Tacogirl's travel blog has moved - www.tacogirl.com: Help Save Bacalar Chico

Help Save Bacalar Chico

Saturday, 27 October, 2007

According to 7News Belize, the Government of Belize is planning to 'De-Reserve' at least 3,000 acres of the Bacalar Chico Marine & Wildlife Reserve in Northern Ambergris Caye, and sell the land to developers. According to reports, the deal is all but done. Residents of Ambergris Caye are being urged to come together and protest this issue.

It is also very important for non residents of Belize to support this issue. Many of you have fallen in love with Ambergris Caye and keep coming back for more. Please help us make it known how we feel about the preservation of Marine and Wildlife Reserve area of Bacalar Chico.

If you are not in Belize and want to take a stand against the sale and de-reserve of Bacalar Chico land please leave a comment with your first and last name and where you are from and I will put together a master list. This is important issue and we welcome your support.

Bacalar Chico comprises a 15,000-acre marine reserve and 12,000 acres of terrestrial reserve and has been named a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). It sits at the northern tip of Ambergris Caye overlooking
the Bay of Chetumal and Mexico.

At the link below is a PDF Petition against this move that can be downloaded (in English or Spanish). This petition can also be found at Seaduced, Ambergris Jade, Travel and Tour, and Area Rep. Manuel Heredia's office. It states that Voters and Concerned Citizens strongly disagree with the plan to sell acreage in the reserve. You can also get copies to bring to others to sign and then bring the full page of signatures back to the above places.

There is a box next to each name that should ONLY be checked if you are a voter. If you choose to get signatures, make sure that only voters check that box. Help us protect this very special spot on Ambergris Caye.

Download Petition

Labels: 411

32 comments:

Ali said...: This is horrible! Pretty soon all the pristine land will be owned by developers and we will be down how much gorgeous land and animals will become extinct.

So sad.; 27 October, 2007 4:49 PM
Anonymous said...: We can not let this happen. Once you allow such a change, you can never go back. We need to preserve the land not develop it!
Gail
Toronto Ontario but a frequent visitor to Isla Bonita; 27 October, 2007 4:55 PM
Anonymous said...: This sale of a world heritage declared site is a travisty.Surely the people of this beautiful country will inetervene and win the day on this one. The politicians ( the people elected representatives) must step in and stop this development. Please take this fight to the highest level of your government.

Bill mc Ghee
Charleston South Carolina, USA

Frequent visitor to
Isle Bonita; 27 October, 2007 6:15 PM
Anonymous said...: count me in

Tasha Crouse
Sheboygan, WI USA; 27 October, 2007 7:01 PM
Anonymous said...: Hennessy Fraher
Richmond, Virginia; 27 October, 2007 10:02 PM
Chris said...: Chris Lloyd
Boston, Massachusetts; 28 October, 2007 7:23 AM
Ruthie said...: We reside in San Pedro four months of the year. It is very disturbing to think that a project such as this would even be considered in such a pristine environment.
Art & Ruth Rinehart
Coral Bay Villas
San Pedro, AC, Belize; 28 October, 2007 10:40 AM
Matt said...: Part of the appeal of Ambergris Caye is that it is laid-back with nature all around you. If a large part of the island is given to developers, you lose a large part of the nature and laid-back atmosphere that gives the island its charm.

Matt Miller
Omaha, Nebraska, USA; 28 October, 2007 12:54 PM
Anonymous said...: It is extremely self-destructive and short sighted to allow any part of Bacalar Chico reserve to be developed. If Belize does not preserve Ambergris Caye, there will be no reason for us to live there or for tourists to come. Say good bye to all that revenue! Then what will Belize do to earn its way inn the world? Signed, Forrest Jones. Belize Yacht Club, San Pedro Town.; 28 October, 2007 5:05 PM
shantielise said...: Shanti Prasad
Brooklyn, NY; 29 October, 2007 12:20 AM
Anonymous said...: Melanie Nickless
Greenwood, IN; 29 October, 2007 7:01 AM
Anonymous said...: John Robilio
Memphis, TN; 29 October, 2007 7:18 AM
Anonymous said...: All the $$$ brought in by the sale and development of this reserve will not offset the tourist $$$ lost as Ambergris Caye becomes just one more paved-over playground. This move is short-sighted and wrong-headed.

Colin & Laura Gage
Kansas City MO USA; 29 October, 2007 8:20 AM
Anonymous said...: Brian & Staci Rau
Maplewood, MN; 29 October, 2007 9:28 AM
Bonnie Musbach said...: Please protect the beauty of Ambergris Caye and do not let this happen!

Bonnie Musbach
Kenosha, WI, USA; 29 October, 2007 12:58 PM
Roger Musbach said...: The Island REALLY needs the protection of the reef and we cannot let anything distroy that.
Please think twice about this sale!!!

Roger Musbach
Kenosha, Wisconsin, USA; 29 October, 2007 1:00 PM
Anonymous said...: sign me up William A. McQueen AKA Bobcat Bill; 29 October, 2007 5:57 PM
Anonymous said...: Ron Faucett
Greenwood, IN; 30 October, 2007 6:28 AM
Anonymous said...: Please continue to protect and preserve Bacalar Chico. This amazing site is unique in this world and belongs to the people of Belize.

From a business standpoint, efforts to protect and enhance the unique "brand" that Belize represents to tourists and the tourism community will be greatly undermined by the declassification of this land. Any brand erodes or is seen as not credible when actions are inconsistant with claims.

Beth Hart (frequent visitor); 30 October, 2007 9:15 AM
Anonymous said...: My wife and I consider Belize our second home and we visit every chance we get. We are devastated to hear that 3,000 acres of the Bacalar Chico Marine & Wildlife Reserve could be sold the land to developers. We undestand that Belize wants tourism but one of the things that draws people to Belize is natural beauty of the land and sea. Selling this land to developers will surely destroy the very thing that brings poeple to Belize! We need all poeple, whether Belize residents or frequent visitors, to help stop the Government in this situation and save the Reserve so that our children can enjoy it also!

Walt and Jennifer Hayton
Pittsburgh Pennsylvania

(we were married in Belize)

Hello Oliver.; 30 October, 2007 9:53 AM
Anonymous said...: Shannon Carter
Houston, TX; 30 October, 2007 2:17 PM
Anonymous said...: Justin Hindson thinks it's a terrible shame.

Ontario, Canada; 31 October, 2007 3:34 PM
Anonymous said...: You will destroy the tourism industry if the jungles go.

Michael Trup
London, England; 1 November, 2007 6:20 AM
Anonymous said...: If you destroy the jungles you'll never get them back.

This is a terrible thing to do.

Cathy Dobson
Düsseldorf, Germany; 1 November, 2007 6:25 AM
evensaul said...: That's awful - developing the land will never make up for the wildlife and jungle that is wiped out.

Pretty soon the only jungle wildlife we'll be able to see will be in zoos - how sad.

Nikki Pilkington
St Omer
France; 1 November, 2007 6:27 AM
Suzan St Maur said...: This must not happen.

Suzan St Maur
Milton Keynes, United Kingdom; 1 November, 2007 6:29 AM
Jane said...: This would be an irreversable tragedy.

Jane Hatton
Kingswinford, United Kingdom; 1 November, 2007 6:29 AM
Eileen said...: This is awful. It cannot be allowed to happen.

Eileen Holmes-Ievers
Lambourn, England; 1 November, 2007 7:38 AM
Leanne said...: Bacalar Chico is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. How will it look to the rest of the world if the Government of Belize doesn't respect that?!

Leanne Knox
London; 1 November, 2007 7:54 AM
Anonymous said...: How sad to hear of more proposed development - this mustn't happen.

Lynn
Lindfield
UK; 1 November, 2007 8:00 AM
Anonymous said...: Hilary C
London UK; 1 November, 2007 8:05 AM
Anonymous said...: As one guy at the meeting in SP said in a sign:

The land is ours -- you can not sell it. It belongs to the people!!!

Julian & Karol Foster
Spartanburg
South Carolina, USA; 4 November, 2007 4:17 PM