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The Friends for Conservation and Development - which co manages the Chiquibul national Park has completed its most recent aerial survey of those illegal plantations - and found that the 23 clearings found in February exploded to 92 by May. Today, Rafael Manzanero told us what is driving it:..

Rafael Manzanero, Exec. Director - FCD
"Agricultural incursions from Guatemala into the Chiquibul Forest is still an ongoing activity. The report indicates that there is 92 clearings that more than likely will be used for the farming of corn, beans and the pumpkin. We believe that there would be some 300 acres or so that potentially could be utilized for farming once again this year. So the reality is basically agricultural incursions is still ongoing. The one that is furthest away from the border would be a little bit beyond 4 kilometre, but most of them are basically within the 2 kilometre zone or so. Be mindful that in a couple of weeks people can destroy a lot. So if you look at the report, the first flight, there was no concern for us. As you can see, if a 2 milpas you can see it popping out it was really no big deal, but only after 7 or 10 days you can see a sprout of 48 and then ultimately in a next couple of weeks you see 92. then you realize that it is not only 4 men who are doing, these things are really cores of people coming in. we have not been successful so far to be able to arrest and charge a "milpero" for example. So we want to do that and I feel like it's until then that people can really understand that yes there is a fine, in that case for defacing a national park or forest reserve. So one of the recommendations that we have is that we need to do some of the aerial reconnaissance. From the time of the dry season or even by the month of January - that we can start to fly the area. So that can serve as a presence, because as Guatemalans know that once planes are up, they start to observe that there is what we term as a 'presence' in the Chiquiibul. For certain, the presence of the joint forces unit being BDF, Police and Rangers, Is certainly able to provide a decrease on those activities, but it has to be consistent. In 2008 the construction of Rio Blanco CP was basically for that very same reason, because they were really large milpas taking place there and today that is the area that you can see recovering. In fact there is about 400 acres that have been recovered because of a presence in that zone."

Jules Vasquez
"Explain to me the psychology that drives them every year, whether they know they're in Belize or not, to continue coming across."

Rafael Manzanero, Exec. Director - FCD
"If we look at the landscape across the Belizean border, the landscape is completely denuded. The other flight that was demonstrated that's only one patch that is left. And the concern of the Guatemalans is they would want to protect that patch that is left of that biosphere is of everything is gone. Everything is gone."

Jules Vasquez
"On their side?"

Rafael Manzanero, Exec. Director - FCD
"On their side there's only one little piece that is left. So now the community is large, they don't know anywhere else to go. In fact that is why the clamor of the people from "La de hoya" asking if they could be entertained just the come and farm inside of Belize and they will go back again because they have nowhere else to go. But we were very clear though Jules that our laws they have to be upheld. Our rules and laws have to be upheld, in other words, is it because of poverty then should we allow them to come in? Well not really, but I think we also have to be conscious that there is something that can be done over there. Of course you want to participate."

In total, 92 fields were counted, 34 of these are more than one kilometer inside from the border. 30 clearings were detected in the area of Caracol. 48 in the Sapote and Cebada region, the furthest clearing are found up 5 kilometers inside the park from the west border.