Whats the Deal?

For everyone following my journey this summer, I have prepared a brief description of the organization I will be working with this summer. I am extremely grateful for all the support I have received regarding my internship and I look forward to sharing my experiences with you along the way.

This summer I am embarking on an internship in the heart of Belize where I will be working directly with the organization “Friends for Conservation and Development” or “FCD”. According to their website “FCD is a non-profit, non-governmental organization in Belize, dedicated to motivate the public to protect the environment through conservation awareness while enhancing the development of the human resource.”

The FCD headquarters reside in San Jose Succotz, a community located not far from the Guatemalan-Belize border. The organization has been in existence since 1989 and conducting environmental conservation activities. They also strive to promote civic pride among Belizeans.

In addition, FCD is part of a co-management program with the Forest Department for the protection of the Chiquibul National Park. The Chiquibul National Park is comprised of 264,003 acres of tropical rainforest. They are also responsible for the co-management of the Chiquibul Cave system, the longest cave system in Central America. FCD also plays a large role in the integration and comprehensive management program of the Chiquibul-Maya Mountain Massif which is comprised of 14 protected areas.

The motto FCD follows is Promoting Core Conservation.

The Main Objectives of FCD include:
• To foster environmental conservation action
• To promote civic pride and respect for our natural heritage
• To promote an understanding of the natural world
• To improve management of protected areas
• To develop the human potential through conservation work
• To integrate local community participation
• To develop collaborative networking

To find out more about Friends for Conservation Development click on the link below.
http://www.fcdbelize.org