Every day, rangers of Ya'axche Conservation Trust tirelessly protect over 151,000 acres of forests in southern Belize. Ya'axche rangers, with their exceptional passion for protecting nature, have evolved to become parabiologists - field researchers. Rangers are continuously challenged with illegal incursions in remote corners of protected areas, especially the pristine 100,000-acre Bladen Nature Reserve. Help our rangers protect tropical forests in order to maintain the natural beauty of Belize.
Bladen's large expanse of primarily forested uplands and valleys are essential for the survival of regionally iconic species such as the jaguar,scarlet macaw, white-lipped peccary and harpy eagle. But Ya'axche rangers are facing escalating illegal activities such as xate palm harvesting, logging, hunting, gold panning and wildlife poaching in remote areas of Bladen. Lack of resources has made it difficult to send the rangers into these distant places in order to prevent these illegal activities.
Due to the dangers of confronting perpetrators of illicit activities in remote areas, Ya'axche's rangers are accompanied by Belize's enforcement agencies on these patrols. Ya'axche is seeking to intensify patrols to document and deter illegal activities in remote areas of Bladen - to ensure Bladen's integrity is protected. Ya'axche believes in ensuring rangers are fully equipped and trained and that patrols are properly planned before sending rangers into these hostile areas.
Monitoring and establishing a presence in remote areas of Bladen is the first step. Reports of illegal activities can help guide targeted patrols in order to avert illegal activities that threaten the integrity of the protected area. This information can help strengthen policies that support protected areas. Ya'axche wants to ensure Bladen Nature Reserve continues to provide clean water and clean air for communities, flood mitigation, and a home to hundreds of animals and plants.
