case studies undp: toledo institute for development and environment (tide), belize

7/27/2019 Case Studies UNDP: TOLEDO INSTITUTE FOR DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENT (TIDE), Belize

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Equator Initiative Case StudiesLocal sustainable development solutions for people, nature, and resilient communities

Belize

TOLEDO INSTITUTE FORDEVELOPMENT ANDENVIRONMENT (TIDE)

Empowered live

Resilient nation

Empowered live

Resilient nation


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UNDP EQUATOR INITIATIVE CASE STUDY SERIES

Local and indigenous communities across the world are advancing innovative sustainable development solutions that wo

or people and or nature. Few publications or case studies tell the ull story o how such initiatives evolve, the breadth

their impacts, or how they change over time. Fewer still have undertaken to tell these stories with community practition

themselves guiding the narrative.

To mark its 10-year anniversary, the Equator Initiative aims to ll this gap. The ollowing case study is one in a growing ser

that details the work o Equator Prize winners vetted and peer-reviewed best practices in community-based environmenconservation and sustainable livelihoods. These cases are intended to inspire the policy dialogue needed to take local succ

to scale, to improve the global knowledge base on local environment and development solutions, and to serve as models

replication. Case studies are best viewed and understood with reerence to The Power o Local Action: Lessons rom 10 Years

the Equator Prize, a compendium o lessons learned and policy guidance that draws rom the case material.

Click on the map to visit the Equator Initiatives searchable case study database.

Editors

Editor-in-Chie: Joseph Corcoran

Managing Editor: Oliver Hughes

Contributing Editors: Dearbhla Keegan, Matthew Konsa, Erin Lewis, Whitney Wilding

Contributing Writers

Edayatu Abieodun Lamptey, Erin Atwell, Toni Blackman, Jonathan Clay, Joseph Corcoran, Larissa Currado, Sarah Gordon, Oliver Hughes, Wen

Juan Jiang, Sonal Kanabar, Dearbhla Keegan, Matthew Konsa, Rachael Lader, Patrick Lee, Erin Lewis, Jona Liebl, Mengning Ma, Mary McGraw

Gabriele Orlandi, Juliana Quaresma, Peter Schecter, Martin Sommerschuh, Whitney Wilding, Luna Wu

Design

Oliver Hughes, Dearbhla Keegan, Matthew Konsa, Amy Korngiebel, Kimberly Koserowski, Erin Lewis, John Mulqueen, Lorena de la Parra,

Brandon Payne, Mariajos Satizbal G.

Acknowledgements

The Equator Initiative acknowledges with gratitude the Toledo Institute or Development and Environment (TIDE), and in particular the guida

and inputs o Celia Mahung and Will Maheia. All photo credits courtesy o TIDE. Maps courtesy o CIA World Factbook and Wikipedia.

Suggested Citation

United Nations Development Programme. 2012. Toledo Institute or Development and Environment (TIDE), Belize. Equator Initiative Case Stu

Series. New York, NY.
http://equatorinitiative.org/images/stories/events/2012events/Book_Launch/power%2520of%2520local%2520action%2520final%25202013%25208mb.pdfhttp://equatorinitiative.org/images/stories/events/2012events/Book_Launch/power%2520of%2520local%2520action%2520final%25202013%25208mb.pdfhttp://equatorinitiative.org/index.php?option=com_winners&view=casestudysearch&Itemid=858http://equatorinitiative.org/images/stories/events/2012events/Book_Launch/power%2520of%2520local%2520action%2520final%25202013%25208mb.pdfhttp://equatorinitiative.org/images/stories/events/2012events/Book_Launch/power%2520of%2520local%2520action%2520final%25202013%25208mb.pdf


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PROJECT SUMMARYToledo Institute or Development and Environment (TIDE)partners with local communities to promote sustainableincome generation and co-management o both orest andmarine resources in the Maya Mountain Marine Corridor, aconservation area covering approximately 739,650 acres oland and the equivalent o 100,000 acres o sea.

From its volunteer-led beginning, TIDE has grown toinclude about 30 ull-time sta members. The organizationworks with communities across three main program areas:education and outreach, resource protection, and research

and monitoring. Additionally, TIDE has established anecotourism venture to provide revenue or its work andto support the development o alternative livelihoods orcommunity members. The group also organizes activitiessuch as beach clean-ups and community re managementtraining, with a target audience comprising 12 coastal andinland communities, or a total o more than 10,000 people.

KEY FACTS

EQUATOR PRIZE WINNER: 2002

FOUNDED: 1997

LOCATION: Toledo District, Belize

BENEFICIARIES: Up to 4,500 residents in local communitie

BIODIVERSITY: Maya Mountain Marine Corridor

3

TOLEDO INSTITUTE FOR DEVELOPMENTAND ENVIRONMENT (TIDE)Belize

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Background and Context 4

Key Activities and Innovations 6

Biodiversity Impacts 8

Socioeconomic Impacts 9

Policy Impacts 10

Sustainability 11

Replication 11

Partners 12


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4

he Toledo Institute or Development and Environment (TIDE)

romotes sustainable income generation and the participatory co-

management and protection o local natural resources within the

Maya Mountain Marine Corridor (MMMC) in southern Belize. This

ward-winning organization co-manages the Port Honduras Marine

eserve in cooperation with the Fisheries Department, the Paynes

Creek National Park in cooperation with the Forest Department, and

pproximately 30,000 acres o private land under the Tropical Forest

Conservation Act.

A mosaic o landscapes and cultures

elizes Maya Mountain Marine Corridor is a biologically signicant

rea that encompasses approximately 739,650 acres o land and the

quivalent o 100,000 acres o sea. It includes more than 43 distinct

cosystems that support threatened species, ulll human needs,

nd contribute to natural disaster mitigation and climate change

daptation. This corridor connects tropical rainorest and pine

avannas with mangroves and small, oshore islands known as cayes

nd includes seven intact watersheds that ow into coastal wetlands

nd marine waters to an oshore barrier ree, which is second in size

nly to Australias Great Barrier Ree. The corridor is composed o a

umber o protected areas that provide shelter to many o Central

Americas endangered species, including jaguars, tapirs, sea turtles,

rocodiles and the largest population o West Indian manatees in the

world.

IDE works in part o this corridor, the Toledo District, which is

elizes poorest and least developed region and has the highest

nemployment rate in the country. Until recently, local people

elied heavily on subsistence agriculture, hunting and shing or

velihoods. However, a combination o overshing, little or no

norcement o shing regulations, and harmul shing methods

rought about a sharp decline in sh populations, while agricultural

ctivities and gravel mining encroached on orest habitats. It was

he near disappearance o the manatee that nally galvanized the

community into action and led to TIDEs oundation in 1997. Ini

conceived as a grassroots initiative to respond to unsustain

resource use, TIDE has since been actively involved in

implementation o conservation plans and in the developme

income-generating alternatives or local residents.

The local community was instrumental in obtaining legal statu

the marine reserve, a process that began with community mem

collecting biological data to demonstrate the decline o resou

and the degradation o ecosystems. With TIDEs help, they lobbie

the area to be made into a reserve, collecting hundreds o signa

in support o the establishment o a reserve and sending the

the Minister or Fishing. These eorts were met with consider

opposition rom commercial sheries, but the Belizean governm

endorsed the proposal and ormally adopted the Port Hond

Marine Reserve in January 2000. Shortly thereater, TIDE was gra

co-management authority over the reserve and acquired t

boats or use in its marine patrols and other conservation wo

2004, TIDE signed a co-management agreement with the For

Department or Paynes Creek National Park and more recently

begun to manage newly acquired private lands on the Rio Gr

River and between Golden Stream and Deep River.

The Port Honduras Marine Reserve consists o 160 square mil

coastal waters recognized or their high biodiversity, with a ro

belt o unaltered mangroves and sandy coasts that provide a crlink between terrestrial and marine ecosystems. These crystal

Caribbean waters are home to endangered and vulnerable spe

Approximately 4,500 people live in adjacent communities,

additional shing pressure stemming rom poachers. The res

encompasses estuaries near shore communities and extend

protect ringing rees. There are over 100 small, mangrove-ri

cayes and benthic habitats comprised o sot-bottom seagrass b

reeal banks and ringing rees, which are unique to the cou

The reserve orms one o the most important sh nurseries in

Caribbean and is an ideal habitat or the endangered West In

Background and Context


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55

manatee. TIDE rangers patrol the reserve to ensure compliance with

egulations and to reduce environmental threats, such as the use o

ill nets, illegal shing, over-shing and the catching o under-sized

sh.

aynes Creek National Park covers 36,420 acres in southern Belize

north to the Deep River Forest Reserve, east to Monkey River, the

Caribbean Sea and Punta Negra, south to Port Honduras, and west to

he bank o the Deep River. This national park protects hypersaline,aline, brackish, and reshwater habitats, mangroves, broadlea

orest and savannah. The ecosystems are a matrix o broadlea orest,

hort grass and pine savannah, and herbaceous and mangrove

wamps. The park provides direct protection or a great diversity o

pecies, at least 22 o which are endangered or vulnerable. These

nclude the manatee, goliath grouper, howler monkey, white ibis,

abiru stork and yellow-headed parrot, in addition to Belizes ve

pecies o cat jaguar, ocelot, margay, puma, and jaguarondi. Three

undred species o bird live or winter in the park. Within the parks

oundaries, archaeologists have uncovered our ancient Mayan

ites, now submerged under water in the Ycacos lagoon, adding

cultural element to the protection o this land. Wild res are the

most severe threat aced by Paynes Creek National Park; yearly resmpede young pine regeneration and destroy the nesting sites o

ellow-headed parrots, sparrows and black-throated bobwhites.

Conservation on land and at sea

n addition to wildres, orests in the Toledo region o Belize

ace urther threats, including the newly-constructed Southern

Highway o Belize which provides access to once remote areas, and

eorestation through the expansion o agriculture and logging

perations. With the help o the Nature Conservancy, TIDE began

o purchase strategic parcels o land in the Maya Mountain Marine

Corridor to secure them rom unsustainable development and

urrently manages approximately 30,000 acres o such lands. Themajority o TIDEs private lands are located on the banks o the Rio

Grande River, a riparian corridor where visitors can catch glimpses

the endangered West Indian manatee and hicatee turtle. TIDE

angers patrol more than twenty miles o coastal orest land and

ver thirty miles o riverront in these areas. In this way, TIDEs private

rotected lands are successully contributing to the conservation o

biological corridor that links other protected areas in the Toledo

District.

rom its volunteer-led beginning, TIDE has grown to include about

0 ull-time sta members, including 8 administrative sta, 9

angers, and several marine and terrestrial biologists. TIDE involves

community members in decision-making through participatio

advisory boards which are made up o residents rom the b

zones. Furthermore, the organizations Board o Directors incl

shers, a armer, a tour guide operator, a community worker, a tea

and the dean o the local university. TIDE also works cooperat

with government ofcials and has extensive links with the acad

community in Belize and abroad. Additionally, the organiza

has succeeded in building partnerships within the private se

especially through its or-prot tourism arm, TIDE Tours, wcontracts many o its tourism services to small, local businesses

target population or all o TIDEs activities and outreach is 12 co

and inland communities, or a total o more than 10,000 people

This guy is having an argument with the ranger, saying if we take his net how is he going to live

Hes got his family to feed and its difficult for us from the conservation point to just come and ta

away their nets without providing an alternative.

Will Maheia, TIDE


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6

Key Activities and Innovations

IDEs three main program areas are education and outreach,

esource protection, and research and monitoring. Additionally,

IDE has established an ecotourism venture to provide revenue or

ts three main activities and to support alternative livelihoods or

ommunity members. TIDE also organizes other activities such as

beach clean-ups and community re management training.

Education and Outreach

IDEs environmental education and outreach program is designed

o increase public awareness o the Maya Mountain Marine Corridor

nd oster appreciation, ownership and pride among stakeholders.

hrough meetings, discussions, radio shows and several annualctivities, TIDE aims to promote sustainable resource use in the

protected areas managed by the organization as well as in the buer

ones. This program engages young people in conservation and

nvironmental issues by directly supplementing their science and

ocial studies curricula. TIDE also conducts house visits in the buer

ommunities and employs an education and outreach coordinator

who visits over 50 households a year in six communities, reaching

more than 360 people. The coordinator also visits primary schools

nd delivers presentations to over 1,000 students. So ar, the house

isits have proven an eective outreach tool, as resource users are

more open to engaging in discussion in the comort o their own

omes.

An important component o the environmental education and

outreach program is the TIDE Freshwater Cup. Recognizing the

eed to transorm the communities into sustainable partners or

nvironmental initiatives and using a sport o enormous popularity,

IDE established the Freshwater Cup Environmental Football League

n order to promote environmental action at the community level. In

order to participate, students are required to organize environmental

projects. Past participants have engaged in clean-ups o rivers, coasts

nd dumpsites and have given presentations at their schools.

he Fish Fest is another annual event which usually begins with

an early morning shing tournament in the Port Honduras M

Reserve and includes a series o traditional activities such as coc

husking, cast net throwing, kayak and cycle races and a volle

tournament. In 2010, the tournament promoted sustainable s

o the n sh species and sport shing. There is an annual Y

Conservation Competition in which young people compet

associate degree scholarships by making stage presentation

environmental themes. The competition allows audience mem

to learn about environmental issues and the work o participa

organizations.

TIDE has hosted a summer camp or six consecutive years w

dierent theme each year. In 2010, the theme was The Importo Biodiversity. A total o 140 children rom Punta Gorda

neighboring communities participated. Thirty acilitators, inclu

university and high school students, teachers and three internat

volunteers, assisted with the camp. The aim o this annual cam

to encourage children to understand the concept o biodive

and its role and importance within the environment, wit

emphasis on the terrestrial and marine ecosystems ound withi

corridor. Additionally, one o TIDEs terrestrial biologists develo

an Introduction to Bird Watching course that has been condu

or school children in Punta Gorda and TIDE sta. TIDE also o

eld trips during which local children are taken out to coral

and protected areas. The aim is to get children interested in

protection o their local natural resources so that they will beccommunity stewards one day.

Resource Protection

The second area o work, resource protection, reers to TIDEs ong

co-management o the Port Honduras Marine Reserve, the Pay

Creek National Park and TIDE Private Protected Lands. TIDE emp

several ull-time park and marine rangers who live at the ra

station during their two-week shits. TIDEs management o

Port Honduras Marine Reserve is widely recognized as a succe


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7

xample o community-based co-management. The marine rangers

re the primary authority in the Marine Reserve and routinely

nspect local shers or their licenses and to make sure their catches

re within seasonal legal limits. TIDE rangers also serve as sources

inormation and education, as the rangers use each inspection

s an opportunity to tell the shers about ongoing and seasonal

egulations and also about the importance o their compliance with

hose regulations.

Research and Monitoring

he third program reers to TIDEs year-round biological research

nd monitoring o the reserves. Ongoing research activities carried

ut by TIDE track changes in resource populations, community

ompositions and the health o ecosystems over time. Regular data

ollection in both marine and terrestrial sites allows any changes

r uctuations rom baseline trends to be identied and urther

nvestigated. For the marine data collection project, activities

nclude monthly water quality assessment, underwater lobster and

onch visual surveys, mangrove and seagrass monitoring, and coral

nd sh surveys. In order to measure water quality, marine biologists

ecord temperature, salinity, turbidity, and dissolved oxygen levels,

ll o which have an impact on biodiversity prosperity and survival.

Another important aspect o this program is sh stock assessment,

or which TIDE has over two years o quality data. Additionally,

iologists examine coral or signs o bleaching and collect samples

sediment and seagrass, which are also monitored or data

egarding species, percentage cover, density, canopy height, grazing

nd owers. Assessments o turtle nesting sites and mangroves are

lso undertaken on a regular basis.

he terrestrial research and monitoring program collects data on

iodiversity within the orests and savannahs o the TIDE Private

rotected Lands (TPPL) and Paynes Creek National Park (PCNP), andllows or an understanding o how bird and mammal species impact

he management o protected areas. Four biodiversity transects

ave been established in the lowland broadlea rainorest and

mixed-pine orest ecosystems to identiy bird and mammal species

nd track changes in their numbers over time. These results have

een used to inorm conservation plans based on the abundance o

ird and mammal species in dierent parts o the protected areas. In

he uture, TIDE plans to increase the size o transect areas in order

o reect a greater range o habitats and to include amphibians in its

monitoring activities.

Developing ecotourism to diversiy livelihoods

An additional area in which TIDE works is ecotourism. TIDE Tours was

stablished in 1999 in order to promote ecotourism in the Toledo

District. Its primary objectives are to provide protable, alternative

conomic opportunities to local residents and to generate unding

or TIDEs conservation work. In order to achieve these goals, TIDE

ours works to give community members the necessary skills to

work in the ecotourism industry by providing capacity-building

workshops such as microenterprise training as well as a popular tour

guide certication course. As a result o this project, TIDE Tours

assisted a number o ormer shers to move into more sustain

and protable employment as tour guides. TIDE Tours also serv

a tour operator, providing a range o activities such as snorke

and trips to Mayan archeological sites, inland caves and watera

Innovative approaches to conservation

TIDE takes a holistic approach to conservation by ensuringconnectivity o the Maya Mountain Marine Corridor, the

protecting marine and reshwater ecosystems which are hi

dependent on terrestrial activities. Since the highlands o this cor

receive over twelve eet o rainall each year, the runo cre

waterways that eed into the lowland and marine ecosystems.

acutely understands that any ecological disturbance in one pa

the corridor has an impact on the wellbeing o ora and aun

other areas, and has been recognized internationally as the si

most important actor working toward the protection o this corr

investing large amounts o political and nancial capital into

purchase o strategic parcels o private lands.

TIDE also uses a number o innovative methods in its education

outreach program. The scholarship competition or youth and

various sports tournaments are examples o creative and dyna

ways through which TIDE engages the local communities. Innov

programs include a scholarship und or children whose par

agree to stop using unsustainable shing and arming methods

a net exchange program that allows shers to trade gillnets or m

environmentally sensitive equipment.

TIDE has been quick to make use o new technologies, especially s

media tools, in its outreach, as well as hosting a local radio prog

to educate listeners about environmental conservation e

and activities. TIDE has successully wielded these communicatools in order to inuence and empower communities. TIDE

demonstrates a high level o knowledge sharing with local peo

making an eort to share up-to-date biological research at reg

community meetings.

TIDEs newest success is the Community Stewards Program w

provides training and support to community members to enh

their stewardship and collaborative work with TIDE. The prog

has been in place since early 2009 when 15 community stew

rom seven communities were identied to take part in train

on marine and terrestrial ecosystems, the environmental law

Belize, computer skills, communication skills and outboard en

maintenance. Through knowledge exchange visits, the stewhave been able to add new skills to their oundation o knowle

promoting uller and more eective participation in conserva

activities. The stewards have played an important role in motiva

others to gain a greater understanding o the protected areas

the need or sustainable resource use.


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8

Impacts

BIODIVERSITY IMPACTS

The million-acre Maya Mountain Marine Corridor orms a signicant

portion o the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor. Traditional threats

o this corridor include hunting and shing, climate variability,

and clearance or agriculture, coastal development, population

growth, coral diseases, the pet trade and wildres. Through the

mplementation o its comprehensive community conservation plan

nd through the purchase o large tracts o private land, TIDE ensures

he connectivity and protection o this mountain-to-sea corridor,

hus saeguarding marine and terrestrial ecosystems as well as the

endangered species that migrate reely rom the mountainous areas

o coastal lowlands or ood and breeding, such as jaguars (Pantheraonca), peccaries (Pecari tajacu) and ocelots (Leopardus pardalis).

TIDEs ongoing education program and daily patrols have resulted

n the eective elimination o illegal shing and hunting in the

protected areas that they co-mange. TIDE has almost eradicated

he killing o West Indian manatees (Trichechus manatus) in the

Gul o Honduras, as seen by the disappearance o manatee meat

rom public markets. Rangers have also observed a decrease in the

hunting o endangered and game species including the yellow-

headed parrot (Amazona oratrix), the white-lipped peccary (Tayassu

pecari), and the great curassow (Crax rubra) within the protected

reas, which may be attributed to TIDEs dedication to inorming

ommunities about hunting laws and regulations within and outsidehe protected areas.

Viable populations o marine species within the Port Honduras

Marine Reserve have also been maintained through the eective

oning o the Reserve into general use, conservation (no take) and

preservation (no entry) zones. The introduction o managed access

sheries has also helped to address overshing. For example, in

order to increase population numbers o spiny lobsters (Panulirus

argus), an important commercial species in Belize, TIDE enorces a

losed season between February 15th and June 14th every year.

TIDE has also achieved signicant success in terms o

restoration and wildre control. Understanding the role o re in

ecosystemsre is required or pine regeneration, or examp

TIDE rangers, eld sta and volunteers use prescribed burns a

method called black-lining in strategic places within the Pa

Creek National Park to control the location and size o orest

These controlled burns are used to reduce the uel load, preven

spread o wild res and stimulate seed germination. TIDE also

a riparian reorestation project with the goals o preventing u

clearing o the legally established 66 oot setback along rivers

restoring riparian areas that had previously been cleared, endea

which have helped to improve water quality and maintain reshw

biodiversity. In order to achieve these goals, TIDE collaborwith community groups in targeted villages to establish nurs

or riparian and ruit trees, the saplings o which are then g

to armers to reorest their own land along the Rio Grande

bank. The species targeted or reorestation are cotton (Gossy

hirsutum), g (Ficus carica), mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla), c

(Cupressus lusitanica), mammee apple (Mammea americana),

inga (Inga euilleei). To date, approximately 50 per cent o the rip

areas o San Pedro Columbia and San Miguel have been reore

with over 5,000 seedlings.

Building a biodiversity data bank

TIDE also involves local university students (rom University o BToledo) in the collection and identication o medicinal plants o

organizations botanical garden. A number o students have ass

TIDE sta in biodiversity data collection and have establish

baseline or species monitoring in order to gauge managem

eectiveness.

Each month, TIDE rangers collect data on bird sightings, vis

each transect at dawn to maximize the number o sight

Findings indicate that the diversity o birds and mammals is

consistent throughout the protected areas. More mature o


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with abundant supplies o ruiting trees support higher numbers

o birds and mammals. Over 97 species o bird were observed,

ncluding the migratory blue-grey gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea),

he American redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) and the worm-eating

warbler (Helmitheros vermivorus), as well as rarer species such as the

violet sabre-wing (Campylopterus hemileucurus).

n addition, an annual Christmas Bird Count is conducted - the most

ecent years count was a total o 234 species, including the Ornate

Hawk-eagle (Spizaetus ornatus), the Painted Bunting (Passerinaciris), and the black-and-white owl (Strix nigrolineata). Mammal

pecies are also careully monitored. In 2009, a total o 16 species

o mammal were recorded including some at risk o extinction:

he Bairds tapir (Tapirus bairdii), jaguar (Panthera onca), Yucatn

black howler monkey (Alouatta pigra) and white-lipped peccary

Tayassu pecari). There seems to be a relatively healthy population o

aguars (42 recorded sightings), likely due to high numbers o small

mammals such as armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus), lowland pacaCuniculus paca) and red-brocket deer (Mazama americana). In the

pine savannah, the most abundant mammal is the white-tailed deer

51 recorded sightings) and the most abundant bird is the yellow-

headed parrot (67 recorded sightings). With these data sets, TIDE will

be able to develop more accurate and efcient conservation plans.

Coral monitoring is another important aspect o TIDEs research and

monitoring program. The average percentage cover o live coral

across sites in the Port Honduras Marine Reserve has increased

between 2003 and 2009, indicating an increase in the health o

he coral rees. The average cover o coral increased rom less than

even per cent in 2003 to over 16 per cent in 2009, indicating that

he marine reserve regulations and zoning have had a positive eect

on the benthic cover within the marine reserve. The increase in coral

cover has had a positive eect on the other organisms within the

marine reserve that rely on the structural complexity o the coral or

heir habitats.

mprovements to the health o marine ecosystems can be attributed

n part to TIDEs role in cracking down on destructive practices such

as the use o gillnets which catch indiscriminately and have been

esponsible or killing large sections o coral rees and grass beds.

Aside rom conscating gillnets when they come across them, TIDE

angers also encourage behavioral change among local shers by

allowing shers to trade gillnets or more environmentally sensitive

equipment. TIDE rangers also play a key role in rescuing endangered

animals, or example, bringing injured American crocodiles

Crocodylus acutus) to the American Crocodile Education Sanctuary

whenever they nd them.

SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACTS

TIDE believes that natural resource management cannot be achieved

without oering local people sustainable, alternative livelihood

opportunities. TIDEs eorts to this end ocus on the promotion o

ecotourism through its subsidiary company TIDE Tours. Through

raining and certication programs, TIDE has created opportunities

or people who once earned about USD 4,000 per year as shers to

earn up to USD 15,000 per year as tour guides. In this way, resource-

extractive and environmentally-destructive livelihoods are replaced

with more protable alternative economic opportunities, the

helping to reduce poverty in the protected area buer zone.

Distributing benefts throughout the community

To date, TIDE has trained more than 50 ormer shers and hu

to serve as tourism brokers in y-shing, kayaking, scuba di

snorkeling, and other activities. In order to help these ormer s

and loggers become entrepreneurs, TIDE conducts microenter

training and other workshops to assist community membeacquiring the necessary skills to join the tourism industry.

Tours subcontracts small businesses in the region to provide

packages, careully ensuring that it works with as many individ

as possible on a rotating and equitable basis. The organization

assists local tour guides by providing them with access to ka

snorkeling gear, and other sports equipment. Another bene

this program is that ormer shers now contact TIDE to report il

activity, as these tour guides have begun to see gill nets and o

harmul shing methods as threats to their businesses. TIDE T

also undertakes marketing eorts to promote the Toledo Dis

actively working to expand tourism in the area while ensuring

benets accrue to local communities.

In addition to its ecotourism activities, TIDE oers training to o

groups o people who depend on the health o ecosystem

sustain their livelihoods. Training is provided in diving, comp

and GPS skills, and boat engine maintenance. TIDEs comm

stewards are examples o those who have benetted rom t

trainings. TIDE has also undertaken development projects

target communities. For example, the organization built a bathr

acility or the Punta Negra Primary School, renovated the Mo

River Tour Guide building and given science supplies to schoo

Big Falls and San Miguel.

TIDE also contributes in more direct ways to poverty reduc

With 38 employees, TIDE is the leading employer in Toledo ategovernment. Occasionally, TIDE uses conservation projects as a

to distribute income directly to community members. For exam

more than 80 local people are involved in the riparian reoresta

project and earn a stipend o BZD 25 (Belize dollars) per da

compensation.

The TIDE scholarship und helps children rom communities w

TIDE works and that buer the protected areas: Punta Gorda T

Forest Home, Elridge Ville, Cattle Landing, Monkey River, P

Negra and Big Falls Village. Throughout the year, the schola

students volunteer with TIDE and contribute to TIDE Wee

including the Fish Fest and Youth Conservation Competition

students have assisted with the TIDE Freshwater Cup and haveclean-up campaigns in their own villages, assisted as group lea

in the TIDE Summer Camp, and collected data or the Ada

Management Program carried out in 2009. Financial assist

allows these scholarship students to attend second- or third-

schools, raising their prospects or a higher standard o living

that o their parents.

Positive eects o TIDEs conversation activities have been

directly by local communities. As a result o TIDEs monitorin

marine reserve areas, local shers are benetting rom a rise in

9


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opulations o marine resources and are now able to sustainably

arvest larger quantities o conch, lobster and several species o

sh, which are also major ood staples in the area. Additionally, TIDE

s supporting the Monkey River Tour Guide Association in a new

obster shade project that will help improve lobster production or

3 shers involved in the program.

As or gender equality, there has traditionally been a disparity

etween male and emale participation in conservation eortsn the Maya Mountain Marine Corridor. In order to close this gap,

IDE has made a conscious eort to hire women as park rangers,

erorming the same duties as men. Additionally, the organization

acilitates womens entrepreneurial activities by promoting small

ourism businesses owned and operated by local women and was

he rst organization in the region to provide scuba certication to

ts emale employees.

POLICY IMPACTS

t was a result o persistent lobbying on behal o TIDE that legislation

was passed to establish the Port Honduras Marine Reserve and

rant co-management authority to TIDE in 2000. Shortly thereater,he Belize Forestry Department recognized TIDEs continued

onservation success and created a co-management agreement or

aynes Creek National Park in 2004. Since then, TIDE has assisted the

elizean government in planning and managing protected areas

nd has demonstrated leadership in its involvement in the national

re policy, participating actively in all meetings, attending advanced

raining, and providing training or local communities. In 2009,

IDE received the Co-Manager o the Year award rom the Forest

Department or outstanding perormance in the co-management o

elizes protected areas, specically Paynes Creek National Park.

Another o TIDEs major policy successes was its role in negotiating

he rst debt-or-nature swap agreement between the Government Belize and the Government o the United States in 2001.

According to this plan, the United States government and the Nature

Conservancy collectively provided approximately USD 5.5

million toward orest conservation in Belize. In return, the Belizean

government issued BZD 7.2 million in obligations to TIDE and o

conservation groups or the protection o 23,000 acres o o

This exchange acilitated the writing o o approximately US

million o debt that Belize had held with the US government. T

obligation under the agreement was to purchase 8,000 acre

vulnerable orestlands and to manage the approximately 11,000

Golden Stream Corridor Preserve which had been under governm

control. This agreement enabled TIDE to begin acquiring pr

lands and building nature trails and other tourism inrastruc

TIDE then held a series o meetings with small communities tha

been practicing cultivation in some o these private holdings

meetings were used to address the land issues and managem

issues, with the ultimate goal o phasing out the use o the landdeveloping alternative activities or the armers.

TIDE is currently serving a two-year term as chair o the B

National Spawning Aggregation Working Group. This working g

is a coalition o seven non-governmental organizations (N

which was established in July 2001 in response to a nation

survey o spawning aggregations o the Nassau grouper

revealed very low numbers o spawning sh. In 2002, the Wo

Group successully advocated or the protection o eleven o

Nassau grouper spawning sites and or the introduction o a

month closed season.

Past policy impacts include TIDEs coounding in 1996 oTri-National Alliance or Conservation o the Gul o Hond

(TRIGOH), a joint project o Guatemalan, Honduran and Beli

NGOs, as well as the organizations partnership in the Carib

Regional Environment Program (CREP) - a 13 country, USD 9 m

European Union project which was designed to strengthen reg

cooperation and build greater awareness o environmental is

in the Caribbean Forum o Arican, Caribbean and Pacic St

(CARIFORUM).

10


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11

Sustainability and Replication

SUSTAINABILITYIDE measures its sustainability not only in nancial terms but also

n terms o community participation. The organization believes that

s long as the buer communities are committed to protecting their

atural resources the project will be sustainable. This is one reason

why TIDE devotes a large amount o its programming to education

nd outreach and attempts to get schoolchildren involved and

nterested in environmental causes rom an early age. Through the

Community Stewards program and its other education and outreach

rograms, TIDE has succeeded in obtaining a high degree o

ommunity participation by raising awareness among local people

environmental issues.

n addition to receiving support rom a large number o international

onors, TIDE also ensures its nancial sustainability through

cotourism activities. TIDE Tours was ounded as an earned-

ncome venture to generate nancial support or TIDEs education

nd outreach programs and to provide job opportunities to local

ommunities, as TIDE believes that providing alternative livelihood

pportunities is a critical component o sustainability.

REPLICATION

Helping local people to understand the multiorm value oiodiversity conservation is one way in which TIDE hopes to spread

ts message to other nearby communities. In act, TIDE owes much

its success to its ability to disseminate environmental inormation

nd research to wide and varied audiences.

IDEs y-shing training and certication program was so successul

hat conservation NGOs in Costa Rica, Guatemala and Honduras

equested the organizations help in setting up similar programs.

TIDE has also initiated its own learning exchanges, hosting

sponsoring TIDE sta and community members participatio

multi-country workshops on sustainable shing and commu

based reserve management. Examples o international excha

include peer-to-peer exchanges with Guatemalan shers and o

protected areas. In 2009, TIDEs community stewards and se

sta members took part in a particularly successul exchange

the Foundation or Ecological Development and Conserva

(Fundacin para el Ecodesarrollo y la Conservacin - FUNDAE

a community-based organization in Eastern Guatemala w

works to conserve the Gul o Honduras including the Cerro Sa

Protected Area.


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We can still boast that many of the natural resources of Southern Belize are still intact. However

if we do not stop and think about how human actions negatively impact our environment, all thi

natural wealth of ours could be lost forever

Celia Mahung, TIDE

1212

PARTNERS

ince its inception in 1997, TIDE has collaborated with many local,

ational and international organizations in order to work more

ectively toward its conservation and socioeconomic goals. In

articular, TIDE maintains ruitul working relationships with Belizean

overnment entities such as the Forest and Fisheries departments,

he local police department, the Belize Deense Force and the Belize

oast Guard.

t the beginning o its conservation activities, TIDE worked closely

with The Nature Conservancy to negotiate the rst Debt-or-Nature

wap in Belize. Since then, The Nature Conservancy has provided

ssistance to TIDE in the orm o scientic expertise, nances,

management skills, and promotion and awareness. Rainorest

lliance has also helped to raise unds or TIDEs private lands

hrough its Adopt a Rainorest campaign.

With nancial assistance rom the Massachusetts Audubon Society,

IDE was able to quickly schedule upgrades and repairs to the solar

nergy system at the Abalone Caye Ranger Station. This ranger

tation, with its visitor center and surveillance tower, is home to

TIDE rangers while they are on duty in the Port Honduras Ma

Reserve as well as to scientists, interns and volunteers conduc

monitoring and research.

TIDEs community-based partners include the Southern Allianc

Grassroots Empowerment, the Punta Negra Sea Gals Coopera

the Monkey River Tour Guide Association, and the Sout

Environmental Association. Additionally, TIDE shares its conserva

goals and vision with the Belize Zoo, Programme or Belize, YaaConservation Trust and the Belize Audubon Society.

TIDE also has a close relationship with other organizations opera

in the region, including Protected Areas Conservation Trust,

MesoAmerican Ree Fund, Oak Foundation, The Summit Founda

USAIDs Regional Environmental Program or Central Am

(PROARCA), Fundacin AVINA, Wildlie Conservation Soc

Conservation International, and many more.

TIDE also received grants rom the UNDP-GEF Small Grants Prog

(2004-2010) in order to launch and expand its community stew

program.


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FURTHER REFERENCE

De Vries, G. W., Haines., M. F., Hunagel, S. B., Laird, A. K., Rearick, K. D., and Salas, O. E. 2003. Enhancing Collaboration For Conservation

Development In Southern Belize. University o Michigan. snre.umich.edu/ecomgt//pubs/belize/abstractandcontents.pd

Fernandes, D. and TIDE. 2005. Lessons rom the Equator Initiative: Community-based Management o the Port Honduras Marine Res

Belize. IDRC, UNDP, and University o Manitoba

equatorinitiative.org/images/stories/equatorknowledge/publications/ernandes_tide_belize.pd

Moreno, P. S. 2005. Ecotourism Along the Meso-American Caribbean Ree: The Impacts o Foreign Investment. Human Ecology, Vo

No. 2 (Apr., 2005), pp. 217-244.

TIDE website: tidebelize.orgTIDE video (Vimeo): vimeo.com/27016817

Equator Initiative

Environment and Energy GroupUnited Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

304 East 45th Street, 6th Floor

New York, NY 10017

Tel: +1 646 781 4023

www.equatorinitiative.org

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UNs global development network, advocating or change and

necting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better lie.

The Equator Initiative brings together the United Nations, governments, civil society, businesses and grassroots organizati

o recognize and advance local sustainable development solutions or people, nature and resilient communities.

2012 by Equator Initiative

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case studies undp: toledo institute for development and environment (tide), belize

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