promoting sustainable natural resources-based … enterprise for sustainable technology - best...

Belize Enterprise for Sustainable

Technology - BEST

October 2013

Promoting Sustainable Natural Resources-based Livelihoods in Belize

Environmental Management Framework

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Promoting Sustainable Natural Resource-Based Livelihoods in Belize

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Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction: ..................................................................................................................................... 3

1.1 Purpose ......................................................................................................................................... 3

1.2 Objectives...................................................................................................................................... 3

1.3 Scope ............................................................................................................................................. 4

2.0 Project Background ........................................................................................................................... 6

3.0 Characterization of Project Sites ..................................................................................................... 10

3.1 Geophysical ................................................................................................................................. 10

3.2 Communities ............................................................................................................................... 11

3.3 The National Protected Areas System ........................................................................................ 15

3.4 The Protected Areas that are part of the JSDF-SNRL Project ..................................................... 16

4.0 Legal and Institutional Framework ................................................................................................. 21

4.1 Environmental Protection Act ..................................................................................................... 21

4.2 National Parks System Act .......................................................................................................... 22

4.4 Forest Act .................................................................................................................................... 22

4.5 Wildlife Protection Act ................................................................................................................ 22

4.6 Fisheries Act ................................................................................................................................ 23

Aquaculture Development Act (2006): ............................................................................................... 23

Fisheries Resources Bill ....................................................................................................................... 23

4.7 Belize Agricultural Health Authority Act ..................................................................................... 24

4.8 Pesticides Control Board Act ....................................................................................................... 24

4.9 Agricultural Fires Act ................................................................................................................... 25

4.10 Belize Tourism Board Act ............................................................................................................ 25

4.11 Water and Sewage Act: ............................................................................................................... 26

National Integrated Water Resources Act .............................................................................................. 26

4.12 Ancient Monuments and Antiquities Act .................................................................................... 26

4.13 Relevant International Conventions and Treaties ...................................................................... 27

5.0 World Bank Safeguards ................................................................................................................... 29

6.0 Environmental Management Procedures ........................................................................................ 32

6.1 Analysis of Key Environmental Impacts ...................................................................................... 32

6.2 Overview on the Project’s Environmental Management ........................................................... 34



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6.3 Environmental Concept Screening: ............................................................................................. 35

6.4 Environmental Exclusion Criteria ................................................................................................ 36

6.5 Environmental Screening Instrument ......................................................................................... 37

Limited Level Environmental Study ........................................................................................................ 39

6.6 Environmental Management Plans ............................................................................................. 39

6.7 Risks from Climate Variability and Change ................................................................................. 41

6.8 Identification and Evaluation of Environmental Impacts ........................................................... 42

7.0 Institutional Strengthening and Capacity Building ......................................................................... 42

7.1 Training ....................................................................................................................................... 42

7.2 Awareness and Technical Assistance .......................................................................................... 43

8.0 Application of Safeguards and Environmental Good Practices ...................................................... 43

81. Pesticides Use and Management ................................................................................................ 43

8.2 Aquaculture ................................................................................................................................. 44

8.3 Physical Cultural Property ........................................................................................................... 44

8.4 Adaptation to Climate Change .................................................................................................... 45

9.0 Cost of the Environmental Management Framework Implementation ........................................... 45

9.1 Environmental Monitoring and Follow up .................................................................................. 45

9.3 Indicators of Environmental Monitoring .................................................................................... 46

9.4 Sub-project Supervision and Monitoring Procedures ................................................................. 46

10 Conclusions ..................................................................................................................................... 46

REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................................... 48

ANNEXES Belize Protected Areas .................................................................................................. 50

Protected Areas Categories as defined by IUCN ..................................................................................... 51

Environmental Assessment Document ................................................................................................... 53

Pesticides Control Board Guidelines ....................................................................................................... 59

DoE Regulations - Schedule I .................................................................................................................. 61

Sample LLES Format ................................................................................................................................ 63



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1.0 Introduction:

1.1 Purpose

The overall purpose of the Environmental Management Framework (EMF) is to provide a

mechanism for ensuring that that the implementation of the Japan Social Development Fund

(JSDF)/World Bank (WB) funded Sustainable Natural Resources Based Livelihoods (SNRL)

Project is done in an environmentally responsible manner. It provides methodologies,

instruments, procedures and responsibilities for environmental management to be applied by the

Belize Enterprise for Sustainable Technology (BEST), the implementing agency, in order to

ensure that potential environmental impacts are prevented or mitigated. It is developed in the

context of the existing national legislative framework, WB safeguard policies and existing best

practices for the sectors involved. The document:

provides a basic environmental characterization of the project intervention areas;

describes the legal framework related to the environment theme in the different

sectors that the project will support, and the institutional framework that will be

involved during the project cycle;

identifies the required environmental management measures that need to be taken by

the project authorities during the project implementation in order to ensure

environmentally sustainable results;

provides an Environmental Due Diligence Process that outlines the key

methodologies, instruments, procedures and responsibilities for environmental

management within the context of the project;

Develops guidelines and criteria for sub-projects to follow during development and

implementation; and

Recommends best practices, mitigation measures or alternatives.

1.2 Objectives

It is expected that project implementation will result in positive impacts for the management of

the targeted protected areas and socioeconomic benefit for the communities that border or

depend on these areas. When met, these objectives will ensure that the JNDF-SNRL project is

implemented in a technically sound, environmentally responsible and socially acceptable manner

and that project outcomes will result in no (or very little) negative impact to the environment and

the natural resources of the country. No sub-project will be approved/can start implementation

before all the preparatory environmental management actions have been successfully concluded

as described below. The objectives of this Environmental Management Framework are to:



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protect the environment and conserve biodiversity;

avoid, minimize and/or mitigate impacts on the environment and biodiversity;

offset significant residual impacts with the aim of achieving steady state with

respect to the environment;

promote the sustainable management and use of natural resources;

ensure that Indigenous Peoples and local communities participate in decision-

making;

provide for fair and equitable sharing of the benefits from project implementation;

and

provide the mechanism to foster the development of natural resource-based

activities that offer alternative livelihoods in place of unsustainable exploitation of

the natural environment.

1.3 Scope

The Environmental Management Framework has been developed as a management tool designed

to address issues pertaining to the impacts likely to arise from the implementation of sub-

projects. It will provide guidance to the implementing agency and the recipients of project funds

on what should be included to ensure environmental compliance during the development and

implementation of sub-projects. Ultimately, the EMF will ensure that sub-projects are managed

in a way that prevents or significantly reduces the negative and promotes the positive

environmental impacts and does not create unfair barriers to any community or group. They must

not degrade the environment in such a way that would result in irreparable or irreversible

damage and affect communities’/groups’ ability to maintain a good standard of living. The

framework provides the basis under which an evaluation can be made at the sub-project-level,

taking environmental protection measures into consideration during the entire sub-project cycle.

It is a proactive approach that provides information to categorize any sub-project and to

determine from inception to implementation, requirements for approval on the basis of the level

of environmental sustainability/protection a sub-project will provide before any work

commences.

The EMF guides the BEST and will be applied at the local level by the targeted communities

with BEST’s support when the process requires. It takes into account the Government of Belize

legislation and the WB safeguards commonly triggered in similar development projects, and

recommends relevant best practices that will result in reduced negative and enhanced positive

impacts.

This document forms part of the overall implementation procedure for the Promoting Sustainable

Natural Resources-based Livelihoods in Belize Project and should be read in conjunction with



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the other relevant project documents such as the Operations Manual, the Culturally Appropriate

Consultation Protocol and the Involuntary Resettlement Framework. It was developed to guide

the implementation process and secure compliance with the relevant laws and policies of the

Government of Belize and the Operational Policies of the International Bank for Reconstruction

and Development (World Bank).



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2.0 Project Background The Sustainable Natural Resources-based Livelihoods Project was developed by the Government

of Belize to address the issues of natural resource degradation that results from overexploitation

and misuse. The Grant Development Objective is to promote viable and sustainable natural

resource-based livelihoods for poor communities in Belize, thereby reducing anthropogenic

pressures on the key natural resources through (1) support for social mobilization, facilitation,

and community co-management, (2) development of community-based sustainable livelihoods of

non-timber forest products (NTFPs) in and around the selected protected areas, (3) support for

innovative models of green livelihoods of fishing communities through mariculture

development, and (4) community-led natural resources vigilance and knowledge dissemination.

The grant request was made by the Government of Belize and is administered through the

Ministry of Economic Development. It is being implemented by BEST in eight geographic

locations. The Belize Enterprise for Sustainable Technology (BEST) is a leading Belizean,

private, non-profit, non-governmental organization, chartered in March 1985. It is dedicated to

improving and sustaining the economic, social, environmental, and cultural well-being of low

income Belizeans. BEST has sixteen years of experience in community development, providing

training and technical assistance to low income Belizean entrepreneurs, farmers, women and

youths, as well as individuals and organized groups. It has managed several major projects for

both development agencies such as UNDP and the European Union as well as for the

Government of Belize. BEST’s core staff are trained in accounting, business management,

economics, credit management, project management, and human resource development. The

Staff presently consists of ten full-time professionals working out of BEST’s headquarters in

Belmopan and a Branch office in Belize City. The Project Implementation Unit (PIU) is located

within BEST’s headquarters and is comprised of a Project Coordinator, an Accountant, a

Procurement Officer, and a Technical Officer. The PIU is responsible for ensuring that the

project is implemented in accordance with the project document, Government of Belize, and the

World Bank operational policies and standards.

The technical aspects of project implementation will be facilitated by a Technical Advisory

Committee (TAC). The TAC is appointed by the Government of Belize through a Project

Steering Committee. The primary function of the TAC is to (i) review and recommend sub-

projects that are submitted for funding, and (ii) provide technical oversight and advice for all

sub-projects selected for funding. It is comprised of six members from the following agencies:

Representative of the Ministry of Economic Development;

Assistant Programme Director, NPAS or his/her representative;

Fisheries Administrator or his/her representative;



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Chief Agriculture Officer or his/her representative;

Chief Forest Officer or his/her representative; and

JSDF-SNRL Project Coordinator or his/her representative.

The TAC is responsible for:

Providing input into the technical aspects of the project implementation;

Reviewing and evaluating sub-project proposals for technical soundness;

Advising and recommending implementation strategies for sub-projects that make use of

environmentally sound, sustainable, and appropriate technology;

Providing oversight and advice to the Project Coordinator and Technical Officer;

Approving or rejecting technical adjustments to the sub-projects to ensure efficiency and

high impact of technically, economically, environmentally, and socially sound projects;

Co-opting such technical expertise as is required and is readily available; and

Inviting the participation of technical experts and advisors as the TAC believes is

required.

The Technical Officer is the technical liaison between the PIU, the TAC, and the project

beneficiaries. This person is responsible for working directly with the grant recipients to ensure

that the sub-projects meet the required eligibility and are implemented in a technically sound

manner. The Technical Officer also provides on the ground technical backstopping for the sub-

projects. The duties include but are not limited to:

Assisting consultant(s) in carrying out community mobilization workshops;

Assisting consultants and local trainers with the organization of training sessions;

Assisting communities with participatory monitoring, including the establishment of

Natural Resources Vigilance Teams;

Assisting communities in developing, adopting, and implementing resource management

plans;

Screening and reviewing sub-project applications to ensure eligibility and fulfilment of

all terms and conditions in accordance with the Operations Manual;

Preparing and updating a database of all sub-project applications;

Assisting with the appraisal of sub-project applications for submission to the Project

Steering Committee;

Preparing an Environmental Management Plan for each approved sub-project in

compliance to the Project’s Environmental Management Framework; and

Monitoring approved sub-projects in compliance with the SNRL protocols and

corresponding to the Project’s Environmental Management Framework.



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Some 25 communities that make use of natural resources in and around protected areas are

targeted by project. Project objectives will be met through:

1) the development and implementation of community-level sub-projects that will

include women and youth;

2) community-based management of resources;

3) capacity building; and

4) monitoring and evaluation of project goals and objectives.

The eight geographic locations where the project is being implemented encompass five terrestrial

and three marine protected areas. The project seeks to promote the sustainable use of resources in

and around those protected areas by providing economic alternatives and thereby reducing

pressure on those resources. The geographic locations cover the entire country and extend

offshore (see Figure 1). At the end of 2006 Belize had a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $2.45

Billion and a per capita GDP of $8,141.00. The country was also showing an economic growth

of 5.8%, which was an increase from the 3.5% in 2005. However, growth decreased to about

2.1% in 2012. This has resulted in an increase in poverty and unemployment rates and translated

into increased pressure on natural resources. The project proposes non-traditional use of

terrestrial and marine resources such as tourism, aquaculture and non-timber forest products

(NTFSs) as a means of generating some economic activity in the target communities. The project

is funded by the World Bank through a grant from the Japan Social Development Fund and is for

a period of four years.



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LEGEND

Road

Protected

Area

Community

Figure 1: Map of Belize showing Protected Areas and Communities

Targeted by the JSDF-SNRL Project (source: D. Neal)



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3.0 Characterization of Project Sites The project will be implemented across the entire country of Belize. However, there are certain

geographic and socioeconomic features that are unique to each geographic location. The north of

the country is predominantly low-lying and relatively sparsely covered with old growth forest. It

is also more densely populated and relatively more accessible. The south is less populated, has a

larger area of natural vegetation cover and is more mountainous. It is also relatively less

accessible and most of the larger protected areas are in that section of the country.

3.1 Geophysical

The JSDF-SNRL Project is being implemented across the country of the Belize and

covers most of its major geological and ecological provinces. Therefore, any attempt to

characterize the project sites would, of necessity, encompass one of the major provinces.

Geologically, the northern half of the country is comprised primarily of Cretaceous

limestone that is characteristically flat, possible evidence of it being part of an ancient

seabed. This flattish landscape occurs on the central and northern parts of the coastal

plains, built up by the deposition of alluvium carried down from the mountains. Large

amounts of quartz sand and silica in dissolved form were deposited on, or within the

calcareous sediments on the coastal shelf. Over the northern half of the country, the

pattern of sedimentation suggests alluvial deposition in the form of a delta. Forest cover

is classified as lowland moist broadleaf forest. In coastal areas the land is low and several

seasonal and permanent wetlands and water bodies can be found. These are normally

fringed with one of three species of mangroves.

The most prominent physiographic feature of the Belize mainland is the mountainous

region in the south-central part of the country generally referred to as the “Maya

Mountains.” The core of this mountainous block consists of granite and ancient

sediments, exceedingly low in minerals capable of providing nourishment for growing

plants. The predominant vegetation is either upper pine forest or upper montane moist

forest. In the Toledo district calcareous sediments are mostly shale, limestone, marl, ‘reef

rock’ and beach gravel. The mountains and hilly landscapes of the west, south-west and

south (Cayo and Toledo districts) are formed from cretaceous limestone and show typical

karstic land forms. This is characterized by highland tropical moist broadleaf forest

cover.

Some 23 watersheds are found within the country of Belize. The Belize River watershed

is the largest and is the only river system in the country that flows west for a portion of its

length. The two main branches rises on the western divide of the Maya Mountain block,

flows west and north draining the northwestern portion of the range. They then make a 90



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degree turn and flow east, draining most of the midsection of the country, and eventually

entering the Caribbean Sea near to Belize City. Three watersheds, the Rio Hondo, New

River and Fresh Water Creek, flow north and empty into Corozal Bay, while all the

remaining watersheds flow east. All the watersheds in Belize eventually empty into the

Caribbean. The rivers in the north tend to be slow flowing, and estuarine for a significant

portion of their lengths. The river systems in the centre and south of the country tend to

be shorter and fast flowing. At the point where these systems enter the coastal plain they

begin to show characteristics of the systems to the north. River systems in the south also

tend to flood, crest and subside much quicker and more frequent than those in the north.

The Belize Barrier Reef System is one of the most diverse ecosystems on earth, and the

varieties of coral formation are unsurpassed in the Caribbean. It lies on the rim of a

continental shelf approximately 160 miles (257 km.) long and 10-25 miles (15-40 km)

wide. The shelf is predominantly shallow (<10m) in the north; forming a flat that runs

for most of the northern half of the country. This area is characterized by an extensive sea

grass bed that runs from the reef crest to the coast. With few exceptions, the cayes in this

area are mangrove in origin, being the result of colonization of shoals by red mangroves

in the first instance and being built up by sedimentation over the years.

The shelf has a slow descent to depths of 180 ft (60m.) at the southern end of the reef

system. There is a gradual widening of the back reef lagoon while moving towards the

south. The Central back reef province is characterized by a deep channel running in a

north-south direction from Belize City to the Gulf of Honduras, which bounded on the

east by shallow shelf and on the west by the mainland coast. Grass flats cover most of the

shallow bottom between the cayes and patch reefs. The Southern reef shelf is a broad

section of the lagoon that is filled with a variety of reef structures. There are numerous

shoals, banks, ribbon and patch reefs found in this area. Numerous shingle and mangrove

cayes are found within the shelf lagoon. This complexity leads to a remarkable diversity

of habitats and organisms. Three of the five atolls in the Caribbean lie just outside the

reef. Figure 2 is a map showing the predominant vegetation types overlaid with the

protected areas.

3.2 Communities

The project will be implemented in all six districts of Belize. The communities are a mix

of rural and urban, inland and coastal. These communities border the protected areas

identified above and are in some ways dependent on those protected areas. The

communities within the primary geographic focus of the project are identified and shown

in Table 2 below. The identified communities are those whose residents are dependent in

varying degrees on the targeted protected areas.



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Figure 2: Map of Belize showing Ecological Provinces and Protected Areas Targeted by

the JSDF-SNRL Project (source: D. Neal from Belize Biodiversity Network data)



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Of the twenty five communities targeted, one is inhabited primarily by the indigenous

Garinagu people, one is inhabited by the indigenous Maya people and one is a mixture of

both. Only one community is considered urban while the remaining twenty four are rural.

All the coastal communities rely on fishing to some extent.

In Sarteneja, approximately 80% of the male population is fishers. Placencia has

transitioned from being one of the most productive fishing communities to being one of

the preferred tourist destinations in the country. While fishing is still done, the

community is not as reliant on this sector as it once was. Like Sarteneja, Monkey River

still relies heavily on fishing. Punta Gorda is the administrative capital for the Toledo

District and the service sector is the largest economic driver there. Barranco is the

coastal community furthest south and the primary economic driver is farming, with

fishing gradually declining due to competition and illegal fishing from the neighbours to

the south. The remaining villages are a mix of farming, logging and bedroom

communities. Increasingly, as natural resources decline, people are doing daily commute

to urban centers to find work. For communities in the Orange Walk District, Orange

Walk Town and Belize City are the preferred employment destinations. Most people

from the Belize River Valley commute to Belize City, while in the Cayo District, San

Ignacio and Belmopan are the urban centers that workers gravitate to. For persons from

rural communities who are unemployed (or underemployed), the natural resources are

usually the first option targeted as a source of income. Table 1 is a list of the communities

and the protected areas that they are associated with.

COMMUNITY PROTECTED AREA RURAL/URBAN

COROZAL DISTRICT:

Sarteneja Village Shipstern Nature Reserve Rural

ORANGE WALK

DISTRICT:

San Felipe Rio Bravo Conservation Management Area Rural

San Carlos Rio Bravo Conservation Management Area Rural

Indian Church Rio Bravo Conservation Management Area Rural

BELIZE DISTRICT:

Rancho Dolores Spanish Creek Wildlife Sanctuary Rural

Bermudian Landing Community Baboon Sanctuary Rural

St. Paul’s Bank Community Baboon Sanctuary Rural

Willows Bank Community Baboon Sanctuary Rural

Double Head Cabbage Community Baboon Sanctuary Rural

Isabella Bank Community Baboon Sanctuary Rural

Scotland Half Moon Community Baboon Sanctuary Rural

Flowers Bank Community Baboon Sanctuary Rural

CAYO DISTRICT:

San Antonio Chiquibul National Park Rural

Seven Miles Chiquibul National Park Rural

Cristo Rey Chiquibul National Park Rural

STANN CREEK:



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Placencia Village Gladden Spit, Silk Caye Marine Reserve,

Sapodilla Caye Marine Reserve and Laughing

Bird Caye National Park

Rural

TOLEDO DISTRICT:

Bella Vista Paynes Creek National Park Rural

Bladen Paynes Creek National Park Rural

Trio Paynes Creek National Park Rural

San Isidrio Paynes Creek National Park Rural

San Miguel Paynes Creek National Park Rural

Punta Gorda Town Urban

Barranco Rural

Punta Negra Rural

Monkey River Rural

Table 1: List of target Communities and Protected Areas

During the consultation process, several sub-project ideas were proposed and prioritized for development.

This is by no means an exhaustive list. Communities and groups may decide on any project idea that they

feel will best meet the project criteria and benefit them. However, it provides an indication of what area of

expertise would be most required and helps to identify possible impacts. The list of project ideas has been

presented below in Table 2.

Protected Area Prioritized

Menu of Projects

Paynes Creek National Park

1. Greenhouse with Organic Vegetables

2. Pineapple Farming

3. Processing of Fruits and Vegetables

4. Agro-forestry

5. Tilapia Farming

Community Baboon Sanctuary

1. Tourism Development

2. Coconut Production/Cohune Project Strengthening

3. Agriculture (lime juice, chicken coop, farmers market)

Gladden Spit and Silk Cayes

Marine Reserve, Sappodilla Cayes

Marine Reserves, and Laughing

Bird Caye National Park

1. Sustainable Seaweed Farming (Coop)

2. Training (Tour Guide) (PTGA, PTGC)

Exchange Program

Heritage Tourism

Marine education and research services

3. Lion Fish Extraction (Coop)

4. Recycle (Village Council)

5. Mooring (VC/PMM)

Coastal Communities in the south,

Monkey River, Punta Negra, Punta

Gorda and Barranco

1. Tourism Enhancement Project

2. Mari-culture (sea cucumber, seaweed)


4. Pig Rearing



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5. Coconut Farming

6. Arts and Craft (indigenous technology)

7. Museum

Spanish Creek Wildlife Sanctuary 1. Tourism – Development of the Tourism Product

2. Integrated Farming with Value Added (include making of

Ricardo, coconut and plantain farming)


4. Production and Processing of Meats

5. Chicken Rearing – Egg Production

Chiquibul National Park 1. Farmers’ Irrigation System

2. Corn and Beans Production

3. Bakery

4. Pig Rearing


Rio Bravo Conservation

Management

1. Bee-keeping – Honey Production

2. Sheep Rearing

3. Eco-Tourism

4. Greenhouse (tomato and sweet pepper)

5. Egg Production

Shipstern Nature Reserve 1. Processing of Fruits and Vegetables

2. Agriculture/Farming

3. Planting and Processing of Animal Feeds

4. Aquaculture (including tilapia farming)

Table 2: List of sub-project ideas developed during Community Consultations

3.3 The National Protected Areas System

There exist a total of 103 protected areas in Belize (including archaeological reserves and

accepted private reserves), representing approximately 42.19% of Belize’s terrestrial

areas and 7.33% of its marine area (NPAS, 2013). Marine and terrestrial protected areas

are key repositories for natural resources that are major drivers of sustainable

development. The protected areas system comprises national parks, nature reserves,

wildlife sanctuaries, natural monuments, forest reserves, marine reserves, archaeological

sites and archaeological reserves, as well as private reserves, strategic biological

corridors and scenic landscapes of geomorphic significance. Protected areas are valuable

because of the environmental, social, economic and cultural goods and services provided

by the ecosystems protected, the flora and fauna comprised in those areas, and the current

and potential economic activities related to biodiversity management and conservation.

Many of these protected areas are really areas for the management of extractive resources

(Forest Reserves and Marine Reserves).



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Management of the protected areas system is a mix of public and private. Private

protected areas are entirely under the management of the private sector. Land owners

who put up their land for conservation purposes usually make their own arrangements for

management. Forest Reserves, Archaeological Reserves and some Marine Reserves are

under the direct management of the Government of Belize, while parks declared under

the National Parks Systems Act are managed under co-management agreements between

the Government and local NGOs or CBOs. Over the last seven years Long Term Forest

Licenses have been issued for sections of certain Forest Reserves. These licenses are

issued to private individuals involved in the logging trade and give the holders the right

of first refusal to forest resources that fall under the licenses. While not co-management

agreements as defined in the National Protected Areas Policy and System Plan 2005

(NPAPSP 2005), these licenses require that the license holders develop a management

plan and provide management for the areas and resources covered by the license.1 (Forest

Department, 2013)

The primary challenge for communities that buffer protected areas is the fact that no

extractive activities are allowed in protected areas that carry IUCN Category I – V

designation. The primary threat to most of these protected areas is inadequate

management and enforcement, which results in encroachment for hunting, fishing,

logging or other extractive activities. It also results in a sense of apathy and disregard for

law and order as there are no consequences or alternatives to the negative actions. In the

case of multi-use parks, the threat is primarily from unsustainable harvesting practices.

Annex 1 is a map of the protected areas system by IUCN Categories. Annex 2 is a

definition of the IUCN Protected Areas categories as found on the IUCN website.

3.4 The Protected Areas that are part of the JSDF-SNRL Project

Chiquibul National Park (NP) is located in the southern portion of Cayo District. The

park is located on the south western section of the Maya Mountains and is covered by

predominantly Submontane Broadleaf Forest, with some Lowland Broadleaf Forest in the

lower reaches to the west along the Belize-Guatemala border. The park covers some

106,838 hectares and is classified as IUCN Category II, which means that while some

human activity is allowed, there should be no land clearing or extraction of any kind.

Chiquibul National Park is co-managed by Friends for Conservation and Development

(FCD). Increasing human pressures along the porous Belize-Guatemalan western border

continue to threaten the natural and cultural resources. The primary threats are hunting,

illegal logging and habitat destruction as a result of illegal logging and gold mining

activities. The main beneficiaries in this location include the poor indigenous

1 Tanya Santos, 2013, Forest Department, pers.comm.



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communities living adjacent to the Park. FCD has been engaged in a number of

transnational initiatives involving Guatemalan counterparts in an effort to curb the illegal

incursion into the Park.

Payne’s Creek National Park is situated in Toledo District in the south and covers

approximately 15,249 hectares. The primary ecological provinces under protection are

Lowland Pine, Lowland Savannah, Lowland Broadleaf, Wetlands and Mangroves.

Payne’s Creek National Park carries an IUCN Category II designation. Due to the

degradation of these forests from heavy logging before designation as a protected area,

man-made forest fires (some deliberate) have become a major problem. The major threats

to the National Park are illegal hunting, logging and fishing; poaching of wildlife,

particularly parrots; and forest fires. Payne’s Creek National Park is co-managed by

Toledo Institute for Development and Environment (TIDE) which actively includes the

buffer communities of Bella Vista, Bladen, San Isidro, San Miguel, Trio (approximately

5,000 people in total) and is considered a national model of participatory management.

Rio Bravo Conservation Management Area (RBCMA) in Orange Walk is the largest

private protected area in Belize (99,480 hectares), held in trust and managed by

Programme for Belize (PfB) through a unique agreement with the Government of Belize.

The protected area has IUCN Category IV designation, which means that it was

established to protect particular species and/or habitats that are fragmented and require

frequent management intervention. The RBCMA provides essential connectivity as part

of the La Selva Maya forest node with the other protected areas of northwestern Belize,

southeastern Mexico and northeastern Guatemala. The RBCMA forests harbor some of

the best remaining timber resources in Belize, including the vulnerable mahogany,

(Sweitenia macrophylla) and Spanish cedar (Cedrella odorata). However, the RBCMA

has been threatened by uncontrolled burning of savannah, illegal cultivation (Marijuana)

in the broadleaf forest area, illegal pet trade – parrot poaching, and illegal logging.

Shipstern Nature Reserve is a private protected area that consists of two blocks adjacent

to each other in the northeastern corner of the Belize mainland. It has a total area of

11,400 hectares (10,800 Ha and 600 Ha). The protected area was declared in 1989 and in

2012 it was given in trust to the people of Belize in perpetuity. It carries an IUCN

Category IV designation. The Reserve is administered by the International Tropical

Conservation Foundation based in Switzerland. Shipstern offers protection to four main

types of vegetation, mangrove, Lowland Tropical Forest, Yucatan Coastal Dry Forest

(known only in four areas in the Yucatan Peninsula) and mangrove savannah. The threats

to Shipstern Nature Reserve are encroachment for agriculture, illegal logging and



18

hunting, poaching of wildlife for the pet trade and clearing of forest for clandestine

airstrips.

Spanish Creek Wildlife Sanctuary (SCWS) occupies approximately 2,400 hectares of

lowland terrain in northern Belize, straddling the boundary of the Belize and Orange

Walk Districts. This Wildlife Sanctuary was declared in 2002 and forms an important

link in the Northern Biological Corridor because of its location between the Community

Baboon Sanctuary and the Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area. The

predominant ecological province is Lowland Broadleaf Forest. A portion of the park is

also an important wetland that forms part of the Belize River watershed. Spanish Creek

Wildlife Sanctuary has an IUCN Category IV designation and is co-managed by the

Rancho Dolores Environment and Development Group. The beneficiaries are from

Rancho Dolores, a community adjacent to the southern boundary of the Rio Bravo

Conservation Management Area and the Spanish Creek Wildlife Sanctuary (SCWS). The

SCWS also faces the traditional triple threats of illegal hunting, logging and poaching of

wildlife.

Community Baboon Sanctuary (CBS) in Belize District is a unique and innovative

model for the conservation of private lands and is one of the first community-based and

voluntary initiative to conserve the habitat of one of the largest populations of Black

Howler Monkeys (a.k.a. baboons) in the world. The CBS has an IUCN Category IV

designation. Landowners along a 10 mile section of the Belize River agreed to contribute

portions of their land that is primarily riparian forest to be managed as a single

conservation block. It has a total area of approximately 5,200 hectares. The predominant

ecological province is mixed riparian and Lowland Broadleaf Forests. The CBS is also an

integral part of the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor that provides a wildlife corridor

between the central coastal lowlands and the RBCMA in the central and northwestern

section of the country. Since 1998 the CBS has been managed by the CBS Women’s

Conservation Group (CBSWCG), comprised of two (2) women from each of the seven

member villages. The major threats to the Community Baboon Sanctuary are

unsustainable development, hunting and wildlife poaching. There is also the ever present

risk that landowners may opt out of the agreement. However, that should not be a

concern if they continue to receive benefits as a result of the lands being under protection.

Gladden Spit and Silk Cayes Marine Reserve (GSSCMR) is a 10,500 hectare

protected area located on the southern Barrier Reef crest some 24 miles east of Placencia

Peninsula. The reserve protects the spawning aggregation site for 20 important species of

fish and is a nursery ground for the economically important queen conch (Strombus gigas

L). Because of the annual visits of the Whale Shark that come to feed in the spawning



19

aggregations, the area has become known as a tourist destination. It is a multi-use reserve

with an IUCN Category VI designation that is currently managed under a co-management

agreement with the Southern Environmental Association (SEA). It is an important source

of income for fishers from as far away as Sarteneja. The predominant ecological

provinces are shallow coral reef, seagrass beds and deep seaward slopes. The primary

threats to GSSCMR are illegal fishing, over fishing, habitat degradation and pollution

from land-based local and regional sources.

Laughing Bird Caye National Park (LBCNP) is a 4,000 hectare protected area that was

declared in 1996. It carries an IUCN Category II designation and is also part of the Belize

Barrier Reef System –World Heritage Site. It is the result of an initiative by the fishers of

the area, the Placencia community and the Government of Belize. The park protects a

unique feature of the Belize reef system known as a faro, which is a special type of

annular reef, a small shelf atoll, formed on the interior shelf of a barrier reef or atoll

system. Laughing Bird Caye, on the southeastern edge of the faro, is a former fishing

camp that is now a popular tourism destination for divers and snorkelers from Placencia.

It plays an important role in the tourism sector of that community. The primary threats to

the park are illegal fishing and habitat degradation from tourism activities and non-point

source pollution.

Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve (SCMR) was declared in 1996. That same year it was

included in the list of sites when UNESCO named the Belize Barrier Reef a World

Heritage Site. Despite the recognized importance of the reserve, onsite management did

not begin until 2001. Because of its location, the Sapodilla Cayes have been important

for fishers from Placencia to Punta Gorda. The predominant ecological provinces are

shallow coral reef, seagrass beds and deep seaward slopes. It is also an important

spawning aggregation site. It is also a multi-use marine reserve with IUCN Category VI

designation that is growing in popularity as a tourist destination, particularly for visitors

from neighbouring Guatemala and Honduras. Similar to Gladden Spit Marine Reserve,

the primary threats to SCMR are illegal fishing, over fishing, habitat degradation and

pollution from land-based local and regional sources. The reserve is also co-managed by

SEA.

National Parks System Act and Forest Act

Category Legal Foundation Purpose Activities

Permitted

Equivalent

IUCN

Category

Nature Reserve National Parks

System Act

For the protection of biological

communities or species, and

maintain natural processes in an

Research,

education



20

undisturbed state I

National Park National Parks

System Act

For the protection and preservation

of natural and scenic values of

national significance for the benefit

and enjoyment of the general public

Research,

education,

tourism

II

Natural

Monument

National Parks

System Act

For the protection and preservation

of natural features of national

significance

Research,

education,

tourism

III

Wildlife

Sanctuary

National Parks

System Act

For the protection of nationally

significant species, biotic

communities or physical features

Research,

education,

tourism

IV

Forest Reserve Forest Act, 1990

For the protection of forests for

management of timber extraction

and/or the conservation of soils,

watersheds and wildlife resources

Research,

education,

tourism, logging

VI

Fisheries Act

Marine Reserve Fisheries Act

To afford special protection to the

aquatic fauna and flora of such areas

and to protect and preserve the

natural breeding grounds and

habitats of aquatic life

To allow for the natural

regeneration of aquatic life in areas

where such life has been depleted

No activities

unless with a

permit

VI

Ancient Monuments and Antiquities Act

Archaeological

Reserve

Ancient

Monuments and

Antiquities Act

To preserve archaeological and

cultural heritage

No activities

unless with a

permit

No IUCN

designation

Table 3: Protected Areas Management Categories in Belize



21

4.0 Legal and Institutional Framework

4.1 Environmental Protection Act

The Environmental Protection Act (EPA), Chapter 328 of the Laws of Belize Revised

Edition 2000, provides the authority for regulating and monitoring activities that impact

the environment, including the control and prevention of pollution on land, water and air;

prohibitions on dumping of waste; and the control of effluent discharged into the

environment. The Department of the Environment is the Government agency that

administers the Environmental Protection Act. One of the principal mechanisms for

environmental protection under the EPA is the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

Regulations that include amends made in 2007. Section (2) of the Environmental Impact

Assessment Regulations require that “All persons, agencies, institutions (whether public

or private), unless exempted pursuant to these Regulations, shall, before embarking on a

proposed project or activity, apply to the Department for a determination whether such

project or activity would require an environmental impact assessment.” Proposals are

screened to determine the level of environmental assessment necessary. Schedules I - III

of the EPA define the categories of projects for which an EIA ‘shall’ or ‘may’ be

required. Schedule I projects are those that will have significant long term impacts or will

significantly modify and/or cause irreversible damage on the biophysical environment

because of their size or technology. Schedule II projects may require that an EIA be done

and provides some discretion to determine the level of assessment necessary. These

projects normally differ from Schedule I projects only in size and scale. In instances

where a full EIA may not be required but some assessment is needed, a Limited Level

Environment Study (LLES) is usually ordered. LLES is normally applied to “Schedule

II” projects. Once a project requires a study, applicants follow the procedures outlined in

the EIA regulations and guidelines (Department of the Environment Belize, 2011). In the

case of an EIA, a public consultation is mandatory, while for LLES a public consultation

is discretionary on the part of the DoE.

If the DOE determines that an EIA or LLES is required, then a screening phase is

followed by a scoping phase, which determines the focus area of the study in conformity

with guidelines set out in the regulations. Following this, the preparer is given permission

to conduct the EIA or LLES. Upon completion and approval by the DOE, the report can

proceed to full submission to DOE. A sample of the LLES format is presented in Annex

6. The National Environmental Appraisal Committee (NEAC) reviews the reports and

makes recommendations to the DOE on the merits and demerits. DOE is responsible to

issue a final approval or disapproval. The NEAC is made up of a cross-sector of technical



22

professionals that are called upon based on the nature of the project to give their

recommendations to the DOE.

For those projects that do not require either an EIA or LLES, immediate environmental

clearance is granted, without a request for a study.

4.2 National Parks System Act

The National Parks System Act and Subsidiary Legislation, Chapters 215 and 215s of the

Laws of Belize Revised Edition 2000, allows for the creation, categorization and

management of National Parks in Belize. The legislation also outlines what activities are

allowed within the parks system. The NPSA is administered by the Forest Department.

This legislation is important for sub-projects that are developed within the NTFP

category, as it will dictate what can be done, or utilized within the boundaries of a

protected area.

4.4 Forest Act

The Forest Act, Chapter 213 and 213s for the Laws of Belize Revised Edition 2000, is

primarily concerned with the management of forest resources. The Act gives authority to

the Minister and Chief Forest Officer to issue permits for the use of forest resources or

the clearing of land for development purposes. This Act will come into play if and when

NTFPs are being utilized. Additionally, experience has shown that most medium size

projects would not normally be impacted by the Forest Act unless land clearing or forest

cover removal is involved. The Forest Act is administered by the Forest Department.

4.5 Wildlife Protection Act

The Wildlife Protection Act, Chapter 220 of the Laws of Belize Revised Edition 2000,

provided for protection of certain species of wildlife and the prohibition of hunting or

capturing wildlife in restricted areas or without a license. The regulations contained in

Chapter 220s details what can be hunted and captured, the permitting process and the

restricted areas. This Act is superseded by the National Parks System Act where

protected areas are involved. The Wildlife Protection Act is administered by the Forest

Department.



23

4.6 Fisheries Act

The Fisheries Act and Subsidiary Laws, Chapter 210 and 210S are administered by the

Fisheries Department and provides for all matters relating to the use of aquatic resources

within the jurisdiction of Belize. The Act and Regulations make provision for

commercial fishing with a valid license, scientific research, aquaculture activities and

handling, processing and exportation of fishery products. The regulations (Chapter 210s)

regulate species that can be fished, and the respective seasons, sizes and locations. The

principal legislation also makes provision for the designation of marine reserves.

Of note is the fact that while the Fisheries Legislation makes provision for an application

form and a fee to conduct aquaculture operations there is no legal requirement to apply

for or possess a license before conducting such operations. Additionally, there is

significant overlap with the Belize Agriculture Health Authority Act with respect to the

rearing, handling, processing and marketing of animals for human consumption.

Aquaculture Development Act (2006):

This piece of legislation has been passed by the National Assembly but no

Commencement Order has been signed bringing into force. The Aquaculture

Development Act of 2006 seeks to provide some structure to the aquaculture industry in

general. It provides for an Aquaculture Authority and the establishment of an

Aquaculture Association. The Act provides for licenses, duty exemptions, onsite customs

inspections and other services that are geared toward the export trade. Despite its biases

towards the private sector, it is the first piece of legislation that attempts to address the

industry in a holistic fashion. However, its major flaw is that it places everything in the

hands of the private sector and makes no accommodation for the technical side of the

industry. One obvious point is that the Bill seems to overlap significantly with the Export

Processing Zone Act and appears to attempt to wrest control from that piece of legislation

for many of the services that are now enjoyed by the large shrimp producers who have

EPZ status.

Fisheries Resources Bill

This piece of legislation is currently being taken through the consultation stage. It is a

comprehensive overhaul and consolidation of all the current Fisheries legislation. On

passage through the National Assembly it will replace the current Substantive and

Subsidiary Fisheries laws. Because the plan is to take it to the National Assembly within

the next six months, the Bill could (and may) replace the current Fisheries legislation

before the end of the project; hence the reason for making a note of it here.



24

4.7 Belize Agricultural Health Authority Act

This Act is focused primarily on animal and plant health, and food safety. All aspects of

importation, exportation and movement of animal or plant material are under the

jurisdiction of this Act. The Act is administered by the Belize Agricultural Health

Authority which is a statutory body within the Ministry of Agriculture. The BAHA Act

gives authority to the Board to determine what species and strains of organisms can be

used for agricultural purposes in Belize. It also sets standards for the quality of

agricultural products leaving the country.

4.8 Pesticides Control Board Act

The control of all aspects of the importation, manufacture, packaging, preparation for

sale, sale, disposal and use of pesticides in Belize is governed by the Pesticides Control

Act, Chapters 216 and 216s of the Laws of Belize Revised Edition 2003. The Pesticides

Control Board is the statutory body responsible for the implementation of the provisions

of the Pesticides Control Act. The Act allows for the Board to:

register pesticides;

license persons to import or manufacture pesticides;

authorize persons to sell restricted pesticides;

register premises in which a restricted pesticide may be sold;

authorize pesticide applicators to use restricted pesticides;

classify any pesticide as a registered pesticide, restricted pesticide or a prohibited

pesticide;

consider and determine applications made pursuant to this Act and to deal with all

aspects of the importation, manufacture, packaging, preparation for sale, sale,

disposal and use of pesticides and to advise the Minister on all matters in relation

thereto;

train, or to arrange for the training of, persons in the safe use of pesticides; and

do such other things as may be expedient or necessary for the proper performance

of its functions under the Act.

The Board has a staff of 10 that is responsible for the entire country. Technical teams are

assigned to different sections of the country or different industries, such as sugar, banana,

citrus, grains, etc. The Board also provides training on request and closely monitors the

use of restricted pesticides such as nematicides.



25

4.9 Agricultural Fires Act

The Agricultural Fires Act, Chapter 204 of the Laws of Belize Revised Edition 2000,

applies only to the setting of fire on land which is under cultivation or in the course of

preparation for agricultural purposes. It requires that any person who wants to clear land

for agricultural purposes by using fire must apply to the Chief Agriculture Officer in

writing for a license. Any license issued will contain the conditions under which such

fires can be set. The Act also regulates the activities associated with burning for

agricultural purposes.

4.10 Belize Tourism Board Act

The control of all aspects of the development, monitoring and control of tourism

activities in Belize is governed by the Belize Tourism Board Act, Chapters 275 of the

Laws of Belize Revised Edition 2000. The Belize Tourism Board is the statutory body

responsible for the implementation of the provisions of the BTB Act. The Act allows for

the BTB to:

develop all aspects of the tourist industry of Belize and to promote the efficiency

of the industry;

adopt all such measures, as it may deem fit, to advertise and publicize Belize as a

tourist resort throughout the year;

promote and secure such increased airline and shipping facilities as will tend to

increase tourist traffic to Belize;

secure the most favorable arrangements for the entry of tourists into Belize;

encourage, by such measures as it may deem fit, the development of such

amenities in Belize as may be calculated to enhance the attractiveness of Belize to

tourists with special reference to entertainment, local culture, conservation of

local flora and fauna, deep sea fishing, scuba diving and handicrafts; and

undertake such research, experiments and operations as may appear to it to be

necessary to improve the basis of the tourist industry and to control and eliminate

any undesirable factors that may affect the industry.

The BTB Act gives the Board the authority to regulate and monitor all tourism activities

that are undertaken in the country. Therefore, any tourism project should be vetted by the

BTB before it begins operation.



26

4.11 Water and Sewage Act:

The Water and Sewage Act, among other things, makes provision for the Water and

Sewage Authority to:

Have responsibility for maintaining and developing waterworks in any water

supply area.

Empower the Authority to acquire water rights.

Licensing the abstraction of water for industrial purposes, including agricultural

purposes.

Create and enforce by-laws for preventing waste, misuse, contamination or

pollution of water.

The legislation also gives the Minister of Public Utilities the authority to declare rural

areas to be outside the jurisdiction of the Authority, and to make regulations regarding

the abstraction and use of water.

The Water Industry Act of 2001 dissolved the Water and Sewage Authority and passed

authority to its Successor Company, the Belize Water Services Limited. This presents a

bit of a conundrum for ‘industrial’ operators because while the parent legislation is the

mandate of the Public Utilities Commission, a private company has the authority to

enforce the by-laws and regulations.

National Integrated Water Resources Act

This piece of legislation is designed to effect comprehensive management of the water

resources in Belize. It gives authority to a Water Resources Commission and has also

been passed through the National Assembly. It is also waiting for a commencement order

to bring it into force. When brought into force, this legislation will replace the Water and

Sewage Act which is considered to be limited in scope.

4.12 Ancient Monuments and Antiquities Act

The Ancient Monuments and Antiquities Act, Chapter 330 of the Laws of Belize Revised

Edition 2000 makes provision for the vesting of all ancient monuments and antiquities

with the Government of Belize. The law defines what is an ancient monument or

antiquity, and allows for their acquisition by the Government as property in trust on

behalf of the citizenry. It makes provision for the making of regulations for the better



27

management of ancient monuments and antiquities. It also allows for the licensing of

persons who want to own artifacts, and permits for the research, maintenance and

management of ancient monuments. The Institute of Archaeology is the statutory body

with responsibility for administering this legislation.

4.13 Relevant International Conventions and Treaties

In addition to the national environmental legislative mechanisms in place, Belize has

signed a number of International Conventions and Treaties aimed at protecting the

environment in ways that are both nationally and globally important. These agreements

must be kept in mind when evaluating any sub-project. Table 4 is a list of the known

conventions and agreements that have been signed and may affect project

implementation. These Conventions and Agreements also promote the use of best

practices that function as additional environmental safeguards.

International Conventions

and Regional Agreements

Ratified Purpose

Specially Protected Areas

and Wildlife in the Wider

Caribbean (SPAW)

2000 Commitment to take the necessary measures to

protect, preserve and manage in a sustainable

way, areas that require protection to safeguard

their special value, and threatened or

endangered species of flora and fauna

United Nations Convention

to Combat Desertification

1998 To combat desertification and mitigate the

effects of drought in the countries affected

Convention of Wetlands of

International Importance

Especially as Waterfowl

Habitat - RAMSAR

1998 To stem the progressive encroachment on and

loss of wetlands now and in the future,

recognizing the fundamental ecological

functions of wetlands and their economic,

cultural, scientific and recreational value

International Convention

for the Protection and

Conservation of Sea Turtles

for the Western

Hemisphere

1997 To promote the protection, conservation and

recovery of sea turtle population and the

habitats on which they depend

Alliance for the Sustainable

Development of Central

America

1994 Regional alliance supporting sustainable

development initiatives

Convention on Biological

Diversity

1993

To conserve biological diversity to promote the

sustainable use of its components, and

encourage equitable sharing of benefits arising

from the utilization of natural resources



28



Ratified Purpose

Cartagena Protocol on

Biodiversity

2004

To ensure an adequate level of protection in the

field of safe transfer, handling and use of living

modified organisms resulting from modern

biotechnology that may have adverse effects on

the conservation and sustainable use of

biological diversity

Convention on the

Conservation of

Biodiversity and the

Protection of Priority

Wilderness Areas in

Central America

1992 To conserve biological diversity and the

biological resources of the Central American

region by means of sustainable development

United Nations Framework

Convention on Climate

Change

1992 An overall framework for intergovernmental

efforts to tackle the challenge posed by climate

change. It recognizes that the climate system is

a shared resource whose stability can be

affected by industrial and other emissions of

carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases

Kyoto Protocol 2003

To set quantified limitation and reduction

objectives anthropogenic emissions by sources

and removals by sinks of greenhouse gases not

controlled by the Montreal Protocol

UNESCO Man and the

Biosphere Programme

1990 To promote the sustainable use ad conservation

of biological diversity and for the improvement

of the relationship between people and their

environment globally, through encouraging

interdisciplinary research, demonstration and

training in natural resource management

Central American

Commission for

Environment and

Development

1989 Regional organizations of Heads of State

formed under ALIDES, responsible for the

environment of Central America. Initiated

Mesoamerican Biological Corridors and

Mesoamerican Caribbean Coral Reef Programs

Convention for the

Protection and

Development of the Marine

Environment of the Wider

Caribbean Region

1983 To protect the marine environment of the wider

Caribbean region for the benefit and enjoyment

of present and future generations



29



Ratified Purpose

United Nations Convention

on the Laws of the SEA

1983 A legal order for the seas and oceans which

will facilitate international communication, and

will promote the peaceful uses of the seas and

oceans, the equitable and efficient utilization of

their resources, the conservation of their living

resources, and the study, protection and

preservation of the marine environment

Convention on the

Conservation of Migratory

Species of Wild Animals

1979 To protect migratory species

Convention on the

Protection of

Archaeological, Historical

and Artistic Heritage of

American Nations

1976 To protect the Archaeological heritage of

signatory countries

Convention on International

Trade in Endangered

Species of Wild Fauna and

Flora

1973 To ensure that international trade in specimens

of wild animals and plants does not threaten

their survival

Convention Concerning the

Protection of the World

Cultural and Heritage

1972 To encourage the identification, protection and

preservation of cultural and natural heritage

around the world considered to be of

outstanding value to humanity

Convention on Wetlands of

International Importance

1971 To stem the progressive encroachment on and

loss of wetlands now and in the future,

recognizing the fundamental ecological

function of wetlands and their economic,

cultural, scientific and recreational value

International Planet

Protection Convention

1951 To promote the protection, conservation and

recovery of sea turtle population and the

habitats on which they depend

Convention Concerning the

Protection of the World

Cultural and Heritage Sites

1972

TABLE 4: List of Environmental and Natural Resources Conventions and Agreements

signed by Belize

5.0 World Bank Safeguards There are a number of safeguards that are brought into play when projects are financed through

the World Bank. These are designed to ensure that projects do not adversely affect the local



30

population from a social, cultural, environmental or legal standpoint. The Bank’s safeguard

policies are triggered depending on the size, scale, and nature of the project being financed. All

the requisite safeguards will be incorporated in the applicable implementation procedures for

example regarding screening and evaluating sub-projects for funding.

SAFEGUARD SETTING UNDER WHICH POLICY IS TRIGGERED

AND REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPLIANCE

Environmental

Assessment

OP/BP 4.01

Those projects where the works will affect, temporarily or

permanently, the natural environment and/or the society, through

direct, indirect or cumulative impacts. The depth of the

assessment is a function of the level of socio-environmental risk

(Environmental Category).

Natural Habitat

OP/BP 4.04

If a project is located in a protected area or an area considered as

a critical area from an environmental point of view, regardless if

the expected impacts are positive or negative. If a project has

potential to cause irreversible damages it should be excluded

from financing.

Pest Management

OP 4.09

This Operational Policy deals with the circumstances

surrounding the management of pests either for agriculture or

public health purposes. The Bank generally requires that the

project proponents practice integrated pest management where

possible.

Physical Cultural

Properties

OP/BP 4.11

Needs to be taken into account in those projects where there is

excavation and movement of soils in zones of recognized

archaeological potential and/or of cultural and/or physical

properties. Guidance for Chance Find Procedures is one of the

most commonly used mechanisms.

Forests

OP/BP 4.36

Those projects where forest or forest products will be used or

impacted by the activities of the project.

Public Disclosure Public and timely disclosure of the environmental and social

instruments developed for a project is required in applicable

language(s).



31

In the case of the JSDF-SNRL, the following World Bank Safeguards have been activated:

Environmental Assessment (OP/BP 4.01) is triggered since sub-projects to be financed will

have potential to impact the natural environment at various levels either directly or indirectly.

OP/BP 4.01 requires that environmental screening and consequent assessment be done for all

projects to be financed with Bank funds. It outlines those procedures that should be used to

ensure that the projects funded are environmentally responsible. There are four categories of

projects, A – C and FI. Category FI projects are similar to the others except that they are

financed through an intermediary:

Category A: A proposed project is classified as Category A if it is likely to have significant

adverse environmental impacts that are sensitive, diverse, or unprecedented. An

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is required.

Category B: A proposed project is classified as Category B if its potential adverse

environmental impacts on human populations or environmentally important areas—including

wetlands, forests, grasslands, and other natural habitats—are less adverse than those of

Category A projects. The scope of EA for a Category B project may vary from one project to

another, but is more limited than that of a Category A EA.

Category C: A proposed project is classified as Category C if it is likely to have minimal or

no adverse environmental impacts. Beyond screening, no further EA action is required for a

Category C project.

Natural Habitats (OP/BP 4.04) comes into effect if critical natural habitats are involved in

project implementation. This safeguard is triggered since the protected areas targeted by the

project are recognized as critical natural habitats. The project seeks to improve community

participation in management of these areas while reducing the negative impacts of extractive

activities, particularly in those parks where no extraction is allowed.

Pest Management (OP 4.09) outlines the Bank’s strategy that promotes the use of biological or

environmental control methods and reduces reliance on synthetic chemical pesticides. It

encourages the use of Integrated Pest Management as a means of pest control and provides

guidelines for the proper selection, handling and use of pesticides, particularly if Banks funds

will be used to purchase pesticides. This safeguard is triggered because several communities

have identified agriculture project ideas for development into sub-projects.

Indigenous Peoples (OP/BP 4.10) is dealt with in the Culturally Appropriate Consultation

Protocol that forms part of the implementation procedures for this project.

Physical Cultural Resources (OP/BP 4.11) is triggered since the project’s area contains known

physical cultural resources. The project will ensure that none of its interventions will impact

negatively any known PCR. Chapter 8.3 includes chance find procedures for those PCRs that

may be identified during project implementation, consistent with the Belize Legislation.



32

Involuntary Resettlement (OP/BP 4.12) is dealt with in the Involuntary Resettlement Process

Framework that forms part of the implementation procedures for this project.

Forests (OP/BP 4.36) is designed to reduce deforestation, enhance the environmental

contribution of forested areas, promote afforestation, reduce poverty, and encourage economic

development through forests. This safeguard is triggered because five of the eight protected areas

are terrestrial parks. Furthermore, the project calls for the use of non-timber forest products as an

alternative livelihood source to be explored. It is not expected that there will be any negative

impacts on forests as a result of project implementation as no new land clearing will be permitted

under eligible activities.

Projects in Disputed Areas (OP/BP 7.60) comes into force when projects are implemented in

disputed areas, and serves to reduce any confrontational and potentially embarrassing situations

that may arise during project implementation. This legal safeguard may come into force on this

project because of the long standing territorial dispute between Belize and Guatemala and the

fact that portions of the Adjacency Zone fall within both Chiquibul National Park and Rio Bravo

Conservation and Management Area. Furthermore, there have been documented incidents in the

Chiquibul between Belize Law Enforcement personnel and Guatemalan who are doing land

clearing, hunting and illegal logging in the park. In the south, Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve is

a favourite vacation spot for Guatemalans and is also under dispute despite the fact that no

incidents have occurred in the area over the last 25 years.

6.0 Environmental Management Procedures

6.1 Analysis of Key Environmental Impacts

During the community consultations, several sub-project ideas were put forward for

consideration. The list can be seen in Table 2 above. Each idea, if developed, can have an

impact on the physical environment or biodiversity. There are a number of variables that

will eventually determine the nature and duration of these impacts. They include the size

and scope of the sub-project, the location, sensitivity of the area, etc. The sub-project

ideas can be grouped into several broad categories and their potential impacts assessed in

an overall manner. Subsequently, the EMF presents possible mitigation efforts.

Agriculture: Land cover information from a recent study indicates that Belize agriculture

is one of the largest drivers of deforestation in the country. The loss of forest cover has

been accelerated over the last 10 years and was estimated to be about 1% per year. The

study covered the period 1980 – 2013. However, this is not the only impact associated



33

with agriculture. Some of the negative environmental impacts most frequently associated

with agriculture include:

deforestation and loss of habitats;

uncontrolled fires;

pollution from pesticide use and runoff;

soil erosion, particularly on slopes;

soil degradation and loss of nutrients;

sedimentation; and

enrichment of water bodies.

Agro-processing and value adding: The impacts from activities associated with

agro/food processing depend to a large extent on the size and location of the operation. At

the lower production volumes agro-processing is considered light industry. Potential

impacts include:

enriched effluent in water bodies;

solid and liquid waste disposal issues; and

air and noise pollution.

Non-timber forest products: The impacts from activities associated with the harvesting

of NTFPs depend on the scale to which it is undertaken. Some of the NTFPs that are

targeted in Belize include Xate, Palmetto Palm, Cohune, Botan and Bayleaf. Potential

impacts include:

loss of biodiversity;

overexploitation; and

habitat modification.

Fisheries diversification: The type and size of impacts from fisheries diversification

depends entirely on what the diversification activity is. This set of potential impacts is

based on the assumption that the diversification is marine or aquatic based. Potential

impacts include:

habitat degradation;

pollution;

enrichment of water bodies;

loss of biodiversity; and

introduction of exotic species.

Poly-culture initiatives: In most poly-culture situations the impacts are positive because

the by-products from one part of the operation become the inputs for another part.

Therefore, it is necessary to take a holistic approach to the evaluation of impacts and the

entire operation needs to be seen as one unit. This makes it difficult to determine impacts



34

without knowing exactly what activities will be grouped together. The suggested impacts

assume that the operation is an agriculture/aquaculture or multispecies aquaculture-based

one:

enrichment of water bodies;

introduction of exotic species; and

loss of habitat.

Sustainable aquaculture: This is the preferred agricultural method because of the built-

in safeguards and best practices. Negative environmental impacts are expected to be

minimal.

Tourism related activities: Most people do not see tourism as having an impact on the

environment because it is seen as a non-invasive activity. Nothing is cut, caught or killed

so hence there is no impact. However, recent studies done on the impact of tourism on

protected areas indicated that the impacts were significant and required planned

management measures. Most impacts come from increase in use of resources that were

already being used, such as water and energy. Potential impacts from tourism projects

include:

solid and liquid waste disposal issues;

degradation or modification of habitat;

depletion of natural resources; and

air and noise pollution.

6.2 Overview on the Project’s Environmental Management

All the environmental impacts of the JSDF-SNRL project will result from the

implementation of the sub-projects. Therefore, environmental management of the project

must take place throughout the sub-project cycle. The following steps will be taken to

ensure proper environmental management at all stages and levels:

There will be careful screening of sub-projects while the project proposals are

being developed to ensure that all the necessary safeguards and regulatory

requirements are built into the sub-project at the start.

Detailed environmental management plans will be developed where they are

required.

Where a detailed EMP is not required, the Technical Officer will guide sub-

project proponents to identify and apply the applicable set of good environmental

practices and related indicators will be developed and a monitoring framework

established.



35

The Technical Officer will conduct monthly field visits to support and monitor

EMP implementation, focusing especially on the higher-risk sub-projects.

The Technical Officer will report back to the PIU and the TAC.

Specialized technical expertise for example on integrated pest management will

be called in when and where it is required.

6.3 Environmental Concept Screening:

Each sub-project proposed to be funded by the project will be screened for its potential

negative and positive socio-environmental impacts. The goal is to enhance the positive

impacts while avoiding or reducing the negative impacts. The initial environmental

screening will determine sub-projects’ environmental eligibility and provide the basic

information for the PIU to determine if the sub-project requires further environmental

assessment to ensure that the appropriate environmental safeguards are in place and

authorization is obtained as stipulated in the EPA or EIA Regulation.

All sub-projects being considered for funding need to meet the following general

eligibility criteria:

Project Eligibility Criteria

The JSDF-SNRL project will provide sub-grants to organized groups resident in the

communities identified in the project proposal. In order to access these allocations,

beneficiary groups must:

Be resident in one of the eight (8) geographical areas targeted;

Be users of the natural resources in the particular protected area, forest or marine

area;

Have participated in the community meetings conducted in the preparatory phase

of the project;

Be registered as a formal group for at least one year;

If not registered, be willing to work with an NGO or CBO active in the particular

area; and

Have clearly identified community needs and potential project ideas to address

those needs.

A beneficiary group must agree to:

o Actively participate in the specific training activities organized by the

SNRL project for the identified communities;

o Establish a natural resource monitoring and vigilance team in the first year

of the sub-project; and



36

o Develop a community management plan and regulations for the particular

protected area within the first two years of the project.

Sub-projects must be viable, environmentally friendly business applications that

can generate income and employment opportunities for the communities

identified.

Projects can be drawn from, but are not limited to, the following categories:

o Agriculture;

o Agro processing and value adding;

o Non-timber forest products;

o Fisheries diversification;

o Poly-culture initiatives;

o Sustainable aquaculture; and

o Tourism related activities.

While a sub-project concept is being developed, it will be screened to determine overall

eligibility based on the above criteria. Simultaneously, an environmental screening will be

done using the following procedure to determine the sub-project’s eligibility from an

environmental point of view, and whether it requires a Limited Level Environmental Study

(LLES) or only application of relevant environmental good practice guidelines:

6.4 Environmental Exclusion Criteria

In addition to the overall eligibility criteria presented above, sub-projects will be

excluded from consideration based on the following environmental criteria:

No environmental scan or analysis was done (sub-project documents are

submitted without the applicable environmental management instrument);

It is on Schedule I of the EPA Regulations or on Schedule II but requires an

Environmental Impact Assessment or Category A of the World Bank Safeguards

(See Annex 5 and chapter 5.0 above); the negative impacts are irreversible and/or

would require significant investment to mitigate or repair;

Even if temporary, the impacts are sufficiently large to negatively affect nearby

communities for an extended period;

It is in an area that is considered sensitive by the respective lead agencies, for

example core zone of a protected area or a known historical or cultural site;

It employs technologies that are considered to be inappropriate for the area or the

country; and

It introduces non-native species or uses GMOs.



37

6.5 Environmental Screening Instrument

A sub-projects’ environmental screening will be prepared by the sub-project proponents and will

be submitted to the PIU together with the completed project application form that is currently

being used. The screening will be done using the following instrument:

Environmental Screening Instrument

Who is doing the project?

Where is it located?

List all natural features associated with the

project site (rivers, streams, hills, etc.)

List any critical habitat or specially

protected wildlife (contact the Forest or

Fisheries Department, or the PIU for

information as needed)

What is the closest water body and how far

is it from the project activities?

What are the project activities?

What resources will be used?

What is the project cost?

When are you expecting to start the project?

How much time do you expect is needed for

project implementation?

What are the benefits to the organization,

the community?

Are you familiar with the legal

requirements, government agencies, permits

required, and procedures that are associated

with your project?

The following questions will help in deciding if your project requires additional

environmental assessment. Please answer each question to the best of your knowledge.

Activity Response

Yes No

Are there any known cultural or indigenous sites in the area?

Is land being reclaimed near the coast or some waterway?

Will it double the volume of marine products that is landed?

Will it involve cutting of mangroves?



38

Will land reclamation be done that involves an acre or more?

Will it involve aquaculture?

Will you do land-based aquaculture that will cut mangroves?

Will your aquaculture project excavate more than 25 acres?

Will you be constructing on a hillside?

Will you be operating in a protected area other than a forest or marine reserve?

Will you be drilling for water?

Will you be doing earth moving of 100 cubic yards or more?

Will you be doing sand mining?

Is it tourism accommodation facilities?

Does it involve poultry or livestock rearing?

Does it involve food or agro-processing?

Will you be storing large quantities of fuel or oil (500 gals or more)?

Is it light industry that involves leather, wood, textiles or large quantities of

paper?

Will the project build permanent concrete or wooden structures that are more

than 500 square feet?

Does it involve recycling or movement of solid waste?

Will the project be generating more than 6 cubic yards of solid waste per

week?

Is there a large volume of effluent (more than 1,000 gals at any one time)?

Does it involve construction of permanent structures along a river or stream?

Does it involve the building of an access road or bridge?

Will you be using chemical fertilizers or pesticides?

Will it clear land?

Will logging be involved?

Please provide a short explanation for every ‘yes’ answer above:



39

Limited Level Environmental Study

If a sub-project requires a Limited Level Environmental Study (LLES), the sub-project

proponents will need to contract an environmental consultant to carry it out using the

sample Terms of References provided in Annex 6.

6.6 Environmental Management Plans

Each sub-project will need an Environmental Management Plan (EMP), the type and

scope of which will depend on the sub-project’s potential for negative impacts.

The Technical Officer will review the submitted Environmental Screening Instruments.

Based on the information contained in the document, he will arrange for a site visit, and

where necessary, accompanied by a member of the DoE staff.

Based on the findings of the site visit and on advice of the DoE, the sub-project

proponents will either be required to:

(i) complete the Environmental Assessment Document (Annex 3). Once completed,

the document will be forwarded to the PIU. The DoE will be asked to review the

Assessment Document and determine whether a LLES is required and what

components of the LLES will be included in the final report. If the project is

allowed to proceed directly to an EMP, then the DoE will be requested to

recommend the elements to be included in the plan and the sub-project

proponents will be notified. If a LLES is required, then the proponents will be

given a time for its completion and the LLES components that need to be

included. The completed LLES will be reviewed by the PIU for completeness and

by the DoE for compliance. If the LLES is satisfactory, then the DoE, in

conjunction with the Technical Officer, will determine the elements for an EMP

that becomes part of the sub-project document. The EMP will be the equivalent

of the DoE’s Environmental Compliance Plan (ECP).

(ii) develop a rudimentary EMP under the guidance of the Technical Officer and on

elements determined by DoE. Also these EMPs become part of the sub-project

document.

The Technical Officer will provide the required technical support to the sub-project

proponents during this process.

An EMP will result from each LLES for those sub-projects that require one (named

Environmental Compliance Plan in the respective national regulation). In cases where an

LLES is not required, but after the completion of the Environmental Assessment



40

Document (Annex 3) it is decided that an EMP is required, it will be developed

specifically for each sub-project. The EMPs will include but not be limited to the

following components:

Project Background: A summary of project objectives, activities and expected results.

Expected Impacts: The expected environmental impacts of each project activity,

indicating the expected extent of the impacts and whether they are direct or indirect.

Mitigation Measures: A description of the activities and measures that will be used to

address each identified impact. Information is also required on the procedures,

equipment and methodologies suggested and why they are considered to be the most

appropriate. Mitigation measures must follow the Mitigation Hierarchy presented in

Table 4 below.

Monitoring Program: Monitoring is necessary to provide information on the extent to

which the EMP is being complied and whether the mitigation measures are having the

desired effect. Each EMP will have a comprehensive set of indicators that provide

information on every activity that is being monitored. It is preferable if said indicators

have a simple YES/NO answer. The monitoring must be done on a fixed schedule

that is detailed and documented. The EMPs will also make provisions for analysis to

help understanding if the mitigation efforts function properly. Government agencies

and NGOs may be able to assist with monitoring as they may have the resources and

expertise required.

Lines of Responsibility: The EMP will clearly indicate the lines of responsibility

indicating who is responsible for what and by when.

Cost estimates and sources of funds: These are specified for the initial sub-project

investment and for the mitigation and monitoring activities as a sub-project is

implemented (basically construction and operation phases). Funds to implement the

EMP may form part of the applied sub-project grant or come from the community, or

both.

Additional Information: Any additional information that is considered to be relevant

and pertinent to the EMP will be included. This includes such things as a list of

technical persons to be contacted in the event of questions or concerns, or actions

taken in the event of unforeseen circumstances.

Mitigation Hierarchy

Action Response

1. Avoid Efforts need to focus on avoiding any adverse impacts on the

environment.

2. Minimize Where impacts cannot be avoided, ways in which the project



41

can be designed to minimize impacts will be identified.

3. Mitigate Where significant impacts can neither be avoided nor

minimized, measures will be identified to mitigate those

impacts.

4. Offset Where significant residual impacts will remain, in spite of all

reasonable attempts to avoid, minimize and mitigate those

impacts, actions or projects will be identified to offset those

impacts. Any offsetting must be seen as a last resort and

should be structured in keeping with the appropriate legal

framework.

Table 4: Mitigation Hierarchy to be used to determine the order in which

environmental management measures must be considered.

Sub-projects with minor impacts that don’t require preparation of a particular EMP will apply the

relevant environmental good practices as presented under Chapter 8 below and/or as agreed upon

with the PIU in consultation with the DoE. In these cases, the EMP can simply state the set of

environmental good practices that will be applied and the respective responsibilities and

monitoring procedures, as well as the estimated cost implications.

6.7 Risks from Climate Variability and Change

As a low-lying Small Island Developing State, Belize is and will continue to be affected

by the effects of climate variability and change. The latest Climate Change Vulnerability

Index (CCVI) done by global risk advisory firm Maplecraft, places Belize as 33 on the

list of 170 countries. The CCVI evaluates 42 social, economic and environmental factors

to assess national vulnerabilities across three core areas that include: (i) exposure to

climate-related natural disasters and sea-level rise; (ii) human sensitivity, in terms of

population patterns, development, natural resources, agricultural dependency and

conflicts; (iii) the capacity of a country’s government and infrastructure to adapt to

climate change. Current climate effects impacting the country as advised by the relevant

authorities include:

Frequent and severe weather events;

Increased incidents of tropical cyclones;

A mean sea level rise of 1 meter by 2050;

A mean sea surface temperature increase of 2 degrees Celsius by 2050;

Shorter wet periods with an increase in the amount of precipitation leading to

increased incidents of flooding;



42

Increased dry periods leading to localized semi-arid conditions;

Increase in the type and number of pests; and

Expansion of the range of certain species.

These risks can and may have an impact on sub-projects that will be funded by the

project. Consequently, it is necessary to address relevant climate effects on each sub-

project: Each proposal will have a section that addresses the known climate risks. A

simple but practical response plan will then be developed to address the identified risks

and included in and monitored through the sub-project’s EMP. The Technical Officer

will be the first resource to work with the beneficiary communities to identify the

particular risks to their location and activity and develop a response plan to address those

risks.

6.8 Identification and Evaluation of Environmental Impacts

The identification of environmental impacts will be done using established Department of

the Environment procedure and expertise. There are a number of checklists and

guidelines that have been produced by the DoE that have been rigorously tested. These

will be used where appropriate, based on the initial environmental scan and screen, to

properly identify and address the impacts associated with each sub-project. DoE expertise

will be brought in at the early stages of project development to ensure that proper

procedure is being followed and the most appropriate advice is being obtained.

7.0 Institutional Strengthening and Capacity Building

7.1 Training

It is anticipated that there will be need for training at the community level for persons

who will be responsible for or participate in the environmental management of their sub-

projects, including environmental monitoring. Training will be provided for all sub-

projects through the PIU; where possible, training will be grouped for economy of time

and logistics. Training needs will have to be assessed while sub-project proposals are

developed and it becomes clear where gaps in capacity exist within the communities. The

Technical Officer will work with the communities to ensure that all the relevant training

needs are met.



43

7.2 Awareness and Technical Assistance

It will be the responsibility of the PIU to liaise with the relevant public agencies and

NGOs and to ensure that the sub-project proponents are aware of procedures and

requirements for their respective sub-project. It will be the responsibility of the

organizations to ensure that relevant information is obtained and communication is

maintained. The TAC will function as a point of entry and clearing house for requests for

specialized technical assistance. When necessary, project staff will put community

organizations in contact with the appropriate agency/NGOs to provide any technical

assistance and expertise that is required.

8.0 Application of Safeguards and Environmental Good Practices2

81. Pesticides Use and Management

Agrochemical use is a reality and a challenge in modern agriculture. Pest management

and fertilization are critical if production levels and quality are to be high enough to meet

market demands. In Belize, the Pesticides Control Board has taken a very proactive stand

in proposing and promoting Integrated Crop Management, which is method that

advocates for the use of less agrochemicals, particularly pesticides. The Board’s staff has

also developed manuals and provided training for pesticide users. It has put in place a

licensing system which requires that users be licensed before handling restricted

pesticides, and training is a mandatory part of the licensing. The Board’s guidelines for

the handling, use and storage of agrochemicals will be used for pesticide use in this

project (see Annex 4). The key content of said guidelines for the purposes of the project

is the following:

Persons handling and applying pesticides will need to be trained and licensed;

Transportation, handling, application and storage of pesticides will follow the

respective PCB guidelines;

Sub-project owners will submit a planting plan to PCB;

Sub-project owners will provide harvest notification information to PIU and PCB;

Sub-project owners will submit production samples to PCB for residue testing;

and

Sub-project owners will keep properly all the necessary records and make them

available to PCB and PIU staff upon request.

2 This chapter does not cover a comprehensive set of applicable guidelines for environmental good practices; the

necessary and most useful additional guidelines will be identified during project implementation as different types of

sub-project categories are being prepared and submitted for approval.



44

8.2 Aquaculture

It is expected that the aquaculture/mariculture sub-projects that will be presented for

funding by the JSDF-SNRL project will be small to medium sized. This is generally up to

about 20 acres in production ponds. The Fisheries Department has developed a set of

guidelines for small aquaculture operations. These will be the general guidelines to be

followed by groups that plan to do aquaculture:

The Fisheries Department will be involved with all the environmental scans and

screening for any aquaculture sub-project that is being developed;

The Fisheries Department will sign off on the technical aspects of any aquaculture

or mariculture sub-project;

Implementation guidelines and monitoring activities will be developed in

conjunction with the Fisheries Department; and

Adjustments will be made to the guidelines as a need arises.

8.3 Physical Cultural Property

The country of Belize is littered with Mayan sites of varying historical value.

Additionally, with the ethnic and cultural diversity of Belize, items of historical

significance can be found anywhere. The legislation gives ownership of certain physical

cultural property to the Government of Belize. All sub-project sites will be screened to

ensure that sub-projects will not be implemented in known sites of cultural or historical

importance.

The Belize Ancient Monuments and Antiquities Act defines “Ancient Monument” as

“any structure or building erected by man or any natural feature transformed or worked

by man, or the remains or any part thereof, whether upon any land or in any river, stream

or watercourse or under the territorial waters of the country, that has been in existence for

one hundred years or more”; and “antiquity” as “any article manufactured or worked by

man, whether of stone, pottery, metal, wood, glass, or any other substance, or any part

thereof-

(i) the manufacture or workmanship of which belongs to the Mayan or other

American civilization being of an age of one hundred and fifty years or more;

or

(ii) the manufacture or workmanship of which belongs to a civilization other than

the Mayan or American civilization being an article which is of an age of one

hundred and fifty years or more”



45

It is the purview of the Institute of Archaeology to determine the historic value of any

identified site. If there is uncertainty about a site, the IoA will be sought for advice. No

large scale excavation is expected or will be supported under the project. However, if

anything of historical/cultural importance or significance is found during the normal

course of implementation of a sub-project, the following steps of change find procedures

will be taken:

(a) Cease operations immediately and document the time and location of the find;

(b) The PIU and IoA will be notified within 4 hrs of the discovery;

(c) The site will be secured to prevent any damage or loss of removable objects.

In cases of removable antiquities or sensitive remains, a night guard shall be

present until the responsible authorities take over;

(d) The person in charge will follow instructions of the PIU and/or IoA;

(e) All steps taken and information provided will be documented;

(f) The PIU will work closely with the relevant authorities to ensure that things

are done in accordance with required procedure; and

(g) Work shall resume only after authorization is given by the responsible

authorities.

8.4 Adaptation to Climate Change

Sub-projects’ specific response to possible effects of climate variability and change will

be part of any monitoring plan that is developed. However, there will be instances where

a specific plan is not required and inclusion of basic precautions in the sub-project

designs suffice. For example, location screening should ensure that sub-projects are not

sited in areas prone to flooding. An Emergency Response Plan/Procedure should be part

of the administration of any sub-project. The National Emergency Management

Organization (NEMO) has guidelines that should be followed in the case of an

emergency. The Technical Officer and PIU will work with community groups to ensure

that the necessary responses to climate change activities are in place. The PIU will draw

on the expertise from the Met Office, Climate Change Office and CARICOM Climate

Change Center to ensure that the proper advice and instructions are being made available.

9.0 Cost of the Environmental Management Framework Implementation

9.1 Environmental Monitoring and Follow up

The cost of implementing this EMF will accumulate from two sources. At the project

level, staff time and travel is already budgeted for and should be adequate since field



46

visits will encompass more than just monthly monitoring activities. The cost of

developing, implementing and monitoring EMPs at the sub-project level will be built into

the cost of the individual sub-projects in dialogue with the sub-project proponents,

including necessary environmental licensing as applicable. Monitoring activities at the

site level will be specific to each sub-project and will be contained in the monitoring

guidelines of each EMP. Monthly visits and desk reviews will be conducted by the

Technical Officer. Field visits will focus especially on the higher-risk sub-projects.

Because the project’s impacts will derive from the sub-projects, the focus of the

environmental monitoring will be to ensure that EMPs and relevant Guidelines (see

Chapter 8 and/or as agreed with the PIU) are being implemented properly. It will be

critical that the sub-projects receive the necessary feedback in a timely fashion so that

any discrepancies can be addressed in as short a time as possible. Importantly, all

monitoring activities will be conducted in an over-arching spirit of capacity building and

technical support with the aim of creating environmental awareness and know-how for

longer-term purposes; beyond the exact boundaries of the project activities.

9.3 Indicators of Environmental Monitoring

Environmental monitoring indicators will be site and sub-project specific. They will be

developed in conjunction with the sub-project teams to ensure that they are appropriate

and adequate. As needed, expertise and advice will be sought from the appropriate

technical agency.

9.4 Sub-project Supervision and Monitoring Procedures

Sub-project supervision and monitoring will be done on a regular basis by the PIU. The

technical staff of the project will make the necessary arrangements with the sub-projects

to do field visits and review reports on a monthly basis. Feedback will be provided on a

timely basis. This will ensure that if there is a need for corrective action it will be taken in

a timely fashion.

10 Conclusions

No plan in and of itself will be the perfect solution to a problem. By their very nature plans are

fluid things because they need to be able to adapt to changing situations in a future that very little

is known about. This plan will, of necessity, need to be reviewed, revised, modified or updated

as circumstances change and new information is obtained. The important thing is that it is

available to guide the very important process of avoiding or reducing the impact of project

implementation on the thing it is designed to protect; the national protected areas system. Any



47

plan is only as useful as the extent to which it is used, and used properly. With frequent and

proper use this plan should serve the purpose for which it was developed and ensure

environmentally responsible implementation of the JSDF-SNRL project.



48

REFERENCES

Belize Tourism Board, 2011, Annual Tourism Report 2011

Center for Global Development, Mapping the Impacts of Climate Change [online] Available

from http://www.cgdev.org/page/mapping-impacts-climate-change

Department of the Environment Belize, (2011). Procedures Manual for the Preparation of an

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in Belize. [Online]. Available from:

http://www.doe.gov.bz/documents/EIA Manual Belize.pdf. [Accessed: 12 October 2013]

Government of Belize, Department of the Environment, 2006, Country Environmental Report

Geraldo Gold, 2007, Geomorphology of the subterranean river system in Yucatan

Government of Belize. Pesticide Control Act Chapter 216 Revised Edition 2003 Showing

Substantive Laws as at 31st May, 2003. (2003). [Online]. Available from

http://www.pcbbelize.com/cap216.pdf. [Accessed: 20 January 2013]

Government of Belize. Fisheries Act Chapter 210 Revised Edition 2003 Showing Substantive

Laws as at 31st May, 2003. (2003). [Online]. Available from

http://www.belizelaw.org/cap210.pdf. [Accessed: 20 October 2013]

Government of Belize. Forest Act Chapter 213 Revised Edition 2000. (2000). [Online].

Available from http://www.belizelaw.org/cap213.pdf. [Accessed: 20 October 2013]

Government of Belize. Environmental Protection Act Chapter 328 Revised Edition 2000. (2000).

[Online]. Available from http://www.belizelaw.org/cap328.pdf. [Accessed: 20 October 2013]

Government of Belize. National Parks System Act Chapter 215 Revised Edition 2000 (2000).


Government of Belize. Wildlife Protection 220 Revised Edition 2000 (2000). [Online]. Available

from http://www.belizelaw.org/cap220.pdf. [Accessed: 20 October 2013]

Government of Belize. Private Forests Act Chapter 217 Revised Edition 2000 (2000). [Online].

Available from http://www.belizelaw.org/cap217.pdf. [Accessed: 20 October 2013]

http://www.doe.gov.bz/documents/EIA%20Manual%20Belize.pdf



49

Government of Belize. Agricultural Fires Act Chapter 204 Revised Edition 2000 (2000).


Government of Belize. Belize Agricultural Health Authority Act Chapter 211 Revised Edition

2000 (2000). [Online]. Available from http://www.belizelaw.org/cap211.pdf. [Accessed: 20

October 2013]

Government of Belize. Belize Tourism Board Act Chapter 275 Revised Edition 2000 (2000).


Government of Belize. Ancient Monuments and Antiquities Act Chapter 330 Revised Edition

2000 (2000). [Online]. Available from http://www.belizelaw.org/cap330.pdf. [Accessed: 20

October 2013]

Tony Rath, 1996, Characterization of the Southern Belize Shelf

David Wheeler, 2011, Quantifying Vulnerability to Climate Change: Implications for Adaptation

Assistance: Center for Global Development

World Bank (2012). OP 4.01 - Environmental Assessment [online]. [Online]. 2012. Available

from http://go.worldbank.org/U77YE3KJ50

http://go.worldbank.org/U77YE3KJ50



50

ANNEXES Belize Protected Areas

Annex 1



51

Protected Areas Categories as defined by IUCN

Protected Areas Category Ia

Protected areas that are strictly set aside to protect biodiversity and also possibly

geological/geomorphological features, where human visitation, use and impacts are strictly controlled and

limited to ensure protection of the conservation values. Such protected areas can serve as indispensable

reference areas for scientific research and monitoring. The objective is to conserve regionally, nationally

or globally outstanding ecosystems, species (occurrences or aggregations) and/or geodiversity features:

these attributes will have been formed mostly or entirely by non-human forces and will be degraded or

destroyed when subjected to all but very light human impact.

Protected Areas Category Ib

Protected areas that are usually large unmodified or slightly modified areas, retaining their natural

character and influence, without permanent or significant human habitation, which are protected and

managed so as to preserve their natural conditions. The primary objective is to protect the long-term

ecological integrity of natural areas that are undisturbed by significant human activity, free of modern

infrastructure and where natural forces and processes predominate, so that current and future generations

have the opportunity to experience such areas.

Protected Areas Category II

Large natural or near natural areas set aside to protect large-scale ecological processes, along with the

complement of species and ecosystems characteristic of the area, which also provide a foundation for

environmentally and culturally compatible spiritual, scientific, educational, recreational and visitor

opportunities. Primary objective is to protect natural biodiversity along with its underlying ecological

structure and supporting environmental processes, and to promote education and recreation.

Protected Areas Category III

Protected areas set aside to protect a specific natural monument, which can be a landform, sea mount,

submarine cavern, geological feature such as a cave or even a living feature such as an ancient grove.

They are generally quite small protected areas and often have high visitor value. The primary objective is

to protect specific outstanding natural features and their associated biodiversity and habitats. Category III

protected areas are usually relatively small sites that focus on one or more prominent natural features and

the associated ecology, rather than on a broader ecosystem. They are managed in much the same way as

category II.

Protected Areas Category IV

Annex 2



52

Protected areas that aim to protect particular species or habitats. Many category IV protected areas need

regular, active interventions to address the requirements of particular species or to maintain habitats, but

this is not a requirement of the category. The primary objective is to maintain, conserve and restore

species and habitats. Category IV protected areas usually help to protect, or restore: 1) flora species of

international, national or local importance; 2) fauna species of international, national or local importance

including resident or migratory fauna; and/or 3) habitats. The size of the area varies but can often be

relatively small; this is however not a distinguishing feature.

Protected Areas Category V

A protected area where the interaction of people and nature over time has produced an area of distinct

character with significant ecological, biological, cultural and scenic value: and where safeguarding the

integrity of this interaction is vital to protecting and sustaining the area and its associated nature

conservation and other values. The primary objective is to protect and sustain important

landscapes/seascapes and the associated nature conservation and other values created by interactions with

humans through traditional management practices.

Protected Areas Category VI

Protected areas that conserve ecosystems and habitats, together with associated cultural values and

traditional natural resource management systems. They are generally large, with most of the area in a

natural condition, where a proportion is under sustainable natural resource management and where low-

level non-industrial use of natural resources compatible with nature conservation is seen as one of the

main aims of the area. The primary objective is to protect natural ecosystems and use natural resources

sustainably, when conservation and sustainable use can be mutually beneficial.



53

Environmental Assessment Document

TO BE COMPLETED BY THE APPLICANT WITH ASSISTANCE FROM THE TECHNICAL

OFFICER (or some other competent person)

Before you fill out this form, please ensure you have read or had explained to you, and understand

the environmental regulations of Belize (Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, SI

10711995 as amended in March 2007-S1 24 of 2007). All information should be typed clearly.

Existing Development Yes/No Types of Operation (or list major activity):

Extension to existing Development Yes/No

New Development Yes/No

1. GENERAL INFORMATION DESCRIBING THE PROJECT (A) Project Title: (B) Purpose and brief description for the project:

List all elements of the project and off site ancillary developments to be included in this

application (e.g.: buildings, plants, roads, pipelines, wells, camps, etc.) (C) Name of the owner and/or Company:

(I) Address:

(II) Name of the Contact Person:

(III) Telephone:

(IV) FAX Number:

(V) Email:

(VI) Web page:

(VII) Commercial or industrial registration Number:

(VIII) Previous Applications or Work in following countries:

(D) List all other Environmental Permits or Licenses held by you for the same location and/or related operations. (E) Location

(Attach a copy of Land Registration, Lease agreement, maps, layout plans, diagrams, photographs,

and if available give GPS coordinates):

(I) Reasons for selecting this particular location:

(II) Other locations considered:

(III) Distance to the nearest residential area and public roads:

(F) Positive Impacts:

(i) Will the project correct any environmental damage that may have occurred in the past?

(ii) Will it improve on any existing efforts to be environmentally responsible?

Annex 3



54

(iii) What is the community’s role in ensuring environmentally responsible implementation?

(F) Area of land required for the project and existing land uses (farmland, residential, industrial,

recreational, etc.):

(I) Area required during construction:

(II) Area required during operation:

(III) Area reserved for future development:

(IV) Area required for ancillary development, housing and recreation:

(V) Area required for new roads and amenities:

(G) Project schedule:

(I) Estimated date of the beginning and end of construction:

(II) Estimated date for the beginning of operation:

(III) Estimated date of the end of the project or decommissioning:

(IV) Other significant dates:

(H) Number of people utilizing the site:

Skilled Unskilled Total

(I) During construction:

(II) During operation:

(III) Foreigners:

(IV) Nationals:

(I) Types and Number of Equipment to be used:

(I) On-site:

(II) Off-site:

2. PROJECT DETAILS (A) Area/size, construction method and appearance of buildings and installations:

Architectural Design and/or Site Plan: Number of Buildings: Geo-physical Information: Access and Internal Roads Design: Describe landscaping if applicable:

(B) Approximate location of:

(I) Construction camps:

(II) Temporary access roads:

(III) Material storage sites:



55

(Please attach maps) (C) Describe project's infrastructure and utilities requirements. Indicate whether they exist or need to be developed:

(I) Water:

(II) Electricity:

(III) Fuels (Types/Quantities):

(IV) Roads, airports, etc.:

(D) Describe associated projects and off site developments which are NOT INCLUDED in this application:

(Roads, power plants, desalination plants, wastewater treatment plants, crushers, borrow pits,

quarries, housing and recreational facilities, etc.) (E) Periods of operation:

(Seasonal, shifts, business hours, phases) (F) Raw materials, chemicals, fuels:

(Scientific and commercial names, types, quantities, chemical composition, sources of raw materials or energy consumed and attach Material Safety Data Sheets)

(G) Describe methods of transportation, handling and storage of raw materials, chemicals, fuel:

3. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS

(This includes direct, indirect, secondary, cumulative, short, medium, and long-term, permanent

and temporary impacts of the project) (A) Expected impacts on people, building and man-made structures: (B) Expected impacts on plants, animals:

- loss or damage to habitats of trees, and other plants, and animal species including marine

- endangered species (C) Expected impacts on land:

(Topography, soil or beach erosion, land use, natural drainage, etc.)

(D) Solid non hazardous waste/hazardous waste (during construction and operation phase)

(I) Source and nature:

(II) Quantities:

(III) Methods of treatment/control:

(IV) Final disposal site/method: (E) Expected impacts on water:

(Impacts on surface, underground/aquifer, coastal waters and estuarine hydrology, impacts of

pollutants on water quality, surface water collection, aesthetics)

(F) Wastewater, drainage and surface runoff (during construction and operation phase):



56

(I) Source and Nature:

(II) Volumes:


(IV) Final disposal site/method: (G) Expected impacts on air quality:

(Emissions from existing and future sources of air pollution during the construction and

operation phases)

(I) Sources and nature of air emissions:

(II) Quantities:


(IV) Final discharge (indicate the proposed physical stack height and location):

(V) Monitoring/modeling of air emissions:

(H) Identify and quantify noise and vibration sources during Construction and Operation

(I) Public environment (outdoors):

(II) Working environment (indoors): (I) Explosives:

(I) Type, name and purpose of using:

(II) Quantities: (III) When and Duration of use:

(J) Importation of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)

(I) Measures to prevent contamination of local species used traditionally: (II) Presentation of Studies locally and abroad on the safe use of these (III) Introduced species:

(K) Other Impacts

Provide information on any other impacts specific to this development:

Relocation of people:

Health Issues:

Social Issues:

General Environmental Issues:

4. Summary Issues

EIA Aspects Questions of Verification Yes No Additional

Information

required

Sources of

Impact

1. Does it require the conversion of significant land

areas (e.g. >20 acres)?

2. Does it require clearing or leveling of large areas of

land (e.g. >20 acres), or land with steep slope (e.g. >

5%)



57

3. Does it require significant use of fertilizer and

pesticides (the significance depends in the type of

chemical, volume/proportions used in application,

user experience)?

4. Does it require housing services or agricultural

lands to support the labor force? 5. Does it require an increase in the agriculture

processing capacity? 6. Will Exotics or GMOs be imported and introduced

in local environment? Impact

Receptors

7. Does it consist of converting lands that support the

conservation of valued land and aquatic ecosystems,

flora and fauna (e.g. protected areas, wild habitats,

forest reserves, critical habitats, and endangered

species); or that contain sites of cultural or historical

importance?

8. Does it enter into conflict with existing uses of

land, use of drinking water sources, labor demands? 9. Will traditional species/varieties used by Belizean

farmers be exposed to these introduced varieties? Environmental

Impacts

10. Does it lead to land erosion, land degradation,

decreasing crop yield, etc. due to incompatibility

between adaptation and land management practices?

11. Does it cause people to change the means by

which they sustain their lifestyles (the significance

depends on the socioeconomic scale and type of

impact, e.g. consent of change, lopsided benefits)?

12. Does it present risk of contamination, due to run-

off of pesticides or fertilizers into water bodies that

support the conservation of ecosystems and valued

species, or pools of commercially significant fish

species?

13. Does it induce unplanned development through the

construction of access routes and local roads? Mitigation

Measures

14. Does it require significant services to establish and

sustain the project (e.g. at long term> 2 years, intense

training)?

15. Could it require mitigation measures that could

result in the project being socially and economically

unacceptable?



58

Comments



59

Pesticides Control Board Guidelines

Pesticides Control Board

Guide for Rational and Efficient Pesticides Management

Pesticides can poison through the skin, the mouth and by inhaling it. Thus, care for the following:

Avoid unlabeled or poorly packaged pesticides

Transport pesticides in a secure container

Separate pesticides from food, people and animals

Store pesticides in a secure place outside the home

Always read the label

Always use protective gear

Always ensure that you use the correct dosage

Observe the pre-harvest interval

Do not spray when it is windy or likely to rain

It is safest to spray in the morning or evening

Keep children and animals away from the spray site

Have water, soap and a first aid kit readily available at the spray site

Collect water with a clean bucket

Pour clean water to the half tank mark through the strainer

Handle powder formulations with the wind to you back

Measure the dose carefully.

Mix powder formulations with water before adding to the tank

Rinse your gloves immediately after handling concentrated pesticides

After measuring rinse the measure and pour the rinse water in the tank

Rinse empty pesticide containers three times and pour the rinse water in the tank

Shake the tank well and then fill to the full mark

Clean the outside of the spray can

Rinse your gloves again before taking them off

Work with the wind to your back or sides

Never spray with a leaky pump

Clear blocked spray tips with a piece of straw

After spraying wash yourself well before eating, drinking or smoking

Spray leftover spray mix and rinse water along crop borders

At the end of the day clean your pump and do all necessary repairs

Never rinse your spray equipment in or near a waterway

Wash work clothes separately. Except for rubber equipment, hang to dry in the sun

Never store food or water in empty pesticide containers

Render empty containers unusable before destroying them

At job’s end take a bath and put on clean clothes and footwear

Annex 4



60

What to do if an accident occurs

If pesticide should splash on your skin wash it off immediately.

Wash pesticides from the eyes with clean water for 15 minutes. See a doctor.

Stop work immediately if you suddenly become ill while working with pesticides.

See a doctor and take the label of the pesticide with you.



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DoE Regulations - Schedule I

SCHEDULE 1 The following shall be considered as Schedule I projects: A full Environmental Impact Assessment shall be completed for any project, program or activity with the following purposes:

(a) A trading port, an inland waterway which permits the passage of vessels or a port for inland waterway traffic capable of handling such vessels.

(b) A waste disposal installation for the incineration or chemical treatment or final disposal of waste.

(c) An installation designed solely for the permanent storage or final disposal of any waste.

(d) An integrated chemical installation, that is to say, an industrial installation or group of installation where two or more linked chemical or physical processes are employed.

(e) Any airport having an airstrip of 2,500 meters or longer. (f) Lease of more than five hundred (500) acres of National Lands. (g) Major waterworks: dam, impoundments, alteration of river banks and shoreline,

alteration of ground water, diversion of water courses, modification of stream flows. Infrastructure Projects

(a) Construction of hospitals with outfall into beach fronts used for recreational purposes. (b) Industrial estate developments for medium and heavy industries. (c) Construction of national highways and other roads of more than 10 miles in length. (d) Construction of new townships.

Chemical Industry

(a) The treatment of intermediate products and production of chemicals (insecticides, fungicides, herbicides and other pesticides).

(b) The production of pesticides or pharmaceutical products, paints, varnishes, elastomers or peroxides.

(c) Industrial carbon. (d) Alkalis. (e) Electrochemical (metallic sodium, potassium and magnesium, chlorides, perchlorates

and peroxides). (f) Electrothermal products (artificial abrasive, calcium carbides). (g) Phosphorous and its compounds. (h) Nitrogenous compounds (cyanide, cyanamide and other nitrogenous compounds). (i) Halogens and halogenated compounds (chlorine, fluorine, bromine and iodine). (j) Explosives (including industrial explosives, detonators and fuses). (k) Any hazardous substances listed in Part of the Schedule to the Act.

Petroleum (a) Oil exploration (b) Oil production (c) Oil refining

Cement (a) Production of cement (b) Asbestos cement products Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Manufacturing of drugs and pharmaceuticals including vitamins (antibiotics and indigenous systems of medicines recovered)

Energy Projects

Annex 5



62

(a) Any large installation for the production of electricity, steam or hot water (b) An industrial installation for carrying gas, steam or hot water, or the transmission of electrical energy by overhead or underwater cables

Industrial Processing of Metals

(a) An installation for the production (including smelting, electro-plating, refining, drawing or rolling) of non-ferrous metals, other than precious metals (b) Boiler making or manufacturing reservoirs, tanks and other sheet metal containers (c) An installation for the roasting of metallic ores.

Other Projects

(a) Establishment of mines and quarries (b) Installation for the disposal of solid waste or waste from mines and quarries (c) A site for depositing sludge (d) The manufacturing, packing, loading or placing in cartridges of gunpowder or other explosives



63

Sample LLES Format

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR:

A LIMITED LEVEL ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY …. NEAR

THE BELIZE BARRIER REEF COMPLEX IN THE BELIZE DISTIRCT

This Terms of Reference (TOR) has been prepared following the scoping for the most critical

issues that will need to be addressed for the proposed activity.

In preparation of the Limited Level Environmental Study (LLES), the preparers of this document

will need to focus the specific areas of concern: Marine Flora & Fauna, Water Quality, Waste

Management, Infrastructure & Associated Activities and Potential Impacts on the Marine

Environment. This Terms of Reference is divided into two sections:

A. Project Description, Physical & Biological Environment: This section deals primarily

with information pertaining to the background of the project and the physical and biological

environment within which it is proposed. The LLES will need to address the following:

1.0 Executive Summary:

1.1 Provide an overall summary of the proposed project, including implementation in phases

(if applicable).

1.2 Provide an outline of the overall management structure anticipated for the proposed

project.

1.3 Provide a review of any policy, legal and administrative framework that is relevant to the

proposed project.

1.4 Summarize the potential impacts of the proposed project.

2.0 Project Description:

2.1 Provide a description of all activities to be provided on site, snorkeling (if applicable),

transfer of tourists, mooring of vessels, water sports, etc.

2.2 Provide project location, size, layout plan. Including scaled maps with GPS coordinates

of project footprint area. Show expected location of mooring (anchor) sites and distances

to nearby islands, Belize City, protected areas (if any) and surrounding reef structures.

2.3 Provide in the scaled layout plan, projected paths for vessels approaching the anchored

“Educator” and areas intended for use in any water activities by tourists.

2.4 Provide a description of the project equipment such as vessels, include size, weight,

schematics/drawings and pictures of all relevant vessels (transfer vessels) including the

“Educator” to be used primarily for the proposed project.

3.0 Physical Environment:

Water Quality Assessment: Provide baseline water quality characteristics of the project area,

inclusive of water quality assessment of the surface water and water column of the project site

Annex 6



64

and zone of influence. Collect a minimum of four (4) water quality data sets including the

proposed mooring location of the vessel. The baseline should include but not be limited to:

i. Temperature

ii. Dissolve Oxygen (at the water/sediment interface) and at mid depth

iii. Biological oxygen demand

iv. Salinity

v. pH

vi. total suspended solids

vii. total nitrogen

viii. phosphorus

ix. ammonia

x. total coliform

xi. Escherichia coli count.

(Assays i, ii, iv to be conducted in the field and the reminder to be conducted preferably

by an independent water quality consultant. The water quality analyses should contain the

official stamp of the laboratory, if any, and the signature of the technician.)

3.1 Depth Profile: Provide a depth profile of the proposed project area, specifically the

location for the mooring site, the pathway the vessels will use in the project area and the

proposed swim sites (if any).

4.0 Marine Flora & Fauna:

4.1 Biological Assessment:

(a) Provide baseline biological characteristics (field study), marine flora and fauna, of the

project area and the zone of influence. This baseline assessment should include

benthic and pelagic species diversity and richness, including identifying species of

commercial value and conservation significance; and a benthic profile.

(b) A reef assessment which includes but is not limited to coral reef diversity, health,

mortality (% dead, % live), and pictures of reef structures within proposed area.

(c) Describe the methodology used for the biological assessment, include date and time.

(d) Highlight, where applicable, potential impacts to the flora and fauna within the

project site and mitigation measures to address said impacts.

B: Issues of Concern and Mitigation Measures: This section pertains to environmental issues

of concern, potential impacts and proposes migration measures to address these impacts.

1.0 Marine Transportation & Boat Use:

1.1 Provide information on existing shipping and navigation routes within the zone of

influence and identify impacts that the proposed activity will have on other vessels,

fishing boats, tour boats, etc. (if applicable)

1.2 Provide mitigation measures to address the issues identified in 4.1 above.

1.3 Determine the projected number and types of vessels likely to be associated with the

proposed project.



65

1.4 Describe maintenance and operation plans for the vessels associated with the project.

1.5 Evaluate options for the supply of fuel, water, and waste transfer by boat and identify the

best method for eliminating potential spills and maximizing health and safety. This

section should include description of storage for water, fuel and waste on both the

principal and transfer vessels.

2.0 Waste Management:

2.1 Liquid Waste:

(a) Determine the expected volumes, types and sources of liquid waste to be generated by

the proposed project.

(b) Evaluate options for collection, treatment and disposal of liquid waste for the

proposed project.

2.2 Solid Waste:

(a) Determine expected volumes, types and sources of solid waste expected to be

generated by the proposed project.

(b) Evaluate options for collection, treatment, recycling and disposal of solid waste for

the proposed project.

3.0 Public Consultation:

3.1 Provide a report on the views and concerns of local NGO’s (if any), public interest

groups, and relevant government departments/agencies, i.e. Belize Port Authority,

Fisheries Department, Coastal Zone Management Authority & Institute, Lands & Survey

Department and the Belize Tourism Board.

3.2 Provide a report on views and concerns of members of the fishing industry and the

tourism industry.

3.3 Provide all questions and answers used for the report including the name and

organization of all interviewees and the date of interview.

4.0 Health & Safety:

4.1 Identify emergency preparation, response and applicable management measures for the

proposed project activity including but not limited to accident of vessels at sea, fire,

accidental spills, medical emergencies, etc.

5.0 Carrying Capacity:

5.1 Describe the expected number of persons (employees, guides, tourists, etc.) to be

associated with the project, this should be done in such a way as to determine carrying

capacity of the site.

5.2 Identify possible spin-off developments anticipated as a result of the project.

6.0 Potential Impacts, Mitigation Measures & Monitoring

6.1 Identify all potential impacts and significant changes that may result from the

implementation of this proposed activity. This should include but not be limited to the

following:

a) water quality in the area

b) land use pattern (marine use for project site)



66

c) boat traffic

d) infrastructure

e) employment opportunities

f) abundance of flora and fauna, with emphasis on the benthic community and reef

structures (if any).

6.2 The above should be distinguished between positive and negative impacts, direct and

indirect, long-term and short term and identify impacts that may result from accidental

events (i.e. fuel spills, accidental release of untreated wastewater, accidental release of

solid waste, groundings of vessels, etc.)

6.3 Based on the investigations, describe all mitigation measures for all potential

environmental impacts included but not limited to installation and operation activities,

waste treatment, etc.

6.4 Provide a monitoring plan to be implemented by the operation, identify responsible

agency and any training that may be necessary for the implementation. The monitoring

plan should include monitoring of wastewater discharge, changes in ecological species,

etc.

Provide a detailed plan for the decommissioning and rehabilitation of the site in the event that the

project is discontinued.

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