BELMOPAN, Belize — The Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT) has announced the rollout of BZ$7.75 million under its enhanced Conservation Investment Strategy (CIS) 2.0. This substantial investment will be distributed over three years to 15 co-management agencies, supporting strategic conservation initiatives across 28 protected areas in Belize.
PACT’s flagship program, the CIS 2.0, is designed to strengthen the management of the Belize National Protected Areas System (BNPAS) by:
- Improving the protection and conservation of priority protected areas and ecosystems;
- Enhancing the financial sustainability of co-managers;
- Strengthening on-the-ground management capacity;
- Improving governance structures across the system; and,
- Deepening community engagement to foster national stewardship of Belize’s protected areas.
The CIS 2.0, in its entirety, is an investment of BZ$12 million in the BNPAS and it has the primary goal of enhancing the management effectiveness and overall integrity of the protected areas in Belize through strategic financing. The projects being funded under today’s event are developed under a theory of change that not only supports the work of non-governmental organization-based co-managers, but also community-based organizations and government agencies. Equally significant is its focus on building climate adaptation and resilience in the work done within Belize’s protected areas.
During the ceremony, Orlando Habet, minister of sustainable development, climate change, and solid waste management, emphasized the importance of collaboration in advancing conservation efforts in Belize.
“This is only possible through the hard work and passion of our co-managers, their teams and their community partners. From small community groups to large NGOs, from Maya lands in the south to marine reserves in the north—you are the ones maintaining trails, checking permits, leading education programs, monitoring wildlife, and often doing so with limited support,” minister Habet said.
Established in 2018 following PACT’s transition from annual competitive grants, the Conservation Investment Program is an innovative approach to addressing the long-term needs of the BNPAS. This marks the program’s second investment cycle.
Prime Minister John Briceño, who played a pivotal role in establishing PACT in 1996 as then-minister of natural resources and the environment, delivered special remarks highlighting conservation’s critical role in Belize’s future.
“Investing in conservation is not a luxury,” said prime minister Briceño. “It is not something we do when everything else is handled. It is a necessity. When we protect our forests, we protect our water. When we protect our reefs, we protect our coasts and our fisheries. When we protect our biodiversity, we protect our livelihoods, our health, our food, and yes—our nation’s identity.”
This investment is expected to generate significant ecological and economic benefits across Belize, strengthening resilience to climate change while supporting sustainable livelihoods in communities surrounding protected areas.
Through strategic initiatives like the Conservation Investment Program, PACT continues to fulfil its mission of sustainably enhancing Belize’s socio-ecological systems through innovative financing mechanisms and collaborative partnerships.
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