Throughout history humankind has made some grievous errors in regards to the environment, but as we see, there have also been tremendous efforts to rectify these mistakes and even go further in preserving the environment. Let’s keep working toward the latter.

“Who in their right mind would deliberately destroy a structure that was created thousands of years ago, using the most primitive tools to build something of such complexity and beauty? This is a part of not only Belize’s, but the world’s cultural heritage, and it has been demolished for road fill. And in a country where we have no end of suitable material just laying around,” he said.

What do Australia and Belize and have in common? More than you might think, actually, and not the least of which is a pressing need to protect their stunning great barrier reefs; the world’s largest and second largest, respectively.

Officially known as the Children’s Summer Camp Scholarship Program, the annual event gives 24 young Belizeans a chance to learn about their natural world through a mix of adventure, social interaction, fun and hands-on education aimed at instilling a sense of wonder and responsibility for the environment, according to program sponsors Mick and Lucy Fleming.

Although Belize is a relatively small country, it has an amazing variety of wildlife living in a wide range of habitats. Lonely Planet, the largest travel guide book publisher in the world has described the plants and animals of Belize as the stars of the country. In this blog post, we highlight 10 amazing snapshots of Belizean wildlife.

An Oceanic Society team led by Dr Holly Edwards spotted a record number of manatees during an aerial survey over Belize’s Turneffe Atoll. Combined with results from a coastal survey undertaken by Belize’s Coastal Zone Management’s Nicole Auil Gomez, 507 manatees have now been sighted.The team said that as more manatees exist than the number seen, and considering that less than 2,500 adult Antillean manatees are believed to exist worldwide, the survey results are heartening.

Officially known as the Children’s Summer Camp Scholarship Program, the camp program uses a mix of adventure, social interaction, fun and hands-on education to engage young people with their natural surroundings while teaching the importance of conservation and natural resource stewardship

The eco-campers had a chance to tour the operation and recognize many local plants, trees, herbs, and produce. They were also treated to some live action as we met the sheep, goats, chickens, turkeys, heifers, and even the bull. To top off the farm adventure, the kids had a chance to stick their entire arms into the compost piles, as Mr. Mick explained to them how everything in an organic farm is connected, right down to the animals’ feces! No wonder they all washed their hands so well before lunch. An afternoon filled with swimming, canoeing, and lots of fun in the sun has left this blogger’s brain on empty so we will let the pictures tell the rest of the tale.

This camp is said to positively change kid’s feelings towards the health of our environment, an experience like never before. I would love to get a chance to experience this for myself for I know I am an Eco-kid at heart. In my life I have seen many bad things being done to harm our environment and it being treated like it has no meaning, thus I can no longer bear to look past each of them. I want to make a change; I want a better and more eco-friendly future for everyone instead of pollution and neglect.

My name is Charissa Barnes, I am a girl. I am a twelve years old standard five student of All Saints Primary School. I live with my Mother and Father in Lord’s Bank Village and I am the eldest of three children – one sister and one brother. My hobbies include reading, listening to music and playing my keyboard, which I am currently being trained to do.

As a kid I would want to help save our environment but I can’t do it alone. It takes more than one person but it starts with me. I will be eco friendly to help save the planet and so I could live in a greener and safer world. Eco friendly is not doing anything to hurt yourself or the world you live in. A family that goes green together stays together.

Kate Walsh, the famous Doctor Addison Montgomery on the hit series, Grey’s Anatomy, was in Belize over the past weekend. But she wasn’t here on vacation, she was here as an Oceana activist. Walsh, whose visit was to raise awareness on Belize’s Barrier Reef and the fragile ecosystem, met with local journalists for a one day visit to the Blue Hole.

Being an Eco-kid would be an absolute honor. Being an Eco-kid would make a part of something big and great, something that could help. So what I am saying is I am a responsible ten year old who wants to help. I would do anything to be an Eco-kid. To be a part of something that would make me feel better if I knew I had done something to help.

I would like to be an Eco kid and be able to go to the Eco Kids Camp because this camp looks as much fun as when I went to Cub Scout Camp at Camp Oakley. Being a cub scout I get to do a lot of activities outside at our meetings. As cubs scouts we look after nature and learn to take care of it by doing garbage cleanup and planting trees around our community. We also have fun with other scouts by playing games and learning to share with them.

I am Hazel; I would very much like to be an “Eco-Kid” because of my love for all animals, plants and things of nature. The responsibilities of an Eco-Kid involve the study of the habitats of animals and to help in the protection of homes of wild animals. As an Eco-Kid I will have the opportunity of working closely with private and public agencies such as The Lodge at Chaa Creek in the application of the principles and rules which guide us in living in peace and harmony with the earth and all its inhabitants.

Everyday you go outside and when you look around your community you see many more things that you can do to help your environment look as clean as you. I look around my environment and say to myself ‘Had I’ve always been living in this area and not been paying much attention to it’.

I want to be an eco kid because I love nature and would like to help protect the rainforest. When I visit the rainforest, the shade from the canopy of trees refreshes me, the smell of green trees relaxes me and the songs of the birds inspire me. I hope and pray that I might find and follow a jaguar’s paw prints on a trail or I may look up high above and see an owl staring back at me. I am lucky to have seen soldier ants carrying leaves to build their homes, pigs grunting by and howler monkeys hanging on tree branches, sounding like thunder. It’s amazing how the rainforest makes such a positive impact on little me.

Today’s Belize Photo of the Day is the Pill Millipede and its scientific name is Glomeris marginata. The Pill Millipede is a very fascinating arthropod as it has twelve body segments which are dome-shaped. They are very secretive herbivores, making their home in soil and leaf litters.

I want my children to understand and respect other people’s opinions, circumstances, cultures and heritage. For that I believe it’s absolutely vital for them to get out in the world and befriend people from all continents and countries and with its diverse community, Belize seems the most perfect place to start!

News Americas
Belize’s ecology-economy balance

Belize is known throughout Central America for its progressive environmental conservation programmes, but with few exports, the small nation’s economy also depends heavily on tourism.

And the large volume of tourists – many drawn to the world’s second largest barrier reef that is home to a huge variety of marine life – has some experts worried that potentially irreversible harm is being done to the country’s treasured environment.

As Al Jazeera’s David Mercer explains, finding a balance between the environment and the economy can be a challenge.