Solar Panel Upgrades!
Thanks to everyone who donated to our Solar campaign this summer! We have completed the successful installation of the new equipment, located between the Commons building and the garden. The great folks at Pro Solar Engineering helped us design an updated and upgraded system to meet our needs. They acquired all the components along with…
Read MoreCrioCo Wild Chocolate Shop
Announcing – CrioCo Opens Wild Chocolate Shop in Placencia, Belize A Farm-to-Bonbon Celebration of Craft, Community, and Conservation CrioCo is proud to announce the December 2025 opening of its Wild Chocolate Shop on the Tipsy Strip along the main sidewalk in Placencia, Belize, inviting locals and visitors into a farm-to-bonbon chocolate experience grounded in craftsmanship,…
Read MoreArmy Ants and Birds
There are more than 150 species of army ants in the Neotropics and they forage in large swarms on the forest floor. The ants flush out cryptic arthropods and other small vertebrates that attempt to escape the swarm. During an army ant swarm, it is common to observe flocks of different bird species and other…
Read MoreSnake Identification and Safety Workshop for Silk Grass Farms
By Heston Castillo On February 25, 2026, Jacob Marlin of BFREE facilitated a Snake Identification, Handling, Safety and Transport Workshop for senior staff at Silk Grass Farms. Due to my interest and growing experience with reptiles, I had the honor of participating in the workshop as the assistant facilitator. Heston Castillo is featured on the…
Read MoreCreating Empathy for Wildlife Workshop
BY JAYC CANTUN On January 27th and 28th, I attended the Creating Empathy for Wildlife Workshop which utilized the North American Association of Environmental Education Guidelines and was co-hosted by The Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center and the Zoological Society of Milwaukee. I was one of 13 participants from NGOs across Belize and I…
Read More2026 Turtle Survey in the Jungle
July 3 – 12, 2026 Join the Belize Foundation for Research & Environmental Education (BFREE) and the Turtle Survival Alliance’s Volunteer Science Program to participate in a long-term population monitoring project for freshwater and terrestrial turtle species located within BFREE’s Privately Protected Area in southern Belize. The BFREE Privately Protected Area is a 1,153-acre reserve…
Read MoreVolunteering at BFREE
By Kiyana Reynolds Volunteering with the North American Freshwater Turtle Research Group (NAFTRG) at BFREE was a truly life-changing experience that deepened my love for nature and strengthened my commitment to conservation. From the moment I arrived, the BFREE team was incredibly welcoming, creating an atmosphere of support, curiosity, and shared purpose. The journey to…
Read MoreSummer Survey of Reptiles & Amphibians
By Parker Gibbons At the end of June and into July, I had the privilege of coordinating a Herpetological BioBlitz at BFREE. I brought along eight people with the sole purpose of finding, photographing, and documenting as many reptile and amphibian species as possible. Over the course of 6 days, we managed to find an…
Read MoreScaling-Up Local Stewardship: A Summer of Listening, Learning, and Advancing Freshwater Conservation in Belize
By Jaren Serano, Dermatemys (Hicatee) Social Scientist During my work as Dermatemys (Hicatee) Program Coordinator, I focused on ensuring the Conservation and Management Plan for the Hicatee turtle was finalized and approved by stakeholders including the Belize Government. Through this process, I became particularly interested in the human dimensions of the conservation program for the…
Read MoreA Tasty Collaboration
During May, Caputo’s did a limited release of 250 Wild Criollo bars as part of their Guardians of Wild Cacao chocolate bar series. The Collaboration from BFREE’s Perspective – by Jacob Marlin The first time BFREE made chocolate bars with our 100% wild Criollo cacao beans in any quantity was through a collaboration with the…
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