Non-profit
Staff Stories – 2022
Third Hicatee Conservation Forum and Workshop
Developing a Conservation, Management, and Action Plan for the Central American River Turtle, Dermatemys mawii, in Belize Co-hosted by Belize Foundation for Research and Environmental Education (BFREE), the Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA), Zoo New England (ZNE), and the Belize Fisheries Department, the Third Hicatee Conservation Forum and Workshop was held online via a Zoom webinar…
Read MoreFirst BFREE Cacao Fellow Completes Program!
BFREE’s first Cacao Fellow, Lenardo “Leo” Ash, is graduating from his two-year work-training program this week. He will immediately begin studies at the University of Belize, where he will work toward his Bachelor of Science in Natural Resource Management. Lenardo began his Fellowship in July 2019 under the mentorship of Cacao Program Director, Erick Ac.…
Read MoreCongratulations to Jaren Serano, BFREE’s first Wildlife Fellow alum!
Congratulations to BFREE’s first Wildlife Fellow alum, Jaren Serano, who recently graduated with honors from Jacksonville University. He completed his Bachelor of Science in Sustainability and Minor in Biology in June 2021. Jaren helped launch the BFREE Science and Education Fellowship Program in January 2018. With the support of the Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA), Jaren…
Read MoreWildlife Fellow, Jonathan Dubon Embarks on 2nd Year
Jonathan Dubon is the second Wildlife Fellow to take part in the BFREE Fellowship Program. Jonathan began working with BFREE in June 2020, immediately after the shelter-in-place order was lifted in Belize. He assists Tom Pop at the Hicatee Conservation and Research Center (HCRC), and although his program began during the COVID pandemic, his first…
Read MoreBFREE’s Bounty of Birds
For the past three years, BFREE has had Harpy eagle visitors in late February. So that means we are spending a lot of time looking up! Scouring the tops of trees like Ceiba and Prickly Yellow where we’ve seen them previously perched in hopes that 2021 will be good to us. We’ve recorded 20 separate…
Read MoreLet’s Celebrate World Migratory Bird Day in Belize!
Join BFREE in the great world-wide celebration of migratory birds during the entire month of March! Below are educational resources and additional information for you to use in your classrooms. We encourage celebratory events throughout the month of March such as educational presentations, cleanups, and other habitat restorations as well as bird walks, and creative…
Read MoreRanger Training at BFREE
The new year started off on the right foot with a workshop for BFREE park rangers in Basic Navigation Skills. Dr. Rob Klinger, BFREE Board Member and Ecologist, spent a morning teaching concepts and methods associated with navigation using compasses. Because BFREE park rangers are required to patrol all areas within the 1,153 acre privately…
Read MoreDesigning a Chocolate Bar Package: Semester-long Project with UNCW
As an organization whose mission includes a strong focus on education, we are always excited for opportunities to collaborate with high school and university classes in semester-long projects. Last fall, we were privileged to work with a class of aspiring graphic designers at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, ART 360. Led by Ned Irvine,…
Read MoreHicatee Awareness Month 2018 Wrap Up
Hicatee Awareness Month 2018 The Hicatee turtle, a national treasure for Belize, is seriously under threat due to over-hunting for human consumption. Listed as critically endangered, Belize offers the highest chance for its survival. Because the Hicatee is in need of greater protection and innovative conservation actions, Turtle Survival Alliance and BFREE launched Hicateee Awareness Month, a country-wide awareness campaign…
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