seagrass ecosystems have significant abilities to sequester and store carbon in their biomass and sediments – the carbon stored in these coastal ecosystems is referred to as “blue carbon.” The impact of mangrove deforestation on carbon sequestration in Belize could be significant, but little is known about how much carbon is stored in Belizean mangroves. The goal of this project was to provide a preliminary assessment of the potential of blue carbon in Belize. This project was broken down into three objectives: ecology, economic, and policy. The goal of the ecology portion of this study was to provide preliminary estimates of the blue carbon stocks of Belize’s mangroves. This required data on the extent of Belizean mangroves, which were obtained from a 2010 study by Emil Cherrington and colleagues, as well from a 2014 update provided by Mr. Cherrington. Using this spatial data, four different approaches were applied to estimate the mangrove blue carbon stocks. The first was a meta-analysis evaluating the pre-existing knowledge of belowground carbon storage in mangrove ecosystems in the Caribbean. This analysis identified a linear relationship between belowground carbon storage and latitude, which was used to estimate that approximately 9.4 Tg are stored in the belowground blue carbon pool in Belize. The Blue Carbon Initiative’s Coastal Blue Carbon guidebook was used to make another estimate and this method suggests that approximately 23.3 Tg of blue carbon are stored in the mangrove forests of Belize. Using physiographic mangrove type-specific estimates from carbon studies in Mexico (Adame et al. 2013), a third estimate approximated that there are 29.6 Tg of blue carbon stored in the mangrove forests of Belize. The large variation between these initial estimates emphasized the need to complete in-country mangrove blue carbon sampling. Thus, a study was undertaken combining aboveground mangrove biomass data from the University of Belize’s Environmental Research Institute and soil carbon data from a field study we completed in August 2014. Although this estimate is limited in scope due to its inclusion of only two of the four blue carbon pools, this methodology suggests that there are 13.0 Tg of blue carbon stored in Belize’s mangroves. The second goal of this study was to conduct a preliminary economic analysis of the value of the blue carbon stocks and identify the factors influencing the feasibility of a blue carbon offsets project. Having an estimate of the economic costs and benefits for a blue carbon offsets program helps show the net economic value of actions to conserve or enhance mangroves. Economic analysis will help show when carbon payments can justify the cost of changing local behavior and determine how might a carbon payments project might compete with alternative land uses in Belize. Using preliminary carbon stock estimates and project criteria estimates, we conducted a case study of a net present value (NPV) analysis to determine the economic feasibility of a blue carbon offsets project for 25% of the mangroves on Turneffe Atoll. Not surprisingly, the analysis shows that a blue carbon offsets project cannot outcompete coastal development on Turneffe when the cost for land acquisition is high. Under the scenario without accounting for land acquisition cost, a carbon price greater than $10 per tCO2e is necessary to generate enough revenue to sustain the blue carbon project. The potential for Belize to enter the blue carbon market depends on three factors: the future risk of mangrove deforestation, price of land acquisition, and success of blue carbon credits. The bundling of blue carbon credits with payments for ecosystem services is a potential avenue worth exploring for future blue carbon projects. The third and final objective was to complete a preliminary assessment of the status of mangroves and mangrove conservation in Belize and policies that could promote a reduction of emissions generated by destruction of vegetation as well as increase blue carbon sequestration. We provide an assessment of the threats to mangroves and discussed issues confronting mangrove conservation in Belize. This is followed by an outline of the relevant laws, policies, agencies, and actors. We then used the Blue Carbon Policy Framework 2.0 (Herr et al. 2012) - a report that outlines options for the assimilation of blue carbon into existing policy initiatives - to identify specific actions Belize can take at the national level to facilitate blue carbon activities. We also discuss potential sources of funding for blue carbon initiatives in Belize, and potential obstacles to implementing blue carbon initiatives. A literature review coupled with interviews with officials from the Government of Belize, researchers from the field, and non-governmental organization representatives served to inform the development of this section of the report. According to the Blue Carbon Initiative, there are three high priority activities national governments should undertake to incorporate blue carbon priorities and activities into climate change mitigation efforts at the national level (Herr and Pidgeon 2012). These activities include: (1) “development of national blue carbon action plans, outlining specific national circumstances, opportunities, needs and limits;” (2) “conducting national scientific carbon, ecological and socio-economic assessments of shallow coastal marine ecosystems;” and (3) “conducting national cost-benefit analysis of including blue carbon activities into national climate change mitigation strategies” (Herr and Pidgeon 2012). In addition to these three high priority activities, the Blue Carbon Initiative brief (Herr and Pidgeon 2012) also describes additional measures developing countries should undertake to ensure mitigation activities at the national level effectively incorporate blue carbon activities. This report identifies specific actions from that brief that are applicable for Belize and provides additional actions we recommend based on our analysis.Item Open Access Caught in the act! Using camera trapping to investigate the link between tropical forest degradation and biodiversity in the Belize Maya Forest(2023-04-27) Boos, Elise; Bruno, KellyTropical forests retain an abundance of the world’s species yet are acutely threatened by habitat loss and overharvesting. Habitat loss is largely driven by widespread deforestation and potentially forest degradation – a decrease in forest quality primarily caused by logging. Some evidence suggests that degradation drives biodiversity loss, while other studies argue that managed forests can preserve species. Belize, a country in the Neotropics, retains 60% of its forest cover but is predicted to lose most of it in the next decade. One proposed method for sustainable forest management is reduced impact logging (RIL). We modeled species occupancy of terrestrial wildlife across RIL and unlogged sites within the Belize Maya Forest and evaluated the effect of anthropogenic and environmental covariates. We provide evidence that managed forests can preserve biodiversity and that the effect of occupancy covariates varies by species.Item Open Access DOES PROTECTION CULTIVATE MORE RESILIENT REEFS? : ASSESSNG THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF BELIZE’S NO-TAKE MANAGEMENT ZONES ON THE POST-DISTURBANCE RECOVERY OF CORALS(2010-04-30T18:35:43Z) Fieseler, ClareCoral reefs have emerged as one of the ecosystems most vulnerable to climate variation and change. Under the current trends, disturbance events are likely to increase in rate and severity. It is critically important to create management strategies that enhance the ability of coral reefs to absorb shocks, resist phase-shifts, and regenerate after such perturbations. This project assesses the capacity of no-take management zones to foster coral resilience in Belize in the 10 years after a major disturbance. In 1998, the Belize Barrier Reef Complex (BBRC) experienced bleaching and hurricane events that effectively halved coral cover. Using video-based reef quantification, this project builds on a robust dataset describing benthic composition immediately before and at three sampling intervals after these major disturbances. The results of this Master’s Project reveal that protection offered by no-take zones (NTZ) has no detectable effect on changes to benthic composition. Coral assemblages show no long-term recovery on either NTZ or fished reefs. As a result, macroalgae cover increased significantly, perhaps past certain resiliency thresholds. Insufficient protection may be attributed to design factors related to size, proximity to other stressors, and isolation. The results make clear that Belize’s reefs are changing at an increasing rate away from desirable ecological baselines. Conservation and government leaders in Belize are thus urged to look beyond purely spatial options in crafting tools for reef resilience.Item Open Access Managing the Gladden Spit Marine Reserve: An Analysis of the Whale Shark Dive Tourism Industry in Placencia, Belize(2005) Cohun, KellyThe Gladden Spit Marine Reserve is co-managed by Friends of Nature and the Government of Belize. A section of the reserve, known as the Whale Shark Zone, is managed for whale shark dive tourism as part of an initiative to shift the local economy away from the fishing industry that threatens the marine resources of Gladden Spit to a more sustainable and lucrative tourism industry. A fee was assessed to visitors to the Whale Shark Zone in 2004 in order to generate revenue for managing the protected area. Concurrently, a survey was developed targeting visitors who had spent time diving and/or snorkeling in the Whale Shark Zone. The intent of the survey was to assess visitor willingness to pay, as well as to gather information on visitor demographics and their perceptions of their tourism experiences. In addition, an evaluation of management effectiveness at the Gladden Spit and Silk Cayes Marine Reserve was conducted, as well as an evaluation of the sustainability of the whale shark tourism industry under the management of Friends of Nature. The purpose of this project was to generate recommendations for the improvement of management of the Gladden Spit and Silk Cayes Marine Reserve. Results indicate that many visitors would be willing to pay more than the fee of $15 per day that was charged in 2004 to visit the Whale Shark Zone. Visitor perceptions of their experiences at Gladden Spit indicate overcrowding of tourists in the reserve, fewer sightings of whale sharks, and a desire for improved educational information about the reserve prior to tours. Recommendations for the improvement of the management of the Gladden Spit Marine Reserve are based on the results of the visitor survey and of the evaluation of the sustainability of the whale shark tourism industry. Despite the challenges that Friends of Nature faces in managing the Gladden Spit and Silk Cayes Marine Reserve, the organization has established itself as a strong force in the effort to promote environmental and economic sustainability. One of the most significant resources at the disposal of Friends of Nature is the support of local communities. Belize has a strong commitment to environmental conservation, and people recognize the importance of maintaining the integrity of the country’s natural resources to their own socioeconomic wellbeing. The challenge is to direct policy and management in such a way that the use of natural resources for the purpose of economic development, including tourism, is a sustainable process.Item Open Access Marine Managed Areas in the Human Cultural Context: An assessment of the 'socio-cultural reality' associated with MMA establishment in Belize(2009-04-23T21:46:39Z) Clarke, Chantalle JAcross the globe, marine managed area (MMA) designation has been traditionally justified primarily from a biological perspective, the goals of which have focused on conserving species and habitats critical for maintaining the ecological integrity of marine ecosystems. As such, MMAs have evolved over time to become “bio-ecological” tools for marine conservation that lack social and/or cultural meaning. In the Belizean context, the situation is no different. MMAs have been fully embraced by Belize as tools for improving its strategy towards coastal and marine resources management. While MMA processes in Belize now incorporate socio-economic factors, the fundamental human cultural values and belief systems that drive behavior with respect to MMA resources use have not been formally considered. I conducted this Master’s project in conjunction with Conservation International’s MMA Cultural Roles Study in Belize, the main goal of which was to describe and assess cultural values and perceived cultural impacts associated with the establishment of Laughing Bird Caye and Gladden Spit as MMAs on Seine Bight and Hopkins, two coastal communities along Belize’s southern coast. I investigated this issue by conducting a total of 37 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with key informants from the two communities, in addition to undertaking observational ethnographies. In order to gain a holistic perspective for my research, I interviewed informants on the following topics: 1) history of involvement with MMAs; 2) community characteristics; 3) perceptions of “the environment”; 4) cultural impacts resulting from MMA establishment and other factors; and 5) gender roles and marine activities. My findings suggest that due to an almost non-existent involvement of Seine Bight with the two MMAs, this village suffered no identifiable cultural impacts from the establishment of either MMA. Hopkins Village has also had a relatively low involvement with Laughing Bird Caye and as such, did not suffer any cultural impacts from its establishment. The establishment of Gladden Spit as an MMA seems to have had little impact on the habitual fishing activities of Hopkins residents since they continue to use this MMA. In spite of these findings, cultural data can have important implications for understanding how coastal communities adapt their cultural attitudes and behaviors in response to the imposition of conservation codes, such as MMAs, that affect their usage of the marine commons. This basic understanding can be an invaluable first step towards predicting the long-term biological, socio-economic and cultural “successes” of MMA establishment in Belize, the wider Caribbean region and other countries around the globe.Item Open Access Use of Site Occupancy Modeling to Delineate a Jaguar Corridor in Southern Belize(2010-04-28T20:08:08Z) Petracca, Lisanne S.This analysis, a component of Panthera's Jaguar Corridor Initiative, incorporated 184 interviews with local hunters and farmers in a site occupancy framework to determine the likelihood of jaguar and jaguar prey occupancy in 90 16-km2 grid cells in the Toledo District of southern Belize. This output was compared with that of Maxent, a presence-only species distribution modeling technique, to determine if both approaches led to similar conclusions. Site occupancy analysis revealed that jaguar occupancy was associated with percent daily chance of seeing armadillo, higher elevation, and proximity to protected areas and forest cover. Prey species analysis revealed that likelihood of white-lipped peccary (Pecari tajacu) occupancy was associated with greater forest cover and proximity to protected areas and water/wetlands; collared peccary (Tayassu pecari) occupancy with greater forest cover and proximity to agriculture and settlements; red brocket deer (Mazama americana) occupancy with greater forest cover, proximity to agriculture, and higher elevation; and armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) occupancy with greater agricultural area, lower elevation, and greater distance from water/wetland. Site occupancy models were unable to be fitted for the paca (Agouti paca) and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations. Following the weighting of jaguar output to 2.0 and prey species output to 1.0, total Psi (probability of occupancy) was calculated for each of the 90 grid cells. Cells with the maximum possible Psi value (meaning that the jaguar and all modeled prey species were present) were identified, and the final cells were chosen from this subset based on having relatively low future threat. These cells were cross-checked with Maxent output to ensure that the corridor contained areas of high habitat suitability. The proposed corridor extends along the eastern flank of the Toledo District and connects Sarstoon-Temash National Park with the protected areas of local NGOs TIDE (Toledo Institute for Development and Environment) and YCT (Ya’axche Conservation Trust). The analysis concludes with recommendations and concerns specific to the communities that fall within the corridor.Item Open Access Who Gets the Fish in Belize?: Evaluating Seafood Access in an Urban Area(2010-04-30T19:52:53Z) Pott, RobertoEvaluating Local Access to Seafood in Urban Belize City By Roberto Pott May 2010 Small developing countries such as Belize face the dilemma of choosing between using their fisheries catch domestically to feed the population, which preserves cultural diet, or processing and exporting this catch internationally to contribute to GDP, which stimulates the Belizean economy. This study used social survey methods to assess the Belize City resident’s perception of seafood availability that considers the current production levels (supply) and distribution of seafood (access). Results revealed competition for seafood between the two primary domestic consumers, residents (households) and tourists (restaurants). Anecdotally, residents detected a reduction in seafood supply over the years but do not acknowledge reduced access. One inference is that resident’s view of access to seafood has broadened over the years to include retail, marketplace/supermarket access (raw seafood), retail/wholesale, cooperative access (raw seafood), and restaurant access (prepared seafood). These consumers may either have discontinued buying seafood because of the price or are unwilling to go to the current market site for health and safety reasons. An assessment of fisheries policies regarding domestic consumer access showed that current policies favor export and the tourism sector, since local households must compete with these groups. Moreover, consumption data for the tourism sector and residents are lumped together as a group by fisheries managers, and this gives the false impression that residents receives an adequate and affordable supply of seafood. In addition to ignoring the economic plight of low income households, current policies give minimal consideration to the cultural or social values of domestic seafood in Belizean communities. Future policies should incorporate cultural and social values, and one step can be the documentation of the allocation of fisheries resources in more detail. This information could inform economic analysis which is also recommended. Policy and allocations that could result from this analysis need to consider the residents’ economic, cultural, and social value positions for purchasing seafood; variable demands such as the fluctuating nature of the tourist industry and international seafood export industry; and tradeoffs between benefits from domestic consumption (microeconomic) versus benefits of international consumption (macroeconomic).