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Belize Barrier Reef celebrates 20 years of World Heritage Site designation

Posted on December 6, 2016

Today Belize is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its Barrier Reef System being inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

To commemorate the momentous occasion, a World Heritage Site Forum will be held at the Bliss Institute of Performing Arts in Belize City from 7:00-9:00 p.m tonight.

The Belize Barrier Reef System was dubbed a UNESCO World Heritage Site in December 1996. The Belize Barrier Reef System is the largest barrier reef complex in the Northern and Western Hemisphere and is also the second largest barrier reef system in the world. It provides habitat to a plethora of migratory birds and threatened marine species such as the West Indian manatee, the American crocodile and marine turtles.

Belizeans in the Tourism and Fisheries Sector have relied greatly on the reef for their livelihood. Comprised of seven marine protected areas which make up 12 percent of the entire reef complex of Belize, the seven sites include: Bacalar Chico National Park and Marine Reserve, the world famous Blue Hole Natural Monument, Half Moon Caye Natural Monument, South Water Caye Marine Reserve, Glover’s Reef Marine Reserve, Laughing Bird Caye National Park and the Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve.

Larry France, Marketing Manager of Chabil Mar Resort on the scenic Placencia peninsula said the 20th anniversary of Belize’s Barrier Reef being designated a World Heritage Site is a cause for celebration.

“Chabil Mar takes great pride in promoting sustainable eco-tourism practices and contributing to the welfare of the Belize’s Barrier Reef, he added.

Chabil Mar offers a variety of tours and packages that includes snorkeling and scuba diving the pristine barrier reef and has partnered with the award winning dive centers of Placencia village to provide a bountiful combination of luxury accommodations, resort amenities and dive services.

Travelers who wish to enjoy the beauties and wonders of Belize will definitely enjoy a stay at Chabil Mar.

Visit our website chabilmarvillas.com for more information on Belize, and don’t hesitate to send us an email, or call US/CAN Toll Free: 1-866-417-2377, Local: (011-501) 523-3606, if you have questions or need help in planning a Belize barrier reef vacation.

Belize Barrier Reef Photographed From Space by NASA Astronaut

Posted on May 10, 2016

Long known by residents and visitors as one of the most spectacularly beautiful ecosystems in the world, the Belize Barrier Reef was recently seen from a brand new angle when NASA astronaut Jeff Williams, currently on assignment aboard the International Space Station, posted high-resolution photographs of the reef on his Twitter feed.

The gorgeous color photograph taken from space pictures the entire Belizean coastline with the reef clearly visible. “Beautiful Belize coastal waters,” wrote Jeff Williams alongside the photograph. The next few pictures posted by the intrepid astronaut showed Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker, commenting, “Fantastic Belize barrier reefs!”

If you’d like to experience the wondrous beauty of the Belize Barrier Reef from a much closer distance, the resort of Chabil Mar in Placencia offers comprehensive scuba diving and snorkeling packages that include lodging and guided trips to some of the best places to swim, dive and snorkel along the reef.

Protecting Belize’s Wonderful Barrier Reef

Posted on April 11, 2016

The mangrove-lined coasts of Belize and the magnificent coral reefs offshore are one of the country’s greatest assets. The waters are home to majestic sea turtles, hundreds of species of fish, and several species of living coral while the roots of the salt-resistant mangrove trees are an important nursery for juvenile animals. The health of this ecosystem is essential both for income from sustainable tourism as well as to protect the wildlife that call it home.

Unfortunately, many areas of the Belize Barrier Reef System have become endangered due to construction on the coast. Proposals for offshore oil drilling pose another threat. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is greatly concerned that these activities could have a significant negative impact on Belize’s environment and the more than 1,400 species that call the area home, which would have a knock-on effect on the country’s economy.

“Coral reefs are the foundation for some of the healthiest and most vibrant biosphere in the ocean, and are a huge net asset for people as well,” said Brad Ack, WWF’s Senior Vice President for Oceans. “Protecting the reefs is good for the future of the economy as well as the rich abundance of flora and fauna that require them to thrive.”

UNESCO added Belize’s coral reef biosphere on the List of World Heritage sites in Danger in 2009. Currently, 114 different World Heritage sites out of 229 in Belize are under threat from industrial activities like oil and gas drilling or mining concessions.

“Protecting the environment is simultaneously good for the economy,” said Roberto Troya, WWF’s Director for Latin America and the Caribbean. “Conserving the environment can include sustainable construction. When diverse and vibrant World Heritage sites in Belize are at risk, this just emphasizes how important it is that we be stay united in order to safeguard these critically important ecosystems.”

It is estimated that two-thirds of the population of Belize are dependent, either directly or indirectly, on the reef for their livelihood. Environmental economists have calculated that the coral reef protects the country from $350 million USD worth of damage from storms and adverse weather events every year.

Chabil Mar heartily supports this initiative and endorses the World Wildlife Fund’s efforts in this matter.

Government of Belize bans offshore oil exploration at Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System

Posted on December 21, 2015

It takes courage for a government to serve notice to powerful offshore oil exploration companies that they’re not welcome, but that’s exactly what the Belize government has been doing throughout 2015. Standing up for the nation’s endangered Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System—a World Heritage site that’s fragile, delicate and threatened—was the Belize Prime Minister and his cabinet, all of whom agreed that a policy to ban offshore exploration wasn’t just a good idea—it could be the only way to save this unique ecosystem.

As the second largest reef system on the planet, the Belize Barrier Reef is regularly subject to natural assaults from wind, rain and climate change and cabinet members agreed that by allowing oil drilling, reef disintegration, already problematic, could accelerate rapidly. It’s not the last action the government will take in its efforts to preserve the integrity of the reef; it’s first in a three-prong effort to get the Belize reef off the list of endangered World Heritage sites.

To undertake so Herculean a challenge, members of a World Heritage Committee convened in Belize early in 2015 to estimate how badly the reef has begun to deteriorate. Honorable Prime Minister Dean Barrow conferred with Drs. Elena Ospova and Fanny Douvere, head of UNESCO’s World Heritage Marine Program. Everyone worked tirelessly to put together an aggressive Desired State of Conservation plan that imposes a permanent ban on mining the region’s waters for oil. It’s set to take effect on January 31, 2016.

What will happen once this ban goes into effect? First, stressors imposed on the reef will be confined to natural influences, the sale, lease and development of mangrove islands will cease and desist and penalties for members of the extractive sector who try to get around these preventative measures will be onerous. But the winners in this situation will be more than the environment—for the tourism industry dependent upon this iconic reef for its symbolic and historic role off Belize’s mainland, these protective measures are not to be underestimated.

For example, resorts like Chabil Mar attract legions of visitors eager to see this unique UNESCO World Heritage Site. Chabil Mar has put into place Belize’s most comprehensive reef exploration experiences by affiliating with knowledgeable excursion guides who understand that a visit to the reef must be informative, fascinating, exciting and educational, whether a guest explores the reef as an observer, snorkeler, diver or photographer.

Book a Belize vacation package at Chabil Mar and enjoy a beautiful suite as well as other attractions if you stay in Belize longer. By prioritizing a trip to see the reef now, you can tell friends that you visited a UNESCO World Heritage Site that’s receiving international attention and governmental intervention so this natural wonder is around for many generations to come.

For more information about traveling to Belize, feel free to chat with our Concierge at: concierge{@}chabilmarvillas.com or contact our Reservations Manager at:reservations{@}chabilmarvillas.com. Or perhaps you would like to call toll free from the US or Canada: 1-866-417-2377.

Photo of the day: Aerial View of the Belize Barrier Reef

Posted on June 14, 2014

Today’s photo of the day is of the great Belize Barrier Reef System which UNESCO describes as follows:

The coastal area of Belize is an outstanding natural system consisting of the largest barrier reef in the northern hemisphere, offshore atolls, several hundred sand cays, mangrove forests, coastal lagoons and estuaries. The system’s seven sites illustrate the evolutionary history of reef development and are a significant habitat for threatened species, including marine turtles, manatees and the American marine crocodile.

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