Belize is big for bird watchers, and now a new programme funded by The Inter-American Development Bank and implemented by the Belize Audubon Society and the BTB hopes to capitalize on that. The 2.6 million US dollar project will be shared between four countries: Belize, Bahamas, Guatemala and Paraguay. In Belize, funds will be used to introduce birding as a specialized field of study for tour guides. The programme was launched today at the Radisson, and Amanda Burgos-Acosta of the Audubon Society explains how it will work:...
Amanda Burgos, Executive Director - Belize Audubon Society
"We have very good birding tour guides. What this does in their cases is that they will then be certified and for new tour guides it's an opportunity because there will be a course in essence offered through the BTB to get a specialization."
John Beavers, Executive Director - Int'l Alliance Programme
"What we are trying to do is connect the global birding market to these important conservation areas to begin to drive the economic development of communities there, so there is that overlay of the economics, important areas for biodiversity like here in Cockscomb and Crooked Tree which are the two places that we are initially focusing on."
Anneke Jessen, Country Rep. - IDB
"I think in Belize in particular this project is very aligned with our general strategy of supporting the tourism sector. With this project we are trying to do two things; we are basically strengthening the capacity of local communities to attract tourists and to 
offer the services that tourists want when they come to watch birds and on the other hand we are trying to with national Audubon support to bring the market to Belize and other destinations through their magazines, through their big membership they have ways of attracting tourists to the country."
John Beavers
"In terms on residence species, there are incredible species here in Belize. You have the Harpy Eagle, you have Scarlet Macaws, and you have all kinds of incredible resident species that are here year round in Belize. Then Belize and much of Central America and southern Mexico are a part of that huge air-bridge that connects all of the migratory species between the North America and South America and so during the winter months you see a tremendous level of species here."
Belize, Guatemala, Paraguay and The Bahamas were selected by 'layering' globally significant Important Bird Areas for conservation over economic maps with priority being given to sites with basic tourism infrastructure and potential for growth.
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