CZMAI Coastline Newsletter Issue 2_Dec 2014

September—December 2014
Volume 1, Issue 2
The Newsletter of the Coastal Zone Management Authority & Institute
New Board of Directors for CZMAI
The
Belize Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Act was enacted in 1998 to
promote national sustainable development of coastal and associated ocean areas.
It provides for the establishment of a Board of Directors whose function in relation
to the Coastal Zone Management Authority & Institute (CZMAI) is two-fold; (1) to
control and manage its affairs and (2) to serve as its principal policy-making organ.
CZMAI is a statutory body, which as of 2012, falls under the purview of the
relatively new Ministry of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development
(MFFSD). While the new Ministry seeks to effectively coordinate sustainable
development, its formation necessitated the reconfiguration of the constitution of
the CZMAI Board of Directors. The Principal CZM Act designates the Chief
Executive Officers of Ministries with responsibility for (1) Fisheries, (2) Forestry,
(3) Environment and (4) Economic Development to serve as Board members.
However, now that the administration of Fisheries, Forestry and Environment has
been merged into the MFFSD, the result is that all these areas are now within the
responsibility of one Chief Executive Officer. (continued on Page 7)
Using Science to Unlock Opportunities for a “Blue Economy” in Belize
Increasing expansion of development activities within the coastal zone of
Belize potentially puts ecosystems such as mangrove forests at unprecedented
risk. Scientists at the Natural Capital Project (NatCap) have used new science to
develop open source software that can calculate risk to coastal and marine
ecosystems from human activities. The Coastal Zone Management Authority &
Institute (CZMAI) partnered with NatCap to apply these novel tools and science
approach to design Belize’s first integrated coastal zone management plan. This
process is comprehensively described in the recently published Environmental
Research Letters journal article, “Assessing habitat risk from human activities
to inform coastal and marine spatial planning: a demonstration in Belize”.
(continued on page 7)
Inside this issue
New Board of Directors .............. …. 1
Using science to unlock opportunities
for a “Blue Economy” in Belize” .. …..1
Message from the CEO…………..……. 2
Guest Article……………………………….
3
Coastal Awareness Week ............ …. 4
Climate Change Resiliency through
Fragments of Hope .................... …. 6
37th Annual Applied Geography
Conference …………………………… .. … 8
Training Trainers in Customer Service
Excellence ................................... …. 7
Special points of interest
 Sustainable Development
 Education and Outreach
 GIS Advancement
 Climate Change Adaptation
 Youth and the Environment
Dear Partners, Colleagues, Friends:
As we get ready to wave goodbye to 2014 and we prepare to embrace 2015, I
am pleased to share our final newsletter for this year with all of you.
Through this medium , we have the unique opportunity and distinct privilege
to reflect on our past accomplishments and also share the outlook for our
future, which looks quite promising.
We are working continuously and
diligently to strengthen the Authority so that it can improve upon its capacity to effectively to fulfil its mandate
for improved coastal area management in this country.
This year has brought positive collaborations, new partnerships and exciting opportunities, many of which
would not have been possible without the support of our Ministry, staff and key partners, such as yourselves.
Some highlights for our 2014 year includes:

Amendment of the Coastal Zone Management Act, to allow for the formation of a New Board of Directors

Expansion of our partnerships to include local private sector agencies and regional scientists

Improved implementation of education and awareness activities including, but not limited to, Coastal
Awareness Week 2014

Increased capacity building and technical training for staff

Continued active participation on several key national communities with coastal area management activities
In early 2015, the Belize Marine Conservation and Climate Adaptation World Bank Project will be
implemented, which will significantly allow CZMAI to expand and improve our role in coastal zone
management. Principal among the activities under the Adaptation Fund will be support for the implementation
of the Belize coastal zone management plan. As we continue to evolve as an organization, we remain deeply
committed to also seek new and innovative means by which to fulfil our mandate.
Thank you all for your continued support. CZMAI looks forward to continuing our work together in 2015.
I encourage you to stay in touch with us throughout the year via our Coastline Newsletter, and by connecting
with us on our website and social media.
With very best wishes,
Vincent Gillett
Chief Executive Officer
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GUEST ARTICLE
UNITY – STRENGTH – PURPOSE: Youth Standing for Sustainable Development
by Denvor Cayetano, Caribbean Youth Environment Network (CYEN)-Belize Chapter
What are SIDS? Do you know of the Post Development Agenda? Where was COP20 held this year? Or the
bigger question, why don’t our Belizean youth at least know more about these very important topics? The lack
of confidence in the responses to those questions from Belizean youth is why 2014 brought about the
establishment of the Caribbean Youth Environment Network in Belize.
The Caribbean Youth Environment Network (CYEN) is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving
the quality of life of Caribbean youth by facilitating their personal development and promoting their full
involvement in all matters pertaining to the environment and sustainable development. The organization
promotes education and training, Caribbean integration and community empowerment as tools to develop an
ethic amongst young people that assists in the conservation and protection of natural resources within the
wider Caribbean. With representation from several Caribbean territories, Belize is the latest to form a national
chapter. There are youth in this country with strong passion for the natural environment and its protection
from all perspectives, and with no shortage of pride. CYEN Belize aims to bring these youth together and create
a platform to ensure that the voice of youth is heard in matters relevant to the sustainable development of our
wonderful country; UNITY, STRENGTH, PURPOSE!
CYEN Belize has been very active after its establishment in July 2014. It’s first project was a ‘Kids 4 Clean
Water Camp’ with Belize Community Conservation located in the San Mateo area of Ambergris Caye.. The program promises to provide information on environmental
and public health, hygiene, and ecological sanitation to
assist the community in health and environmental conservation leading towards clean drinking water, improved
sanitation and health in the community. Since then, members have been working to expand the network and support system of the CYEN Belize Chapter through participation in different events such as Coastal Zone Management
Institute and Authority’s (CZMAI) Coastal Awareness
Week 2014.
One of Among CYEN Belize’s bigger accomplishments includes attaining observer status on the Ministry of
Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development’s projects . The Ministry and organizations like CZMAI are
really open and enthusiastic of the idea of having more
youth involvement in their activities. Kudos to them!
With a strong membership base stretching from all districts and growing, the network is looking to move into
2015 with full force. We urge all Belizean youth to get
involved and put some meaning to the phrase, “youth are
the future” by leading that future.
For more information, please feel free to contact us at
[email protected]
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Coastal Awareness Week 2014: September 29th – October 3rd 2014
by Samir Rosado, Coastal Planner
During September 29th to October 3rd of this year, the Coastal Zone Management Authority & Institute (CZMAI) held
Coastal Awareness Week for the first time in 10 years under the theme “Planned Development Today for a Sustainable Coast
Tomorrow”. The purpose of the week of events was to raise awareness about the coastal zone of Belize and the resources it
provides while highlighting the importance of sustainable use. In an effort to share this information to the public in a manner that was both thought-provoking and easy to understand, the CZMAI hosted five major activities spread across five
days. The events were a huge success and garnered support from both the public and private sectors. The following are the
major highlights from the week’s events.
Opening Ceremony/Launch of the State of the Belize Coastal Zone Report 2003 - 2013
The week of festivities kicked off with an official opening ceremony held at the Radisson Fort George Hotel on September 29 th, hosted by the Chief Executive Officer of
CZMAI, Mr. Vincent Gillett. Special invited guests included Sen. Hon. Lisel Alamilla, Minister of Forestry,
Fisheries and Sustainable Development and the CEO
of the Ministry Mrs. Adele Catzim-Sanchez as well as
members of the NGO community, close collaborators
and sponsors. Following brief opening remarks, Sen.
Hon. Alamilla declared the week officially open and
Coastal Awareness Week 2014 was under way. The (L-R) Mr. Vincent Gillett (CEO, CZMAI), Sen.
Hon. Lisel Alamilla, & Chantalle ClarkeSen. Hon. Alamilla unveiling the State of
State of the Belize Coastal Zone Report 2003 - 2013 Samuels (Director, CZMAI)
the Belize Coastal Zone Report 2003—
was also formally launched. This report provides a
2013
comprehensive review of a variety of the threats and management challenges affecting
the coastal zone of Belize. A total of 26 articles written by 34 experts in various fields are included in the report. It covers
ten years’ worth of research and advancements in coastal and marine resource management. During the ceremony, CZMAI
also distributed certificates of appreciation to all contributing authors of the Report, donor agencies and close collaborators.
Belize Coastal Awareness Trivia Challenge
On Tuesday September 30th, CZMAI held the first Coastal Awareness Primary School Trivia Competition at the Bird’s Isle
Basketball Court. The purpose of the event was to raise awareness through knowledge building and provide a forum for
primary school students to learn about the Belizean Coastal Zone in a way that is both informative and fun. This monumentous event was broadcasted live on Wave Radio and Love FM and featured participants from 9 primary schools within Belize City who competed for the grand prize of $500. Participating primary schools and student representatives included:
Belize Elementary School
Mihir Karnani
St. Ignatius R.C. School
Junwei Lin
All Saints Primary School
Shery Kahsie August
Holy Redeemer R.C. School
Oscar Castro
Horizon Academy
Billy Maheia
Queen's Square Primary School
Elise Torres
St. John Vianney R.C. School
Annalee Flowers
St. Joseph R.C. School
Maia Williams
Participants in the 1st Belize Coastal
St. Luke Methodist Primary School
Stephanie Cho
Awareness Trivia Challenge
Top three contestants
The competition came down to a series of sudden death questions after which Shery Kahsie August, a
Std. 5 student from All Saints Primary School, took home the grand prize of $500 and a tablet. Stephanie Cho, from St. Luke’s
Methodist Primary School, won the second prize of $300 and a camera. Finally, Oscar Castro of Holy Redeemer R.C. School
took home third prize which was $200 and a Crayola package.
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Seminar: Sustainable, Planned Coastal Development
On Wednesday October 1st, CZMAI held a panel discussion at the CZMAI Training
Room on the topic of Sustainable, Planned Coastal Development. Guest panellists
included Mrs. Arlene Maheia-Young (National Protected Areas Secretariat); Mr. Arturo Vasquez (Port of Belize Limited); Daniel Arguelles (international Environments
Ltd.); Hugo Moguel (VISTA Real Estate); and Luis Garcia (Eco Friendly Solutions).
The discussion was moderated by Dr. Arlenie Rogers of the University of Belize.
Each panellist gave a short presentation on their experiences with sustainable development in their field, identifying “hits and misses” encountered and how they have
worked to overcome them. Following presentations, the floor was opened and there
was a facilitated dialogue between panellists and the audience, which included
members of the NGO community, close collaborators and interested members of the
public. One of the resounding issues identified from the discussion was the need for
enforcement from the government and its executing agencies.
Guest Panelists at the Coastal Awareness Week
Seminar (L-R) Mr. Daniel Arguelles, Mr. Arturo
Vasquez, Mrs. Arlene Maheia-Young, Mr. Hugo
Moguel, and Mr. Luis Garcia
Run for the Coast
In an effort to raise awareness about the value of the Belizean coastal
and marine resources CZMAI organized the Run for the Coast, which
took place on Thursday October 2nd. The 3 mile leisure run/walk
from the BTL Park to the Baron Bliss Lighthouse and back began at
5:30 a.m. and finished at 7:00 a.m. There were approximately 100
participants and the first male, female and child that completed the
(Left) Participants warming up for the run. (Right) Participants during
run won trips for five to Goff’s Caye.
the run
Coastal Awareness Week Video Competition Showcase
Coastal Awareness Week came to a close with the final event which was the Coastal Awareness Video Competition Showcase.
About a month in advance a call for videos was issued to the public for those interested in taking part in the competition. Participants were asked to create a short 2-4 minute video showcasing the Coastal Awareness Week theme. Videos could have
been submitted individually or as a group and participants had the opportunity to win one of four prizes. Prizes included a
grand prize of $500 and a dinner for 4, second prize $300 and a snorkelling trip, third prize $200 and a basket and a viewer’s
choice prize which was a Bank account worth $250 and a basket. A total of 10 videos were submitted by various groups and
individuals. Videos were judged by an external panel based on creativity, video quality, and how well the theme was portrayed. The winners of the first second and third prize were selected by the judges and the winner of the viewer’s choice
award was determined based on the amount of “likes” the video received on Facebook over a 4 day period.
On Friday October 3rd 2014, CZMAI hosted a video showcase at the Memorial Park in Belize City. During the event all the videos submitted were shown and the winners of the competition were announced. The video showcase was hosted by Mr. Dillon
Jones and featured a dance routine by the New Generation Dancers. When the winners were announce Haywood Curry and
Johnny Cantun won first prize, Corey Constantino won second prize, Deidra Mahler won third prize and a group comprised of
Tysha Roches, Jacqueline Alas and Areli Salgado won the Viewer’s Choice award with 384 “likes”. The end of this event marked
the closing of Coastal Awareness Week 2014. In summary the public and private sector support was tremendous and much of
the success achieved during the week of activities can be attributed to them. Also important was the commitment by the management and staff of CZMAI in ensuring that all necessary logistics were organized and effective.
(L-R) (i) Early turnout at the Memorial Park. (ii) Second prize winner Mr. Corey Constantino. (iii) Third prize winner Miss Deidra Mahler, (iv) Winners
of the Viewer’s Choice Award Tysha Roches, Jacqueline Alas and Areli Salgado.
5
Climate Change Resiliency through Fragments of Hope
by Kleon Coleman, Research Technician
A healthy coral reef system is vital for Belize for a variety of reasons.
It supports our local economy,
protects our coasts and provides thousands of jobs. Over the past years, the health of the coral reef ecosystems
have been in peril worldwide. Human activities and global climate change are the two major contributing factors
to the decline of reef health. As a consequence of increasing sea level and sea surface temperatures a significant
amount of coral bleaching is occurring.
Over the years, Ms. Lisa Carne has been leading efforts
to replant and restore coral reefs . She formed a nonprofit organization named 'Fragments of Hope', whose
primary focus is the replanting of the Elkhorn and
Staghorn corals. These corals are fast-growing and
they naturally reproduce asexually. Broken fragments
of these corals can easily be replanted to form new
colonies. Even though in 2006 the Staghorn and
Elkhorn corals were placed on the IUCN Red list, they
were found to be particularly resilient to increasing
temperatures. This spurred the interest in restoring
these coral species to address climate resiliency.
Ms. Carne hosted a 3 day “Climate Change Exchange”
Fragments of Hope Coral Nursery
workshop to educate participants on her project and
to display her achievements. Present at the workshop
were representatives from different organizations such as the Belize Tourism Board, Coastal Zone Management,
Hol Chan Marine Reserve, Southern Environmental Association, National Climate Change Office, National Protected Area Secretariat, Caribbean Community Climate Change Center. Also present were village council leaders
from Monkey River, Placencia, Barranco, Punta Negra, Seine Bight and fishermen from Hopkins and Mr. Wil Maheia. Day one of the Workshop comprised of presenters from Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre
(CCCCC), Placencia Village Council, Mr. Wil Maheia, Southern Environmental Association (SEA) and Ms. Lisa Carne. Most presenters presented on climate change and its impacts on the country of Belize and in the world. Mr.
Maheia’s presentation was geared towards
speaking on the issues of Global Warming, since
the villagers in southern Belize are already experiencing these effects, such as the rapid loss of
their beaches.
Ms. Carne further emphasized the purpose of her
work, which is to strengthen coral reef resilience
to climate change and to prevent ecological
extinctions. She spoke about the reason for the
bleaching of the corals and her methods and
approach for replanting the corals, as well as the
results to date from her work. Day 2 and 3
centered on showcasing the successes of the
program at 'Laughing Bird Caye' where her coral
Participants of the Climate Change Exchange Workshop at the
nursery is situated. The workshop ended with a
Laughing Bird Caye Coral Nursery
discussion on the way forward for the villagers who
are already feeling and seeing the effects of climate change in their community.
6
New Board of Directors for CZMAI...continued from page 1
This effectively reduced the full complement of Chief Executive Officers on the Board as provided for under
the Principal Act. Thus, the Principal Act had to be amended not only to reflect the change in governmental
structure in 2012 but also to ensure that representation from key line Ministries whose mandates directly
impact coastal zone management would be retained at the Board level as originally intended. The Principal
Act was amended and the Coastal Zone Management (Amendment) Act came into force on October 4, 2014.
Section 4 of the Amendment Act 2014 provides for a new Board with CEOs with responsibility for (1) Fisheries, (2) Natural Resources, (3) Tourism and (4) Economic Development. Membership on the Board also
includes the President of the University of Belize, the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry (private
sector representative) and the Association of Protected Areas Management Organizations (nongovernmental sector representative). CZMAI’s Chief Executive Officer and Director are ex-officio members
on the Board. The inaugural meeting of the new CZMAI Board is scheduled for January 2015. A priority
agenda item to be discussed at the meeting is Cabinet’s endorsement of the Belize Integrated Coastal Zone
Management Plan.
Using Science to Unlock Opportunities for a “Blue Economy” in Belize ...continued from page 1
Belize’s integrated coastal management plan paves
the way for coastal communities and marine
resources to become the centrepiece of a “blue
economy” – an economy for the benefit of people and
the environment based on the sustainable use of
natural habitats. For instance, once implemented the
plan would reduce the area of marine habitats at high
risk from damaging activities by 20%, while tripling
the area available for coastal development.
Dr. Katie Arkema, lead author of the study and
Stanford University scientist working with NatCap
explained that the approach allows for a win-win
outcome for the people and environment of Belize by
strategically locating human activities to reduce the
area of habitats at risk while allowing for the expansion of sectors of cultural and economic importance.
“This work helped us to identify the best opportunities
we have for development while ensuring that these
ecosystems still provide protection for our coasts, lobster for fishermen and some of the best snorkelling and
diving areas on the planet” says Chantalle ClarkeSamuels, CZMAI’s Director and one of the study’s
authors.
A copy of the full length of the article is available at :
http://iopscience.iop.org/1748-9326/9/11/114016/
article
Figure 1. Full extent of coral reefs, mangrove forests and seagrass beds classified as high, medium and low risks from current human activities by coastal
planning regions: (1) Northern Region, (2) Ambergris Caye, (3) Caye Caulker,
(4) Central Region, (5) Turneffe Atoll, (6) Lighthouse Reef Atoll, (7) South
Northern Region, (8) South Central Region, and (9) Southern Region
7
Georgia State University Hosts 37th Annual Applied Geography Conference
by Stacey Cayetano, GIS Technician
The 37th Annual Applied Geography Conference was held October 14-17, 2014 in Atlanta, GA and hosted by the
Department of Geosciences at Georgia State University. The conference was attended by CZMAI’s GIS Technician,
Stacey Cayetano, and University of Belize students, Jane Salazar and Devon Saldano. The Conference showcased universities from around the United States, together with prominent associates and scholars, with scholars presenting on
their individual research. Different geographical and regional science associations were a great channel to promote
the concept of applied geography education. Each research project presented was different, unique and encompassed
GIS tools and framework. The conference was a way to show how the research studies and teachings were used to
prepare students and other scholars for applications-oriented jobs, which would require best research techniques
important to site analysis applications. Students were also challenged to learn how to use scientific method principles,
ascertain how to design the steps and, overall, how to execute basic research techniques.
Technological tools such as aerials photos or GIS mapping packages can assist professionals in understanding
characteristics of selected geographies. Thus, the presented research studies were a combination of different regional
and international geographic science. Still, the universal element encompassed within each of these research was the
application of GIS. These research all clearly revealed the different ways that GIS can be applied to different scenarios.
Each presenter illustrated several everyday scenarios were GIS proved to be a keen insight in mapping development,
assessing risk factors, studying changes within a region. One such presentation was “The Spatial and Coverage of Tornado Sirens in San Marcos, Texas”. The researcher tracked each tornado sirens and created a network coverage for the
city. Based on the location of the tornado sirens, building locations and the network coverage, the researcher determined the population that was covered for tornado watch and those that were outside of the coverage. This gave way
to further risk assessment for the population and damage estimation for areas outside of the coverage.
Another applied use of GIS was showcased in the presentation “Examining Sugarcane Farming in Belize with Community GIS and Mobile Mapping”. Since the research was based in Belize, the farmers of Orange Walk were an essential
element in mapping the sugarcane fields. With GIS and the modern day technology, tablets were used in the field to
assess the location of the farms and determine which farmland belonged to which farmer. Farmers were very helpful
in affirming the information about their farms, and ascertain crop type and harvest time. The use of GIS and aerial
photos in farm mapping enabled the farms to understand and be able to predict their based on farm size. In some particular cases, it allowed the farmers to see their acreage of farmland and determine that they were being overcharged
for acreage size larger than what they did possess.
The application of GIS paves the way for growth and development throughout the globe, it assists determines
risk factors and changes over the course of time. It helps to explore the unknown and determine how geographical
science can shape nations.
(L-R) Heather Brissey and Jane Salazar presenting on the collaborative cane farming
mapping project of the University of Belize and Georgia State University
(L-R) Devon Saldano, Jane Salazar, and Stacey Cayetano along with Associate Dean
Don Reitzes of the Department of Geosciences at Georgia State University
888
Training Trainers in Customer Service Excellence
by Rosanne Constantino, Administrative Officer
“As far as customers are concerned you are the company.
This is not a burden, but the core of your job.
You hold in your hands the power to keep customers coming back,
perhaps even to make or break the company.”
-author unknown
Recently, Rosanne Constantino – Administrative Officer at CZMAI attended a train the trainer workshop
sponsored by the Belize Tourism Board with the objective that participants will be able to deliver customer
training programmes that impart knowledge and so become more successful in the delivery of customer excellence. To help achieve this objective, the National Initiative for Service Excellence (NISE) Inc. of whose objective is to build and sustain a national culture of service excellence facilitated the training.
Several important principles/techniques were imparted throughParticipants at Train the Trainers Workshop
out the training such as how to facilitate a positive learning experience,
presenting a dynamic delivery, the importance of feedback from your
trainees, and how to use a variety of learning styles to get your message
across. Participants were also given the opportunity to practice their
training techniques and in turn the facilitators provided valuable feedback.
Training such as these in the public and
private sector are important as it allows
participants to be better customer service
representatives but, also to be able to train
others. This creates a continuous process of learning as it allows many people to
become great customer service ambassadors.
Tracey Austin , Client Services Advisor of NISE
INTERNATIONAL NEWS CORNER
During the week of November 25th, CZMAI hosted a five
member delegation from the University of El Salvador (UES)
to discuss the science-based and stakeholder engagement
approaches used for developing the Belize Integrated Coastal
Zone Management Plan. Specifically, UES sought the CZMAI’s
knowledge and experience in coastal zone management as it
is in the process of developing a sustainable development
framework for the allocation and management of resources
within El Salvador’s Gaza coastal/marine area. This project is
a pilot project that will inform a larger national plan to be implemented by the government for the country’s entire coastal
and marine area. CZMAI will continue its dialogue with UES
in 2015 to discuss possible collaboration in support of the
project.
CZMAI meets with faculty members of the University of El Salvador to discuss
fundamental integrated coastal management approaches
9
Analyzing Vulnerability of the Belize Coastal Tourism Sector
by Maritza Canto, GIS Manager/GIS Specialist
Global climate change has severe adverse implications for developing countries, such as Belize, that are
heavily reliant on natural resources for economic growth. Identifying particularly vulnerable areas is therefore
critical for ensuring future economic sustainability, especially with regard to the tourism industry, which is the
largest contributor to the Belizean economy. Currently, most of the major physical infrastructure,
transportation hubs, tourism attractions and hotels that support marine-based tourism are located within the
coastal zone.
Why Conduct Vulnerability Assessments for the Tourism Sector?
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change defines vulnerability as "the degree to which a system is
susceptible to, and unable to cope with, adverse effects of climate change, including climate variability and
extremes" (IPCC, 2007). Vulnerability can vary depending on the characteristics of that system including its
exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity (Snover et al., 2007). Using this concept, an assessment of vulnerability can help to identify the structural integrity of tourism infrastructure, estimate the potential for damage and
disruption of tourism services, and prioritize areas for implementing adaptive strategies into development planning. These areas, once identified, will become hallmark destinations to attract tourism development that will
both decrease investor risk and encourage responsible sustainable development.
Vulnerability Assessment of the tourism sector in Belize
With limited resources to invest in adapting to current and future changes, decision makers are faced with
tough decision about where to target investment. Identifying particularly vulnerable areas and the factors that
contribute to vulnerability can help to inform such decisions. Multiple vulnerability assessments have been carried out in Belize for different geographic areas, sectors
and ecosystems, e.g. tourism (Richardson, 2007), mangroves (Cherrington et al., 2010), the coastal zone
(CATIE/TNC, 2012), resulting in numerous datasets and
maps. Under the “Identifying opportunities for climate
-compatible tourism development in Belize” project,
information from these initiatives and other available
datasets were reviewed, mapped where possible and
aggregated to give a picture of the current status and
vulnerability of Belize's coastal areas used for tourism or
designated for future tourism development.
10
Figure 1: Base Map of Belize's Tourism System
Vulnerability Assessment & Creation of Vulnerability Index Map
A base map of Belize’s tourism system was created using GIS, which includes the natural environment,
physical infrastructure and tourist destinations (Figure 1). This base map was then used to develop a vulnerability ranking for the different tourism areas based on tourism investments and socio-economic contributions. In
order to investigate the vulnerability of the tourism system to climate change, data layers representing different
indicators of vulnerability (exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity) were compiled using GIS .. Each indicator
was ranked, and a composite vulnerability index was developed. The resulting vulnerability map shows the
relative vulnerability of regions within the coastal zone, which are ranked from low to high vulnerability
(Figure 2). This map was used to identify resilient areas that may be prioritized for future adaptation actions
and prioritized for potential future tourism development .
Following the results of the vulnerability assessment, several
key policies recommendations were identified that could help
bolster the country’s ability to adequately address climate
change threats . Some of these recommendations include:
•National Sustainable Tourism Master Plan - revise to
integrate green climate adaptation options to help deal with
current and future disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate
risk factors within the tourism development landscape.
•Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Act - ensure that the CZM
Act is effectively revised to grant greater protection to Belize's
coastal habitats, including those beyond the high water mark,
and that it is “climate-smart” to sufficiently address risks and
vulnerabilities posed by a changing climate.
Figure 2: Identification of vulnerable and potentially
resilient areas in Belize's Tourism System
•Mangrove Regulations - revise/update the mangrove regulation to grant greater protection to mangroves, and reflect the critical goods and services provided by these ecosystems in buffering against climate impacts; climate-smart the regulation.
•Horizon 2030 Development Plan - need to clearly account for the influence (negative or positive) of climate
change on our environmental, social, and economic sectors. Belize's main economies are nature-based and
climate change may compromise some of the benefits we are receiving from nature if appropriate planning and
management actions are not set in place.
11
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Coastal Zone Management
Authority & Institute
Adele Catzim-Sanchez (CHAIR)
Chief Executive Officer
Ministry of Forestry, Fisheries & Sustainable Development
Linda Thornton
Executive Councilor
Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Sharon Ramclam
Chief Executive Officer
Ministry of Natural Resources & Agriculture
Anthony Hislop
Chairman
APAMO
Tracy Panton
Chief Executive Officer
Ministry of Tourism, Culture & Civil Aviation
Vincent Gillet *(ex-officio)
Chief Executive Officer
CZMAI
Yvonne Hyde
Chief Executive Officer
Ministry of Economic Development
Chantalle Clarke-Samuels *(ex-officio)
Director
CZMAI
Our Mission is to support the
allocation, sustainable use
and planned development of
Belize’s coastal resources
through increased knowledge
and the building of alliances
for the benefit of all Belizeans
and the global community.
Allan Slusher
President
University of Belize
Introducing the New Faces at CZMAI
CZMAI Staff 2014
Vincent Gillett
Chantalle Clarke-Samuels
Chief Executive Officer
Director
Technical Staff
Stacey Cayetano
Maritza Canto
Kleon Coleman
Jamal Galves
Samir Rosado
GIS Technician
GIS Data Manager
Research Technician
Manatee Conservation Program Coordinator
Coastal Planner
Finance, Administrative & Operations Staff
Leticia Ayala
Alexander Chan
Rosanne Constantino
Jason Ferguson
Hazel Oshon
Denton Requena
Whitney Requena
Accounts Clerk
Boat Captain’s Assistant
Administrative Officer
Boat Captain
Janitress
Driver (TEMP)
Administrative Clerk
Coastal Zone Management
Authority and Institute
Ministry of Forestry, Fisheries and
Sustainable Development
Princess Margaret Drive, P.O. Box 1884
Belize City, Belize
Phone: (501)-223-0719/5739
Fax: (501)-223-5738
E-mail: [email protected]
www.coastalzonebelize.org
Leticia Ayala is Leticia Ayala is the Accounts Clerk/Sports
Fishing Agent at CZMAI. Ms. Ayala possesses an Associate’s
Degree in Business Management and is currently pursuing a
Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting. Unlike a lot of people, she
enjoys accounting very much especially working with numbers. She hopes to pursue a Masters degree in Finance in the
near future.
Stacey Cayetano is CZMAI’s GIS Technician. Ms. Cayetano
provides support to CZMAI’s coastal and marine data center
by periodically updating its spatial database. She also assists
with the data collection and analysis for current projects.
She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Natural Resources
Management from the University of Belize.
Whitney Requena is the Administrative Clerk at CZMAI,
where she provides administrative support for the
Institute’s programs. She is very open-minded to embracing
new ideas and enjoys working in collaborative settings. Ms.
Requena holds an Associate’s Degree in Business with a
major in Accounting from SJCJC. She aspires to pursue a
Bachelor’s degree in Accounting in the near future.
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