Instagram Takeover featuring Justin Brown

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@BFREEBZ Instagram Takeover: Sharing Real Experiences from the People & Wildlife at BFREE

The BFREE Biological Research Station and privately protected area in southern Belize host numerous student study abroad courses, volunteers, researchers and scientist from around the world each year. Our remote location in the rainforest means our visitors must unplug from their devices and aren’t able to instantly share their experiences with the rest of the world. We are excited to announce the launch of  @BFREEBZ Instagram Takeover: Sharing Real Experiences from the People & Wildlife at BFREE. Now our visitors are given a chance to share their stories and photos once they have returned home and bring us along as they reminisce on the good, bad and beautiful! 

Learn about the real experiences, obstacles and adventures had by these visitors through the stories and photos they share directly to our account. Like their photos, ask them questions, follow along! 

@BFREEBZ INSTAGRAM TAKEOVER FEATURING JUSTIN BROWN! 

Our first participant is Justin Brown from Williamsburg, Kentucky. Justin recently visited Belize on a field course through the biology department at the University of the Cumberlands where he is currently a student. His group spent a week at BFREE where they study rodent populations in the shade-grown cacao agroforest. 

We asked Justin a few questions so we could all get to know him a bit better. Check out what he had to say about his time in Belize below and be sure to follow along on Instagram at @BFREEBZ beginning tomorrow to catch all of his photos until Friday! 

  • What was your favorite part about the trip and why?

I honestly don’t know if I could pick a favorite part. I really did enjoy myself quite a bit. I absolutely love nature and wildlife, and I think the amazing diversity of plant and animal life that I saw was just spectacular. Walking through the forest and suddenly hearing a howler monkey, or seeing tapir tracks, or catching a beautiful bird fluttering across your path is one of the things that makes BFREE, for lack of a better word, magical. Another thing I really enjoyed, and I think is overlooked, was “unplugging.” The fact that there was no way I was going to get service or Wi-Fi no matter where I went, was actually kind of relaxing. I wasn’t constantly checking my phone, the news, or my bank account, and I swear my blood pressure was the lowest it’s been in years!

  • What did you learn while you were there and how do you hope to further use that knowledge?

I learned plenty about ecology, conservation, and the difficulty faced by those who are trying to conserve our rainforests and biodiversity. It’s made me want to be a much more active participant in fighting for our natural habitats rather than just an armchair activist. I also learned a lot about the rewards of hard work and persistence. There were many a morning that I didn’t want to get out of bed and start hiking and checking rodent traps, but I did and I never regretted it. I was always rewarded by a novel animal sighting or a beautiful moment like the sunrise hitting the canopy. It was always worth it to keep going.

  • What was your favorite animal?

That’s a really tough question. I think I liked all of them. Hearing the howlers was amazing, and seeing a blue-capped motmot with its tail that looks like something out of Harry Potter was quite awesome too. If I had to pick though, I would have to go with the boat-billed heron. It was like looking at a creature that Dr. Seuss dreamt up; they were something else. They look like a bird with a sunflower seed for a beak, coal for eyes, and like they wear a toupee. Not to mention, the sound they make is kind of comical as well. They were just fun creatures to watch.

  • What was your favorite plant or tree?

Same here. The plants were just beautiful and very much bountiful. I think it would be between the gumbo-limbo tree and the heliconia flowers (or lobster-claws). The gumbo-limbo tree sheds its bark, and it honestly looks like thin, red paper. But I think the heliconia would be my favorite. Besides being beautiful, hanging flowers, it’s a favorite of hummingbirds. So not only do you get to look at a gorgeous set of flowers, if you wait by long enough, you can also watch some hummingbirds.

  • Do you plan on going back?

Oh goodness, if they would have given me some clean clothes, I probably would have stayed another week. I definitely want to go back. I also feel that I would be better prepared with what I know to expect now. I want to go back as soon as I can.

Thanks, Justin! We can’t wait to learn even more about you and your time at BFREE during your @BFREEBZ Instagram Takeover from February 13-16, 2018! 

Want to be our next Instagram Takeover participant, learn more below: 

How it works: Starting on #TakeoverTuesday a selected participant will gain full access to the @BFREEBZ Instagram account. They will share for the rest of the week personal stories along with the photos they took while in Belize. Like their photos, ask them questions, and learn about the people and wildlife that make our special place in the rainforest so unique. 

Want to participate: It’s easy! If you have traveled to BFREE and would like to share with our community your experiences through the photos you took, then send us an email and we will add you to the schedule! Email: contact@bfreebz.org

Belize Represented During COP23

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Climate change has been felt by many as extreme weather events have already devastated many Caribbean nations this year. It is more important than ever that globally, nations are working together to combat global warming. Belize was no stranger to these discussions as last week concluded the 23rd annual “conference of the parties” (COP) under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in Bonn, Germany. The world’s nations met to discuss an end to global warming and strengthening the 2015 landmark Paris Agreement. The Paris Agreement was adopted during COP21 and written by 197 parties outlining plans to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions with a goal of keeping global temperature rise this century below 2 degrees Celsius.

While the United States intends to withdraw from the Paris Agreement as soon as it is eligible to do so, making it the only nation unwilling to join, the rest of the nations in attendance at COP23 were busy working towards solutions and progress.

Belize’s Omar Figueroa, Minister of State in the Ministry of Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment, and Sustainable Development was in attendance. While in Germany, Figueroa said, “We cannot afford to ignore the devastation that Climate Change has on people. Confronting Climate Change challenges requires swift, collective and cohesive actions of our governments, local leaders, civil society, the private sector and each individual.

In addition to Figueroa, Dr. Lennox Gladden, policy coordinator for Belize’s Fisheries, Forestry, Sustainable Development, the Environment, Climate Change and Solid Waste Management Authority moderated a side panel titled, “Building Capacity of Tackling Regional Climate and Sustainable Challenges.” The panel highlighted multi-stakeholder approaches to implement climate action, looking at case studies from India, Taiwan, and Belize on best practices, risks, and lessons learned.

In conjunction with COP23, Belize was also the host to the World Youth Conference, “Globally Running in 2030, Becoming Sustainably Strong” held in Belize City. For the very first time, this conference was held in the Caribbean Region and Central America. Over 250 national, regional and international youth leaders met for four days of panels, roundtable discussions, workshops, and musical and cultural presentations on various community, national and international youth-related issues and sustainable development.

Belize’s representation during these critical global meetings is necessary. As the population and tourism in this small Caribbean nation grow, more resources are needed to support more people. These growing needs have had a negative impact on deforestation rates as protected areas are chipped away for natural resources and land cleared for agriculture and development.

While BFREE works towards sustainable solutions to protect tropical rainforests, we can’t do it alone. We are thrilled to see a strong representation by Belize during last weeks COP23 and are excited to continue working towards more solutions and progress in protecting our climate and forests.

 

Students from a “WYC ’17” during the World Youth Conference held in Belize City in November, 2017 . Photo from: The San Pedro Sun

 
 
 
 
 
 

Belize Represented During COP23

/0 Comments/in , /by

Climate change has been felt by many as extreme weather events have already devastated many Caribbean nations this year. It is more important than ever that globally, nations are working together to combat global warming. Belize was no stranger to these discussions as last week concluded the 23rd annual “conference of the parties” (COP) under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in Bonn, Germany. The world’s nations met to discuss an end to global warming and strengthening the 2015 landmark Paris Agreement. The Paris Agreement was adopted during COP21 and written by 197 parties outlining plans to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions with a goal of keeping global temperature rise this century below 2 degrees Celsius.

While the United States intends to withdraw from the Paris Agreement as soon as it is eligible to do so, making it the only nation unwilling to join, the rest of the nations in attendance at COP23 were busy working towards solutions and progress.

Belize’s Omar Figueroa, Minister of State in the Ministry of Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment, and Sustainable Development was in attendance. While in Germany, Figueroa said, “We cannot afford to ignore the devastation that Climate Change has on people. Confronting Climate Change challenges requires swift, collective and cohesive actions of our governments, local leaders, civil society, the private sector and each individual.

In addition to Figueroa, Dr. Lennox Gladden, policy coordinator for Belize’s Fisheries, Forestry, Sustainable Development, the Environment, Climate Change and Solid Waste Management Authority moderated a side panel titled, “Building Capacity of Tackling Regional Climate and Sustainable Challenges.” The panel highlighted multi-stakeholder approaches to implement climate action, looking at case studies from India, Taiwan, and Belize on best practices, risks, and lessons learned.

In conjunction with COP23, Belize was also the host to the World Youth Conference, “Globally Running in 2030, Becoming Sustainably Strong” held in Belize City. For the very first time, this conference was held in the Caribbean Region and Central America. Over 250 national, regional and international youth leaders met for four days of panels, roundtable discussions, workshops, and musical and cultural presentations on various community, national and international youth-related issues and sustainable development.

Belize’s representation during these critical global meetings is necessary. As the population and tourism in this small Caribbean nation grow, more resources are needed to support more people. These growing needs have had a negative impact on deforestation rates as protected areas are chipped away for natural resources and land cleared for agriculture and development.

While BFREE works towards sustainable solutions to protect tropical rainforests, we can’t do it alone. We are thrilled to see a strong representation by Belize during last weeks COP23 and are excited to continue working towards more solutions and progress in protecting our climate and forests.

Film Viewings

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BFREE Summer Interns Manuel Balona (back row left) and Jaren Serano (seated center) at Esperanza Primary School in Cayo, Belize

October has been filled with exciting Hicatee events in Belize and in the U.S. We are grateful to our dedicated partners in conservation and education who work tirelessly to ensure that their communities learn the value of protecting Belize’s treasured wildlife.

Film viewing events serve audiences of all ages. Activities during events include an introduction to the hicatee turtle, questions to determine existing knowledge about the species, a viewing of the 16-minute film, post questions to determine knowledge learned with prizes for correct answers and an opportunity to take the Hicatee pledge. 

A young student signs the Hicatee banner.
Two Esperanza students hold a Save the Hicatee banner created by Manuel Balona

Featured Events:

September 28, 2017, Wilmington Art Hive Gallery & Studio, Wilmington, North Carolina. Hosts: Clean Energy Events and Art Hive

October 10, 2017, Esperanza Primary School, Cayo. Hosts: Sacred Heart Junior College and BFREE.

October 12, 2017, Placencia Village.  Hosts: Crocodile Research Coalition, Southern Environmental Association and Fragments of Hope

October 13, 2017, Ocean Academy, Caye Caulker. Hosts: Crocodile Research Coalition, FAMRACC and Ocean Academy

October 13, 2017, Toucan Ridge Ecology and Education Society, Alta Vista. Host: T.R.E.E.S. 

October 17 – National Hicatee Day, The Environmental Research Institute at University of Belize is hosting a film event at noon in the Jaguar Auditorium.

October 17 – The South Carolina Aquarium in Charleston, South Carolina will do a special film viewing in their Turtle Recovery Theater.

Dates TBD  – Cayo Public Schools and Sacred Heart Junior College Campus. Hosts: Sacred Heart Junior College/ Environmental Assessment Class.

Dates TBD  – Independence Junior College Campus. Hosts: Independence Junior College. Natural Resource Management Class.

Film Viewings

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BFREE Summer Interns Manuel Balona (back row left) and Jaren Serano (seated center) at Esperanza Primary School in Cayo, Belize

October has been filled with exciting Hicatee events in Belize and in the U.S. We are grateful to our dedicated partners in conservation and education who work tirelessly to ensure that their communities learn the value of protecting Belize’s treasured wildlife.

Film viewing events serve audiences of all ages. Activities during events include an introduction to the hicatee turtle, questions to determine existing knowledge about the species, a viewing of the 16-minute film, post questions to determine knowledge learned with prizes for correct answers and an opportunity to take the Hicatee pledge. 

A young student signs the Hicatee banner.

Two Esperanza students hold a Save the Hicatee banner created by Manuel Balona

Featured Events:

September 28, 2017, Wilmington Art Hive Gallery & Studio, Wilmington, North Carolina. Hosts: Clean Energy Events and Art Hive

October 10, 2017, Esperanza Primary School, Cayo. Hosts: Sacred Heart Junior College and BFREE.

October 12, 2017, Placencia Village.  Hosts: Crocodile Research Coalition, Southern Environmental Association and Fragments of Hope

October 13, 2017, Ocean Academy, Caye Caulker. Hosts: Crocodile Research Coalition, FAMRACC and Ocean Academy

October 13, 2017, Toucan Ridge Ecology and Education Society, Alta Vista. Host: T.R.E.E.S. 

October 17 – National Hicatee Day, The Environmental Research Institute at University of Belize is hosting a film event at noon in the Jaguar Auditorium.

October 17 – The South Carolina Aquarium in Charleston, South Carolina will do a special film viewing in their Turtle Recovery Theater.

Dates TBD  – Cayo Public Schools and Sacred Heart Junior College Campus. Hosts: Sacred Heart Junior College/ Environmental Assessment Class.

Dates TBD  – Independence Junior College Campus. Hosts: Independence Junior College. Natural Resource Management Class.

 

Hicatee Awareness Month FAQ

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Hicatee Awareness Month is well underway with lots of exciting updates and opportunities to get involved. We’ve compiled a list of important links so that you don’t miss anything! 

‘Hope For Belize’s Hicatee: Central American River Turtle’

A 16-minute natural history documentary is now available to watch on YouTube. This film highlights the cultural significance of the hicatee in Belize, the environmental pressures propelling it toward extinction as well as the current work being done in Belize to save the species.

For a link to download the film, send an email request to: contact@bfreebz.org

Hicatee Toolkit 

The Toolkit was created to share various ways you can get involved in supporting Hicatee Awareness Month. Host a viewing party, take the pledge or fundraise to support the HCRC for a chance to adopt and name your own turtle. 

Hicatee Resources 

Hicatee Resources can be used to find facts about the turtles. Use them at your viewing party, in your classroom or just impress your friends with your new turtley awesome knowledge! 

Buy a T-Shirt from WildStuff!

Our friends at WildStuff Apparel have created a one of a kind National Hickatee Day T-Shirt. All proceeds will be donated to the HCRC!

Facebook Cover Images 

Check out our special Hicatee Facebook Profile Cover images. You can change your cover photo to show your support for Hicatee Awareness Month! 

Take the Hicatee Pledge

You can be a Hicatee Hero! Simply take the Hicatee Pledge and send us your #Shellfie! 

Meet Lauren Video

Lauren is a #HicateeHero and inspires all of us to continue working to #SaveTheHicatee.

Volunteer at the HCRC

We are looking for volunteers to support the ongoing work at the HCRC. Find out more by clicking on the link! 

What is the HCRC?

Find out more about the Hicatee Conservation & Research Center located at the BFREE Biological Field Station in southern Belize. 

Donate to the HCRC 

Here is your chance to adopt and name a turtle! We encourage you to get creative with fundraising or turn your viewing party into a fundraiser. With a $1,000 donation to the HCRC you can adopt and name a hicatee turtle. Your turtle’s chosen name will be engraved on a plaque at the HCRC. 

Hicatee T-Shirts Support HCRC

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Buy a T-Shirt, Help #SaveTheHicatee! 

We are so excited about our new partnership with WildStuff Apparel! WildStuff is a US-based t-shirt company that supports artists from around the globe with an end goal of giving back to conservation. We are thrilled that they have chosen to support Hicatee Awareness Month by creating a one-of-a-kind t-shirt in honor of National Hicatee Day on October 17th! 

WildStuff Apparel will donate 100% of the proceeds back to the Hicatee Conservation & Research Center (HCRC) to support the ongoing research, education, and rehabilitation of the critically endangered Central American River Turtle. 

Not all heroes wear capes, #HicateeHeroes wear WildStuff.

Show your support for Hicatee Awareness Month and grab yourself a t-shirt today! Wear it proudly knowing that 100% of your money will be donated to help #SaveTheHicatee! 

Buy your National Hicatee Day T-Shirt Here!

Hicatee Awareness Month FAQ

/0 Comments/in , /by

Hicatee Awareness Month is well underway with lots of exciting updates and opportunities to get involved. We’ve compiled a list of important links so that you don’t miss anything! 

‘Hope For Belize’s Hicatee: Central American River Turtle’

A 16-minute natural history documentary is now available to watch on YouTube. This film highlights the cultural significance of the hicatee in Belize, the environmental pressures propelling it toward extinction as well as the current work being done in Belize to save the species.

For a link to download the film, send an email request to: contact@bfreebz.org

Hicatee Toolkit 

The Toolkit was created to share various ways you can get involved in supporting Hicatee Awareness Month. Host a viewing party, take the pledge or fundraise to support the HCRC for a chance to adopt and name your own turtle. 

Hicatee Resources 

Hicatee Resources can be used to find facts about the turtles. Use them at your viewing party, in your classroom or just impress your friends with your new turtley awesome knowledge! 

Buy a T-Shirt from WildStuff!

Our friends at WildStuff Apparel have created a one of a kind National Hickatee Day T-Shirt. All proceeds will be donated to the HCRC!

Facebook Cover Images 

Check out our special Hicatee Facebook Profile Cover images. You can change your cover photo to show your support for Hicatee Awareness Month! 

Take the Hicatee Pledge

You can be a Hicatee Hero! Simply take the Hicatee Pledge and send us your #Shellfie! 

Meet Lauren Video

Lauren is a #HicateeHero and inspires all of us to continue working to #SaveTheHicatee.

Volunteer at the HCRC

We are looking for volunteers to support the ongoing work at the HCRC. Find out more by clicking on the link! 

What is the HCRC?

Find out more about the Hicatee Conservation & Research Center located at the BFREE Biological Field Station in southern Belize. 

Donate to the HCRC 

Here is your chance to adopt and name a turtle! We encourage you to get creative with fundraising or turn your viewing party into a fundraiser. With a $1,000 donation to the HCRC you can adopt and name a hicatee turtle. Your turtle’s chosen name will be engraved on a plaque at the HCRC. 

Hicatee Images for Facebook!

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Want another great way to show your support for turtle conservation during Hicatee Awareness Month? Want to be a #HicateeHero? Use one of these turtley amazing Hicatee images as your Facebook cover photo! It’s as easy as 1 – 2 – 3!  

  1. 1. Right click one of the images below and save it to your computer.
  2. 2. Open Facebook and hover your mouse over your current cover photo until the box appears that says “Change Cover.”
  3. 3. Click the “Change Cover” box  then select “Upload Photo” and upload your the new image from your computer.
Adult Male Hicatee Turtle. Photo Credit: Dustin Smith
Hicatee Hatchling. Photo credit: Carol Farneti Foster
Two Hatchlings. Photo credit: Heather Barrett
Freckles the first Hicatee Hatchling at the HCRC. Photo credit: Heather Barrett
Take the Hicatee pledge!

Don’t forget to snap a #shellfie and make it your profile pic for October 17 – National Hicatee Day!

BFREE Summer Internship Reflection

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BFREE Summer Internship Reflection

By: Jaren Serano

This summer I had the opportunity to be a part of something very special. I became immersed in a unique classroom with seemingly no boundaries. It all started on July 31st, 2017, this part of my internship I would like to refer to it simply as “the walk”.  I was excited about embarking on this journey, but little did I know what Mother Nature had in store for me prior to even reaching BFREE’s grounds.

From the Southern Highway, I hiked in some 8 miles. Now that may not seem like much but given that I did not pack light it seemed more like 80 miles.  While hiking I regretted several times packing so many stuff.  Although this internship took place during the summer, it was also the wet season, so saying the road was muddy would be an understatement. I had to trek through red clay mud that was at least knee deep.  After a couple hours, I eventually reached the BFREE research station looking as if I just ran the Boston Marathon.  The staff was very welcoming and helpful in getting me settled in. All in all, the walk in will forever be one of those memories that you might not appreciate in the moment but when looking back you will laugh and appreciate every footprint that was made in that red clay that day.

Turtle Conservation

The two week internship that I was blessed to be a part of consisted of daily caretaking of the hicatee turtles.  In the mornings, using a caliper, measurement of each hatchling’s carapace length was taken and recorded. Also, daily weight was taken and recorded using a digital gram scale. I was fascinated by the way how Tom Pop (HCRC Manager) showed such passion for his job. He treated each hatchling as if it was his own child. What I liked the most was in the afternoons when we would do some monitoring by the pond, it was like playing a game hide and go seek, only because the adult hicatees were the ones doing all the hiding! We were lucky if we got to see their heads popping up to the surface too quickly grab a breath of air.  When it came to feeding time I would go with Tom to the river banks where we would collect about two wheelbarrows filled with fig leaves.  The turtles would then greedily munch on the leaves which we gave them.

Jaren collects leaves to feed the hatchlings.

The hatchlings prefer much softer leaves such as the ones from young Cecropia trees. Two of the groups were offered feces (Yes, feces!) from the adults in order to inoculate them with the appropriate gut microflora. But before you get all grossed out – the presence of gut microflora is said to play an important role in the turtle’s ability to break down plant matter and absorb vital nutrients from their diet.  

I found this hands-on approach of learning very insightful because I got a chance to study close up the biological aspects of these Central American river turtles. I believe that just like humans, each hicatee has its own unique personality and special traits. They surely have a way of slowly working their way into your hearts!

While at BFREE I not only had the chance to work with the hicatees but I had the opportunity to pick Tom Pop’s mind about different wildlife around the area. BFREE is a nature lover’s playground. The diversity of flora and fauna is jaw-dropping; I soaked in every second of it all. I was very inquisitive and every day I wanted to know more because all of it was intriguing to me.  

Ranger for a Day

I also had a rare opportunity to be a ranger for the day with a fellow ranger, Mr. Sipriano Canti. This part of the internship could simply be described as “Rangers on the go!”  

Mr. Canti took Manuel Balona (another BFREE Intern ) and me to Observation Post 1 where we were educated about the purpose of the facility.  In short, it serves as a marker of the property boundary line for farmers and hunters using nearby land; this helps reduce illegal encroachment into the BFREE reserve. Along the boundary line road on the way to OP1, we noticed intensive farming of various crops such as corn, cilantro, and red kidney beans. To our surprise we also saw a huge portion of land set aside specifically for grazing and rearing of cattle, in close proximity to the reserve. A Forest Department established buffer zone separating the boundary line from the reserve helps prevent these types of agriculture from entering the reserve.

While at OP1 we took full advantage of what Mr. Canti would refer to as “the ranger lifestyle.” There we did different patrols all hours of the day and night. It was an experience that I will forever cherish.

Manuel Balona (left) and Jaren Serano (right), assist HCRC Manager, Tom Pop (center) at the HCRC.

All in all, the experience will definitely be one for the books.   Never in a million years did I believe I would be given such an opportunity to be a part of something this moving. It was great to be around people who share mutual feelings when it comes to conservation making two weeks go by too quickly. The rainforest is truly our classroom.

I will continue sharing the knowledge learned at BFREE among peers and anyone who is willing to lend an ear. I believe this internship brought me steps closer to my ultimate goal of someday becoming a zoologist and helping with various conservation efforts in my country.