Today, the Ya'axcha Conservation Trust held a Forestry Symposium for State Actors on the topic of Forest Conservation and Governance. Many different stakeholders, including representatives from government departments, were sharing their knowledge on finding ways of increasing collaboration for community forestry management in Belize. We talked to some of those participating in the symposium and they were emphasizing how important a strong collaboration between different actors from all levels is, in order to ensure a resilient Belize, but also resilient people. Here's more:
Elizabeth Dorgan - Science Director at Ya’Axcha’s Conservation Trust
"The Ya’Axcha’s Conservation Trust manages three protected areas in the Toledo District. We have first the Bladen Nature Reserve, which as a nature reserve it has the highest category of protection in the country. Only research and education are allowed in that reserve. But in the other two protected areas, that we manage or co-manage with the forest department, one of those is a forest reserve which is designated for extraction."
Julio Chub - Ya’Axcha’s Community Liaison Manager
"We want to invite different actors. The government, especially, because we work under one system of government structure and all of us have key roles. The institutions have their own strength and I believe that if we put all these things together, I believe that we can make a difference, in regard to community, responsible forest management within Belize."
Leonel Requena - National Coordinator of the Global Environment Facilities Small Grants Programme
"Today it is a combination of various actors. Regulatory agencies, civil society organizations, indigenous groups, indigenous and local communities coming together to share the current status of agro ecological practices in Belize. At the global level, all of this work contributes to reducing the loss of important biodiversity which is basically the very important resource that we basically need to protect and enhance through on the ground actions. Today, this symposium feeds into the national agricultural policy and strategy for the country which essentially will help us to maintain our forest cover but also to produce healthy food for a healthy population. All of this is basically feeding into making sure that we have a resilient Belize, but also resilient people and empowered people that looks at the needs of the people, but also the environment."
Julio Chub
"Even from the smallest farmers to basically the policy makers, as well. All of us, I think, what we have done is that we’ve worked in isolation and what we want at the national level is for us to hear and share with people and share with everybody that there are meaningful ways, we can tackle this together. We can learn from each other and I think that’s what we’re doing here at the symposium."
Augustine Chub - Maya Golden Landscape Farmer
"I started farming on organic ground. I do my cacao organic, I plant whatsoever I do organic, my cane organic, my beans organic, my coffee organic, my cane, everything it’s organic. So no longer I use chemicals."
Julio Chub
"The environment provides services to everyone despite your background. Wherever you come from, the environment provides that service for you, for your life."
The symposium took place at the George Price Center in Belmopan and lasted until 4pm.
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