Thank you for choosing to donate to BFREE!

Due to our remoteness and the harsh tropical climate, obtaining and maintaining supplies can be a great challenge for BFREE staff. Please use this guide as a reference point for up-to-date needs at the BFREE Research Station. We can provide a letter acknowledging the dollar value of your donation at the time it is received. 

If you are visiting BFREE in person, please consider making a littler extra room in your bag when packing for your trip to bring any small donations you can carry such as batteries, headlamps, books or first aid supplies such as antihistamines, pain-relievers, antibiotic ointment, anti-itch creams, and band-aids.

If you are not visiting the BFREE Research Station in person and would like to donate any of the below items, please contact BFREE directly at: contact@bfreebz.org

ELECTRONICS: 

One of the many challenges BFREE faces operating in a tropical climate is the harsh impacts the weather has on our electronics. The BFREE staff heavily depend on access to electronics such as lap tops, cameras and GPS units to properly support our many ongoing activities and research endeavors. However, the extreme humidity and harsh rainforest climate causes these electronics to fail in a relatively short amount of time. We would greatly benefit from any donation of new or gently used electronics and supplies. 

Current needs consist of: 

1. Batteries – AA and AAA batteries are a necessity at BFREE and are especially important in headlamps when our staff lead groups on night hikes. Unfortunately, batteries purchased in Belize are generally knock-off brands that don’t last through more than a few uses.
2. Headlamps – Headlamps are essential to functioning at night at BFREE. Preferred headlamps are ones with a strong beam as well as with rechargeable batteries or that are able to be charged with a USB. Black Diamond and Petzel make great rechargeable lights with strong beams. 
3. Laptops – New or Refurbished laptops to be used for email, photo upload and storage as well as word processing are greatly appreciated. Laptops with Microsoft Office already loaded is ideal.
4. Digital Point and Shoot Cameras – Cameras have one of the shortest lifespans in tropical settings yet are one of the most important tools used. New or gently used point and shoot digital cameras are needed to document wildlife, people, research activities and are used by BFREE Rangers when encountering illegal activity on the property. Digital cameras that are waterproof and have rechargeable batteries are ideal. Some of the best brands we have used are Olympus Cybershot, Panasonic Lumix, and Nikon Coolpix. 
5. Digital SLR Camera – New or gently used Digital SLR cameras with a good zoom lens is needed for avian techs to document birds while completing bird surveys around BFREE. 
6. Solar Lights – There is no electricity available for our Rangers when they patrol our boundary line and camp at their Observation Post. Solar lights are very useful for our Park Rangers to use while patrolling at night to eliminate the need of continuously replacing batteries in headlamps. 

BOOKS: 

BFREE’s library is moving to a new location at the Cacao Discovery Center. With more space and a designated room; it is an exciting time to both replace bug-eaten, humidity drenched books and expand with additional resources.  We are interested in materials that help student, researchers, and staff better understand the habitat, wildlife and other aspects of tropical living. We would greatly appreciate any addition to our library.

Possible book and resource topics might include:

1. Field Guides for the tropics (birds, mammals, insects, reptiles, plants, fish, etc)
2. Laminated ID cards specific to the region
3. Belize Travel Guides
4. World Atlas and Maps (book form)
5. Tropical Ecology
6. Rainforest conservation
7. Agroforestry
8. Captive husbandry of reptiles (turtles in particulars)
9. Protected Areas
10. Watershed Ecology

VEHICLES: 

The BFREE Research Station is located off of a 10km/6 mile unpaved dirt road. The entrance road requires a lot of maintenance and diligent care to remain passable by our 4×4 truck. 

1. Tractor – A tractor with a front end loader would be of great assistant in maintaining the entrance road. 
2. Utility ATV – ATV’s are used by our Park Rangers to patrol the BFREE property as well as to transport gear around the field station’s 1,153 acres. 

ABOUT BFREE:

BFREE is a registered 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and conservation of the Maya Mountains Massif. BFREE’s mission is “to conserve the biodiversity and cultural heritage of Belize.” As the only field station in this biologically significant area, BFREE seeks to achieve its mission by successfully integrating scientific research, environmental education and conservation, while also enhancing sustainable development and providing alternative livelihoods for local community members. We can provide a letter acknowledging the dollar value of your donation at the time it is received.