• Jacob Marlin and BFREE were honored in 2017 by the Heirloom Cacao Preservation Initiative when BFREE cacao was designated as the 11th heirloom variety in the world.
• William Garcia, Lead Avian Tech, was selected to participate in the 2012-2014 cohort of Caribbean Emerging Wildlife Conservation Leaders program.
• Liberato Pop, Avian Tech, was awarded an internship in 2013 with Klamath Bird Observatory  – Oregon, USA
• Marlyn Cruz, Avian Tech, was awarded an internship in 2013 with Copperhead Environmental Consulting – Kentucky, USA
• BFREE Avian Team was the proud recipient of the 2012 Partners in Flight Award for Bird Conservation award.

WHY WE NEED GRANTS

Revenue generated by station use fees is generally enough to maintain basic operations, but does not cover the implementation of the various research projects on-site and in the surrounding protected areas. Grants as well as both institutional and private donations are necessary to support new and existing research projects such as the  Cacao Agroforestry Project and the Hicatee Conservation and Research Center.

Annual donations and grants help stimulate existing research and develop new research projects in the rainforest at BFREE and in other surrounding protected areas. They also help us to provide scholarships and training opportunities to our Belizean community.

GRANTS & Other Support

While a large portion of our projects and research is funded from revenue generated by BFREE programs, we also apply for grants, government support and receive in-kind donations from a variety of agencies and organizations.

We are grateful to the following organizations that have so graciously funded projects and research at BFREE:

2018 GRANTS

• US Department of the Interior – (Year 6) Fish and Wildlife Service on behalf of the Nyanza Natural Resource Damage Trustee Council – comprised of the Service, Commonwealth of Massachusetts and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• Columbus Zoo Fund for Conservation – Donated with Turtle Survival Alliance, our partner for the Hicatee Conservation and Research Center
• Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens 

2017 GRANTS

• US Department of the Interior – (Year 5) Fish and Wildlife Service on behalf of the Nyanza Natural Resource Damage Trustee Council – comprised of the Service, Commonwealth of Massachusetts and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• Turtle Conservation Fund
• Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

2016 GRANTS

• US Department of the Interior – (Year 4) Fish and Wildlife Service on behalf of the Nyanza Natural Resource Damage Trustee Council – comprised of the Service, Commonwealth of Massachusetts and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• Columbus Zoo Fund for Conservation – Donated with Turtle Survival Alliance, our partner for the Hicatee Conservation and Research Center
• Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden

2015 GRANTS

• US Department of the Interior – (Year 3) Fish and Wildlife Service on behalf of the Nyanza Natural Resource Damage Trustee Council – comprised of the Service, Commonwealth of Massachusetts and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• American Zoo Association – Donated with Turtle Survival Alliance, our partner for the Hicatee Conservation and Research Center
• Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund – Donated with Turtle Survival Alliance, our partner for the Hicatee Conservation and Research Center

2014 GRANTS

• US Department of the Interior – (Year 2) Fish and Wildlife Service on behalf of the Nyanza Natural Resource Damage Trustee Council – comprised of the Service, Commonwealth of Massachusetts and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• Fresno Chaffee Zoo – Donated with Turtle Survival Alliance, our partner for the Hicatee Conservation and Research Center

2013 GRANTS

• US Department of the Interior – Fish and Wildlife Service on behalf of the Nyanza Natural Resource Damage Trustee Council – comprised of the Service, Commonwealth of Massachusetts and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• Norcross Wildlife Foundation
• Charles L. Cahill Grant from UNC Wilmington (Year 2) – Recipient Dr. James Rotenberg of UNCW for Avian Research at BFREE
• Mohamed Bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund – Donated with Turtle Survival Alliance, our partner for the Hicatee Conservation and Research Center

2012 GRANTS

• The Columbus Zoo & Aquarium/ Conservation Grants Program
• Charles L. Cahill Grant from UNC Wilmington – Recipient Dr. James Rotenberg of UNCW for Avian Research at BFREE

2011 GRANTS

• The Columbus Zoo & Aquarium/ Conservation Grants Program
• UNC Wilmington
• Protected Area Conservation Trust
• Optics for the Tropics
• Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund
• Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo
• Biodiversity Research Institute
• Copperhead Environmental Consulting
• Natural Encounters Conservation Fund
• Norcross Foundation Conservation International
• National Geographic Society/ Waitt Fund
• The Nature Conservancy, Belize Program
• The Belize Zoo

We are also grateful to the following organizations that have made donations to help BFREE build operating capacity and increase our marketing efforts:

• The Mountain Corporation
• The Dignity Project – Second Generation
• UPrinting.com
• Brumberg Publications

In order to engage student groups in long-term educational and research projects and data sets, BFREE’s Education Committee created scientific curriculum packets. The goal has been to identify questions that are principal to BFREE’s mission – to conserve the biodiversity of Belize – and are amenable to the development of field activities and research for student groups.

The original two studies (Small Mammal Community Survey and the Fruit Phenology Study) utilize two comparison plots, a managed cacao plantation and an unmanaged forest habitat.  These studies strive to produce a better understanding of the ecological differences between cacao and unmanaged forest habitats. Because these projects are focused on the comparison of agroecosystems to natural habitats, they serve as a good example to students of the importance of integrating human needs and concerns in the disciplines of ecology and conservation biology.

Small Mammal Community Survey                     Fruit Phenology Study 

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