Posted: Tuesday, March 29, 2016. 4:56 p.m. CST
By BBN Staff: The Protected Areas Conservation Trust will be awarding over one million dollars in grants to seven organizations on Thursday this week.
$19,719 will be awarded to Celso Poot for “Evaluating the Central American Tapir’s Habitat Use and Movement in Central Belize: A Human Dominated Landscape” which focuses on studying the tapir habitat and the impact of population growth on the species. The project is expected to “result in the development of management recommendations for a more ‘tapir friendly’ environment where human development, habitat conservation and highway mitigation measures are considered.”
The Community Baboon Sanctuary Women’s Conservation Group I will be receiving $19,588 for a Population Density and Health Assessment of Black Howler Monkeys at the Community Baboon Sanctuary in Belize. A second grant of $58,389 will be granted to the group for promoting the Community Baboon Sanctuary as an Eco-Tourism Attraction.
$59, 994 will be granted to the Steadfast Tourism and Conservation Association (STACA) for an Environmental Education and Water Quality Monitoring Management Plan and Business Plan Development for the Billy Barquedier National Park (BBNP). It is geared at implementing key components of the BBNP Management Plan including environmental education, water and biodiversity monitoring and the development of a business plan to address sustainability.
The Sarteneja Fishermen Association (SFA) I will be receiving $60,000 for their Economic Alternative for Sarteneja Lionfish and Seaweed project to develop alternative livelihoods for the fishing community of that village by targeting restaurants and through the creation of lionfish jewellery.
Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD) receives $199,945 for its Monitoring and Protection of Headwaters of Chiquibul Forest project to promote the conservation of water resources in the Chiquibul Forest through sustained enforcement, ecosystem monitoring and public outreach and awareness over a course of one year and a half.
Larger grants are being awarded to the Belize Audubon Society (BAS) which receives $399,939 which aims at Enhancing the Long-Term Sustainability for Biodiversity Conservation across Three Renowned Conservation Areas in Belize. The Fisheries Department receives $349,720 for the Hol Chan Marine Reserve Zone Expansion Project to ensure the proper management of areas recently expanded.
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