Recreational Tourism for the Conservation of Banco Chinchorro

Banco Chinchorro is a unique system in Mexico compared to other similarly sized coral reefs in like geographies. Ecologically, it’s an ecosystem with a high level of heterogeneity of habitats, owing to its shape, topography and location. Additionally, it’s a resilient ecosystem which justifies that its use and enjoyment, though this usage should be restricted to low intensity.  Through my project, tourists will be trained to carry out conservation activities in one of the most pristine sites of the MAR, the Banco Chinchorro Biosphere Reserve. The objective of this project is to provide visitors with a unique experience that will allow them to interact with nature through tangible conservation actions in the Banco Chinchorro Biosphere Reserve. Fishermen and local service providers will be the groups that will provide the project’s services. Recreational products will be developed with the goal of allowing tourists to enjoy the Protected Area (PA) and as such will have a longer duration and will be more focused. Educational activities require more time, responsibility and specialization among visitors. Among recreational activities, reef diving and nature sightseeing will be offered. As part of the educational component of the project, courses will be given on scientific scuba, educational dives will be carried out to hunt the lionfish, and educational sightseeing will be offered.

Implementation of Artificial Modular Reefs (AMA®) In Quintana Roo and the Mesoamerican Reef System

Poor engineering and unregulated coastal development have accelerated the effects of erosion on beaches, making coastal communities more and more vulnerable to hurricanes and other natural phenomena. As a consequence, sand loss lessens the appeal of tourism destinations. At the moment, beach recuperation efforts have not been effective and have even caused exaggerated environmental problems in sites where sand is extracted to replace sand supplies at eroded beaches. This project seeks to guarantee the sustainability and longevity of coasts and water systems through the development and best use of the technology. A barrier of artificial reefs will be placed in Quintana Roo and other damaged parts of the Mesoamerican Reef to lessen erosion and beach loss. At the same time, the project will create an appeal for fisheries and tourism by reducing the pressures exerted upon natural reefs by both industries. Theartificial barrier reef will measure 12.5 Km (in double configuration), to protect the Hotel Zone of Cancun, prolonging the Mesoamerican Reef System (MAR) from Punta Cancun to Punta Nizuc. This barrier will be designed by US naval engineers and will guarantee the protection of hotel infrastructure during storms and hurricanes, as well as the control of coastal erosion. The barrier will be constructed based on the Artificial Modular Reef ® technology, which is made of marine-grade concrete that is PH neutral and is patented and certified by the EPA. The project will install the largest artificial barrier reef in the Mexican Caribbean, securing serious benefits for the zone and its surrounding ecosystem.

Commercialization of Nature Tourism products in Quintana Roo.

The opportunity to develop communities and conserve their natural resources through tourism has always been Vicente’s interest. He began collaborating with various regional public policy projects for the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor,  in 2012 he was hired by the organization Friends of Sian Ka’an to develop Maya Ka’an, a new community tourism destination in the Mexican Caribbean. Maya Ka´an integrates 17 tourism cooperatives in nine locations covering three municipalities in central Quintana Roo. In three years, the project has trained 400 people from the communities of Quintana Roo’s Mayan Zone , certified more than 30 tour guides under the NOM 009 specialized in nature tourism, and 10 companies have been certified as sustainable ecotourism companies under the NMX 133 “Sustainability Requirements for Ecotourism”. Through a study of Social Return on Investment, it has been documented that of the 1.2 million dollars invested in the project, $ 500,000 have been recovered and in two years the social payback will be total, demonstrating the profitability of such projects. The experience in Quintana Roo has led him to develop projects of this nature in other parts of Mexico and Latin America. The opinion of Vicente on the program is: “MAR Leadership has given me the tools for project management, fundraising, public speaking, but more importantly, it has given me the possibility of having a network of partners in the conservation of the MAR region, they have given me contacts, links, information and ideas to achieve my projects’ goals”.

Sustainable Construction in the MAR

New technological alternatives exist that allow for the incorporation of an environmental variable into planning, design and construction processes that can mitigate and even prevent the consequences of unplanned development on the coral ecosystem. There is scarce information on sustainable construction methods in the region, and therefore little interest among developers to adopt them. This project seeks to enable informed decision making to improve the existent coastal and land development process that currently prevails in the MAR region. It will change this gap through a webpage for regional builders that will offer information in English and Spanish oriented towards capacity building and informed decision making regarding sustainable construction methods, ultimately contributing to the improvement of the health of the MAR. The information on the website will be developed gradually and on a country-by-country basis, focusing on land-locked zones and coastal states according to their level of impact on the reef. The content will include: information on valid local planning instruments, construction norms, training opportunities for planning, sustainable construction and design, sustainable construction materials and products for sale in the region, a forum for discussion, among other content. We will work with the heads of states and municipalities and other towns that are experiencing accelerated coastal development due to tourism or second-residence households. During the entire process, the project will seek to pin down strategic alliances with public, academic, private and social sectors to obtain cutting edge information and promote the webpage.

His project: National Interpretative Strategy on Impacts on Belize’s Barrier Reef

The main tourism attraction of Belize is the reef. Almost all of Belize’s peoples are directly or indirectly benefited by tourism, although not all Belizeans have been close to the reef or know about the urgency to conserve it. It is important to present the facts to these people, whose livelihoods depend on the reef’s health. This is a nationwide initiative seeking to increase public awareness and proactive appreciation of the value and importance of the MAR through collaboration with public, private and civil stakeholders. The objective is to establish greater awareness, appreciation, importance and ownership regarding our impacts on the marine environment as Belizeans, and as citizens of the Mesoamerican Reef System Region. Two main campaigns will be the product of this project: aSchool Education and Awareness Campaign and a Tourism Awareness Campaign. The first campaign is geared toward building awareness regarding impacts on the Mesoamerican Reef System in Secondary and Tertiary Level Educational Institutions within the Belize River Watershed and the Island Zones. The second campaign is an awareness campaign for the service industry and tourists to make both groups aware of their impacts and the resulting consequences on the regional reef system. The vision is that this awareness will affect the day-to-day operations of the tourism industry.  Furthermore, the campaign will seek to incorporate environmentally friendly practices into the service industry, targeting tour guides, front line personnel, and service managers. This will be achieved via best practices management training workshops, and printed awareness materials.

Let’s talk about the MAR

This project seeks to build a contact network integrated by social society, the media, and government & opinion leaders to develop a communications platform that leads to priority positioning of conservation themes on the public agenda through the insertion of high impact stories in mass media. This platform will also help to enrich the communication abilities of its members (MAR Fellows) with the objective of converting each member into a spokesperson for their project and allowing them to more effectively promote and publicize their project’s activities.

Implementation of artificial fish refuges and lots for marine zoning, the promotion of economic incentives and the restauration of the Mesoamerican Reef System (MAR) – Banco Chinchorro.

This project seeks to build on the community work already begun in the Banco Chinchorro and Sian Ka’an biosphere reserves to establish a monitoring and management program, including fishery reserves in reef and fishing zones within marine grass pastures, as a strategy to foment the natural recuperation of lobster populations, fish and their ecosystem relationships. Continuity will be giving to fisher training programs for the management and transfer of living product, the use of GPS and frameworks for population monitoring (migration, growth, etc.), registering biological data (biometrics) and the generation of useful information on fishing activity within cooperatives. Commercialization will be guaranteed through the promotion of regulated exploitation via the social organization that will apply the rules of usage for the CHAKAY collective brand and the Marine Stewardship Council principles, based on genetic studies of their populations.

Management of commercial species and promotion of fishermen empowerment to adopt sustainable fishing methods in the Hol Chan Marine Reserve . 

This project seeks to collect information on areas and the most popular fishing methods utilized therein as well as information on fishing production within the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. This information will be used to promote appropriate fisheries management and the expansion of no-take zones in an effort to assure the permanence of commercial species that live in the reserve. It is hoped that this methodology will be replicated in Bacalar Chico and Caye Caulker.

Establishment of access rights for fishing in Belizean marine reserves to promote sustainable fishing and the wellbeing of involved communities.

 
Belize has made significant progress in marine conservation by declaring a network of MPAs with the collaboration of various actors from civil society, academia and ecosystem users. The presence of MPAs contributes to the good management of the Mesoamerican Reef System and ensures that its marine-coastal resources will be available for future generations. Nevertheless, an adequate management at the level of fisheries resources must exist. In Belize, all fisheries (with the exception of the Queen conch) are free-access. In other words, there are no quotas that exact a capture limit—a reason why commercial fish populations are currently depleted. This project seeks to establish a system of quotas for access to fisheries in the Port Honduras and Glovers Reef marine reserves.

Identification of priority ecosystems for the conservation and sustainable use of the Mesoamerican Reef System in the Guatemalan Caribbean.

In Guatemala, there is no such category as a Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the Strategic Guidelines for Protected Areas of the National Committee on Protected Areas (CONAP). Over the past couple of years, an official study was conducted on gaps in marine-coastal conservation in Guatemala. This study, together with the creation of the National Marine-Coastal Policy and the Master Plan for Manabique Point, have created an ideal environment for getting this category included in Guatemalan legislation and strengthening the fishing cooperatives in the Bahía de Amatique—Manabique Point zone. Our Guatemalan Fellows will seek to include the MPA classification within said guidelines and achieve the declaration of the first area under this management category in Guatemala.

Strengthening of the capacities of prosecutors of the Coastal Atlantic in Honduras with a special focus on making the region’s fishing laws and stipulations more effective.

Fishing activity has been restricted on the north coast of Honduras ever since protected areas were put in place, which effectively limit the fishing area on Honduras’ Atlantic Coast. Despite these official declarations, the legislation that limits the fishing activity within the protected areas hasn’t been sufficiently publicized, which has generated conflicts between administrative organizations and community fishing groups located within and close to said areas. This project seeks to disseminate fishery legislation through workshops and forums with fishers to guarantee its adoption and establish a sense of respect for the fisheries

Private Protected Areas as a Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and Potential Tool for Mitigating the Impacts of Climate Change in coastal communities.

Private Protected Areas (PPA) can significantly contribute to the conservation and sustainable use of Belize’s natural resources by contributing to the effective management of priority conservation areas and involving the influential private sector. The goal of this project is to enhance and showcase Belize’s network of coastal PPAs as a tool in the fight against climate change. The primary objectives of the project are 1) to mitigate the risk of climate change-induced natural disasters on select northern coastal areas; and 2) to explore and develop a payment scheme for the ecosystem services provided by mangrove forests. This project seeks to secure sustainable methods for financially compensating participating PPA owners through a blue carbon offset program.

Enhancing Local Participation in the Decision-making Processes of the Bay Islands Marine National Park Management Plan.

Many local stakeholders involved in the use, management, and conservation of the marine resources within the Bay Islands Marine National Park feel excluded and negatively affected by decision-making processes involving development and conservation. This feeling of exclusion creates an atmosphere of indifference in communities, which in turn creates a barrier to the social, environmental, and economic sustainability of legislation and policy. Negative feelings can even result in the upwelling of anti-conservationist attitudes. This project represents a way to address this problem within Honduran legislation. By consolidating the Community Forest Consulting Councils (both municipal and departmental), the project will tackle community doubt and mistrust by establishing a more horizontal and equitable relationship between involved actors. Furthermore, the project will establish alliances with organizations already working towards sustainable development within the National Park.

 Involving Local Communities in the Regulation of Utila’s Special Marine Protected Areas and Identifying Alternative Livelihoods for Residents of Turtle Harbor-Rock Harbor and Raggedy Key-Southwest Key, Utila.

This project is focused on the ecosystem conservation in protected areas and the identification of alternative livelihoods for residents of these zones. In Utila, marine ecosystems are subject to constant pressure—both anthropogenic and natural—that have serious repercussions on their health and stability. The establishment of a monitoring baseline along with data analysis will permit managers to assess habitat loss and justify the importance of conservation actions to the members of the community at large. The main objective of the project is to promote community involvement in protection issues, to identify alternative livelihoods for fishermen—including conch and lobster divers—by harnessing the impetus of BICA, tourism participation, and the creation of a new market for local handmade products.

Evaluation & Implementation of No Take Zone Amplification in Port Honduras Marine Reserve.

The Port Honduras Marine Reserve (PHMR) was declared a Marine Protected Area in 2000 by the Government of Belize. A co-management agreement was signed between the Belize Fisheries Department and the Toledo Institute for Development and Environment (TIDE) on May 31, 2001. This legal management structure was backed by the Belizean Government and gave TIDE the authority to manage the protected area, which covers 414 km2. This project aims to improve fisheries management in the Port Honduras Marine Reserve. This will be accomplished through the extension of the reserve’s ‘no take zone’, which will improve recruitment, abundance, and diversity in economically important fisheries. Community consultations will engage fishers, guide the management process and promote awareness and compliance with no take zones and best practices in sustainable fishing.

Application of a Regional Framework for the Management of Quintana Roo’s Coastal and Marine Protected Areas.

This project aims to contribute to the conservation of marine biodiversity—including important fragile ecosystems and fishing resources found in the coastal region of Quintana Roo—by increasing protected area coverage and strengthening local capacities for improved regional management of protected areas. The project will also address ecosystem coverage gaps and promote both connectivity between and successful management of protected areas. In addition, this project will promote the creation of a Coordination Board/Committee and a monitoring system that will permit managers to assess and follow-up on the population trends of economically valuable species in the area.

Glass Comprehensive Collection and Final Destination Program, Cristalízate.

CRISTALÍZATE aims to obtain the concession to collect the glass on the island and reduce landfill costs. The glass has not been seen as a recyclable or reusable resource and is not removed from the island. PASA (managing the landfill) and CAMAR solid collection (collection center of the municipality) collect recyclable waste materials. For every gram that reaches the landfill, the municipality has to cover the cost. Through environmental awareness, the aim is to explain the community the separation mechanism and schedule of collection. The project intends to gather the glass on a parcel of land donated by the Ejido Cozumel and integrates the social factor to create jobs primarily for youth at risk. The separation of glass will happen by color and it will be grinded and accumulated in mountains of glass. Through an agreement with a shipping company, the crushed glass will leave the island inside the empty trailers that return to the continent. VITROMEX (smelter glass company) will collect the crushed glass in Playa del Carmen and take it to the final destination: a smelter where it will be reused in the production process. Part of the remaining glass in the island will be used for the production of handicrafts, creating Mexico’s first school of blown glass and a brand of handmade products to export.

Replicable Project for the sustainable management of materials along the coast of the Motagua River watershed, starting with the Municipality of Livingston, Izabal.

Project shared with Joanna Giron.

 Livingston is a municipality where a large amount of solid waste is generated and needs to be handled in a sanitary manner. However, the size, distance and accessibility are limitations to a collection system. Moreover,  the cost can be high and not well-balanced by a willingness to pay a collection fee due to the isolation conditions of many of the rural communities. The municipal landfill is not properly located,  the geographic conditions, the distance from inhabited areas, its un-proper management, have turned it into an uncontrolled dumping site. The landfill is close to environmentally important areas like beaches, mangroves and the reef, severely threatening the resilience of those ecosystems. The lack of a legal framework, inexistence of environmental awareness and education of the population are identified as major causes of this urgent situation. The project is based on the implementation of significant improvements in the overall management of solid waste of the Caribbean side of the country in the town of Livingston. The relevant activities include the integration of environmental education and awareness, collection system technical support and social warranties,  especially for the garbage pickers. It also seeks a technical advice, financial management and the search for political and administrative supports.

As a result, it is expected to benefit residents, fishermen and visitors to this area, as well as serve as replicable project in many municipalities of the Motagua River Basin, the main solid waste pollutant of the Mesoamerican Reef.

Implementation of municipal plans for Integrated Solid Waste Management in Livinsgton and municipalities along the Motagua River Basin

The environmental problems of Guatemala, such as contamination by solid waste, are originated in the relationships between the natural subsystem and the socioeconomic subsystems. This stems from the inability (or indifference) to manage waste properly. The lack of instruments and tools for handling and disposal is evident with approximately 39% of the waste deposited directly into the soil or water sources. This lack of solid waste management  is reflected by water sources’ pollution in Livingston, which has generated a significant negative impact on natural resources and coastal marine ecosystems, showing a evident and alarming degradation. Among the main actions to solve this problem, it is necessary to establish tools and instruments based on an analysis of the different areas (socio-cultural, economic, legal, institutional and environmental) in order to achieve a strategic balance between conservation of  natural resources and socio-economic development. The development of instruments such as a Management Plan and the strengthening of the existing legal framework will allow to establish the strategic implementation and development lines. The proper implementation will be evident by the reduction of the solid waste reaching coastal marine areas. 

Virtual Learning Platform about solid waste management for the Mesoamerican Reef  region’s youth.

The project seeks to involve the youth from  the MAR region countries as major players and decision makers in the near future. It is intended to identify organized groups of young people and develop a learning methodology based on a virtual platform focused on strengthening their capacities to enhance their participation in solving local problems on waste management. This methodology will start with a diagnosis of youth groups, to further develop the available contents on the virtual platform, once adjusted to the curricular competences of the Ministry of Education and the State Environmental Education Program. Among the activities to be performed at each learning cycle, there is the development of online sessions, participatory workshops, meet challenges and a regional meeting, allowing individual and collective learning from constructivist methodologies and motivating young people to get involved in mitigation initiatives. The first cycle of the virtual learning platform will be with youth groups in Quintana Roo, allowing subsequently the generation of a replicable model for other sites in the MAR.

Public Awareness on the Impacts of Continued use of the Municipal Dump Site.

The ultimate goal of the proposed project is to achieve a life style change in the people of Punta Gorda. It is anticipated that through the proper objectives the public can be educated on Sustainable Materials Management and allow for best practices. This in turn will lead to a reduction in solid waste generation, and ultimately a decrease of solid wastes such as plastics in marine environments. There are several community members that rely on the PHMR as a source of income via the fishing industry and tourism.

Art-Mangle,  souvenirs made from reused material  microenterprise

On the island of Holbox, there is a big problem with transportation of solid waste: the crossing to the port of Chiquilá is expensive, and regardless of which, leads to a landfill or a recycling center.

Many island students who complete high school do not have the resources to continue their study. Looking for an alternative self-employment, Art Mangle, a craft souvenir microindustry, was formed.  The project seeks to achieve sustainability through up-cycling of discarded material resources.

Once sold as souvenirs to the tourism industry, these materials would move off the island with a better ending than the land fill generating incomes for the youth.

Expansion of carbon capture area and economic valuation of the  “Nichupté Mangroves” Natural Protected Area, Cancun, Quintana Roo. 

Reforestation with red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) will be conducted in a low tide area located in the polygon 8 of the “Nichupté Mangroves” NPA in Cancun, which was damaged by Hurricane Wilma.

The project goal is the formation of a new mangrove area to increase the economic value of the NPA. In total 1500 propagules will be planted through an efficient planting, once done so, the economic value of the work of reforestation based carbon sequestration will be estimated. This technical component will be complemented by elements of environmental education for community mangrove protection.

The area Nichupté Mangroves also has for years been CINVESTAV sampling site and beneficiary of a mangrove restoration project, success model  internationally.

Planting the lives for tomorrow

This project seeks to promote the good practice to recover the mangrove forests and prevent degradation in the area. This initiative aims to raise public awareness of two coastal communities  regarding the importance of mangrove forests protection and conservation. The idea is to engage the youth, men and women (including fishermen) in the whole mangrove reproduction process through nurseries and reforestation, in order to serve as a starting point for other coastal communities at the Caribbean level of Guatemala. We hope to provide an essential contribution to protect, restore and maintain the mangrove areas of the communities in where the initiative will be implemented.

Plan for the conservation of mangrove forests in coastal marine protected areas and  north coast islands of the Bay of Honduras.

This project seeks to generate information to support decision making by determining the change and predictions of land use in areas of mangrove forest in the northern and the Bay Islands in Honduras coast through satellite images. The aim is to implement a plan of conservation of mangrove forests in coastal marine protected areas of the north coast and Bay Islands by 2019. This is an innovative project that will understand how to have deteriorated mangrove ecosystems over time, define the ecological and economic importance of these ecosystems, and model different scenarios conservation. These data will help in creating new policies more informed management and sustainable management actions that help conserve mangroves without affecting the economy of the communities that depend on these ecosystems.

 Valuation of the environmental services that the Yum Balam mangrove provides to the Holbox inhabitants

Mexico is the fourth country in the world with the largest area of mangrove, however, we are currently losing it at an annual rate of 7%, mainly due to the change of land use for tourism development and aquaculture projects. Unfortunately, the owners, landholders and inhabitants of the mangrove covered regions lack the necessary elements to consider this ecosystem’s environmental and economic value, and this is reflected in medium and long term benefits. This project seeks to generate a methodology for the economic valuation of environmental services that are provided by the Yum Balam mangroves to the inhabitants of the Island of Holbox and socialize it in the communities, as well as with the decision makers as a value economic base of mangroves, which is a reference for decision making for the mangrove conservation. This project also collaborates with the study Historical Ecology in the North Coast of Quintana Roo CINVESTAV through the post-doc Nadia Rubio-Cisneros, in collaboration with Dr. Herrera and Dr. Ezcurra among others, carried on the island of Holbox. This study documents the coastal long term operation on the northern coast of Quintana Roo through an interdisciplinary approach that integrates ecological, historical and archaeological data on coastal exploitation, along with the traditional fishing knowledge “, collected through surveys. the results will open access to the online repository (data SEAS) and can provide guidelines for the development of policies focused on sustainable management of coastal fisheries and landscapes of the north coast of Quintana Roo.

Development of a good practices certification scheme to promote mangrove conservation in Belize Tourism Sector.

Development and conservation are often perceived as separate and mutually exclusive entities. This project aims to develop a certification system to align the economic incentives of developers with conservation objectives by establishing standards that encourage innovation by developers and that benefit both business and the environment. The project’s goal for 2020 is that the clearing of mangroves in Belize is reduced by 20% through the development and adoption of a national certification scheme for good practices in the tourism sector in Belize. With the contribution of the tourism sector in Belize, this project seeks to identify and develop the framework for the implementation of a certification system that aims to preserve mangroves, encouraging developers to integrate mangrove forests in its development, either through retention coverage or where already lost forests, through reforestation. Compliance with conservation standards incorporated in the certification system ideally have a positive effect.

Guide for the sustainable use of mangrove and coastal dunes in the Riviera Maya.

The project seeks to make a guide for the use of mangrove ecosystems and the coastal dunes of the Riviera Maya for the private sector, including investment, technology, construction processes, creation of private protected areas, information on environmental tours, catchment strategies, monitoring, health measurements, impacts and blue carbon. This tool aims to give to the private sector the guidelines that enables to understand the importance of mangroves, breaking paradigms between development and hotel management and achieve a balance between the ecosystem conservation and projects, making them an asset for the companies rather than barriers to the new projects or modifications to the existing ones. The change meant by the project is to control mangroves loss by hands of the private sector involving tourism sector’s key stakeholders in a healthy discussion about alternative uses so this topic is no longer a taboo and becomes an engine for the destinations’ sustainability.

Caye Caulker Reserve and Learning Centre to promote Blue Economy solutions.

The Caye Caulker Reserve and Learning Centre will focus on the conservation of the unique flora and fauna found only in that area of the island that caters and provides a habitat to migratory birds and other species. The Learning Centre will provide the local, national and international community with relevant data and information about the barrier reef, marine ecosystems, and to promote Blue Economy principles for the sustainability of marine life and ecosystems in Belize. The Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA) and its destination chapter Board remain committed to the sustainable development and preservation of key resources of Caye Caulker. The student population of Belize needs to be educated about the Blue Economy principles and best practices for the sustainability of Belize’s marine resources that contribute to the livelihood of the majority of Belizeans. The BTIA hopes to establish an exemplary model for this project to serve the Belizean community and international students with a properly designed learning and research centre with all the necessary resources, material and equipment.

Pilot project for testing a new model of low impact tourism in Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico.

Juan will focus on making the conservation of marine and coastal ecosystems profitable for the productive sector as cornerstone for a Blue Economy. The project will consider threats as unprecedented changes along the coastline, pollution, declining fish stocks and increased vulnerability to climate change. The goal is to change the traditional paradigm of development towards a Blue Economy, where social welfare and equity are ensured, while safeguarding natural resources for future generations. The project will be developed in the Ahau Tulum Properties Group hotels, Quintana Roo, Mexico.

Implementing Traceability Systems in Fishing Industry to increase the value of the sector, the sustainability of the industry and the resilience of the ecosystem and people.

The Belize Fishing Industry is valued at about $BZ 30 million dollars and benefits about 15,000 people. Conch and lobster are the most important commodities as well as the most heavily targeted, and both fisheries are considered mature. Illegal fishing is still one of the major threats to the industry despite the improvements in management. Belize is implementing a national rights based fishing areas program which seeks to allocate fishers rights to traditional fishing grounds, called Managed Access. This program provides an opportunity to use market based incentive to motivate fishers to protect the resources. All market based incentives require robust systems that document the production chain, from the extraction point to the consumer. The project will focus on implementing a traceability system that begins on the vessels and continues all the way to the consumer; using an electronic application named OURFISH developed the Smithsonian Institute. This will be implemented with one fishing cooperative and all the vessels producing for that one cooperative. The project will create a system to trace products from sea to plate. A traceability system can add value to fishery products as it can guarantee the quality of the product as well as its sustainability. It is estimated that the premium or value of product can increase by 3-6% from current prices. A portion of the increased revenue can be used to pay for the traceability system.

Even if this project is very ambitious, the timing is right and the involved partners have the drive and expertise to make it a success. This project will be a model to be followed by others in Belize and the MAR region. In Belize, there is the need to improve the licensing system to allow for the easy tracking and linking of all license holders and their catch, collect catch data onboard the fishing vessels and submit that to the managers and cooperatives, collect landing data at the cooperatives and managed inventory and exports using modern and accountable systems. The products will be branded via certification programs such as fair trade in an effort to attract higher prices.

Improving Management of Chemicals and Hazardous Wastes in Puerto Barrios and Puerto Santo Tomas, Izabal, Guatemala

Currently, daily operations in the main ports of the Caribbean Guatemala do not involve the proper management, including that of chemicals and hazardous wastes which can contribute to increased pollution in the area. This project focuses on promoting environmentally sound management practices in the context of Blue Economy in daily operations at the ports, both in their facilities and also within ships transiting the area. The mid to long-term result of this project is to protect marine resources and generate employment opportunities.

Designing a financial mechanism for conservation of watersheds that supply water for domestic use at the Nombre de Dios National Park

The project will develop a financial mechanism to ensure the sustainability of ecosystems that contribute to the welfare of approximately 17,000 people in 43 communities located in the buffer zone of the Nombre de Dios National Park, in addition to a significant number of visitors to the area. The project seeks to internalize the costs of management and conservation of the areas of social interest (24 micro watersheds and tourist sites), by designing and implementing a financial mechanism where the plaintiffs, suppliers, local authorities, businesses, international cooperation and others, contribute to the creation of a fund for the management and conservation of these areas. The project will help to reduce deforestation, coastal erosion, improve water quality and the health of its inhabitants.

Securing a successful future for fish refuges in the Mexican Caribbean

Between 2012 and 2016 various organizations from the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico, grouped in the Kanan Kay Alliance, collaborated with seven fishing cooperatives to create 16 fish refuges. These no-take zones promote a blue economy through improvements in fish catches, ecotourism and climate change mitigation, with more resilient and healthy ecosystems. To date, this process,  have relied on traditional philanthropic funds, which makes them vulnerable to economic changes in the long term. In order to move the current fish refuges, and newly proposed areas, towards sustainable management, it is necessary to size the investment required to implement and maintain the sites in the long run. In parallel, it is important to calculate and communicate the economic benefits generated for fishermen in the established zones since 2012. During this project, replicable tools that can be used to complement the design and implementation of new fish refuges will be generated in the four MAR countries.

Project: Generating new market opportunities for fishery products, which are associated with the mangrove ecosystem

This project seeks to reduce fishing effort and promote conservation and ecosystems such as the mangrove ecosystem within two protected areas of the Caribbean of Guatemala (Sarstun Multiple Use Area and Punta de Manabique Wildlife Refuge). For this, an analysis of the value chain of three of the main fisheries associated with the mangrove ecosystem will be carried out, identifying market opportunities that allow the fisherman to access new market niches that offer a better price to their products and contribute to improving the wellbeing of the fishing sector and the health status of the mangrove ecosystem in the Caribbean of Guatemala.

Project: Generating new market opportunities for fishery products, which are associated with the mangrove ecosystem

This project seeks to reduce fishing effort and promote conservation and ecosystems such as the mangrove ecosystem within two protected areas of the Caribbean of Guatemala (Sarstun Multiple Use Area and Punta de Manabique Wildlife Refuge). For this, an analysis of the value chain of three of the main fisheries associated with the mangrove ecosystem will be carried out, identifying market opportunities that allow the fisherman to access new market niches that offer a better price to their products and contribute to improving the wellbeing of the fishing sector and the health status of the mangrove ecosystem in the Caribbean of Guatemala.

Project: Establishing the framework for a sustainable fishery based on community rights in Marine / Estuarine Wildlife Sanctuaries in Belize.

Although local small-scale fishing activities are an important livelihood and a traditional source of protein for families in the communities of marine wildlife sanctuaries in Belize, the legal designation does not allow for extractive activities, which represents a challenge for resource management. The project “Establishing the framework for a rights-based sustainable fishery in marine / estuarine wildlife sanctuaries in Belize” provides a model for the transition from a non-extractive Wildlife Sanctuary to a Wildlife Sanctuary (2), according to what is stipulated in the Law of the System of Protected Natural Areas, which guarantees the long-term sustainability of the fish populations and the protection of the rights of traditional users. Therefore, this project will develop a successful framework for a fishery based on the rights of the community with the active participation of local fishermen through the re-designation of Corozal Bay Wildlife Sanctuary (CBWS), which can be replicated in other Wildlife Sanctuaries. The project will also support the implementation of the Sustainable Fisheries Plan, the specific regulations of the site and the refueling areas, as required by the revised legislation, and in alignment with the national policy of Managed Fisheries Access (Managed Access). In the long term, the local community will be empowered and will participate in the management of resources, with greater understanding and support for sustainable fisheries initiatives, with alternative livelihood opportunities.

Project: Strengthening protection for sharks in Guatemala and the Mesoamerican Reef System (SAM), facilitating compliance with international agreements that regulate sustainable commercialization.

This project aims at achieving the sustainable use of sharks that are currently commercialized in Guatemala and strengthening current efforts for their conservation. It will promote the proper control of their trade, through effective compliance with national protocols (National Action Plan for the Conservation and Management of the Sharks in Guatemala, and international protocols such as Non-detriment Findings (NDF). National tools and policies do not exist or have not come into force; therefore, supporting its effective implementation with the key stakeholders represents a key step in strengthening the legislative framework and public policy for the conservation of the most vulnerable species and populations of sharks. Finally shark fishermen and marketers will be made aware of the NDFs, thus promoting the adoption of the PAN Sharks Guatemala as a tool to promote the sustainability of these key species and their fisheries.

Project: Sustainable fisheries and sustainable tourism in Bahía Espiritu Santo as a local model of community development in the MAR.

María Elena and Punta Herrero communities are located in Espiritu Santo Bay south of the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve. At the end of the 80’s, 70 families came to inhabit the area, living mainly from fishing activities.  Being promoted sustainable fishing over 30 years, unsustainable fishing gear are no longer used in this area and sustainable practices have been adopted to ensure increase of key species population and reef’s health. This project seeks to diversify the communities livelihoods based on sustainable use of natural resources and promote nature tourism. It aims at decreasing dependence from fishing activities, strengthening the capacities and skills of community groups, encouraging the participation of women under a model of social entrepreneurship that generates empowerment, promote value chains and increase visitation. It will achieve the articulation of the public and private sector for the positioning of Bahía Espíritu Santo as a responsible destination.

Project: Design and implementation of a regenerative network of best sustainable fishing practices.

The project proposes to establish a regenerative network that contributes to the sustainability of fisheries in the MAR, modernizing the sector and engaging other sectors of society that have traditionally been under-represented (women and young people). These social impact networks show a unique and renewable capacity (of “regeneration”) that is especially useful when dealing with complex, unpredictable, large-scale problems such as overfishing, climate change or gender equality. With a multidisciplinary and international team, the project seeks to co-design and establish a collaborative learning platform for the exchange of sustainable fishing best practices with community leaders, starting in Honduras and Mexico but with high replicability to other MAR countries and other regions of the respective countries. The network will start by developing a common vision as well as the design of a platform that allows for the effective exchange of intergenerational, inclusive, and gender-sensitive local ecological knowledge. In a generative network, the members are responsible for building the network, strengthening and maintaining ties among them. In the medium and long term, well-managed regenerative networks become sufficiently robust and adaptive to maintain their effectiveness and constant increase of collective impact.

Project: Generating new market opportunities for fishery products, which are associated with the mangrove ecosystem

This project seeks to reduce fishing effort and promote conservation and ecosystems such as the mangrove ecosystem within two protected areas of the Caribbean of Guatemala (Sarstun Multiple Use Area and Punta de Manabique Wildlife Refuge). For this, an analysis of the value chain of three of the main fisheries associated with the mangrove ecosystem will be carried out, identifying market opportunities that allow the fisherman to access new market niches that offer a better price to their products and contribute to improving the wellbeing of the fishing sector and the health status of the mangrove ecosystem in the Caribbean of Guatemala.

Project: Design and implementation of a regenerative network of best sustainable fishing practices.

The project proposes to establish a regenerative network that contributes to the sustainability of fisheries in the MAR, modernizing the sector and engaging other sectors of society that have traditionally been under-represented (women and young people). These social impact networks show a unique and renewable capacity (of “regeneration”) that is especially useful when dealing with complex, unpredictable, large-scale problems such as overfishing, climate change or gender equality. With a multidisciplinary and international team, the project seeks to co-design and establish a collaborative learning platform for the exchange of sustainable fishing best practices with community leaders, starting in Honduras and Mexico but with high replicability to other MAR countries and other regions of the respective countries. The network will start by developing a common vision as well as the design of a platform that allows for the effective exchange of intergenerational, inclusive, and gender-sensitive local ecological knowledge. In a generative network, the members are responsible for building the network, strengthening and maintaining ties among them. In the medium and long term, well-managed regenerative networks become sufficiently robust and adaptive to maintain their effectiveness and constant increase of collective impact.

Project: Design and implementation of a regenerative network of best sustainable fishing practices.

The project proposes to establish a regenerative network that contributes to the sustainability of fisheries in the MAR, modernizing the sector and engaging other sectors of society that have traditionally been under-represented (women and young people). These social impact networks show a unique and renewable capacity (of “regeneration”) that is especially useful when dealing with complex, unpredictable, large-scale problems such as overfishing, climate change or gender equality. With a multidisciplinary and international team, the project seeks to co-design and establish a collaborative learning platform for the exchange of sustainable fishing best practices with community leaders, starting in Honduras and Mexico but with high replicability to other MAR countries and other regions of the respective countries. The network will start by developing a common vision as well as the design of a platform that allows for the effective exchange of intergenerational, inclusive, and gender-sensitive local ecological knowledge. In a generative network, the members are responsible for building the network, strengthening and maintaining ties among them. In the medium and long term, well-managed regenerative networks become sufficiently robust and adaptive to maintain their effectiveness and constant increase of collective impact.

Project: Sustainable fisheries and sustainable tourism in Bahía Espiritu Santo as a local model of community development in the MAR.

María Elena and Punta Herrero communities are located in Espiritu Santo Bay south of the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve. At the end of the 80’s, 70 families came to inhabit the area, living mainly from fishing activities.  Being promoted sustainable fishing over 30 years, unsustainable fishing gear are no longer used in this area and sustainable practices have been adopted to ensure increase of key species population and reef’s health. This project seeks to diversify the communities livelihoods based on sustainable use of natural resources and promote nature tourism. It aims at decreasing dependence from fishing activities, strengthening the capacities and skills of community groups, encouraging the participation of women under a model of social entrepreneurship that generates empowerment, promote value chains and increase visitation. It will achieve the articulation of the public and private sector for the positioning of Bahía Espíritu Santo as a responsible destination.

Project: Improving the health of the reef through sustainable tourism-recreational services

The importance of this project arises from the problems inherent to coral reefs, particularly in the Mesoamerican reef barrier that includes the Bay Islands Marine National Park. This project seeks, in the long term, improve the health of the reef by the reduction of illegal fishing and simultaneously increase biomass of herbivorous fish. In the medium term it is expected that the target community has an economic alternative such as sustainable tourism environmentally friendly that will allow economic and educational environmental development on the island. This project seeks to establish a community-driven model of sustainable tourism promoting awareness and reasonable use of the reef ecosystem, working with the local municipality, the tourism institute, and other entities involved. In addition, it will help the community with other marine conservation projects including monitoring and surveillance of the Marine Park.

Project: Improving the health of the reef through sustainable tourism-recreational services

The importance of this project arises from the problems inherent to coral reefs, particularly in the Mesoamerican reef barrier that includes the Bay Islands Marine National Park. This project seeks, in the long term, improve the health of the reef by the reduction of illegal fishing and simultaneously increase biomass of herbivorous fish. In the medium term it is expected that the target community has an economic alternative such as sustainable tourism environmentally friendly that will allow economic and educational environmental development on the island. This project seeks to establish a community-driven model of sustainable tourism promoting awareness and reasonable use of the reef ecosystem, working with the local municipality, the tourism institute, and other entities involved. In addition, it will help the community with other marine conservation projects including monitoring and surveillance of the Marine Park.

Design and implementation of a long term monitoring of elasmobranch populations in the Northern Mexican Caribbean in search of sustainable use and conservation. The Mexican team proposes a project to create a monitoring and conservation strategy for elasmobranchs in the Mexican Caribbean. They will characterize the fishery and design and implement participatory monitoring to identify critical areas and population trends. The objective is to improve coastal populations’ knowledge about these resources and propose improvements to elasmobranchs’ existing management measures.

Tools for the transition to territorial use rights in the MAR fishery. The project seeks to minimize the Lagoon System’s threats to the fishing resource by empowering the 12 fishing communities surrounding it to actively participate in the effective management and sustainable use of the fishing resources. Likewise, the project will implement a series of strategies to determine the ecological, economic, and social attributes necessary for establishing TTUPs that will equitably benefit all key actors regardless of their gender or ethnic group. It will also generate a series of strategic lines that will allow the replicability of the TPOs throughout the MAR region.

Turneffe case study to create an adaptive lobster Fishery management model in Belize. The Belizean team intends to implement improvements in the lobster fishery in Turneffe Atoll, Belize. The project considers working with the atoll fishing community as part of the transition to Managed Access. It will characterize the fishery in the protected area, including trap distribution, fishing gear, and fishery data collection. A tagging study and outreach campaigns will be conducted with the fishing community.

Tools for the transition to territorial use rights in the MAR fishery. The project seeks to minimize the Lagoon System’s threats to the fishing resource by empowering the 12 fishing communities surrounding it to actively participate in the effective management and sustainable use of the fishing resources. Likewise, the project will implement a series of strategies to determine the ecological, economic, and social attributes necessary for establishing TTUPs that will equitably benefit all key actors regardless of their gender or ethnic group. It will also generate a series of strategic lines that will allow the replicability of the TPOs throughout the MAR region.

Biological and socioeconomic characterization of manjúa fishing (family: Engraulidae) in the Caribbean of Guatemala. The Guatemalan team intends to work with the manjúa fishery in the Caribbean of Guatemala participatory science, characterization of the fishery, and design of best practice processes.

Biological and socioeconomic characterization of manjúa fishing (family: Engraulidae) in the Caribbean of Guatemala. The Guatemalan team intends to work with the manjúa fishery in the Caribbean of Guatemala participatory science, characterization of the fishery, and design of best practice processes.

Design and implementation of a long term monitoring of elasmobranch populations in the Northern Mexican Caribbean in search of sustainable use and conservation. The Mexican team proposes a project to create a monitoring and conservation strategy for elasmobranchs in the Mexican Caribbean. They will characterize the fishery and design and implement participatory monitoring to identify critical areas and population trends. The objective is to improve coastal populations’ knowledge about these resources and propose improvements to elasmobranchs’ existing management measures.

Women’s Leadership Network

The Women’s Leadership Network proposes to identify, visualize, capitalize, and build projects that aim to promote women’s leadership in the MAR ecoregion. The new female leadership is an innovative proposal to address the environmental challenges of the MAR ecoregion through an impact approach and regenerative entrepreneurship. Through catalytic activities of collaboration, mentoring and strengthening of skills to enhance the impact of women in the eco-region in science, innovation, social entrepreneurship, and circular economy, to increase the resilience of women and build an individual and collective impact for the regeneration of the MAR. It is proposed to measure the contribution of women and the impact of their way of exercising leadership as a fundamental variable in the conservation and regeneration of the region.

The objective of the Network is to promote innovation and sustainable female regenerative entrepreneurship to increase and strengthen community resilience in the MAR eco-region. The strategic components of the network:

1. Impact, innovation, and social entrepreneurship: considered as an incubator that generates projects with female human capital that generate impact, innovation and social entrepreneurship and allow the creation of self-sustaining projects.
2. Leadership and mentoring: sharing experiences and knowledge among women leaders of socio-environmental projects in the region. Promote leadership and strengthen skills in other women.
3. Research and science: generation of knowledge from female leadership, promote citizen science as a tool for data collection and make threats visible.

Creating changes from my house to the sea

Tourism in the Mesoamerican region grows year after year; however, this does not go hand in hand with access to drinking water and sanitation. The MAR 2020 Health Status Report indicates that the health of the reef has decreased at the regional level and one of the main causes is poor wastewater treatment. The project “Creating changes from my house to the sea” seeks to improve the management of the water service provider in one of the neighborhoods of the Coxen Hole community, where Banco Cordelia is located: a site of ecological importance. An evaluation and a proposal to improve inactive treatment plants will be carried out, and the technical capacity of leaders will be strengthened with the aim of being replicable in other communities.

Women’s Leadership Network

The Women’s Leadership Network proposes to identify, visualize, capitalize, and build projects that aim to promote women’s leadership in the MAR ecoregion. The new female leadership is an innovative proposal to address the environmental challenges of the MAR ecoregion through an impact approach and regenerative entrepreneurship. Through catalytic activities of collaboration, mentoring and strengthening of skills to enhance the impact of women in the eco-region in science, innovation, social entrepreneurship, and circular economy, to increase the resilience of women and build an individual and collective impact for the regeneration of the MAR. It is proposed to measure the contribution of women and the impact of their way of exercising leadership as a fundamental variable in the conservation and regeneration of the region.

The objective of the Network is to promote innovation and sustainable female regenerative entrepreneurship to increase and strengthen community resilience in the MAR eco-region. The strategic components of the network:

1. a) Impact, innovation, and social entrepreneurship: considered as an incubator that generates projects with female human capital that generate impact, innovation and social entrepreneurship and allow the creation of self-sustaining projects.
2. b) Leadership and mentoring: sharing experiences and knowledge among women leaders of socio-environmental projects in the region. Promote leadership and strengthen skills in other women.
3. c) Research and science: generation of knowledge from female leadership, promote citizen science as a tool for data collection and make threats visible.

Strainers with conscience

The “Strainers with conscience” project seeks to educate and promote responsibility among Quintana Roo’s society, starting with the municipality of Puerto Morelos, about the importance and existing contamination of the aquifer that directly affects the health of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System (MAR). The project’s development methodology is based on a strategic alliance between the community, civil society organizations, the public sector and the private sector. Through this collaboration, it is proposed to disseminate informative digital products about the aquifer’s problems and, with the support of the first sector, to create signs in sewers that encourage citizens to reduce waste and create a culture of sustainable water consumption.

From the moment the project is implemented, an empirical record will be established on the state of the reef and the state of the sewers in the municipality of Puerto Morelos, which will allow comparison over time and with other municipalities. Francesca and her teammate, 2021 Leader María Fernanda, are convinced that preserving the ecosystem services provided by the aquifer, the reef, the seagrasses and the mangrove are of vital importance to protect the residence of the MAR. Therefore, they believe that the implementation of this project would mark the beginning of a change in collective consciousness to promote the sustainable development of Quintana Roo and therefore the MAR region.

Assessment of Phosphorus (P) and Nitrogen (N) loadings from the New River Watershed to the Corozal Bay Wildlife Sanctuary and proposals for their control to implement policies for the protection of the watershed

The assessment will quantify the impacts of nutrient pollution from anthropogenic activities in the New River Watershed using modelling software to estimate the P and N loadings that eventually flow into the Corozal Bay and are eventually transported to the Mesoamerican Reef system through the Ridge to Reef mechanism. The modelling results will then be validated with the water quality monitoring data being conducted in New River. It will also serve to develop nutrient load reduction scenarios to formulate the most suitable recommendations to maintain the New River and the Corozal Bay in a balanced trophic condition to meet the conservation objectives of the protected areas, as well as the Mesoamerican Reef System. Through this assessment the community engagement will also be important to collaborate and to generate future economic and social opportunities to protect the water quality of the watershed, as well as to implement policies to ensure adequate water quality of the water bodies

Management of waste generated by COVID-19 in construction materials for eco-schools, in the community of San Juan, Livingston Izabal

The project “Management of waste generated by COVID-19 in construction materials for eco-schools, in the community of San Juan, Livingston Izabal” aims to manage the waste generated in the pandemic to turn it into eco-bricks as construction materials. The main objective is to reduce the amount of waste that reaches the sea and convert it into eco-bricks. The bricks will be filled with plastic waste to expand the school with three classrooms, thus preventing more than two tons of garbage from reaching the oceans and harming the health of reef ecosystems. In addition to the expansion of the school, it is sought to implement vertical gardens (with vegetables, herbs and vegetables) with plastic bottles to bet on the food security of the students of the San Juan village. An area for the separation of waste will be implemented, and the organic waste will be used to make compost that will give organic fertilizer as a product, which will be used in the vertical gardens. As part of the expansion design, a rainwater harvesting system will be installed, which will serve for the toilets and vertical gardens.

Strainers with conscience

The “Strainers with conscience” project seeks to educate and promote responsibility among Quintana Roo’s society, starting with the municipality of Puerto Morelos, about the importance and existing contamination of the aquifer that directly affects the health of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System (MAR). The project’s development methodology is based on a strategic alliance between the community, civil society organizations, the public sector and the private sector. Through this collaboration, it is proposed to disseminate informative digital products about the aquifer’s problems and, with the support of the first sector, to create signs in sewers that encourage citizens to reduce waste and create a culture of sustainable water consumption. 

From the moment the project is implemented, an empirical record will be established on the state of the reef and the state of the sewers in the municipality of Puerto Morelos, which will allow comparison over time and with other municipalities. María Fernanda and her teammate, the 2021 Leader Francesca, are convinced that preserving the ecosystem services provided by the aquifer, the reef, the seagrasses and the mangrove are of vital importance to protect the residence of the MAR. Therefore, they believe that the implementation of this project would mark the beginning of a change in collective consciousness to promote the sustainable development of Quintana Roo and therefore the MAR region.

Building the comprehensive resilience of MAR communities treating greywater for a thriving plant industry

“Building the comprehensive resilience of MAR communities treating greywater for a thriving plant industry” is a project designed by the Caye Caulker BTIA team which consists of three ambitious Hicaqueños: Buddy Magaña Jr, Maria Vega, and Veronica Young. This project will take place on Caye Caulker, a small island that was announced in 2019 as the second most visited tourist destination in the country of Belize, Central America. The team designed this project with the goal of building a resilient Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System and Caye Caulker community by maximizing the circular economy to reduce nutrient pollution.

As the team continued to learn about zero waste, heritage protection, and the impacts of COVID-19, they came to have two goals: (1) reduce greywater pollution to the MAR system by engaging Caye Caulker stakeholders in the treatment and reuse of greywaters produced by the island and, (2) improve environmental and workforce health through economic diversity by maximizing the vegetable and superfood industry on Caye Caulker.

The team’s vision is that “the future of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System and community livelihoods will be more resilient and sustainable as a result of villagers’ adaptations and Innovations to reduce pollutants. Together, we can make it happen.

Creating changes from my house to the sea

Tourism in the Mesoamerican region grows year after year; however, this does not go hand in hand with access to drinking water and sanitation. The MAR 2020 Health Status Report indicates that the health of the reef has decreased at the regional level and one of the main causes is poor wastewater treatment. The project “Creating changes from my house to the sea” seeks to improve the management of the water service provider in one of the neighborhoods of the Coxen Hole community, where Banco Cordelia is located: a site of ecological importance. An evaluation and a proposal to improve inactive treatment plants will be carried out, and the technical capacity of leaders will be strengthened with the aim of being replicable in other communities.

Assessment of Phosphorus (P) and Nitrogen (N) loadings from the New River Watershed to the Corozal Bay Wildlife Sanctuary and proposals for their control to implement policies for the protection of the watershed

The assessment will quantify the impacts of nutrient pollution from anthropogenic activities in the New River Watershed using modelling software to estimate the P and N loadings that eventually flow into the Corozal Bay and are eventually transported to the Mesoamerican Reef system through the Ridge to Reef mechanism. The modelling results will then be validated with the water quality monitoring data being conducted in New River. It will also serve to develop nutrient load reduction scenarios to formulate the most suitable recommendations to maintain the New River and the Corozal Bay in a balanced trophic condition to meet the conservation objectives of the protected areas, as well as the Mesoamerican Reef System. Through this assessment the community engagement will also be important to collaborate and to generate future economic and social opportunities to protect the water quality of the watershed, as well as to implement policies to ensure adequate water quality of the water bodies.

Good solid waste management practices with municipal participation in Livingston

The project is called “Good solid waste management practices with municipal participation in Livingston” and focuses on two protected areas (Rio Dulce National Park and Rio Sarstún Multiple Use Area) in the municipality of Livingston, with the intention of addressing the problems identified in terms of poor management and disposal of solid waste at specific points in these areas and being aware of the impacts that this may cause. The objectives of the project are: to raise awareness among the people living in these areas regarding the proper management of garbage by presenting them with efficient alternatives to reduce the volume of waste. The project also aims to eradicate three clandestine garbage dumps, one on the river bank (river canyon) and two on the beaches of the urban area of the municipality of Livingston. This work will be carried out in collaboration with inter-institutional and with civil society organizations. 

Creating changes from my house to the sea

Tourism in the Mesoamerican region grows year after year; however, this does not go hand in hand with access to drinking water and sanitation. The MAR 2020 Health Status Report indicates that the health of the reef has decreased at the regional level and one of the main causes is poor wastewater treatment. The project “Creating changes from my house to the sea” seeks to improve the management of the water service provider in one of the neighborhoods of the Coxen Hole community, where Banco Cordelia is located: a site of ecological importance. An evaluation and a proposal to improve inactive treatment plants will be carried out, and the technical capacity of leaders will be strengthened with the aim of being replicable in other communities.

Building the comprehensive resilience of MAR communities treating greywater for a thriving plant industry

“Building the comprehensive resilience of MAR communities treating greywater for a thriving plant industry” is a project designed by the Caye Caulker BTIA team which consists of three ambitious Hicaqueños: Buddy Magaña Jr, Maria Vega, and Veronica Young. This project will take place on Caye Caulker, a small island that was announced in 2019 as the second most visited tourist destination in the country of Belize, Central America. The team designed this project with the goal of building a resilient Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System and Caye Caulker community by maximizing the circular economy to reduce nutrient pollution.

As the team continued to learn about zero waste, heritage protection, and the impacts of COVID-19, they came to have two goals: (1) reduce greywater pollution to the MAR system by engaging Caye Caulker stakeholders in the treatment and reuse of greywaters produced by the island and, (2) improve environmental and workforce health through economic diversity by maximizing the vegetable and superfood industry on Caye Caulker.

The team’s vision is that “the future of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System and community livelihoods will be more resilient and sustainable as a result of villagers’ adaptations and Innovations to reduce pollutants. Together, we can make it happen.

Good solid waste management practices with municipal participation in Livingston

The project is called “Good solid waste management practices with municipal participation in Livingston” and focuses on two protected areas (Rio Dulce National Park and Rio Sarstún Multiple Use Area) in the municipality of Livingston, with the intention of addressing the problems identified in terms of poor management and disposal of solid waste at specific points in these areas and being aware of the impacts that this may cause. The objectives of the project are: to raise awareness among the people living in these areas regarding the proper management of garbage by presenting them with efficient alternatives to reduce the volume of waste. The project also aims to eradicate three clandestine garbage dumps, one on the river bank (river canyon) and two on the beaches of the urban area of the municipality of Livingston. This work will be carried out in collaboration with inter-institutional and with civil society organizations.

Solid Waste Management from the Hondo River to the Manatee Refuge and Xcalak Reefs

The project “Solid Waste Management from the Hondo River to the Manatee Refuge and Xcalak Reefs”, will create awareness and strengthen the capacities of sugarcane producers in communities of the Hondo River Basin, for producers to properly dispose of waste of empty containers of agrochemicals, reducing the impact from the transnational basin of the Hondo River to the reef. We will work in the communities of Javier Rojo Gómez, Pucté, Ramonal, Sabidos and Álvaro Obregón Unidad Agrícola that are located in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. We will implement primary disposal sites and enter into collaboration agreements with institutions for the transfer and final disposal of empty agrochemical containers. The impact of the project will be exposed in various forums to motivate a greater number of producers to carry out a change in their behavior, these actions will benefit the lower basin in the Bay of Chetumal and the protected areas; State Reserve Refugio de Manatí y Arrecifes de Xcalak. This project will be replicated in other basins.

Our goal for 2026 is to reduce open-air dumps of empty agrochemical containers, through the permanent operation of primary disposal sites, this in turn will positively impact the soil and water quality of nearby bodies and runoffs that connect to the Hondo River, benefiting the Mesoamerican Reef System.

Creating changes from my house to the sea

Tourism in the Mesoamerican region grows year after year; however, this does not go hand in hand with access to drinking water and sanitation. The MAR 2020 Health Status Report indicates that the health of the reef has decreased at the regional level and one of the main causes is poor wastewater treatment. The project “Creating changes from my house to the sea” seeks to improve the management of the water service provider in one of the neighborhoods of the Coxen Hole community, where Banco Cordelia is located: a site of ecological importance. An evaluation and a proposal to improve inactive treatment plants will be carried out, and the technical capacity of leaders will be strengthened with the aim of being replicable in other communities.