The Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD) Annual Report 2025 documents a year of perseverance, adaptation, and institutional growth in the protection of Belize’s Chiquibul–Maya Mountains, a nationally significant landscape for biodiversity, water security, and cultural heritage.

The report outlines progress across conservation enforcement, scientific research, community engagement, and governance, while reflecting on organizational resilience amid operational transitions and emerging environmental pressures.

Key Highlights

• Enforcement and Ranger Operations
  FCD Rangers transitioned operations to the newly established Perseverance Camp near Guacamallo, conducting extensive patrols across the Chiquibul National Park, Vaca Forest Reserve, and Bald Hills—documenting illegal logging, poaching, cattle ranching, and gold panning through coordinated field presence and joint operations.

• Research and Biological Monitoring
  Scientific teams advanced long-term monitoring of scarlet macaws, forest cover, aquatic systems, and wildlife populations. The 2025 nesting season recorded the highest number of eggs laid since monitoring began, while human footprint analyses confirmed ongoing forest recovery due to sustained enforcement.

• Community Development and Extension
  Climate adaptation planning, agroforestry support, and conservation agreements strengthened partnerships with Vaca Forest Reserve communities, empowering farmers and women-led groups while promoting sustainable livelihoods and land stewardship.

• Education and Public Outreach
  Environmental education initiatives reached thousands of children, youth, and adults across the Belize River Valley and Cayo District, fostering awareness of forest fire prevention, river conservation, and the ecological value of the Chiquibul landscape.

• Cultural Heritage and Partnerships
  Archaeological inventory and cave monitoring expanded across priority sites, while FCD deepened collaboration with national agencies and international partners—reinforcing its role in cultural resource stewardship and regional conservation governance.

Publication Information

• Document Type: Annual Report 2025

• Organization: Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD)

• Location: San José Succotz, Cayo District, Belize

• Date Published: 2025

• Citation:
  Friends for Conservation and Development (2025). Annual Report 2025. San José Succotz, Cayo District, Belize.