By Zoila Palma: Belize has reached a historic milestone in its forest conservation efforts with the addition of more than 3,500 acres of land to the Belize Maya Forest Corridor Trust, completing a protected connection between important wildlife habitats in Central Belize.
The achievement was announced on November 6, 2026, by the Ministry of Natural Resources, Petroleum and Mining, in partnership with the Belize Maya Forest Corridor Trust. The newly incorporated lands connect the Labouring Creek Jaguar Corridor Wildlife Sanctuary with the Manatee Forest Reserve, strengthening the Maya Forest Corridor and providing a more continuous protected landscape for wildlife.
The milestone represents years of collaboration among the Government of Belize, conservation organizations, landowners and local communities to safeguard the country’s natural heritage.
Minister of Sustainable Development Orlando Habet highlighted the regional significance of the corridor, noting that it contributes to a wider conservation vision shared by Belize, Guatemala and Mexico under the Calakmul Biocultural Declaration. “Beyond our national commitments, the Maya Forest Corridor contributes to our shared regional vision under the Calakmul Biocultural Declaration,” Habet said. He emphasized the importance of cooperation across borders, stating, “Forests do not recognize political boundaries.” Habet added, “The Maya Forest Corridor demonstrates that conservation and sustainable development can advance together.” He also stressed the importance of ensuring local participation, saying, “Communities must be recognized as partners in the corridor’s management and governance, with meaningful opportunities to participate in decisions and benefit from its conservation.”
Minister of Natural Resources Cordel Hyde also expressed pride in the achievement, pointing to the importance of protecting Belize’s forests at a time when conservation commitments are facing challenges globally. “All over the world, developed countries are failing to deliver on their conservation commitments,” Hyde said. He added, “So I’m mighty proud of this that is happening today and to be a part of this initiative to do our small part.” Reflecting on the significance of completing the protected connection, Hyde stated, “To finally connect this corridor and make it complete and in this process honor our ancestors.”
He further explained the purpose of the land arrangement, emphasizing, “This is not a sale, this is a vesting for conservation purposes.” Hyde explained that the newly incorporated lands are being secured on behalf of the people of Belize to prevent future governments or ministers from alienating them for other purposes, as has happened in the past.
Celso Poot, Managing Director of TBZ, described the corridor as critical to the survival and movement of wildlife in Central Belize. “The Maya Forest Corridor is the last hope. It is the last piece of forested area in Central Belize where animals are moving safely.” He explained that the corridor consists of different land uses and human activities, making connectivity particularly important for wildlife. “The Maya Forest Corridor is a mixed landscape. We have agriculture, we have protected forests, we have savannah, we have resources, we have roads, we have communities. What we know and what we see is that animals avoid people, avoid disturbances in space and in time.”
Dr. Elma Kay, Chairman of the Maya Forest Corridor Trust Board, recalled that growing land clearing and changes to the landscape prompted increased research into whether the natural connection remained intact. “What we started seeing at the time, I would say about 2012, 2010, was that there was a lot of clearing that was happening, a lot of transformation of the area, and so this triggered more and more research in the area to try and understand whether the connection was still intact.” She also highlighted the importance of wildlife to Belize’s identity and tourism industry, stating, “Many of the animals of the corridor are part of Belize’s iconic biodiversity, but they are also symbols of our natural heritage, and they are part of what feeds our tourism industry because people come to see those animals.”
Prime Minister John Briceño noted that the development of the Maya Forest Corridor is linked to Belize’s broader efforts to strengthen its protected areas network. “We came up with the National Protected Areas Policy and System Plan, and from that plan we realized there has to be some kind of corridor that connects the north to the west and to the south to be able to have this connectivity within our protected areas.”
Deputy Prime Minister Cordel Hyde also reflected on the responsibility to preserve the country’s natural resources for future generations. “They say every generation has a responsibility to make life better for the generation that comes after, and so this initiative excites me. The benefits of this is that we get an opportunity to leave something intact, preserve something for future generations-for our children and their children and their children.”
The Belize Maya Forest Corridor Trust includes the Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center, WCS Belize, the Foundation for Wildlife Conservation and the Environmental Research Institute of the University of Belize.
The post A lifeline for wildlife: Belize completes Maya Forest Corridor with 3,500+ acres appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: Belize has reached a historic milestone in its forest conservation efforts with the addition of more than 3,500 acres of land to the Belize Maya Forest Corridor Trust, completing a protected connection between important wildlife habitats in Central Belize. The achievement was announced on November 6, 2026, by the Ministry of Natural
The post A lifeline for wildlife: Belize completes Maya Forest Corridor with 3,500+ acres appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.