List of protected areas of Belize


This is a list of protected areas in Belize.

National parks

In Belize, national parks are areas designed for the protection and preservation of natural and aesthetic features of national significance for the benefit and enjoyment of the people. Therefore, they are areas of recreatitourism, as well as environmental protection. National parks are gazetted under the National Parks System Act of 1981. They are administered by the Forest Department and managed through partnership agreements with community-based non-governmental organisations.
ReserveDistrictSize
Size
IUCNCo-managementEst.Description
Aguas TurbiasOrange WalkII— 1994-
Bacalar ChicoBelizeVGreen Reef Environmental Institute 1996Excludes adjacent [|marine reserve].-
Billy BarquedierStann CreekIISteadfast Tourism and Conservation Association2001-
ChiquibulCayoIIFriends for Conservation and Development1995Excludes adjacent [|forest reserve].-
Five Blues LakeCayoIIFriends of Five Blues Lake National Park1994-
Gra Gra LagoonStann CreekIIFriends of Gra Gra Lagoon2002-
GuanacasteCayoIIBelize Audubon Society1994-
Honey CampCorozal / Orange WalkIICorozal Sustainable Future Initiative 2001-
Laughing Bird CayeStann CreekIISouthern Environmental Association1996-
Mayflower BocawinaStann CreekIIFriends of Mayflower Bocawina National Park2001-
Monkey BayBelizeIIGuardians of the Jewel 1994-
Nojkaaxmeen Elijio PantiCayoIIBelize Development Foundation 2001-
Payne's CreekToledoIIToledo Institute for Development and Environment1994-
Peccary HillsBelizeIIGracie Rock Reserve for Adventure, Culture and Ecotourism2007-
Río BlancoToledoIIRío Blanco Mayan Association1994-
Sarstoon-TemashToledoIISarstoon Temash Institute for Indigenous Management1994Ramsar site.-
St. Herman's Blue HoleCayoIIBelize Audubon Society1986-

Natural monuments

A natural monument is designated for the preservation of unique geographic features of the landscape. The designation is primarily based on a feature's high scenic value, but may also be regarded as a cultural landmark that represents or contributes to a national identity.
Natural monuments are gazetted under the National Parks System Act of 1981; marine-based monuments additionally come under the Fisheries Act. Of the five natural monuments in the country, three are terrestrial, administered by the Forest Department, while the remaining two are marine-based and come under the authority of the Fisheries Department.
ImageReserveDistrictSize
Size
IUCNCo-managementEst.Description
Actun Tunichil MuknalCayoIaBelize Audubon Society; Institute of Archaeology2004Terrestrial.-
Blue HoleBelizeIIIBelize Audubon Society1996Marine.-
Half Moon CayeBelizeIIBelize Audubon Society1982Marine.-
Thousand Foot FallsCayoIII— 2004Terrestrial.-
Victoria PeakStann CreekIIIBelize Audubon Society1998Terrestrial.-

Nature reserves

The country's three nature reserves enjoy the highest level of protection within the National Protected Areas System Plan. The designation was created for the strict protection of biological communities or ecosystems, and the maintenance of natural processes in an undisturbed state. They are typically pristine, wilderness ecosystems.
Nature reserves are legislated under the National Parks System Act of 1981. It is the strictest designation of all categories within the country's national protected areas system, with no extractive use or tourism access permitted. Permits are required to enter the area and are restricted to researchers only. The nature reserves are under the authority of the Forest Department.
The oldest of these, Bladen Nature Reserve, forms the centrepiece of the Maya Mountains biological corridor, and is considered one of the most biodiversity-rich, and topographically unique areas within the Mesoamerican biodiversity hotspot.
ReserveDistrictSize
Size
IUCNCo-managementEst.Description
BladenToledoIaYa’axché Conservation Trust; Bladen Management Consortium1990-
Burdon CanalBelizeIa— 1992-
Tapir MountainCayoIaBelize Audubon Society1994Formerly known as Society Hall Nature Reserve.-

Wildlife sanctuaries

are created for the preservation of an important keystone species in the ecosystem. By preserving enough area for them to live in, many other species receive the protection they need as well.
Wildlife sanctuaries are gazetted under the National Parks System Act of 1981, and are the responsibility of the Forest Department. There are currently seven wildlife sanctuaries, three of which are being managed under co-management partnerships, whilst the other four are managed under informal arrangements. Two of the following wildlife sanctuaries are considered to be marine protected areas, and may also have collaborative agreements with the Fisheries Department in place.
ReserveDistrictSize
Size
IUCNCo-managementEst.Description
AguacalienteToledoIVAguacaliente Management Team 1998Terrestrial.-
Cockscomb BasinStann Creek / ToledoIVBelize Audubon Society1997Terrestrial.-
Corozal BayBelize / CorozalIVSarteneja Alliance for Conservation and Development 1998Marine.-
Crooked TreeBelize / Orange WalkIVBelize Audubon Society1984Ramsar site. Boundaries ill-defined. Terrestrial.-
Gales PointBelizeIVGales Point Wildlife Sanctuary Community Management Committee 1998Terrestrial.-
Spanish CreekBelize / Orange WalkIVRancho Dolores Development Group 2002Terrestrial.-
Swallow CayeBelizeIVFriends of Swallow Caye2002Marine.-

Forest reserves

s, overseen by the Forest Department, are designed for the sustainable extraction of timber without destroying the biodiversity of the location. These are gazetted under the Forests Act of 1927, which allows the department to grant permits to logging companies after extensive review. There are currently 16 forest reserves with a combined acreage of, making up 9.3% of total national territory.
ReserveDistrictSize
Size
IUCNEst.Description
Caye CaulkerBelizeVI1998Excludes adjacent marine reserve.-
ChiquibulCayoVI1995Excludes adjacent [|national park].-
Columbia RiverCayo / ToledoVI1997-
Deep RiverToledoVI-
Fresh Water CreekCorozal / Orange WalkVI1926-
Grants WorkStann CreekVI1989-
MachacaToledoVI1998-
ManateeBelize / Stann CreekVI1959-
Mango CreekStann Creek / ToledoVI1989Comprises two separate segments.-
Monkey CayeToledoVI1996-
Mountain Pine RidgeCayoVI1944-
Maya MountainStann CreekVI1997-
SibunCayoVI1959-
Sittee RiverStann CreekVI-
Swasey BladenToledoVI1989-
VacaCayoVI1991-

Marine reserves

are designed for the conservation of aquatic ecosystems, including marine wildlife and its environment. The majority of these reserves contribute to the conservation of Belize's Barrier Reef, which provides a protective shelter for pristine atolls, seagrass meadows and rich marine life. The preservation of the Barrier Reef system has been recognised as a global interest through the collective designation of seven protected areas, including four of the following marine reserves, as a World Heritage Site.
Marine reserves are legislated under the Fisheries Act, and are administered by the Fisheries Department. One of the department's key responsibilities is to ensure the sustainable extraction of marine resources. There are currently eight marine reserves, management of which is either direct, by the department, or in partnership with non-governmental agencies.
ReserveDistrictSize
Size
IUCNCo-managementEst.Description
Bacalar ChicoBelizeIVGreen Reef Environmental Institute 1996Excludes adjacent national park. Divided into two zones: a conservation zone, and a general use zone.-
Caye CaulkerBelizeVIForest & Marine Reserves Association of Caye Caulker1998Excludes adjacent forest reserve.-
Gladden Spit and Silk CayesStann CreekIVSouthern Environmental Association2000Divided into two zones: a general use zone, and a conservation zone.-
Glover's ReefBelizeIV—1993In 2001, the reserve was divided into four zones: a general use zone, a conservation zone, a seasonal closure zone, and a wilderness zone. A spawning aggregation zone was broken off in 2003 and comes under separate management.-
Hol ChanBelizeIIHol Chan Trust Fund1987Divided into four zones: Mangrove, Seagrass, Shark Ray Alley, and Coral Reef.-
Port HondurasToledoIVToledo Institute for Development and Environment2000Divided into two zones: a general use zone, and a conservation zone.-
Sapodilla CayesToledoIVSouthern Environmental Association1996-
South Water CayeStann CreekIV—1996-

Spawning aggregation sites

Bird sanctuaries

The seven bird sanctuaries are some of the country's oldest protected areas established for the purpose of biodiversity conservation. They were gazetted in 1977 as crown reserves for the protection of waterfowl nesting and roosting colonies. They were later reorganised under the National Parks System Act in 1981. They are under the jurisdiction of the Forest Department. All of them are tiny islands with a combined surface area of.
All the sanctuaries are nesting and roosting sites for wading birds, though the species vary.
ReserveDistrictSize
Size
IUCNEst.Description
Bird CayeBelizeIV1977-
Doubloon BankOrange WalkIV1977-
Little Guana CayeBelizeIV1977-
Los SalonesBelizeIV1977-
Monkey CayeToledoIV1977-
Man of War CayeStann CreekIV1977-
Unnamed CayeBelizeIV1977-

Archaeological reserves

Before the arrival of Europeans in America, Belize lay in the heartland of the Maya civilisation, and consequently contains some of the earliest and most important Maya ruins. Archaeological findings at Caracol, in the southern end of the country, have suggested that it formed the centre of political struggles in the southern Maya lowlands. The complex covered an area much larger than present-day Belize City and supported more than twice the modern city's population. Meanwhile, Lamanai, in the north, is known for being the longest continually-occupied site in Mesoamerica, settled during the early Preclassic era and continuously occupied up to and during the area's colonisation.
While the majority of reserves under this category are related to the pre-colonial era, Serpon Sugar Mill and Yarborough Cemetery, both designated in 2009, only date from the 19th century and are alternatively described as historical reserves.
The country's 15 archaeological sites are managed by the Institute of Archaeology, a branch of the National Institute of Culture and History, which comes under the authority of the Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Culture. This type of protected area was gazetted under the Ancient Monuments and Antiquities Act, 1 May 1972. All of the following reserves are open to the public. Many other sites, such as Cuello and Uxbenka, are located on private land and can only be visited if prior permission is obtained from the landowner.
ImageReserveDistrictSize
Size
IUCNEst.Description
Altun HaBelizeII1995-
Barton CreekBelizeII2003-
Cahal PechCayoII1995-
CaracolCayoII1995-
Cerro MayaCorozalII1976-
El PilarCayoII1998-
LamanaiOrange WalkII1985-
LubaantunToledoII1995-
Marco GonzalezBelizeII2011-
Nim Li PunitToledoII1985-
Nohoch Che'enCayoII2010Also known as Caves Branch. Formerly a private reserve owned by Jaguar Paw.-
Santa RitaCorozalII1995-
Serpon Sugar MillStann CreekII2009-
XunantunichCayoII1995-
Yarborough CemeteryBelizeII2009-

Private reserves

are owned and operated by non-governmental conservation initiatives, and enjoy various levels of protection. Most of them are essentially multiple-use reserves, and include managed extraction of resources.
In 2003, the Belize Association of Private Protected Areas was formed to assist in the co-ordinatation of private conservation initiatives as a cohesive group, and to represent and assist landowners in attaining recognition from the Belizean government and integration into the national protected areas system. It maintains a directory of landowners that are attempting to manage their land holdings for conservation purposes.
A total of eight private reserves have so far been officially recognised as national protected areas. While most of these recognised reserves have no formal or legal commitment to remain under conservation management, there are additional private landholdings which are considered to be very effective in biodiversity conservation and critical to the national protected areas system, but which are not yet recognised within the system. Formal adoption and implementation of proposed legislation to manage and regulate such areas is required to attain such recognition.

Official

As of January 2005, a total of eight private reserves were officially recognised as being part of the country's national protected areas system. Two have a standing agreement with the government, while the remaining six have their own management system in place. Of the following, Aguacate Lagoon is the only non-participatory reserve, its management expressing little interest in being part of the system.
They cover a combined total area of approximately.
ReserveDistrictSize
Size
IUCNManagementEst.Description
Aguacate LagoonCayoIVAguacate Park1987-
Block 127ToledoIVToledo Institute for Development and Environment2001Forms one block of the TIDE Private Protected Lands, which total.-
Community Baboon SanctuaryBelizeIVWomen's Conservation Group1985-
Golden StreamToledoIVYa’axché Conservation Trust; Fauna & Flora International1998Formally known as Golden Stream Corridor Preserve.-
Monkey BayBelizeIVMonkey Bay Wildlife Sanctuary1987Formally known as Monkey Bay Wildlife Sanctuary.-
Río BravoOrange WalkIVProgramme for Belize1988Formally known as Río Bravo Conservation and Management Area.-
Runaway CreekBelizeIVFoundation for Wildlife Conservation; Birds Without Borders1998-
ShipsternCorozalIVInternational Tropical Conservation Foundation; Papiliorama-Nocturama Foundation1987Formally known as Shipstern Nature Reserve.-

Proposed

Others