Red Bank Villagers Raise Concerns Over Proposed Scarlet Macaw Sanctuary

A consultation meeting was held last night in Red Bank Village to further discuss the proposed “Sanctuary Two”, an initiative being explored as a feeding ground for the endangered scarlet macaw.  The proposal has generated mixed reactions among villagers, with several residents expressing concern that the project could encroach on their rights and livelihoods. Community members questioned how the designation of a new sanctuary area might affect land use, farming, hunting, and long-standing traditional practices within and around the village.  The meeting provided a forum for residents to voice their concerns directly, with calls for greater clarity on the scope of the project, the level of community involvement, and whether safeguards would be put in place to protect villagers’ economic activities and customary rights.  Proponents of the initiative say the feeding ground is being considered as a conservation measure to support the survival of the scarlet macaw, a species that has faced increasing threats from habitat loss and illegal trafficking. However, villagers stressed that any conservation effort must balance environmental protection with the well-being of the people who live in the area.  Here is Troy Peebles with that story.

Troy Peebles, Love News: Tensions ran high in Red Bank Village, Stan Creek District last night as residents openly rejected the proposed establishment of Sanctuary 2, a conservation project intended to create feeding grounds for the Scarlet Macaws. The meeting held at Red Bank Community Center compound became heated midway through the presentations with villagers vocally disrupting the proceedings. The disruption occurred during the presentation by Vasilio Mess, adventure tour guide for more than two decades, and a native of Red Bank Village, who has been spearheading advocacy for Sanctuary 2 initiative. Mess explained that the area for the project emerged last year after land surveys began in an area known as Scarlet McCall Hills. He said concerns over the possibility of land eventually being placed under private ownership, hided calls for establishing a sanctuary as a conservation safeguard. 

Basilio Mess, Sanctuary 2 Advocate: “The people in the community of Red Bank won’t be able to access these hills anymore once it goes into private hands. So that is why we are pushing for a Sanctuary 2 whereby everybody including myself, the tour guides, the villagers of Red Bank, the farmers, can still have access to these hills and can still go and collect whatever they need on the hills for their personal use. So I think it all started out I would say early last year whereby a certain individual in Red Bank started to survey this Scarlet Macaw Hills, which is those hills that you see in the background over there, that’s the feeding grounds of the Scarlet Macaw’s. And so because of that, myself and a few guides approached the village council not knowing that the Ministry of Sustainable Development already approached them about protecting these hills right here. So I think because of that that is the reason why we had to go in all out now for the protection of the feeding grounds of these magnificent birds.”

Troy Peebles, Love News: Earlier in the evening Red Bank Village Council had invited villagers to attend the consultation to receive information directly from the government officials and relevant and stakeholders. One of several concerns raised was the limitation that would be placed on the residents seeking to exact cohune leaves for traditional thatched housing. Additionally, concerns were raised that several farmers would be displaced under the project, with no clear assurances provided regarding compensation or relocation. Director of the National Biodiversity Office, Saul Cruz sought to clarify the legal process behind Sanctuary 2, explaining the steps involved, the regulatory oversight, and how community access would be managed under existing laws. 

Saul Cruz, Director, National Biodiversity Office: “In terms of what we have been kind of behind the scenes trying to at least come up with some proposals is to first of all, if we want to have a protected area we need to know how much land we have. And so we need to establish what would be a boundary, what would be something that you guys would accept as a possible site. And once that boundary is determined and agreed upon then we do some of the final work with the Ministry of Natural Resources in doing the actual land research, carrying out some field verification to ensure that we’re not displacing anybody, that we’re not negatively affecting the people from the community, but really trying to map out what the users, what the farmers are currently using. And then that informs then, how do we design management for this protected area? Again, recognizing that Sanctuary 2 gives you for that traditional use, once we identify those uses, we can build that into the management style and the management approaches for the proposed protected area. Once all that field work is done, I know all of this will take time, this is not something that we will do tomorrow but it will take time,  a lot more discussions with the people. And so this is kind of already, it should be giving you an idea of how much time it will take to really get this done. This is not something that happens overnight.”

Troy Peebles, Love News: Despite explanations, many residents remained unconvinced, expressing fears that the project would limit traditional livelihoods and land use practices that the community has depended on for generations. However, not all villagers opposed the proposal. Red Bank resident Ruben Cal voiced his support for Sanctuary 2 citing environmental protection and long-term benefits of preserving the Scarlet Macaw population.

Ruben Cal, Red Ban Resident: “I want to inform the public that this proposed Sanctuary 2 will still enable our local residents of Red Bank to still be able to access their resources such as their firewood, their cohune leaves, and their bush stick for their homes.”

Troy Peebles, Love News: As the meeting concluded, it was clear that the proposed Sanctuary 2 project remains deeply divisive. While the village council and authorities maintain that the consultations are meant to inform and guide decision-making, villagers insisted that their concerns particularly regarding the land rights, access, and displacement must be fully addressed before any project moves forward. Also present at last night’s meeting were the area representative for Stann Creek West, Rodwell Ferguson, DAVCO President Daniel Arzu, Director of National Biodiversity Office NBO, Saul Cruz; FCD Representative Wilmer Guerrero, Deputy Lands Commissioner Alfred Cal, and Representative from the Belize Tourism Board. Reporting for Love News, I’m Troy Anthony Peebles.

Love News understands that the consultations will continue