Friends for Conservation and Development

08/10/2026

🚣𝐑𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬: 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐑𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫!

FCD is proud to share its resource book: “𝐀 𝐁𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐀𝐭𝐥𝐚𝐬 – 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐚 𝐌𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐚”.

This atlas takes you on a journey through the Chiquibul-Mopan-Macal-Belize Watershed System (CMMBW), highlighting its interconnected ecosystems, economic importance, environmental challenges, and the conservation efforts helping to protect these vital waterways. 🌊

Learn more about your river, Be the voice of your watershed and get involve in river conservation.

🔗Access this resource book on FCD’s website: https://fcdbelize.org/a-bi-national-watershed-atlas-from-the-maya-mountains-to-the-caribbean-sea/

07/10/2026

The Karst Management Unit (KMU) participated in a mapping and navigation training conducted by FCD’s Park Manager. The training provided the team with foundational knowledge in topographic map interpretation, terrain assessment, coordinate identification, and navigation techniques essential for field activities.

This training further strengthened the KMU team’s ability to safely and accurately navigate remote areas of the Chiquibul National Park. 🗺

06/10/2026

🌊𝗥𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀! 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲.
Monkey Falls Waterfalls in Cristo Rey village is a hidden natural water feature and a popular swimming spot. Sadly, visitors often leave behind trash thinking that cleaning up is "someone else's job". Let us learn to respect nature and its environment!

Yesterday, FCD Environmental Educator joined the Cristo Rey Chairman Mr. Wilmer Guerra and a group of youth eco-activists led by Abraham Heavener to remove trash in and around Monkey Falls Waterfalls. A total of 19 large bags of garbage were collected and properly disposed. The most notable trashed were plastic, foamy, micro plastics, aluminum can beers, glass bottles, metal and plastic caps, wrappers and papers.

Clean water starts with us, be a part of the solution not the problem. Protect our rivers and its tributaries; knowing your river, be the voice of your watershed and join the movement in your community. 🚯

Big thank you to Abraham Heavener and everyone who made a difference. Not all heroes wear cape! Thank you to the Cristo Rey Chairman and Village Council for its continuous commitment.

05/10/2026

Friends for Conservation and Development participated in the Annual Birding Festival. 🦜🪽

Our booth focused on the education of the Scarlet Macaw, a flagship species in the Chiquibul Ecosystem. Thank you for visiting our booth, here are a few photos with Scarlet🤩

05/10/2026

👇👇

We are elated to invite you to join us celebrating World Migratory Bird Day with us!

Happening Saturday, October 10, come out with your entire family to experience Belize’s bird conservation and learn how to be a citizen scientist 🦉

Monkey Bay also invites any birder wanting to hike our trails to feel welcome to come join some early morning bird watching.

Then starting at 9am, come out and learn from various organizations working in bird conservation, rehabilitation, research and more! Snacks and soft drinks will be on sale.

Having questions? Feel free to contact us with questions or special requests!

02/10/2026

🌊𝐑𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬!! Today’s latest update!

Primary schools with close proximity to the Mopan River have become beneficiaries of metal drums to be utilized for proper garbage disposal. Schools continue to work in collaboration with community leaders and FCD by taking action to stop litter and prevent river pollution. FCD Environmental Educator also took the opportunity to handed over a copy of our resource book: “The Bi-national Watershed Atlas” for teachers’ accessibility and copies of our child friendly story book titled: “Matias and the Mopan River” for upper division students to access so they can learn more about our rivers, its threats and what they can do to protect this vital natural resource.

Clean water starts with our communities. A clean environment doesn't happen by accident—it starts with the choices we make every single day. What are you doing? Do you part, know your river and be the voice of your watershed.📣

Thank you to the community leaders, school principals and students for their unwavering commitment and support towards the protection of our rivers. Thank you to The Nature Conservancy - TNC in Belize for making this initiative possible.

Immaculate Conception RC Primary / Bullet Tree Seventh-Day Adventist Primary School /La Immaculada RC Primary

29/09/2026

Nuevo Nacimiento is the closest Guatemalan community located along the western flank of the Caracol Archaeological Reserve. For the past three years, FCD has been working and assisting this community in areas of fire prevention and combat with support from the Municipality of Melchor de Mencos and CONAP. This ongoing collaboration has helped the community to manage and control fires, reducing the risk of them spreading into the Chiquibul National Park. 🧯🔥

This week, FCD’s Park Manager joined Guatemalan partners on a community site visit to explore way for enhancing conservation actions at La Rejoya. A draft community conservation agreement was discussed and agreed verbally by over 30 persons from the community.

28/09/2026

This weekend, FCD held a meeting with community leaders and representatives from Santa Familia, Spanish Lookout, Esperanza, Ontario, Roaring Creek, and More Tomorrow to discuss ways communities can take a more proactive role in monitoring the health and condition of the Belize River. 🌊🙌

This effort is part of the GEF6 project, “Integrated Management of Production Landscapes to Deliver Multiple Global Environmental Benefits.” Under this project, FCD’s role is primarily to raise awareness and strengthen environmental stewardship among 13 communities located along the Belize River.

28/09/2026

Three Ranger recruits have successfully finished their field test in the Chiquibul National Park. The recruits were tested on areas of patrolling, navigation, jungle survival, casualty evacuation and jungle health/hygiene. 💪👏

FCD congratulates these three recruits and we look forward for them joining the Ranger Unit in the next few weeks. Stamina, discipline, eagerness to conserve nature and interest to develop a Ranger career are traits that FCD evaluates. 🙌

27/09/2026

🌊𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐑𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐲!
Today, we celebrate the rivers that sustain our communities, forests, wildlife, and ecosystems.🚣

Let’s take a moment to know our rivers, understand our watersheds, and do our part to protect them.🙌🌊

💧 No Forests, No Rivers, No Water, No Life.