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Presidential Message from Mark Tercek of The Nature Conservancy

Mission of The Nature Conservancy

Nature Conservancy Annual Report and IRS 990 Form

Non-profit Governance and Leadership of The Nature Conservancy

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Rio Bravo Conservation Area

In 1989, Programme for Belize asked the Conservancy for assistance when the Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area was in danger of being systematically cleared of its tropical forest. The Conservancy provided two major loans in 1989 and 1993, and orchestrated two significant land donations from Coca Cola Foods Inc. In 1994, a significant contribution from a private foundation finally secured the Rio Bravo property. Since then, Programme for Belize has built two field stations with educational centers and several ranger posts in order to protect the area and develop ecotourism. The profits generated from nature based tourism today account for more than 40 percent of Programme's management and protection costs for Rio Bravo.

The educational centers at the La Milpa Field Station and the newly constructed Hill Bank Field Station host programs in natural resource management for groups with an environmental interest and for high school and university students. These groups have the opportunity to experience tropical forest ecosystems first-hand and are exposed to innovative sustainable forest management practices. The construction of these field stations and ranger posts includes the application of "green" technology. These facilities have solar powered energy, a rain water collection system, a gray water storage that recycles water for landscaping purposes, and no-flush composting toilets that process human waste in a sanitary manner while conserving water.

Acreage: 260,000

Ecoregion: Central Caribbean

Threatened Species: Jaguar, tapir, toucans, parrots and migratory birds

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