Ya’axché raises alarm over Guatemalan extraction of Mahogany, Rosewood and exotic woods in Columbia River Forest Reserve

Posted: Wednesday, September 17, 2025. 9:12 am CST.

By Zoila Palma:  The Ya’axché Conservation Trust has sounded the alarm over escalating illegal logging in the Columbia River Forest Reserve, where organized commercial operations from Guatemala are allegedly extracting some of Belize’s most valuable hardwoods.

A recent 10-day enforcement operation led by the Belize Defense Force and supported by Ya’axché rangers uncovered large-scale harvesting of mahogany, rosewood, nargusta, sapodilla, yemery, and other prized timber species.

 “These illegal activities threaten Belize’s natural resources, cause significant environmental degradation, and pose a serious national security concern requiring urgent intervention from the Government of Belize and relevant authorities,” the organization said in a statement.

Patrols documented a six-kilometer road and 5 wooden bridges built inside Belize to move vehicles and heavy machinery across the border, linking to Guatemala.

The illegal timber extraction site lies just 1.4 kilometers from the Machaquilha Conservation Post, evidence, Ya’axché says, of how quickly such operations are expanding.

The patrol also found over 100 acres cleared for agriculture—used for cattle ranching and crops like beans, corn, and cardamom—and remote sensing data shows up to 450 acres of Belizean land converted for illegal agriculture.

“It is now evident that illegal incursions have shifted southward into the Columbia River Forest Reserve which currently lacks year-round security presence,” Ya’axché warned.

Ya’axché urged: “We urge the Government of Belize and security forces to address the matter with urgency to halt the unregulated, illegal pillaging of our natural resources and the breach of our territorial sovereignty. We call upon and urge the people of Belize to stay informed and demand accountability and protection of our national assets.”

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  Ya’axché raises alarm over Guatemalan extraction of Mahogany, Rosewood and exotic woods in Columbia River Forest Reserve

The post Ya’axché raises alarm over Guatemalan extraction of Mahogany, Rosewood and exotic woods in Columbia River Forest Reserve appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.

Posted: Wednesday, September 17, 2025. 9:12 am CST. By Zoila Palma:  The Ya’axché Conservation Trust has sounded the alarm over escalating illegal logging in the Columbia
The post Ya’axché raises alarm over Guatemalan extraction of Mahogany, Rosewood and exotic woods in Columbia River Forest Reserve appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.