Effective Signage in
Chiquibul Forest
Jim Casey
Greg Sluss
Elica Chan
Kate Lucas
In partnership with Friends
for Conservation and
Development
What is the Chiquibul Forest System?
Friends for Conservation and
Development (FCD)
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Non-profit, NGO working out of
San Jose Succotz, Cayo District
Educate the public
Protect the environment of Belize
Manage the Chiquibul
The Chiquibul is under threat
• Illegal incursions (domestic and
Guatemalan)
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Deforestation
Hunting
Harvest of xate (palm leaf)
Agricultural clearing
• Management plan to enforce protection
• Lack of system of standardized signage
State of Signage
• Unorganized
• Minimal
• Non standard
Benefits of Signage
• Direct behavior through education
• Improve management technique and
consistency
• Allows for safe and effective
implementation of tourism
• Increase environmental awareness
• Generally informative
Need for Education and
Community Involvement
Biodiversity conservation through…
• Community involvement
• Environmental education
• Economic alternatives
• Research Excursion to Chiquibul
• Research for Manual
• Meetings with FCD
• Interviews
• Draft Manual
The final product!
For the future…
A special thanks to:
Friends for Conservation and Development
Mr. Michael Preston
Jay Ashman
Kaela Gray