Belize conservation, research & education projects

This programme offers volunteers the opportunity to join a variety of conservation, research and education projects in a number of locations and National Parks around Belize.

Placements of two months and upwards are available with Wildtracks (a conservation organization), the Belize Audubon Society and the Belize Institute of Archaeology.

As a volunteer, you will be involved in practical conservation in national parks and archaeological sites, as well as research, education and maintenance tasks from fish and crocodile surveys to assessing jaguar populations and aiding in the rehabilitation of manatees. The programme starts with a five day orientation course at Wildtracks in Northern Belize. This provides you with the necessary basic skills and information on living and working in Belize, the rich wildlife, cultural awareness and general health and safety. More specific training is also given where necessary covering machete use, wildlife survey techniques, orientation and GPS use. As well as details on the particular projects which each volunteer will elect to concentrate on for the duration of their stay. Following the initial training, you will then move to your placement, either with Wildtracks, the Belize Audubon Society and the Belize Institute of Archaeology.

Volunteers will be involved in practical conservation in national parks and archaeological sites, as well as research and data collecting in the the Balam Na Forest on the local jaguar population. Volunteers can have the opportunity to work towards the conservation of this important area that falls within the Meso-American Biological Corridors Program. This program links reserves throughout Belize (and, in fact, throughout Central America) to provide routes allowing wildlife to move from one area to another, in an international effort to ensure that biological diversity is maintained.

Conservation activities also include building environmental awareness through school activities for both primary and secondary level education. It will help build an appreciation of the tropical forest, and a respect that extends beyond viewing it just as an area to strip of its timber resources. Please contact us for further information about each project and placement and daily life.