2003 Conservation Projects

Jump forward to see our 2003 rainforest conservation projects in Belize, Borneo and Guyana.

Belize 2003

Spanish Creek

with the Spanish Creek Wildlife Sanctuary with the Rancho Dolores Environment and Development Group

Community Centre and Infrastructure Development

The long term objectives of the project at Spanish Creek are threefold. The construction of an arts and crafts building near to the existing visitor centre (a previous Trekforce project itself), a series of camping palapas and an improved network of trails with interpretive signs. Not only will these facilities encourage small-scale tourism in the area, improving the economic situation for the community, but it will also support the existing effort to protect the biodiversity of the wildlife sanctuary. With hunting having been totally banned to allow for dwindling fish stocks and other wildlife to recover, there is opportunity for a more sustainable income via employment and trade with visitors.

LiFeline

with LiFeline (Funded by the Ridgeway Trust in UK)

Wildcat Rehabilitation Support

LiFeline is a sanctuary for wild cats native to Belize, in a 60 acre private jungle reserve. It is used for research, housing and rehabilitation of jaguar, puma, margay, ocelot and jaguarondi which have been injured, kept as domestic pets or come from overseas zoos. Although some of the cats are released into the wild, the facilities have been reaching their capacity. Trekforce provided two project teams here in 2003. The main task for both teams was the construction of additional steel mesh cages, complete with a tree-like climbing frame, to house four jaguars or pumas, and four small cats.

The first team assisted in the release of a margay during the project, and with the daily feeding of the resident cats. In addition, they conducted topographical transects n the north east of Elijio Panti National Park, as this area had not been fully explored. The second team aided in the radio tracking of the smaller cats to monitor their progress in the Mountain Pine Ridge area. The sanctuary’s work is pf paramount importance in conserving wild cat species, not only in their native habitat through LiFeline’s scientific work but also advising on wild cat welfare issues and providing a safe haven for cats.

Rio Grande

with the Toledo Institute for Development and the Environment (TIDE)

Ranger Station construction

Located near the mouth of the Rio Grande in Southern Belize, this is an area rich with diverse flora and fauna such as manatees, rare red and black mangroves, and flourishing broadleaf forest. It was once known for its population of jaguars, and numbers are now increasing following a recent decline. The project centred on the construction of a wardens post/visitor centre, trail clearance and the construction of nearby Coconut Bay. Three disused and rotten buildings were cleared away first by the volunteers to restore the site to its natural state. TIDE are hoping to add a research centre in the future.

Mayflower

with Friends of Mayflower Bocawina National Park

Park Infrastructure Development

The National Park at Mayflower was designated in 2002, and as such is one of the most recently established protected areas in Belize. Through improved facilities put in place by Trekforce, and the introduction of an entrance fee scheme it is hoped that the national park can become self-sufficient financially. Tourist trails were cut to a stunning waterfall, and also to a newly found Mayan site whilst work continued on the clearance of Mayan burial mounds. Camping amenities were put in place near to the waterfall, with sturdy steps and hand rails to the falls to prevent erosion and make the area safe. There is also much interest for the centre to be used as a base for archaeological research.

Monkey Bay

with the Monkey Bay Wildlife Sanctuary

Trail Development

A joint scheme has been set up between the Monkey Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, Trekforce, and two local villages to improve the Indian Creek Trail that connects the sanctuary with Five Blues Lake National Park. As the local community get involved as guides, and by providing accommodation at either end of the trail, they will be able to generate sustainable income from increased tourism and will be less inclined to resort to illegal logging or poaching. The Trekforce team constructed several palapa shelters at the camping areas along the trail, and cleared trails around the caves that are an integral part of the trek route. Alternative routes were also created for use during the wet season when water levels in the river can often rise to a dangerous level.

Elijio Panti

with the Itzamna Society

Park Infrastructure Development

In 2002, Trekforce carried out initial exploration of Noj Kaax Meen Elijio Panti National Park, a newly protected area and built a base camp at the park centre. This year the team set about completing the extensive trail network, including a set of 220 hardwood steps to access a newly discovered waterfall. The trails have two key functions: to allow park rangers to patrol the park boundary to deter illegal hunters and loggers; and secondly they will o pen up the reserve to hikers, though providing an infrastructure that will minimise any potential damage from visitors. To complement this, the final phase of the project saw the construction of a palapa shelter as a camping facility for eco-tourists visiting the park.

Las Cuevas

with the British Natural History Museum

Research Station Upgrade and Research Support

Following out first project of research support at Las Cuevas in the Chiquibul Forest Reserve, Trekforce returned to improve the facilities at this international research station. The main tasks were to construct a release box for Harpy Eagles, improvement of the trail infrastructure to reduce erosion, and careful vegetation clearance to restore visibility from the bird observation tower. During the second phase of the project, the volunteers cleared trails for instalment of remote cameras used n jaguar monitoring as part of a wider study, and while travelling by canoe wildlife surveys were conducted on the river. The latter research is vital to scientists who are determining the likely impact of the proposed Chalillo hydro-electric dam scheme.

Borneo 2003

Danum Valley

with the Royal Society South East Asian Rainforest Research Programme (SEARRP)

Rainforest Regeneration Experiment

The project is part of the Sabah Biodiversity Experiment which is a joint project between the Royal Society SEARRP and Innoprise Corporation. Located at the Malua Forest Reserve, North of the Danum Valley Conservation Area in East Sabah, it is the biggest experiment in rainforest regeneration that has ever been attempted, and we are very pleased to have been working here for a second consecutive year. This year two project teams completed the ambitious programme of planting over 250,000 dipterocarp seedlings in various plots throughout the area. The dipterocarps are the main hardwood trees that form the towering jungle canopy and house all the wildlife within, much of which is still unknown. The exact details of each plot were recorded by the volunteers for use by future scientists in monitoring growth and researching the perfect conditions to manually replant partially logged areas of jungle. This vital work will be a valuable source for scientific research for up to sixty years or more.

Maliau Basin

with Maliau Basin Conservation Area (MBCA)

Maliau Basin Studies Centre (MMSC) and Infrastructure Development

The Basin is located in the south central area of Sabah and was only discovered in 1947, and has subsequently earned the name of Sabah’s “Lost World”. It was made into a conversation area in 1981 for scientific research and education. The MBCA has attracted international funding from DANCED and Ikea’s Sow a Seed Foundation. In 2003, Trekforce sent five project teams into the Maliau Basin to work on the development of the Studies Centre at a place called Belian Camp, and surrounding facilities. From January to March, two teams worked concurrently on the construction of a visitor centre within the MBCA and this was successfully completed and officially opened with guests including the head of Innoprise and the head of Ikea’s Foundation. From April to June, another project team began mapping the area south of Maliau River to provide data for research and for a proposed trail. The information collected included biological, hydrological and geological data. Two further teams continued this work in July and August pushing further into this area of pristine and unexplored jungle.

Guyana 2003

Corkwood and Kurupakari

with Iwokrama Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development

Corkwood Ranger Station and Kurupakari Ranger Station construction

Trekforce’s first year in the pristine rainforests of this beautiful, unspoiled country, has been both amazing and hugely successful. Two impressive projects were completed in the 1 million acre Iwokrama reserve in the centre of Guyana. It is an area managed as both an eco-tourism centre and a scientific research area, with an aim to be self-funding in the foreseeable future. The first project was the construction of the Corkwood ranger station on the Southern boundary of the reserve, which was followed by a sister ranger station at Kurukapari on the Northern boundary. These projects are key to the future of Iwokrama. Guyana’s main road links the Atlantic coast of in the north with Brazil to the south, dissecting the reserve in two. Improvements to this road have lead to an increase in traffic, and while vital to trade and the economy of Guyana generally. It has heightened the need for initiation of a monitoring program along the road. Now, with a rangers station at both exit and entry points of the reserve, the Iwokrama rangers (who are extensively trained and hold police status within the area) are able to tighten their control of illegal trades, such as the market in exotic wildlife.

A total of five treks took place during the two projects, and working closely with Iwokrama staff, a considerable amount of exploration of tough, unchartered jungle and topographical surveys were carried out.