Earth Day!

The Belize Audubon Society participated in the 2007 Earth Day Fair, (as pronounced in Kriol- Ert Day Faya) held at the University of Belize campus in Belmopan. Events included games, tree planting, music, and information booths. Elementary school classes and University students attended this all-day event.

Meanwhile, other staff members from BAS visited St. Herman's Blue Hole National Park, just south of Belmopan. One of the park wardens had seen some suspicious activity in the area and soon bags of xate leaves were discovered in the Park waiting to be picked up. A total of forty-one bundles, each with approximately thirty-six xate leaves, were collected and turned over to the Forest Department. Illegal xate harvest is a management frustration throughout Belize's protected areas.



This Sunday (April 22) you can tune in to Oapn Paki Show, were host Rosalie Stains will discuss issues with Belize Audubon Society's protected areas managers. The show airs live from 10:15am to 12:15pm on Love FM (you can listen to a live stream if you have Real Player).

Belize Audubon Society will continue to celebrate Earth Day throughout next week. Activities include classroom presentations and encouraging Belizeans to bike to work, school, or wherever they may go.

Often times I'm behind the lens of my camera, so family and friends at home haven't seen much of me since I left Minnesota. I'm alive and well, also wanted to show-off a project I have been working on lately. I took up oil-painting last week and completed ten signs that will make up an interpretive trail at Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary. The Jabiru Stork (locally called Turk or Fillymingo) is a flagship species for wetlands in Belize. Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary is recognized as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.