Ginger Deason, PhD Program Officer for Central America, U.S Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) visited the Chiquibul during the month of September with the intent of having a first-hand look at the results of the financing provided by the USFWS.

For more than 5 years, the USFWS has been supporting FCD in areas of macaw conservation, sustainable livelihoods, education and wildlife monitoring. The recent project, that is on its final stage has focused in “Conserving key Species and Habitats of the Chiquibul-Maya Mountain Landscape in Belize.” As a result of the financial support, FCD has been able to systematically document cattle ranching activity along a 90 km extension of the Maya Mountain Massif through aerial reconnaissance and ground patrols; protect scarlet macaws nesting areas through biological monitoring and mobilization of an Anti-Poaching Unit to reduce poaching and trade of scarlet macaws; and supported a public outreach campaign that fosters indigenous forest stewardship in the eastern Maya Mountains through the Maya Leader’s Alliance.

During the two-day visit, Ginger visited the Chalillo Lake which is known as the primary nesting area for macaws and met rangers at Tapir Camp where they explained their challenges and their motivations for working in the Chiquibul jungles.