Program Goals and Activities
During the Belize program team members will study the principles of tropical ecology and conservation, acquire new field method skills, investigate the fascinating ecosystems of Belize, and examine both the government’s role in protecting wildlands and the various roles that cultural groups hold within Belize.
In Belize, team members will study key ecological research and biodiversity monitoring techniques such as wildlife and coral reef transects, trail camera protocols, rapid ecological assessments, watershed dynamics, human impact patterns, alongside refining their scientific observations. Traversing the country from mountain to coast, we will study the ecology of Belize’s principle terrestrial and coastal ecosystems: rainforests, savannah, wetlands, riparian zones, coastal mangroves, and reefs. We will also assess the effectiveness and long-range sustainability of resource management strategies for Belize’s protected nature reserves.
Off the Belize coast exists the second largest barrier reef in the world. Studded with mangrove and coconut palmed cayes, and guarded by atolls to the east, the 180 mile long reef is ecologically complex and intimately tied to the rainforests through its many water courses that deliver nutrients to the sea. In this system, dazzling numbers and varieties of plants and animals are supported: 30-50 coral species, sea turtles, manatees, and over 250 varieties of fish. Snorkeling through the reef environment, we study the ecology of the system, collect evidence of human disturbance, and assess the impact of increased human use.
Another focus of the program is a field assessment of management techniques for three different types of conservation areas linked to establish ecological corridors: private (independently owned and operated, in some instances by foreign nationals and institutes); government (held in trust for the people of Belize by the central government); and communal (locally owned or overseen by the native peoples). We will consider the various socio-ecological dynamics and management strategies employed by each and role within the landscape. Finally, we evaluate the relationship of the conservation areas to the local cultures in terms of environmental and economic benefit or injury, and the enhancement or degradation of people’s sense of history, place, and home.
Our studies will expose us to Belize’s various cultures, and at times we will find ourselves as their guests. We anticipate staying in Maya villages, Creole and Mestizo communities, and Garifuna towns. As we travel, we sensitively conduct informal interviews and collect personal histories/perceptions of Belize from these various ethnic groups. Our team will discover how the different cultures see themselves in relation to the land and how the concepts of conservation and stewardship vary across cultural lines. Topics we will consider include histories of ethnic diversity in Belize, ethnic harmony/tolerance, equality/access to advantages, isolation/assimilation, women’s roles within the communities and government, and cultural eco-tourism. To frame our studies of the relationships between people and the land we will visit a select few ancient Maya archaeological sites situated in the rainforest.
As we engage with members of the different ethnic groups on a personal level, students will observe local conservation ideals, learn individual personal histories, and record language and dialect dictionaries. Lectures and discussions on the cultural histories of Belize will serve to enhance our understanding of modern Belize, and give team members the chance to develop a relationship with the people.
Throughout the program, with writings and individual projects, we will monitor our evolving impressions of the tropics and our deepening relationship with the rainforest and ocean. Each team member will gain an enriched sense of connection to the remote and establish a sense of place within the foreign.
All field methods and data gathering techniques will be taught in Belize. No prior research experience is required, but we expect participants to arrive excited and prepared for a rewarding field study experience. Our field activities will be supplemented by outdoor seminars led by Wildlands Studies staff, Belize government officials, and community/conservation organization leaders.
Belize offers our participants unique opportunities to hike through huge tracts of old-growth rainforest and along stunning mountain watersheds into isolated Maya villages and abandoned ruins, attend local music gatherings in remote Garifuna and Creole settlements and investigate mangrove forests by interlaced coastal waterways. The richness and diversity of the flora and fauna, and our ability to study it via low-impact traveling, provide an experience rarely available these days. Far from the cushioned eco-tourist travel packages offered by high-end companies, we shall experience Belize intimately, practically, and, above all, with an intention for deep learning. We look forward to you join us this summer.
