The offices of Plenty Belize have been hopping lately as work gets underway on the Toledo Birding for Biodiversity Project, in partnership with the Toledo Ecotourism Association. The project has three main elements: bird monitoring, environmental education and mobilization, and marketing of Toledo to birdwatchers. We started work on the project on May 1, too eager to wait for the first grant check of $21,500 from key donor Global Environment Facility, but with some funds already in hand from another donor, Onaway Trust.

Cherry-Mae Avilez, the leader of the environmental mobilization team, has brought new life and laughter to the office. Key TEA executive members Reyes Chun and Candido Coh are also engaged part time in the project, with Reyes co-managing the project with Plenty Belize Country Coordinator Melanie Reimer. Candido, the TEA Treasurer, is being groomed to take over the financial side of the project. He is delving into the mysteries of debits and credits on a weekly basis under the tutelage of Greg Grosenick, Melanie’s husband, an accountant and volunteer on the project team.

After a challenging screening process, we have recruited two dynamic environmental mobilizers to work with Cherry-Mae to raise environmental awareness. Pablo Mis from Laguna and Alex Coc from San Antonio are currently undergoing in-house training on both environmental issues and participatory methods of working with communities, and practical pilot activities in a few villages have already commenced.

The bird monitoring aspect of the project is also underway. Volunteer ornithologist Dr. Lee Jones is in the process of visiting all 10 participating villages, where he will select monitoring sites together with the bird monitoring trainees in the village, and provide enough training to enable the monitors to start practicing their new observation and recording skills. He will also make sure that everyone has an adequate supply of field guides and binoculars, and distribute those purchased with grant moneys when and as needed. On subsequent visits, he will collect their recording forms, analyze them, and help the monitors to improve their skills.

Glenn Brown, a Canadian environmental education specialist, arrived on May 13 to assume his duties, and has quickly become a valued member of the project team. Glenn is working alongside Cherry-Mae and Melanie to design the environmental mobilization component, and design the training we need to do for the mobilization team. Glenn will be in our service until July 7. Our work together has entailed a lot of brainstorming, and a couple of field trips to villages where we are working to ascertain the environment-related needs and issues which are really felt at the village level, as opposed to those which we might prioritize from our offices in Punta Gorda or Tennessee! In this way, our discussions and educational activities will focus on the problems that most interest the local people.

The next step is to work out a marketing strategy, with the assistance of some more invaluable volunteer assistance from friends of Plenty, and start to increase the flow of keen birdwatchers to Toledo District. This will not only improve the chances of rural people in Toledo earning a sustainable livelihood, but also enrich the lives of visitors from around the world by sharing the incredible natural wonders of this district. So, start planning your birdwatching trip to Toledo now, and beat the rush!