Earthwatch Belize

Hi, I'm Edie Walker and I returned from an incredible Earthwatch trip to Southern Belize. Earthwatch is an organization that supports research efforts around the world. This trip was generously sponsored by the Ahmanson Foundation.

My trip took place in the Toledo district of Southern Belize. We worked out of the Earthwatch office in Punta Gorda. Our research was conducted in the Port Honduras Marine Reserve, located between Punta Gorda and the Monkey River.

Punta Gorda, known locally as PG is the southern most town of any size in Belize and the capital of the Toledo district. The residents are very proud of the fact that the many different cultures living there, exist in harmony.

Port Honduras Marine Reserve was created in January 2000, with an area of 160 square miles/414.4 square kilometers. There are five major rivers that empty into the Reserve, the Rio Grande, Deep River, Middle River, Golden Stream and the Monkey River. PHMR was created because the local people had a need for a sustainable fishing source. This marine reserve was created by the local people to fill a local need.

About 15 years ago illegal fishermen introduced the gill net to the Port Honduras area from Guatemala. Gill nets catch every thing, so it was a big hit with all of the illegal fisherman. They were able to take many more fish on any given night. Local illegal fishermen were doing great for about three years. Then the fish take was drastically reduced. After all a gill net catches everything in its path. It is not selective. Where had all the lobsters, Queen Conch and other fish gone? The local people were determined to find out what happened, and what could be done about it. One man led the effort to organize the local residents. The results of his efforts and the residents of the area was the formation of the Toledo Institute of Development and the Environment or TIDE. The adverse effects of the gill net were very apparent. After the TIDE organization was started and the Marine Reserve established they were able to offer a buy back of the gill nets to all fishermen. This buy back, along with the banning of the long line has enabled the Reserve to recover enough to once again supply legal fishermen with a sufficient catch. I was very impressed with this information. Here is a little country, the size of New Hampshire, and they didn't wait for someone to tell them they needed to "do something", but instead, took matters into their own hands and turned their situation around. I try to be a conservationist, but I admit I have never sacrificed to the extent this people have. Nor have I never changed my life style drastically to reverse an environmental disaster. To understand how much the decision to change their situation cost these people humbles me.

When TIDE was organized they established two Ranger stations in the PHMR, one at the mouth of the Rio Grande River and one in the center of the reserve at Abalone Cay. This ranger station was designed and built by Dennis, the current office manager of Earthwatch Belize, when he was a ranger. All of the material was taken out to Abalone Cay on large outrigger boats. The rangers constructed the actual tower. A local person donated abalone Cay, because it afforded the best view in all directions of PHMR.

Earthwatch Belize has teamed with TIDE and other organizations consisting of the major stakeholders to prioritize research needs. The results of this collaboration are the Earthwatch
research teams that have on-going projects in Southern Belize. The project I participated is surveying the age, size and quantity of the Queen Conch, in the Port Honduras Marine Reserve. The queen conch is one of the mainstays of the local fisherman's livelihood.

Our research on the Queen Conch consisted of diving a transect and counting the number of Queen Conchs found and measuring the size of any queen conch we found. Juan, the director of TIDE worked with me and swam with the tape and a compass for 50 yards. We would then hold on to a 2.5 meter piece of PVC pipe and swim the length of the tape. When we found a conch (I actually found a couple) we would put the pipe down and measure the length of the conch and calibrate the thickness of the lip. This research, when done in a new area gives a base line count for the conch. Subsequent research will tell how well they are doing.

Our research efforts were hampered by the weather. The wind would not cooperate and be quiet. Because of the windy conditions we were not able to get in the water as much as was planned, but we were able to take a day to visit the area Mayan ruins. Dennis was our guide and he had a cake to deliver to one of the past fellowship participants. He was getting married that day and someone had baked it for the happy couple and asked Dennis to deliver it. When we found the wedding, we were invited to visit. What a colorful occasion. All of the little girls in their bright colored dresses were a delight to see. I ate the traditional chicken soup, though I can't remember what it was called and couldn't pronounce it correctly if I did remember. The rich history and culture of Belize makes me want to come back to visit, that and the second largest barrier reef in the world.

Being a part of Earthwatch Belize offered me a unique opportunity to be a part of a locally driven conservation research program that is making a difference in people's lives. This difference is noticeable all around the area, especially when someone points out what to look for.
As in any other Earthwatch experience, I was a was able to be a part of a field research team that showed me the meaning of true scientific research. Can I now claim to be a scientist?

Probably the most important thing I learned while on this trip was the total dedication of the people from Earthwatch, TIDE and the rangers from the Public Lands Sanctuary. They are so involved with the idea of conservation and what it means to them and their countrymen that it makes me think that we need to follow their example and consider what our impact on Planet Earth is. The staff of both TIDE and Earthwatch Belize has earned my admiration and I thank them for the lessons they taught me. A special thanks goes to our Divemaster " Yogi" for the special care afforded me while we were diving.

As a teacher I will take this experience into the classroom and hopefully will be able to convey to my students the amazing world and people beyond our backyard. I am the type of person who will tell of my experience and respect for these people every chance I get. Last week I attended a weeklong science conference in Ojai, CA. I'm sure the other participants know exactly how I feel about my experience. I am very vocal when I am convinced about something. I am convinced that Earthwatch in general and Earthwatch Belize deserves out admiration and support.


Edie Walker



Ranger Station, Abalone Cay, PHMR, Belize