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Diagnóstico de la Caoba
(Swietenia macrophylla King)

en Mesoamérica

Belize

1999

Diagnóstico de la caoba
(Swietenia macrophylla King)

en Mesoamérica

Belize
Oscar Rosado

Centro Científico Tropical

1999

PROARCA/CAPAS

ACERCA DE ESTA PUBLICACIÓN Esta publicación y el trabajo descrito en ella fueron financiados por la Agencia de Estados Unidos para el Desarrollo Internacional (USAID) en el contexto de CONCAUSA, la declaración Conjunta Centroamérica – Estados Unidos (Miami, octubre de 1994) sobre la conservación del ambiente en Centroamérica. Las opiniones e ideas presentadas aquí no son necesariamente respaldadas por USAID, ni representan sus políticas oficiales. ABOUT THIS PUBLICATION This publication and the work described in it were funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in the context of CONCAUSA, the Joint Central America – USA declaration (Miami, October 1994) on conservation of the environment in Central America. The views and ideas presented here are not necessarily endorsed by USAID, nor do they represent USAID’s official policies.

INDEX

I. 2.

Introduction ............................................................................................ 1 Physical Features .................................................................................. 1
2.1 Geography ...........................................................................................................1 2.2 Geology ...............................................................................................................2 2.3 Soils .....................................................................................................................2 2.4 Climate.................................................................................................................3 2.5 Flora.....................................................................................................................3 2.6 Forest Cover ........................................................................................................4 2.7 Deforestation .......................................................................................................6

3.

Occurrence and Distribution of Mahogany in Belize .......................... 6
3.1 Original Occurrence and Distribution ..................................................................6 3.2 Actual Occurrence and Distribution.....................................................................9

4. Historical Summary of Exploitation and Conservation........................ 13 5. Legal and Institutional Regulatory Framework ................................. 15
5.1 The Legal Framework .......................................................................................15 5.2 The Forest Act ...................................................................................................16 5.3 The Private Forests (Conservation) Act 1945...................................................17 5.4 The Forest Fire Protection Act 1962 .................................................................17 5.5 The National Parks System Act 1981 ...............................................................18 5.6 Other Related Legislation..................................................................................18

6.

The Institutional Framework ............................................................... 19
6.1 The Forest Department .....................................................................................19 6.2 Programme for Belize........................................................................................20 6.3 Belize Enterprise for Sustained Technology (BEST) ........................................20 6.4 The Belize Audubon Society .............................................................................21 6.5 Other NGO’s......................................................................................................21 6.6 Forest Policy ......................................................................................................21

7. 8. 9.

Analysis of Legislation and Institutional Aspects............................. 23 Role of Disturbance in Relation to Mahogany................................... 24 System of Exploitation ........................................................................ 25

10. Production and Trade .......................................................................... 25
10.1 Sawmills...........................................................................................................28 10.2 Conservation Status ........................................................................................30

11. Promising Sustainable Management Options ................................... 31

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11.1 Forest Reserves ..............................................................................................31 11.2 Private Land ....................................................................................................32 11.3 Plantations .......................................................................................................33

12. Critical Aspects Threatening the Species.......................................... 34
12.1 IlIegal Logging .................................................................................................34 12.3 Cutting Undersized Trees................................................................................34 12.4 Chain saw Lumber Conversion .......................................................................34 12.5 Proliferation of Sawmills ..................................................................................35 12.6 Proliferation of Licenses ..................................................................................35 12.7 Conflict with Groups ........................................................................................35 12.8 Users of Mahogany .........................................................................................36 12.9 Impact of Fires and Hurricanes .......................................................................36

13. Discussion............................................................................................ 37 Bibliography ................................................................................................ 41 Appendix I .................................................................................................... 42
Forest Policy of British Honduras ............................................................................42

Appendix 2 ................................................................................................... 45
Draft Forest Policy 1994 ..........................................................................................45

Appendix 3 ................................................................................................... 49
List of Sawmills ........................................................................................................49

Appendix 4 ................................................................................................... 52
List of protected areas with mahogany. ..................................................................52

Appendix 5 ................................................................................................... 53
INTERVIEWS ..........................................................................................................53

Appendix 6 ................................................................................................... 62
List of contacts.........................................................................................................62

Appendix 7 ................................................................................................... 64
Maps ........................................................................................................................64

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INDEX OF TABLES
Table 1. Area and percentage of Belize's mainland per Forest Class, LIC (1994). ....5 Table 2. Major Vegetation Assemblage of Belize on the occurrence of Mahogany....8 Table 3. Areas of Broadleaf Forest in Belize. ............................................................10 Table 4. Broadleaf forest inventories 1969-1981.......................................................10 Table 5. Estimates of mahogany densities and volumes in Belize............................11 Table 6. Mahogany occurrence in PSP(1 ha plots). ..................................................12 Table 7. Mahogany Production 1989-1990 (000 cu ft) ..............................................26 Table 8. Domestic Consumption of Mahogany 1989-1998. ......................................27 Table 9. Exports of Mahogany 1989-1998.................................................................27

INDEX OF MAPS
Map 1. Location of Belize. ..........................................................................................65 Map 2. Major Land Forms and Soil Features of Belize..............................................66 Map 3. Original Distribution of Mahogany in Belize. ..................................................67 Map 4. Actual Distribution of Mahogany in Belize......................................................68 Map 5. Map showing locations of Permanent Sample Plots......................................69 Map 6. Belize Protected Areas...................................................................................70 Map 7. Sawmill Locations in Belize. ...........................................................................71 Map 8. Protective Status of Hypothetical Current Mahogany Forests in Belize. .......72

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THE SITUATION OF MAHOGANY IN BELIZE
I. Introduction

The Central American Commission on Environment and Development (CCAD) of which Belize is a member, through its Executive Secretariat, requested the PROARCA/CAPAS Project whose headquarters is in Guatemala City, to carry out a study on the actual situation with respect to Mahogany from southern Mexico to Panama including Belize. The project is funded by USAID. This report covers the situation in Belize, taking into consideration aspects as the original and actual existence, occurrence and distribution of Mahogany; a historical summary of exploitation and conservation; the system of exploitation; production and trade, the legal and institutional regulatory framework; the conservation status; and options for sustainable management. Brief geographical, geological and other physical features, and other relevant information on Belize are included at the beginning to place it in the regional context.

2.

Physical Features

2.1 Geography Belize is situated in northeastern Central America, boarded by Mexico in the north, by Guatemala on the west and south and by the Caribbean Sea to the east (Map 1). Including its territorial waters, Belize´s geographic coordinates are 15°53' to 18°30' North Latitude and 87°15' to 89°15' West Longitude. Using an offshore territorial limit of 20 km, the national territory covers about 46,620 square kilometers of which 49% is land. Belize´s landmass includes 1065 islands, some of them very small, off the mainland coast, the barrier reef and atoll system totaling some 690 square kilometers. There are about 1540 square kilometers of lagoons on the mainland, reducing effective land area to some 21751 square kilometers.

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The average dimensions of the Belize rectangle are about 260 kilometers north to south, and 180 kilometers east to west, and has 280 kilometers of coastline along the mainland. 2.2 Geology Belizean geology is largely a study on limestone except for the Maya Mountains. The northern half of the country consists of heterogeneous sediments deposited on the Yucatan Platform, containing limestone, chalk, marl and other sedimentary layers. The Maya Mountains in south - central Belize, evolved from a large upfaulted block of intrusive granite and metamorphosed sedimentary rocks. The oldest rocks in Belize are found in the Maya Mountains, which rise to about 1124 meters at Doyle’s Delight, the highest point in Belize. Additional limestone formations and an area of sedimentary rocks are found south of the mountains in the Toledo District. The Coastal Plain is composed of detritus materials derived from the western uplands and is about 50 kilometers wide in some areas north of the Belize River, reducing considerably, hardly present at Deep River in the southeast. 2.3 Soils Soils have been grouped to confirm with the boundaries of the seven principal landforms recognized in mainland Belize. These are given below: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Siliceous soils of the Mountain Pine Ridge; Siliceous soils of the Maya Mountains; Siliceous soils of the Lowland Pine Ridge; Calcareous soils of karst landscapes; Calcareous soils of the Northern Lowlands; Tertiary mudstones, shales and sandstones of the Toledo lowlands; Littoral complex of organic soils and dune sands.

These are further subdivided into soil sub-units and soil series in the original classification. The percentages of Belize these occupy are given in Map 2 and can be summarized as follows: Siliceous Soils 37.3%, Calcareous Soils 50.7%, and the last two groups 12%.

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2.4 Climate The northern latitudes given for Belize indicate that it lies in the outer tropics or subtropical geographic belt which have higher extreme and mean temperatures than which occur in tropical latitudes (0-13°). The highest and lowest recorded temperatures are 42.8°C (109°F) in the Sibun Hills and 3.3°C (38°F) at Punta Gorda in December. Mean monthly minimum temperature range from 16-17°C in the cooler months to 24-25°C in the hotter months. In Belize City, the mean maximum and mean minimum annual temperatures are 29.9 and 22.1°C respectively. These are typical of the lowlands. In the Mountain Pine Ridge comparable figures are 24.8 and 17.9°C. These figures are from a location 1600 feet above sea level. Trade winds blow from the east and southeast between February and September and cooler winds blow from the north. Northeast air masses are occasionally pushed far to the south from November to February by arctic air masses. Temperatures are cooler at night in the higher regions. Rainfall ranges from 1347 millimeters (mm) (53") per year in the north to 4526 millimeters (178") per year at Barranco south of Punta Gorda. Relative humidity varies between 80 to 90 percent in the coastal lowlands. There is a dry season from February to May and a short dry season (less rainy) period usually in August. Two climatic events that impact Belizean forests are long dry seasons and hurricanes. Prolonged dry seasons which are characterized by low relative humidity allows ideal conditions in which human and lightening caused fires can advance rapidly with devastating effects to the forests. Belize has a history of the devastating effects of hurricanes causing considerable damage to populated and forested areas. In any 100 year period, the Belize Meteorological service predicts that 33 tropical storms or hurricanes will strike Belize, with hurricanes expected once every six or seven years. With Hurricane Mitch in 1998 threatening but sparing Belize, the longest recorded period between hurricanes striking Belize has been the 20 year period from 1978 to 1998. 2.5 Flora The flora of Belize has been variously listed, described and classified

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at different times. Standley and Record (1936) were the first to document this work in the Forests and Flora of British Honduras. Wright -et-al (1959) classified the vegetation into 18 major types, and through subdivisions, into 77 units in Land in British Honduras. Hartshorn-et-al (1984) applied Holdridge’s Life Zone System to provide a framework to subdivide the country into six ecological life zones: (1) Subtropical moist forest; (2) Subtropical Lower Montane moist forest; (3) Subtropical wet forest; (4) Subtropical Lower Montane wet forest; (5) Tropical moist forest; and (6) Tropical wet forest, in the Belize Country Environmental Profile. More recently Iremonger and Brokaw (1996) based on a system adopted by UNESCO, classified the vegetation on grounds of physiognomy, into forest, scrub and herbaceous formations in the National Protected Areas System Plan for Belize. A total of 49 vegetation types were identified. It is estimated that there are around 4000 native flowering plants in Belize of which 2500 are dicots and 1500 are monocots as given by Dywer and Spellman (1981). Recent figures from the Forest Department Herbarium indicate that the known number of species in Belize is 3409 with 1219 genera in 207 families. The major vegetation types grow on particular landforms and soils. The siliceous soils of the Mountain Pine Ridge and the lowland Pine Ridges support pine forests and shrub lands. Mangroves and coastal vegetation types grow in the organic soils of the littoral zone. In land swamps and marshes are concentrated in low lands along the Hondo, Booths, New River, the Belize and Sarstoon River. The remainder of Belize is covered by broadleaf forests varying in structure and species composition. 2.6 Forest Cover The figure given for forest cover, which is synonymous with total forestland given decades earlier, shows a declining figure. In 1971 the figure was 95.9%, and in 1984 the figure was 93%. Based on a 1989/1992 land use report, which was issued in 1994, the figure is 79%. The table below illustrates the situation at present.

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Table 1. Area and percentage of Belize's mainland per Forest Class, LIC (1994).
Forest Class Area (has) Area (acs) Area (sq km) 14,190.00 120.31 576.25 73.07 848.38 Percentage of Land Area 65.12 0.55 2.64 0.34 3.89

Broadleaf Forest Open broadleaf forest Pine forest Open pine forest Thicket and other degenerated broadleaf forest Herbaceous and Scrub, secondary growth after clearing Bamboo and Riparian vegetation Coastal Strand Vegetation Mangrove, Medium & Tall Mangrove, Dwarf Saline swamp vegetation with palmetto and mangrove Marsh swamp Total of Forested Areas

1,419,000 12,031 57,625 7,307 84,838

3,503,704 29,705 142,283 18,041 209,477

18,859

46,564

188.59

0.87

11,527 2,483 7,820 23,460 34,487

28,462 6,131 19,308 57,925 85,152

115.22 24.83 78.20 234.60 344.87

0.53 0.11 0.36 1.08 1.58

41,963 1,721,398

103,613 4,250,366

419.63 17,213.98

1.93 79.00

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2.7 Deforestation The 1984 Belize Country Environmental Profile said that deforestation was not a major issue in Belize, but as the figures in forest cover indicate, this figure has been reversed from almost 97% in 1971 to the present 79% in about 30 years. Until a study on deforestation in Belize 1989/92 - 1994/96 was conducted, only then was deforestation recognized as very significant. From the 1989/92 baseline period to 1994, approximately 78,100 ha of forest and associated woodland cover was cleared. More than 90% of the total losses in forest cover (>70,000 ha) occurred outside protected areas. That any loss should have occurred in protected areas is still alarming. Most losses in forest cover are due to agricultural development ranging from large citrus orchards, to mixed farming and cropland, to small individually but cumulatively large areas of milpa farming. There has been a substantial increase in the rate of clearing of forest and associated woodlands over the past two to five years (25,000 ha/yr.) relative to previously published estimates (5,000 - 9,000 ha/yr.) over the past decade (1981-1990). There is need to put a moratorium on conversion of forest areas. Any further developments requiring land should ensure that previously cleared unused areas are sought out exhaustively before any new areas are considered.

3.

Occurrence and Distribution of Mahogany in Belize

3.1 Original Occurrence and Distribution Although there were separate sporadic reports about the occurrence of Mahogany in specific areas in Belize in the 1920s and 1930s, it was not until the 1950s when a vegetation classification for Belize was done under a land use study, that Mahogany was specifically mentioned as occurring as spare to abundant in the following forest types, which at that time occupied about 55% of Belize (Map 3):

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-

deciduous seasonal forest on limestone semi evergreens forest on limestone broadleaf forest with lime species, and tall transitional broadleaf forest.

In the remainder of the forest types classified as follows: transitional low broadleaf forest shrub land with pine pine forest and orchard savannah marsh communities - mangrove and littoral forests cohune palm forest.

Mahogany was not specifically noted, except in two of the types above. In one assemblage of transitional low broadleaf type, mahogany is mentioned as very rare and usually entirely absent. In one assemblage of the Pine Forest and orchard savanna type which covers all the flattish and undulating part of the Mountain Pine Ridge where remnants of the limestone sheet is present, Mahogany is mentioned as occurring less than one to ten acres (Wright and others 1959). Weaver and Sabido (1997) present the following table based on the above information:

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Table 2. Major Vegetation Assemblage of Belize on the occurrence of Mahogany.
Vegetation Assemblage Major commercial mahogany forests Broadleaf forest rich in lime-loving species Deciduous seasonal forest on limestone Semi-evergreen forests on limestone Broadleaf forest moderately rich in lime-loving species Broadleaf forest with occasional lime-loving species High evergreen seasonal forest High semi evergreen seasonal forest Broadleaf forest with few or no lime loving species Evergreen seasonal forest Semi evergreen seasonal forest Transitional broadleaf forest Medium-high deciduous forest rich in lime loving species Medium-high semi evergreen seasonal forest poor in lime loving species Medium-high evergreen seasonal poor in limeloving species TOTAL Mahogany minor or non-commercial Transitional low broadleaf forest Shrub land with pine Pine forests and orchard savannas Marsh and swamp communities Coastal formations mangroves and littoral forests Cohune palm forest SUB-TOTAL Other lands TOTAL (land area of Belize)
Source: Weaver and Sabido 1997.

Average tree height m

Land Area km2

15-30 24-37 30-37 27-37 27-37 21-30 21-30 21-27 21-27 21-27

5542 818 323 354 547 856 1786 442 1382 493 12542

989 184 2415 2896 1026 1247 8757 1668 22967

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The division given as commercial and non-commercial mahogany forest is fully justified as in the former case, in all the vegetation assemblages mahogany has been specifically mentioned as occurring, while in the latter case, only in two of the vegetation assemblages is mahogany specifically mentioned. 3.2 Actual Occurrence and Distribution From the above review, it is evident that Mahogany occurs in broadleaf forests, the typical plant cover on moderately fertile, freely draining soils in Belize (Map 4). This of course, is only where broadleaf vegetation is still in existence. Where deforestation has taken place to change the land use, mahogany does not exist. This has occurred in the northern districts where sugar cane is the prominent crop. This is also the case where other agricultural activities have taken place, such as in Little Belize in the Corozal District, in the Blue Creek area for cattle and rice production and in the Shipyard area both in the Orange Walk district. The situation is similar in the Cayo District where citrus and cattle activities are on going. In the south part of the country, citrus and bananas are replacing large areas of broadleaf forests. In addition to this, there is the milpa type farming which goes on every year in most districts of Belize. There is no national or whole country forest inventory, which could give the actual situation with mahogany today. What there is consists of six distinct inventories carried out in Belize between 1969 to 1981. These have been re-analyzed and synthesized and reworked in a report prepared under the Forest Planning and Management Project, Ministry of Natural Resources, Belize. In the report (Alder, 1993) GIS information has been used to identify broadleaf areas outside existing clearances and the following table has been produced:

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Table 3. Areas of Broadleaf Forest in Belize.
CATEGORY Protected broadleaf forest National Parks Wildlife sanctuaries, etc Forest Reserves, slopes >25 Timber Production areas Forest Reserves, slopes > 25 Forested National Lands Forested Private Lands Total Broadleaf forest Belize Land area Km2 1011 873 2616 4500 965 1087 981 3033 7533 21694 14.0 34.7 100.0 20.7 TOTAL Km2 %

The six inventories referred to and reworked to produce national estimates of the forest resource including mahogany are given in the following table with relevant information about the inventories. Table 4. Broadleaf forest inventories 1969-1981.
Forest Inventory Year Transect size (km) 8 5 5 3.6-6 4 2 Number of Transect 24 17 34 31 24 14 144 Area km2 768 200 425 988 240 28 2649

Chiquibul main series Chiquibul mountain series Columbia/Maya Mountains Hillbank (Belize estates) Cockscomb Basin Deep River TOTAL

1969 1971 1975 1975 1978 1981

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It was necessary to post-stratify the pooled set of 144 inventory transects by vegetation types using Wright’ss vegetation maps as the basis for stratification. It was also necessary to define pooled vegetation types, which were called Provisional Vegetation Groups (PVGs) such that each PVG that comprised broadleaf forest included two or more transects. In the end, applying the 40 year felling cycle and 60 cm diameter minimum felling limit recommended as the management criteria for broadleaf 3 forests, a final annual allowable cut of 6041m (213307 cu ft) was arrived at for mahogany. It should be noted that from the same report, Weaver and Sabido (1997) have converted figures given, to a per hectare basis, and have produced the following which is only a section of their original table presented here: Table 5. Estimates of mahogany densities and volumes in Belize.
Location of Survey Forest Reserves: Chiquibul, Columbia Maya Mountains (1969-75) > 20 cm d.b.h. > 40 cm d.b.h. > 60 cm d.b.h. Forested National Lands: Deep River Cockscomb (1978-81) > 20 cm d.b.h. > 40 cm d.b.h. > 60 cm d.b.h. Forested Private Lands: BEC (1975) > 20 cm d.b.h. > 40 cm d.b.h. > 60 cm d.b.h. Size (ha) 96500 4.2 1.0 .6 5.9 .4 .1 Volume 3 m /ha Density Stems/ha Source

Alder 1993

108700 4.7 1.5 1.1 6.0 .5 .2

Alder 1993

Alder 1993 5.7 1.7 1.1 7.4 .6 .2

In another report (Bird 1998) 30 permanent sample plots (psp) were established by random methods in hardwood forest. The plot locations are shown on attached Map 5 and the following table summarizes the occurrence of Mahogany by diameter classes in the one-hectare plots established.

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Table 6. Mahogany occurrence in PSP (1 ha plots).
PSP NO 10-19 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 7 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 5 1 4 0 2 3 12 8 13 5 6 5 11 3 3 0 No. Of Individuals in Stem Diam. classes (cm) 20-29 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 5 3 1 3 1 16 8 4 2 4 5 8 5 4 0 30-39 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 6 1 0 0 0 11 5 3 4 5 2 3 4 3 0 40-49 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 3 0 2 1 0 2 0 0 50-59 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 1 2 0 0 60-69 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 70-79 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 15 12 8 1 5 4 43 22 23 11 17 16 23 16 10 0 Total

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PSP NO 25 26 27 28 29 30 TOTALS

No. Of Individuals in Stem Diam. classes (cm) 10 5 0 0 2 1 107 2 3 0 0 0 0 82 0 3 0 0 0 0 55 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1

Total 12 11 0 0 3 1 265

These plots were established in 1992 and do indicate the occurrence of Mahogany, and its distribution and density. There are very few stems of merchantable size, the bulk of the stocking being in the smaller diameter classes. Out of the total of 30 plots, 21 of them contain mahogany, a fairly significant statistic.

4. Historical Summary of Exploitation and Conservation
In accordance with the terms of reference, this section includes historical information on exploitation and conservation. Mahogany exploitation was started in northern Belize where harvesting was limited to rivers and streams, using these as a means of floating them to the mouth of the Belize River. This was given impetus by the mahogany trade in Europe, which started around 1755, and by 1771 had become the country´s chief product. It should be mentioned that this activity was not recognized by Spain until 1783 covering only the area between the Belize River to the Rio Hondo. Three years later, these limits were extended southward to the Sibun River. It was not until 1798 that exploitation of Mahogany was extended southward to the Sarstoon River after the Battle of St. George’s Caye. This was when Spain was finally defeated and what had been merely a timber concession grudgingly granted by the Spanish, developed into an independent country with an economy based almost entirely on mahogany exploitation.

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The exploitation of mahogany was intensified with the introduction of slave labor from Jamaica to haul logs and again after 1800 with the introduction of oxen. In the early 1800's logging advanced south along the rivers but not inland. With the advent of railroads and later tractors additional areas were opened up in the early 20th century. Major logging operations were delayed in the south and southwest until all-purpose roads and heavy logging equipment appeared after World War II. In 1886, Mr. E.D.M. Hooper of the Indian Forest Department visited Belize and prepared a report recommending the formation of a forest department. Thanks to his report, some interesting historical information was handed down concerning exports of mahogany as given below: 1802 1803 1804 1805 1820 1824 1837 2,280,000 bd ft 4,500,000 bd ft 6,481,000 bd ft 6,500,000 bd ft 3,000,000 bd ft 6,481,000 bd ft 8,500,000 bd ft 1845 1846 1860 1870 1874 1878 1880 10,000,000 bd ft 13,750,000 bd ft 7, 500,000 bd ft 2,750,000 bd ft 6,000,000 bd ft 3,125,000 bd ft 2,125,000 bd ft

From the early days, the method of locating trees in the forest was to send experienced hunters who roamed the land during the late part of the year before the next dry season looking for Mahogany trees. They noted the mahogany trees locations, marked and cut trails to be used for extraction once the trees were felled and thus knew the number of trees available in the area for next seasons work. Invariably, trees were missed by this method and thus conserved by remaining in the forest once the operations moved on. Later one large private estate cruised mahogany using a mile square grid with north - south lines lettered and east - west lines numbered for subsequent location of timber. In the middle 50's in one government reserve trees were hunted by a gang of seven men, each separated by about a chain apart, who traversed a swathe of forest starting from a cut line as a base, noting the locations and size of trees, releasing those of the legal girth size and thus arriving at the numbers of trees available for harvest. Early logging operations in Belize were complicated by many factors including, isolation, weather, labor difficulties and transportation problems. Logging was carried out during the short dry season and in some areas this has not changed except where suitable roads have been constructed and maintained. 14

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Mahogany trees were felled above buttress requiring the use of scaffolding to reach above the buttress which resulted in losses of up to three meters or more of the best timber. Once felled, the trees were crosscut into logs by two men using eight-foot handsaws. Now a days the trees are much smaller and chainsaws are used for bucking or cross-cutting into logs. As already mentioned, floating rafts of mahogany logs was the original mode of transporting them to the point of shipping. This was later replaced with the use of railways, and much later with the advent of the tractor for the construction of roads and hauling logs, road transport was introduced. This has replaced all previous methods and the railways have long been removed. Once road construction was possible this opened up previously inaccessible areas, which until then had numerous large, well-distributed Mahogany trees within previously exploited forests. These had survived because they were invariably missed during hunting operations, or because they had butt rot, or because their large size exceeded the capacity of the extraction method at the time. Previous loggers left them in the forest where they were incidentally conserved and served as seed trees. Apart from the above, early control of trees utilized were by way of market requirement. Only trees that could render the required size of squared logs (38 cm) for shipment would be cut. Later with the introduction of legislation, minimum girth limits for felling mahogany were introduced.

5.

Legal and Institutional Regulatory Framework

5.1 The Legal Framework The principal forest legislation which regulates the forestry sector and function in relation to the conservation and commercialization of mahogany are the following: The Forest Act, The Private Forests (Conservation) Act, The Forest Fire Protection Act and the National Parks System Act.

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5.2 The Forest Act Originally an ordinance which came into effect in 1927, it became an Act in 1980 in the advent of independence in 1981. The Act is supported by Forest Rules and other subsidiary legislation. There are frequently issued Statutory Instruments which set royalty rates, duly create forest reserves, and specifies minimum felling girth limits. The Act defines the powers of forest officials and establishes penalties for forest offences and allows for the delegation of powers. It empowers the Minister to apply any of the provisions of the Act to any private land. This has been done in the case of royalties on private land but this has to be passed by the House of Representatives. Presently the rates of royalty on private land are half that on government land and no royalty is levied on private land under 100 acres. Forest Rule 5 - stipulates the types of forest licenses which control the disposal of forest produce including mahogany on government lands. These are: - a forest license for sustained yield working of timber. This shall be in such form, as the Minister shall determine in each case, although there are standard forms available. - a forest license not on a sustained yield basis for the working of timber whether in a salvage area or not. - a forest permit for the working of timber in a salvage area where the royalty value does not exceed one thousand dollars. - a petty permit where the royalty value does not exceed fifty dollars. Forest Rule 6 - stipulates that the Chief Forest Officer may by notice in the gazette: (a) advertise for sale by public auction, forest licenses to cut and remove forest produce where only one type of produce is to be extracted (timber); (b) invite tenders for forest licenses. Forest Rule 6 (2) - stipulates the matters, which must be included in the Gazette notice. These include the area in which the license is to apply. The provisions of this rule to apply to areas where the extraction of timber is conducive to good forest management. Forest Rule 7 (1) - empowers the Chief Forest Officer to issue licenses to the person making the highest royalty bid at the auction except where this is below the rate specified in the Schedule to the Rules. In this case, the

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Chief Forest Officer is required to submit all tenders to the Minister for his decision. In practice, the procedures for the issue of licenses were not adhered to and throughout the last two decades timber harvesting in Belize was characterized by an industry operating under a large number of short term licenses covering small areas, thus fragmenting the areas making sustainable management impossible in many areas. But recently, steps are being taken to return to the requirements of the law. The Forest Act has been revised including a revision of the forest license requirements and types. A draft Act has been waiting to seek Ministerial support by finding the right opportunity to present it to Cabinet for approval. Already 20 year Forest Management licenses have been issued in two reserves, which incorporate area control and a 40-year felling cycle. 5.3 The Private Forests (Conservation) Act 1945 This Act prohibits the felling of any Mahogany or Cedar Tree in any private land without prior approval of a permit from the Chief Forest Office that authorizes such felling and specifies minimum felling girth limits. In the case of land clearing for agricultural purposes, no permit is required for trees under two feet, except that no mahogany or cedar tree may be sold without a permit. The administration of the Act, right of entry of forest officers upon private lands, seizure, forfeiture and disposal of trees felled in contravention of the Act and penalties are specified. It has no provision for the proper management of private forests or for any extension services to owners and no concept of sustained yield. These matters are being addressed in the revision of the Act. 5.4 The Forest Fire Protection Act 1962 This Act allows for the preparation and implementation of a fire protection plan which may be necessary for the prevention of forest fires, or the extinguishing of such fires in any land held in free hold, grant, prescription or any other form of acquisition or lease of national land. Where landowners fail to comply with fire protection plans, the Chief Forest Officer may enter the land and prepare and implement a fire protection plan and the owner is obliged under the Act to pay the expenses incurred in execution of the work carried including fire fighting activities. The Minister is empowered to declare controlled areas where no

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person is permitted to enter or remain in the area without permission of the Chief Forest Officer. This could happen when conditions are considered conducive to forest fires as in extended dry seasons, or after a hurricane where there is considerable fuel left on the ground. A draft Forest Act has been prepared as has been mentioned earlier which incorporates the above Act but the Forest Department needs to find the right moment to get the political support needed to put through these legislative improvements. The application of this Act helps to protect and conserve mahogany. 5.5 The National Parks System Act 1981 This Act provides for the declaration of more strict conservation areas. It defines four types to be designated, i.e., national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, nature reserves, and national monuments (Map 6). The relevance of this Act in this study is that no timber extraction is allowed in these protected areas. Any mahogany existing in these areas, and there is a certain stocking, are fully protected and conserved and are available as seed trees. On the other hand, previously available timber production areas have been locked up thereby reducing the availability of the timber resource to the timber industry. This has impacted considerably in this area. 5.6 Other Related Legislation There are a few related Acts which affect the forestry sector and function in relation to the conservation and commercialization of mahogany but are not forest legislation directly. 5.6.1 Income Tax Act Under section 12 (d) of this Act, a deduction is allowed for any sum expended on the re-afforestation of any timber land with the view of making good any depletion caused by the felling of timber on any such land. This has to be to the satisfaction of the Commissioner of Income Tax but encourages replanting of mahogany. The Act provides also for deductions of any sums expended for the repair and replacement of any plant and machinery used in the reforestation work. Although the above incentives are available, there is no known example of this having been taken advantage of. 5.6.2 Customs and Excise Duties Act

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Under Section 23 and advolorem duty of 5% is imposed on the export of Mahogany lumber and in this way it affects the commercialization of mahogany. 5.6.3 Stamp Duty Act Under Section 58 of this Act, a stamp duty is payable on all extraction license for mahogany and other products. These are nominal charges but add up to the cost of doing business.

6.

The Institutional Framework

6.1 The Forest Department The Forest Department presently in the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment is the government institution responsible for all forestry aspects. This includes implementing forest policy, the management of the Forest Estate, the regulation of felling and removal of mahogany and the regulation of the forest industry. It is also responsible for the conservation and management of lands under the National Parks System. It delegates the management of some of these areas through formal agreements. The Forest Department is mandated the above responsibility and empowered under the various principal Acts already discussed. The Forest Department has a cadre of professional officers, headed by the Chief Forest Officer who is assisted by the Principal Forest Officers, Forest Officers, and other officers at the lower ranks. These are Foresters, Forest Rangers, Conservation Officers and Forest Guards. All the above ranks are defined as forest officers under the Forest Act and have the necessary authority to enforce the forest legislation, including Wildlife legislation. Besides the above ranks there are ancillary personnel necessary for the functioning of the Department including mechanics, clerks, drivers, and other manual workers.

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The need for the strengthening of the Forest Department staff especially at the lower levels to cope with the necessary monitoring tasks has been pointed out many times by many reports. It is a question of what the country can afford, bearing in mind that is has a very low revenue base from which to fund the many other needs of the country. The Forest Department is made up of various Divisions, both territorial and technical divisions, including a conservation division which has been delegated the responsibility to administer protected areas under the National Parks System Act. 6.2 Programme for Belize A private non-government organization, this NGO is the most important one in Belize in relation to the conservation and management of mahogany. The overall mission of the Programme for Belize is to assist in the conservation and economic development of the national resources of Belize. It manages some 92614 ha of valuable land in north-western Belize, formerly part of the Belize Estate holdings which it exploited for mahogany until they found it uneconomic to continue and sold out the vast track of land. It is now subdivided into three parts of which Programme for Belize is managing the top part. With funding from the Massachusetts Audubon Society and other sources of funds, the above section was purchased and is being managed by Programme for Belize under a memorandum of understanding with the Government of Belize for the people of Belize. It is conducting experiments in Mahogany regeneration using a method of clear felling a wedge shape area west of seed trees to allow enough cleared areas where seed can regenerate. It is also involved in sustainable logging in areas zoned for this purpose and has an agreement with New River Enterprises Ltd. to do all their log conversion and value added activities. 6.3 Belize Enterprise for Sustained Technology (BEST) This NGO is involved in a small project funded by PACT, the Protected Areas Conservation Trust that involves Mahogany. It is a small project in agroforestry which raises Mahogany seedlings to plant or reforest school grounds in the Cayo District of Belize. They have prepared a manual about the use and value of trees in the community. Mahogany happens to be the National Tree symbol of Belize. They are also looking at getting mahogany

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germ plasm from Costa Rica. 6.4 The Belize Audubon Society One of the first NGO’s in Belize, the Belize Audubon Society has risen in prominence in Belize for its work in conservation. It is included in this study because it is involved in the conservation of Mahogany. It has already been mentioned that the Forestry Department delegates the management of some protected areas under the National Parks System. In these protected areas mahogany is automatically protected because logging of operations are not allowed. The Belize Audubon Society (BAS) manages six protected areas under formal agreement with the Forest Department. 6.5 Other NGO’s There are several small NGO’s that have been delegated or are in consultation with the Forest Department to be delegated management of protected areas. These include Friends of Five Blues Lake, Help for Progress, Toledo Institute for Development and Environment (TIDE) and others. The importance of the available mahogany in protected areas is that it helps in the conservation of biodiversity and the trees can serve as seed trees which can be used in the propagation of plantation of the species. 6.6 Forest Policy From 1921 to 1947, forest policy was guided by the Report on the Forests of British Honduras with suggestions for a far-reaching forest policy (Humme 1921). The main points in this report were: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. The strengthening of the existing forest industries. The utilization of secondary hardwoods. Increase growth and reproduction of mahogany in selected areas. Building of good roads. Collection of information on secondary hardwoods. Granting long term licenses to encourage investment and more efficient exploitation. Control burning of selected pine forests. Protection and encourage regeneration of rosewood and

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9. 10.

sapodilla. Experiment with teak plantations. Develop the botanical gardens by planting an arboretum.

In 1947, the first official forest policy was published. This policy placed more emphasis on the protection of watersheds and mentions the conservation of wildlife. It specifically included the carrying out of timber inventories, the training of staff, the education of the public to a forest consciousness, and the dissemination of information on forestry and timber to the public. The notable omission was the creation of a forest estate, although at that time several forest reserves were already in existence. The forest policy as it still exists today was published in 1954. It is reproduced in Appendix I. Officially, this policy statement is still in force until a draft policy statement prepared in 1994 is officially approved and adopted. The intent of this draft policy is to address conservation and environmental matters not contained in the 1954 document. This draft policy is reproduced in Appendix II. In respect to Forest Reserves, the policy has been to place all exploitable reserves under sustained yield management by carrying out forest inventories, the calculation of increment or other practical methods of yield control, by control of exploitation, and by natural or artificial regeneration and tending operations, so that their yield of timber and other forest produce will be maintained in perpetuity. From the beginning, the main difficulty has been implementing the forest policy, because of lack of sufficiently available funds. In spite of this, nothing in the existing policy needs to be cut out as has become evident in the preparation of the draft revised policy which has used the entire previous text with minor modifications and additions to reflect the change of times. Although included in the forest policy, there is no provision in the legislation for any replanting where deforestation occurs either through over exploitation, or illegal harvesting or other catastrophe.

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7.

Analysis of Legislation and Institutional Aspects

It can be seen that there has been early and adequate legislation in place to regulate forest exploitation, which has been mainly mahogany exploitation. License types have been defined, procedures for issue of licenses included, cutting limits instituted, but it has not all been followed according to the requirements of the law. In some cases, the forest legislation does not give the Forest Department enough control over the exploitation system and the Department has been unable to deploy all the powers the legislation does provide. For example, the forest license for logging allows the Department to direct the loggers to log in a defined part of his license area under some types of licenses, but this power to define annual coupes and logging blocks were not being used or where used were not monitored adequately. In areas where coupes or blocks are not used, even if the licensee reports his output, the Department cannot associate the output with the specific parts of the license area and so compare inventory volumes and sizes with output log volumes and sizes. Again without block closing inspections and diagnostic sampling, the Department cannot know the state of the forest after logging. The need to revise concession agreements has been stated to cope with situation changes and inflation. In the case of royalties and penalties, they do not seem to bear any relation to the costs of collection, the nature of the offence or the value of the activity. Some remedies are being introduced with the new management licenses issued for three forest reserves, and a differentiation into a forest land management fee and a royalty on natural products is just being introduced. As previously stated, the forest policy puts emphasis on the management of forest reserves and previous management plans have been prepared in the past for some reserves but not all have been implemented and adhered to. With the new series of management plans prepared for three reserves, there will be a need for continued vigilance in the application of the plans and the concession agreements. Priority needs to be given to these responsibilities. With these moves already implemented certification needs to be

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followed up. New River Enterprises needs to be certified. Presently only Programme for Belize is certified under the combined Smart Wood Certification Program and the European Certification Program. There are steps emerging in this direction under the Selva-Maya concept.

8.

Role of Disturbance in Relation to Mahogany

The presence of mahogany in Belize has been explained by a combination of hurricanes and fires but before that during the Mayan occupancy the forest was completely stripped from the land. After they left it grew back to forest containing pre-climax species, for example mahogany, and a predominance of species favored by the Mayas, e.g., Brosimum for its nuts, sapodilla for its fruits and chicle, and cohune palm for its oil. There is a clear correlation between the above species, signs of Maya occupation and limestone soil. Mahogany occurs and grows well on a well drained acid soil, but does not occur in the same profusion as on the limestone soils which indicate that we have the Mayas who cultivated the limestone soils to thank, for causing the increase in Mahogany. It has been noted that large areas of natural regeneration after large forest fires in the Chiquebul Forest have resulted in large concentration of Mahogany regeneration. This occurred after fires in 1945 and in the period 1954-1959 silvicultural improvements to enhance the growth of Mahogany were being applied yearly in 1000-acre blocks. This was discontinued due to lack of funds. The impact of hurricanes has received more attention recently. The map of hurricane paths indicated that hurricanes have at sometime passed over most of the entire length of the country. In some instances, it has provided more suitable conditions for regeneration where it has exposed soils (provided clearings). This allows receiving seeds from mahogany trees, which have survived fairly well and appeared to be relatively wind resistant in some cases depending on the distance from the center of the storm. In the process of natural regeneration of mahogany it appears that disturbances providing gaps and clearings especially to the lee-side of seed trees is necessary for regeneration to take place. This is the process that needs to be mimicked in silvicultural techniques to be used in regenerating mahogany. This is what is being done in the Programme for Belize lands with provided wedge shape clearings downwind of mahogany seed trees in their research work.

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9.

System of Exploitation

Traditionally, mahogany logging has been the felling of the best trees. Trees too large to cut remained in the forest incidentally serving as seed trees. A 30-40 year period of inactivity followed the next cutting cycle. This approach fortunately resulted in a simple but effective management system. This in effect is the selection system. This was done by applying minimum diameter or girth limits and worked well where the cutting cycle was long. At one time, the country was divided into three zones from north to south with smaller diameters applying from north to south but starting larger than the present cutting limits. Girth limits have fluctuated from 11'0" to the present 6'6"; with 7'6", 8'6" and 9'6" applying at various times. Various pressures were applied to the government to reduce the girth limits especially from large landowners such as Belize Estates arguing the economic viability of their operations. Unfortunately, as the girth limits were reduced so were the cutting cycles. Along with the use of girth limits was the use of forest licenses as part of the system. Unfortunately, selective logging was the wrong system to apply as this led to creaming of the best trees which led to degrading of the forest since repeated logging to reach the trees that come to the legal girth size limit causes damage to the remaining trees which are the future crop.

10.

Production and Trade

Some historical production and trade figures have already been given in an earlier section. This section deals with production and trade figures for the last ten years (Table 7). As can be seen these clearly indicate the general downward trend showing that mahogany production is steadily declining.

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Table 7. Mahogany Production 1989-1990 (000 cu ft) Year 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 Production 518000 466000 867000 607000 428000 378000 376000 302000 331000 292000

Source: Central Statistical Office

Domestic consumption and export figures as available from the Central Statistical Office showing prices are given below. But some adjustment needs to be made for the export prices given since these are not much better than the Domestic prices. In fact during some of the interviews higher prices paid locally were revealed. The point is that the government has not been getting the true revenue from the export of mahogany.

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Table 8. Domestic Consumption of Mahogany 1989-1998.
Year 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 >000 bd ft 1288 998 2456 -178 -175 603 866 708 86 88
Source: Central Statistical Office

Price/bd ft Bz Dollars 1.20 1.20 1.20 1.20 1.20 1.20 1.22 1.24 1.25 1.30

Table 9. Exports of Mahogany 1989-1998.
Year 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 >000 bd ft 2029 1983 3091 4050 2866 3788 1481 2206 2063 1779
Source: Central Statistical Office

Price/bd ft Bz Dollars 0 0 0 1.38 1.42 1.78 2.03 1.88 1.98 2.32

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Export prices for 1989-91 are not available. Mexico had been the main buyer of mahogany from Belize. But this has reduced from 93% of the export quantity going to Mexico down to 38% and according to some of the interviewees; Mexico is not importing presently. The USA is the second largest buyer during the period, with Jamaica and the Caribbean in third place. Canada and Ireland only came into the picture during the last two years in the period under review. It should be mentioned that Cedar makes up 7.6% of the export figures. Alder (1993) calculated the sustainable Annual Allowable cut for 3 Mahogany to be 6041m or 213,307 cu ft, which at that time was grossly exceeded by a factor of 3:1. It can be seen that while the annual allowable cut is still being exceeded up to 1998 it has been reduced considerably and is following the desired trend. Over-cutting is probably being encouraged by the export market although the prices shown for export are not much better than those going on the local market. The prices given locally during some of the interviews range from $1.75 to $3.00 a bd ft which are even better than those given for the export price. It is quite likely that the true export prices have not been properly declared so that an adjustment needs to be made to these figures. However, it indicates that the government is not getting the proper revenues. The Forest Department has been instituting measures to reduce the exportation such as reducing the dimensions of lumber to be exported from 2" x 24" to 1" x 12", and it is also considering applying export quotas based on the Annual Allowable Cut figure and give preference to the industries which have value added facilities. But it should first carry out a study of the local market requirements to ascertain the drastic reduction on the domestic consumption table. Only the surplus could be exported and more intense monitoring applied. An outright ban has been given consideration but it is not considered suitable because it would undermine the value and importance of Mahogany. It is also not a popular move with the industry. Stricter controls are needed at the point of export to get the true value obtained for the product so that government can get its fair revenue share. Some mechanism of checking the true market prices obtained for the product needs to be put in place and constantly reviewed. 10.1 Sawmills The number of sawmills in Belize has remained constant over the last

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decade at around 45. Only five of these are band mills, the rest being old, portable circular mills that yield low quality lumber with considerable waste. All of them would convert Mahogany if they can obtain the logs. Annual production and conversion rates are not available even though there are production statistics that saw millers are required to submit with relevant information but these have seldom been adhered to. Since figures have revealed in 1993 that Mahogany is being over cut by a factor of three times the allowable cut, it is clear that there are too many sawmills. Such a large number of sawmills would encourage production and over cut with the pretext of providing jobs, but this is at the expense of depleting the resources. Although it might not be politically expedient to reduce the number of sawmills, drastic measures are required to better manage and conserve the resources. Licensing of sawmills is a measure that is required immediately. The standards set should be high so that only bandmills and a few newer circular mills with the necessary ancillary equipment for the proper conversion of lumber meet the criteria for licensing. There should be regulations that mahogany should only be converted into lumber by bandmills; no circular saws should be used and the use of chain saw for this purpose should be banned. Conversion of mahogany logs into rotary and sliced veneer should be enhanced. The felling and sawing of undersized trees should be rigidly enforced at the peril of cancellation of the license and/or closure of the sawmill at the first offence. Illegal logging should be stamped out and a system devised and enforced to trace the origin of the logs. Only legal salvage operations e.g. after fire or hurricane, and legally approved conversion operations should be exempt from removing under sized trees, but conversion of all mahogany should be restricted to band mills or veneer. The adoption of the proposed draft legislation should greatly improve this situation but only if proper monitoring, and enforcement is followed up. A study covering 28 sawmills six years ago (Plumtree 1993) arrived at a conversion rate - logs to lumber of 42% for circular sawmills while of bandmills the rate was 63.7%. The report also found that reliable statistics on the performance of sawmills were difficult to find, inventory information, input to mills and output from them were incomplete and in many cases unreliable. It said that it was difficult to assess the sustainability of forest management or the efficiency of the industries in utilizing the forest. Except where sustainable logging has been introduced which can be tied to three sawmills there has been no change with respect to the other sawmills.

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In addition, to the sawmill industry mentioned above, there are two functioning veneer and plywood plants and a large number of small furniture manufacturing entities using Mahogany. In the Shipyard region of Orange Walk, there are 35-40 such operations using mahogany in addition to those in other districts although the trend in the furniture industry is said to be away from mahogany to other decorative hardwoods. The veneer and plywood plants use mahogany as the decorative face of the plywood. Appendix III gives a list of the sawmills by Districts and their approximate location is given in the attached sketch Map 7. 10.2 Conservation Status In November 1995, Belize listed mahogany in Appendix III of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). This requires that a certificate of origin accompany all exports of mahogany including sawnwood and veneer. New River Enterprises Ltd. maintains that they were not certified, but would consider getting certification for the Chiquibul part of the operation. This reserve is being worked under a management plan, and logging is being under a 40-year cycle with area control felling one block per year. Sustainable logging is being instituted in this reserve. Programme for Belize is the only operation which is certified under both Smart Wood (USA) and Wood Mark (UK). There is a project presently looking at Belize being certified under the Selva Maya concept and the three reserves operating under management plans with area control are being assessed with certification in mind. Recent attempts have been made to list Mahogany in Appendix II. If mahogany is listed in Appendix II, trade volumes must be documented and trade must be compatible with conserving the species at a level consistent with its role in the ecosystem in which it occurs throughout its range. Appendix II in CITES does not ban trade, but requires that management is in place compatible with conserving the species as already mentioned. Belize has not supported the listing of mahogany in Appendix II and maintains its current position. As has been mentioned previously, where mahogany is likely to exist in protected areas, this is a major step in the conservation of the species. A list of these areas is attached in Appendix IV and Map 8 shows the Protected Areas in Belize.

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11.

Promising Sustainable Management Options

This is covered in relation to what is being done in three forest reserves and one private estate in natural broadleaf forest. Plantations are included as another option. 11.1 Forest Reserves The selective logging system with minimum cutting diameter restrictions removed the largest specimens thus removing seed sources, create openings too small for regeneration, and favors less valuable shade tolerant species. It is not appropriate for an intolerant species such as mahogany. This situation has led to a dramatic decline in both abundance and size of mahogany stocking. It was aggravated by reducing the minimum felling girth limits from the original instituted. It had long been recommended that the above system is not appropriate for Belize. The production broadleaf forest require proper management with management plans which include stock taking requirements, specified cutting cycles, girth limit, intensive yet careful logging, leaving scattered superior seed trees for regeneration and post logging inspections. This is now taking place in three forest reserves. Here selection-felling techniques are being applied. This is not the same as the selective logging system which is indiscriminate logging and liquidation of the merchantable growing stock, irrespective of the consequences to regeneration, structure, functionally and productivity of the forest which does not fit the criteria of sustainability.

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Selection felling is the selection, marking and directional felling of trees under strict silvicultural rules in a harvesting system which is ecologically and environmentally compatible, and is in strict accordance with traditional rules of good forest management and the principles of sustainability. The system involves the harvesting of six merchantable stems per hectare over 60-cm d.b.h. compared to the traditional 0.25 stems per hectare. There is a maximum girth limit (around 100 cm) to preserve the structure of the forest and trees are selected on silvicultural criteria rather than minimum diameter. The felling cycle is 40 years, the area divided into 40 blocks, with one block cut per year. It is expected that the more intensive felling will provide gap sizes large enough to encourage the growth of mahogany regeneration. Stock taking is carried out prior to felling operations, which then identifies which trees are to be removed and which are to remain for the next crop. It is all controlled under a management plan and a 20-year logging license. It should be mentioned that this applies to the productive areas of forest reserves, which are areas with slopes < 25°. Areas in forest reserves with slopes > 25° are protective areas and cannot be logged. Where mahogany exists in these are they protected as in National Parks, wildlife sanctuaries, nature reserves, and natural monuments. 11.2 Private Land Programme for Belize is applying a modification of the selection felling system to encourage natural regeneration of mahogany in their production area comprising 24039 hectares. The balance of the area some 81214 hectares are for conservation activities. There is a management plan and the production area is divided into 120 compartments on a 40-year cycle with three compartments worked per year. A stock survey is carried out ahead of felling and seed trees are identified. At least 20 mahogany seed trees per 100 hectares including the single largest mahogany tree and all mahogany trees under 50 cm d.b.h. must be retained. Directional felling techniques are used and harvesting intensity is low, an average of 1.6 items per hectare for all species. This translates to 170,000 bd. ft of which 60% is mahogany; the balance includes 5-8 species.

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As the disturbance of both canopy and undergrowth is considered to be insufficient for mahogany regeneration, wedge-shaped clear felled patches are made down wind of mahogany seed trees to allow more light to reach the forest floor and regenerating seedlings. This increases the cost of operations but the concentration of mahogany in this area is higher to warrant the modified system to encourage mahogany regeneration but it is a viable option, which could be applicable in similar situations. 11.3 Plantations Besides the considerable amount of work done by the Forest Department on natural mahogany regeneration improvement in various Forest Reserves, a lot of attention was diverted to plantations. Among the techniques used to establish plantations included line planting nursery stock in secondary bush, direct seeding mahogany with subsistence crops (taungya) and planting seedlings in small clusters (Anderson groups). Mixed experimental plantings of mahogany identified suitable species including: Vochysia koschnyia, Virola merondonis, Aspidospermum megalocarpum and Calophyllum brasiliense. Successful establishment of mahogany by under planting a natural stand of 10 year old Belotia sp is also documented. The point is that successful plantation establishment is a viable alternative or option in Belize. This has been recognized and stated in the literature. Recommendations were made in 1959 against continuing establishing plantations, and again similar views were expressed in the late 1980's. Establishment of mahogany plantations is a viable option in Belize, but it is necessary not to repeat the past mistakes in yielding to land pressures for agriculture rather than respecting the investment in plantations. Of a total of 1280 ha of mahogany plantations that were established by 1985 only 104 hectares were remaining in the Columbia River Forest Reserve. These were already issued under license to liquidate them in 1997 but the Forest Department was able to save them after convincing the powers that be that they are valuable research materials where sample plots are being monitored.

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12.

Critical Aspects Threatening the Species

During the course of the study a few aspects have surfaced which are threatening the species. These include illegal logging, cutting undersized trees, chain saw and too many sawmills, too many licenses, and conflict with groups among others. 12.1 IlIegal Logging This might take two forms. Although there has not been any recent reports of transborder illegal logging this has occurred on the western border along the Cayo/Orange Walk and the Toledo Borders section. There recently has been more contact with cross border authorities so that any situations are more manageable but the situations needs to be monitored. The other form is in country illegal logging. This takes the form of individuals not having licenses as in one report given for the Manatee Forest Reserve. The other form is where the individual has a license but enters adjacent private land to remove trees. Stricter monitoring and applying penalties under the law including cancellation of license are necessary. 12.3 Cutting Undersized Trees Where this occurs and the culprits are caught, harsh penalties need to be enforced including cancellation of licenses. There is a loophole in the case of land clearing for agriculture where not even a license is needed to remove trees less than two feet. This law needs to be amended and better monitoring is needed. The paper trail required to trace the origin of logs needs to be enforced. The Forest Department is vigilant in this area as could be seen on one occasion when the writer visited Orange Walk and saw confiscated undersized logs being disposed of. Stepping up of this vigilance needs to be more widespread. 12.4 Chain saw Lumber Conversion There have been numerous reports of the chain saw being used for the conversion of logs into lumber. While this was not the intention behind chain saw permits being issued the matter needs to be addressed. Besides the excessive waste in converting logs into lumber, there are reports of illegal

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use of chain saw in the forests. In addition to this, the chain saw has facilitated access to few individual mahogany trees remaining in the forest which could serve as seed trees. These were left because the last time logging operations were carried out they would not have been felling size, or were in inaccessible positions. Now that the chain saw is around these trees are cut and sawn into lumber in-situ. It is even reported that some of these operations take place at night. 12.5 Proliferation of Sawmills These are for too many sawmills in the country, the majority of them being old circular mills that cannot produce quality lumber and cause a lot of waste in the process. It has been mentioned that once the draft Forest Act is put into effect, this situation will be remedied with the need to license sawmills and should include the requirement that conversion of mahogany logs should be only with the use of band saws apart from the use for veneer for plywood. The existence of too many sawmills is being used to pressure to be allowed to provide employment. 12.6 Proliferation of Licenses Over the past decade the production areas including national lands have been fragmented by dividing them into smaller areas to allow more individuals to work the areas. While this might be expedient with the excuse of providing more employment and an increase in economic activity, it is not expedient for sustainable management of the forest. Reduction in the number of licenses is urgently needed to be able to amalgamate the production areas into forest management units of sufficient sizes to be able to apply sustainable management techniques. This has already started in three areas but need to be extended to other areas. 12.7 Conflict with Groups Recently there has been conflict between a foreign logging entity and a Maya group in the south part of the country in the Toledo District. In Belize, the indigenous people situation is not the same as in other parts where the people actually live inside the forest in the wild. There are Indian reserves that were put aside for them to practice the milpa system of agriculture as a community but the trees remain under the jurisdiction of the government. The conflict has arisen because the people 35

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claim that the logging operations are affecting their water supply source in that logging is blocking the streams at crossings and polluting the water. The situation has led to the suspension of the license while a committee was investigating and reporting. The committee recommended reissue of the license with conditions included to address the concerns of the people. The matter is under public discussions with the people aiming to arrive at conditions that will solve the concerns, and the logging entity can reapply for the license if it agrees with the new requirements. 12.8 Users of Mahogany There are some concerns among some of the individuals involved in using mahogany that they cannot obtain the quality lumber they need for their operations. Some say that the saw millers are exporting the best lumber and will not sell them the better quality lumber. Some say that what is available is at a high price. Producers say that there is not enough local market for their production and so they have to export. The fact is that, over production is still taking place fueled by exports, which is diminishing the mahogany stocks and is threatening the species. 12.9 Impact of Fires and Hurricanes Where mahogany exists fires do not have a devastating impact unless it occurs after a long intense dry season where the fires would occur with such intensity to kill the trees, but this is not a frequent occurrence. On occasions where fires have occurred in broadleaf forest, where mahogany grows it has in fact been beneficial because good regeneration has occurred as a result of sufficient seed trees. Hurricanes can be another matter depending on the strength of such hurricanes. Past hurricanes such as Janet in the north and Hattie in the south have had devastating effects especially nearer to the center of the eye of the hurricane where the destruction has been more severe. Hurricanes would be more devastating in the situation with pure mahogany plantations and this has been one reason why plantations have not been advocated in Belize. There are other views emerging concerning the impact of hurricanes in broadleaf forest where mahogany occurs in low density, scattered populations of trees. In some situations, mahogany has survived well compared to other trees and this is attributed to the buttress habit of the tree and the fact that it defoliates easily causing less resistance to the wind. But where the wind damage has left wide enough gaps to encourage natural regeneration from the remaining trees once these recover the result has been

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beneficial.

13.

Discussion

After approximately 250 years of exploitation of the species, what is the situation with mahogany in Belize? The fact that this exploitation has continued for such a long time and there is still some mahogany remaining, has a lot to say for the resilience of the species, as well as the interventions which has been made and put in place for the continuation of the species, however, inadequate these interventions might appear to have been. What we do know is that over that period of 250 years there has been a drastic reduction of the mahogany resources of the country, first due to logging and secondly and more recently due to land use changes which have taken place for agriculture. Some areas of mahogany have been wiped out in the process of deforestation, which has taken place. We also know that there is little mahogany left of merchantable size and that large over mature mahogany trees are a thing of the past. Where an isolated tree might have remained in the forest due to inaccessibility or other reason, these are being wiped out with the use of the chainsaws. There is no national or whole country forest inventory, which could give more accurate information on the situation with mahogany. What we have are six regional broadleaf forest inventories carried out between 1969 to 1981 which included four forest reserves at that time and one area of private land. These being the only inventories available, although several years old, have been re-analyzed and reworked in a report by Alder (1993), the main objectives being to arrive at national estimates of the forest resources in Belize including mahogany and to calculate an Annual Allowable Cut (AAC) for sustainable logging.

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In the report, the areas of broadleaf forest by categories of management are as follows: Timber Production Areas Forest Reserves, slopes < 25° Forested National Lands Forested Private Lands 965 km 2 1087 km 2 981 km
2

The balance was all classified as protected broadleaf forest. Appendix A of the report gives inventory tables for categories of forestland as shown above. For each of the above category, two tables are 2 given; one for tree numbers per km by cm diameter classes, which in effect gives density in three cumulative classes > 20; > 40; > 60 cm. The other 3 2 tables gives tree bole volumes m per km in the same cumulative classes with the diameters > 60 cm being the harvestable diameter classes. The report arrived at an Annual Allowable Cut of 6041m or 213308 cu ft for mahogany and cedar. It also stated that the cutting of Mahogany and Cedar grossly exceeds the sustainable AAC for these species by a factor of 3:1. As shown by the production figures available from the Central Statistical Office, the AAC is still being exceeded up to 1998, although a downward trend is clearly discernable. However, closer scrutiny of the report reveals that the figures used in the inventory tables given are not exclusively for mahogany but cover an elite species group which includes seven other hardwoods species. The situation with mahogany alone would appear to be worse than indicated. The trees bole volume figure used to multiply each land category area to arrive at stock volumes of mature trees, which are > 60-cm diameter per land category is for the whole elite group. The equivalent figure for mahogany alone is about 50% of the group figures in two of the three land categories. The AAC in the case of mahogany alone could be as low or lower than 50% of the original AAC given in the report. This means that over cutting is a far more serious situation than it has been stated and more drastic measures are necessary to reduce the over cutting in line with a much lower AAC if the species is to be sustainably managed. Similarly, the density of mahogany in the three land categories is very low, being in the order of 0.1 and 0.2 stems per hectare for merchantable 38
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size (> 60 cm d.b.h.). It is still below 1 stem per hectare, ranging from 0.4 to 0.6 in the > 40 cm d.b.h. class. Only in the > 20 cm d.b.h. class where the density is 5.9, 6.0 and 7.4 stems per hectare in the three categories respectively can thus be considered satisfactory. If these numbers can be maintained to maturity, the density of mahogany would be comparable to densities recorded elsewhere in the species range. In the very early 20's, it was recognized that mahogany was approaching exhaustion and that the lack of regeneration would lead to a decline of mahogany and that improving logged over forest could remedy the situation. Stand improvement operations aimed at increasing mahogany growth and regeneration were initiated. These efforts were abandoned due to increased costs and other reasons in favor of plantations. Again plantations were not carried through because of financial constraints. Had these efforts continued, Belize’s mahogany situation would be in much better situation now than the present, In the sector review for the TFAP for Belize the various problems in the forestry sector were highlighted. With the implementation of the Forest Planning and Management Project, which followed, the Government of Belize began addressing some of the problems. The boundaries of some forest reserves were consolidated. Forest Management plans were prepared for two of these. Sustainable logging was instituted using the management criteria of 40-year cycle, area control and minimum felling girths. The terms and conditions of forest licenses were revised and used in these two areas. With the stock taking requirement prior to logging as annual compartment and the system of logging applied the structure of the forest is being improved. In addition to the above, the Forest Policy has been revised and so has the Forest Act consolidating other laws, which will require the licensing of sawmills. The Department now needs to get the political support needed to adopt the Forest Policy and the draft Forest Act and once approved, the Department needs to apply the laws, improve the monitoring for compliance and stop the illegal and undersized cutting of mahogany, Forest management needs to be extended to the other reserves to bring them into sustainable logging. There is a need to stop the fragmentation of logging areas by not renewing some licenses. Forest management units need to be formed where sustainable logging can be implemented, as the area needed has to be large. Sustainable logging is not feasible on small areas, as they are too small to produce a workable amount of timber. The Department needs to re-think its policy on reforestation. There is a need to get back to plantations in agroforestry and the improvement of 39

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mahogany regeneration including enrichment planting in the forest reserves. Some incentives needs to be considered and introduced for the private forests, such as some form of dedication scheme to leave areas in forests and do improvements on them and to encourage the planting of mahogany in boundary areas, and unused tracts of lands. If such measures are encouraged and given the necessary impetus the future of mahogany can be restored in time. In the final analysis a conscious effort should be made to find out what the country’s requirements are at present with Mahogany lumber. A survey needs to be carried out by district to obtain the needs of all present mahogany users. It should be widely publicized prior to carrying out the survey so as to obtain maximum participation. The uncertainty of the Annual Allowable Cut figure is a serious situation that needs to be addressed. The local consumption of mahogany including the amounts going into value added operations presently, will be a good base figure as to what the country needs are. This can be compared with the indicated Annual Allowable Cut and the necessary adjustments made. If the requirements arrived at are within the present Annual Allowable Cut, then the situation can remain stable; if not adjustments need to be made. If there is no surplus for export in lumber form then this should be stopped.

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Bibliography
Alder, D. 1993 An Assessment of Broadleaf Forest Resources and Sustainable Yield in Belize, FPMP Consultancy Report No.11, Ministry of Natural Resources, Belmopan, Belize History of Forestry in British Honduras, Internal Forest Department Paper Sustaining the Yield, Improved Timber Harvesting Practices in Belize 1992-98, Chatham, U.K., Natural Resources Institute Belize Country Environmental Profile, A Field Study, Belize City, Belize USAID 151 p Land Resource Assessment of Northern Belize, Bulletin 43, Natural Resource Institute 513 p Mahogany of Tropical America: Its Ecology and Management, University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor

Anonymous 1968

Bird, N.M. 1998

Hartshorn, G.S. et al 1984

King, R.B. et al 1992

Lamb, F.B. 1966

Mayhew, J.E and Newton, A.C. 1998

The Silviculture of Mahogany, CABI Publishing: CAB International, Wallingford, Oxon, U.K. Report of the Sawmill Specialist, FPMP Consultancy Report No.7, Ministry of Natural Resources, Belmopan, Belize

Plumptree, R.A. 1993

Weaver, P.L. and Sabido, O.A. 1997

Mahogany in Belize: A Historical Perspective, General Technical Report IITF-2, USDA Forest Service, Institute of Tropical Forestry, Puerto Rico Land in British Honduras Colonial Publication 24, London, U.K. HMSO 327 p Research

Wright, A.C.S. et al 1959

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Appendix I
Forest Policy of British Honduras The following Forest Policy of the Government of British Honduras as approved by the Governor in Council is published for general information: The Forest Policy of the Government of British Honduras is: 1. To establish, preserve for all time and develop a Crown Lands Forest Estate consisting of areas of Crown Land in any of the following categories: a. land unsuitable for permanent agriculture but supporting or capable of supporting forest. b. land capable of producing a greater sustained financial return, if retained or developed as forest than if used for other purposes. c. land which is best kept or put under forest for the better protection of watersheds, catchment areas, drainage basins, steep hill slopes and for the prevention of erosion, the control of run-off, the regulation of steam-flow and the stabilization of the climate. d. areas which are required for the production of fuelwood for use in towns and villages or by local industries, or for the production of rough building and fencing materials for local use. e. areas which from time to time may be set aside as nature reserves. 2. In order to establish the Forest Estate, to survey, demarcate, and constitute as Forest Reserves by proclamation, all Crown Land areas described in paragraph 1 above. Forest Reserves once constituted will only be dereserved wholly or in part by the Governor in Council as a result of some over-riding public necessity. 3. In order to preserve the Forest Estate, to maintain demarcated boundaries by clearing of traces and maintenance of boundary marks as may be necessary to afford protection to the forests from fire, animals, insect pests of diseases, trespass and illicit felling, removal of or damage to forest produce, by such measures including legislation as the Government may deem advisable and practicable; and to place all exploitable surveys, and calculation of increment or other practicable methods of yield control of exploitation, and by natural or artificial regeneration and tending operations, so that their yield of timber and other forest produce will be maintained in perpetuity. 4. In order to develop the Forest Estate, and thus ensure an adequate and increasing supply of timber and other forest produce at a

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reasonable price to the people, industries and timber trade of British Honduras, and for export; to establish intensive regeneration centres in selected forest reserves. At these regeneration centres,, the aim will be to create fully stocked forests or plantations of mahogany, cedar, pine or other species including exotics by artificial or intensivelyassisted natural regeneration over areas adequate to supply in perpetuity a sawmill or processing plant of economic size at or near each centre. 5. To increase production from Forest Reserves by ensuring full utilization of prime hardwoods and pine, and encouraging the use of secondary hardwoods and other forest produce; by developing local and export markets for small dimension stock of prime hardwoods and pine; for secondary hardwoods and other forest produce; by exploring the possibilities of other forms of Forest utilization, for example for paper pulp. To raise the quality of sawn lumber exported to world markets by the institution of Timber grading, the encouragement of seasoning and of accurate sawing and machining to specification, in order to achieve assured markets for British Honduras timber abroad. To promote the practice of forestry on freehold lands, by the control of felling of mahogany, cedar and such other species as the Government may deem advisable, by the inspection and marking for felling of trees of these species to specified minimum girth limits; encouraging and assisting landowners to draw up and implement simple working plans for the sustained yield management on approved lines of their forest land in the categories described in 1 a, b, c and d above; and by encouraging and assisting afforestation on private lands. To control the exploitation of forests and forest produce growing outside Forest Reserves on Crown Land not yet taken up for Agriculture by the issue of Forest produce licenses framed in such a way that these forests, which are a wasting asset on land allocated to agriculture, will continue to augment the yield form Forest reserves for as long as time as possible during the period when Forest reserves are being brought up to full production. To bring about an increased appreciation of the need for and aims of forest conservation amongst the general public by propaganda over the British Honduras Broadcasting Station, and to the schools. To maintain a Forest Department of sufficient strength and supplied with sufficient funds to carry out the Forest policy set forth in 1 to 9 above; supported by an adequate research programme; and to staff the Forest Department with personnel recruited locally so far as possible and trained at established University schools of Forestry, or at Forester training schools, or locally, as may be appropriate to the different grades. 43

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

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Dated this 28th day October, 1954. By Command, T. D. Vickers Colonial Secretary

P. M. Renison Governor

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Appendix 2
Draft Forest Policy 1994 The Forest Policy of Belize seeks to: a. Achieve an equilibrium between conservation of forest related natural resources (biodiversity, water, soil and oxygen) with the productive development of the forest sector, within the framework of sustainable development. Adapt forestry administration to focus on promotion and support, making the technical and administrative procedures efficient, in order to enhance the productive process. Conserve and support the increase of natural forest products and establish and regulate protected forests. At the same time, increase the national forest inventory through the recuperation of areas with good forest potential, based upon technical criteria. Develop a forest management plan which will demarcate conservation areas for forest reserves and facilitate the transfer of land, where this is appropriate, between forestry and agriculture and for agro-forestry. Examine ways to assist in the development of a more efficient and competitive forest industry through modernization of the industrial process, adequate methods of commercialization, forest pricing, the elimination of restrictive barriers and the gradual elimination of industry protectionism. Raise the value added of forest resource by promoting the establishment of industries, such as furniture production, veneers. Increase the capacity of forest management through investigation, training and forestry extension; accomplished in coordination with the public and private sectors and with universities through mechanisms of technological transfer. Establish long term sustainable forest licenses which are governed by comprehensive management plans. Ensuring that environmental considerations are taken into account in the formulation and implementation of forest management practices.

b.

c.

d.

e.

f.

g.

h.

I.

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j.

To raise public awareness on forestry conservation practices and regeneration methods. In order to implement its forest policy the Government of Belize will:

1.

Establish, preserve for all time and develop a State Lands Forest Estate consisting of areas of state land in any of the following categories: a. land unsuitable for permanent agriculture but supporting or capable of supporting forest. land capable of producing a greater sustained financial return, if retained or developed as forest than if used for other purposes. land which is best kept or put under forest for the better protection of watersheds, catchment areas, drainage basins, steep hill slopes and for the prevention of erosion, the control of run-off, the regulation of streamflow and the stabilization of the climate. areas which are required for the production of fuel wood for use in the towns and villages or by local industries, or for the production of rough building and fencing materials for local use. areas which from time to time may be set aside as nature reserves.

b.

c.

d.

e.

2.

In order to establish the forest estate, to survey, demarcate and constitute as Forest Reserves by proclamation, all State Land areas described in paragraph 1 above. Forest Reserves, once constituted will only be dereserved by: a. b. consultation with the public; consultation with the Department of the Environment.

3.

In order to preserve the Forest Estate, to maintain demarcated boundaries by clearing of traces and maintenance of boundary marks as may be necessary to afford protection to the forests from fire, animals, insect parts or diseases, trespass and illicit felling, removal or damage to forest produce, by such measures including legislation as the government may deem advisable and practicable; and to place all exploitable Forest Reserves under sustained yield management by 46

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enumeration surveys and calculation of increment or other practicable methods of yield control; by control of exploitation and by natural or artificial regeneration and tending operations, so that their yield of timber and other forest produce will be maintained in perpetuity. 4. In order to develop the Forest Estate, and thus ensure and adequate and increasing supply of timber and forest produce at a reasonable price to the people, industries and timber trade of Belize, and for export; to establish extensive regeneration centres in selected forest reserves. At these regeneration centres, the aim will be to create fully stocked forests or plantations of mahogany, cedar, pine or other species including exotics by artificial or intensively assisted natural regeneration over areas adequate to supply in perpetuity a sawmill or processing plant of economic size at or near each centre. To increase production from Forest Reserves by ensuring full utilization of prime hardwoods and pine, and encouraging the use of secondary hardwoods and other forest produce; by developing local and export markets for small dimension stock of prime hardwoods and other than pine; for secondary hardwoods and other forest produce; by exploring the possibilities of other forms of forest utilization, for example for paper pulp. To raise the quality of sawn lumber exported to world markets by the institution of timber grading, the encouragement of seasoning and of accurate sawing and machining to specification, in order to achieve assured markets for Belizean timber abroad. To promote the practice of forestry on freehold lands, by the control of felling or mahogany, cedar and such other species as the government may deem advisable, by the inspection and marking for felling of trees of these species to specified minimum girth limits; encouraging and assisting landowners to draw up and implement simple working plans for the sustained yield management on approved lines of their forest lands in the categories described in 1 a, b, c and d above; and by encouraging and assisting afforestation on private lands. To control the exploitation of forests and forest produce growing outside forest reserves on State Lands not yet taken up for agriculture by the issue of forest produce licenses framed in such a way that these forests, which are a wasting asset on land allocated to agriculture, will continue to augment the yield from Forest Reserves for as long a time as possible furing the period when forest reserves are being brought up to full production.

5.

6.

7.

8.

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9.

To bring about an increased appreciation of the need for and aims of the forest conservation of amongst the general public. To maintain a Forest Department of sufficient strength and supplied with sufficient funds to carry out the Forest Policy set forth in 1 to 9 above; supported by an adequate research programme; and to staff the Forest Department with personnel recruited locally so far as possible and trained at established University Schools of Forestry, or at Forester training schools, or locally, as may be appropriate to the different grades. To encourage the development of forestry industry in Belize by: a. b. regulating and licensing sawmills; and encouraging the manufacture of timber and the development of timber products.

10.

11.

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Appendix 3
List of Sawmills District Corozal Corozal Orange Walk Orange Walk Orange Walk Orange Walk Orange Walk Orange Walk Orange Walk Orange Walk Orange Walk Orange Walk Orange Walk Orange Walk Location Shipstern Little Belize Camp 2 Shipyard1 Camp 2 Shipyard Camp 7 Shipyard Camp 9 Shipyard Camp 9 Shipyard Camp 1 Shipyard Camp 4 Shipyard Camp 7 Shipyard Camp 20 Shipyard Camp Shipyard Trial Farm Orange Walk Town Name Ellis Eiley Mennonites Peter Fehr Juan Nicolait Issac Olfort Juan Wall Enrique Banman John Klassen Juan Penner Jacobo P. Theissen Joe Hanimham Issac Newfield Saul Garcia New River Enterprises Ltd. Antonio Rosado Natalia Campos Type of Sawmill Circular Circular Large Circular Large Circular Large Circular Large Circular Large Circular Small Circular Small Circular Small Circular Small Circular Small Circular Circular Band

Orange Walk Orange Walk

Tower Hill Orange Walk

Circular Circular

1

Mennonite Community.

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District Orange Walk Belize Belize
Cayo Cayo Cayo Cayo Cayo Cayo Cayo Cayo Cayo Stann Creek Stann Creek Stann Creek Stann Creek Stann Creek Stann Creek Stann Creek Toledo Toledo Toledo Toledo

Location Guinea Grass Road Burrell Boom Sandhill Ind. Ltd.
Yalbac Spanish Lookout Spanish Lookout Spanish Lookout Spanish Lookout Iguana Creek Central Farm Camalote Mile 47, Western Highway Sagitun South Stann Creek George Town Junction Near George Town Red Bank Road August Creek near Silkgrass Silkgrass Las Lomitas Nelson Hill Thousand Creek Deep River-Medina Bank

Name Joe Briceno Mr. Cadle Sandhill/Mask all Road
Yalbac Ranch & Cattle Corp. Midwest Ltd. David Reimer George Plett Tropical Woods Ltd. Belize Timber Ltd. Pine Lumber Co.Ltd. The Wood Depot Alcala Antonio Zabaneh K & W Sawmill Polin Requena Riverdale Co.Ltd. Joseph Estephan Cornelius Sawmill Samuel Bailey Yong Lumber Ltd. Thomas Gomez & Sons Armando Carillo Magnus Carcamo

Type of Sawmill Circular Circular Circular
Circular Circular Circular Circular Circular Band Resaw Circular Circular Band Circular Circular Circular Circular Circular Circular Circular Band Circular Circular Circular

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District
Toledo Toledo Toledo Toledo Toledo Toledo Big Falls

Location
South of Deep River

Name
Everett Genus Atlantic Industries Ltd. Gilbert Tulcey Jr. Rio Grande Industries Wallace Edwards Mennonites

Type of Sawmill
Circular Band Circular Band Circular Circular

The Dump Esso Landing Jacinto Ville Pine Hill

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Appendix 4
List of protected areas with mahogany.
NAME Tapir Mountain Bladen Shipstern Rio Bravo Conservation & Management Area2 Monkey Bay Aguas Turbias Five Blues Lake Blue Hole Chiquibul Temash Sarstoon Cockscomb Basin Caracol STATUS Nature Reserve Nature Reserve Private Reserve Private Reserve National Park National Park National Park National Park National Park National Park Wildlfe Sanctuary Archaeological Reserve AREA IN ACRES 6720.88 99329.50 18775.43 200598.56 1792.45 8761.45 4047.17 662.23 285288.09 41753.55 133797.38 4309.77 AREA IN SQ. KM. 27.21 402.14 76.01 812.14 7.25 35.46 16.38 2.68 1155.01 169.04 541.47 17.44 LOCATION Cayo District Toledo District Corozal District Orange walk District Belize District Orange Walk District Cayo District Cayo District Cayo District Toledo District Stann Creek/Toledo Districts Cayo District

2

Includes the Conservation area only.

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Appendix 5
INTERVIEWS Mr. Oswaldo Sabido, Acting Chief Forest Officer Forestry Department, Belmopan

March 3, 1999

• when he thinks of Mahogany, he thinks of the North of Belize. • export of Mahogany should be by quota based on the Annual Allowable Cut. • a study was made to look at exporting of Mahogany and it was not recommended that this be stopped. • need to be careful not to devalue Mahogany which could happen if export is stopped. • chainsaw is a problem. March 16, 1999 JRC Enterprises Ltd., Forest Drive, Belmopan

• manufactures furniture and wood products. • Mahogany lumber not readily available, especially first quality, because of exportation of quality lumber. • still allowed without due regards for the local industry. • 1" lumber difficult to get - critical position. • Mahogany is the basis of his manufacturing of wood products. It is a natural resource for which the whole country should benefit in integrated industry. • should stop being providers to the outside world. • management of resources - program needed. • seed trees need to be left. • chainsaw situation is a problem - should not have been allowed. Reapers of the country – guat’s, salva’s, Mennonites buying chainsaw lumber, stock and sell at high prices. Comprehensive management plan needed involving the relevant parties. Uses 1000 bd ft a month - up to 30,000 bd ft a year of all lumber species 70% being Mahogany at $1.75/bd ft for chainsaw lumber - $2.25 - $3.00/bd ft reg sawmill Mah lumber.

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March 16, 1999

Jaguar Imports Belmopan

Ltd.,

John

Briggs,

Forest

Drive,

• uses 1000 bd ft a week of Mahogany lumber. • prices paid $1.75/$2.25/$2.40 a bd ft. • dries 7500 bd ft every 10 days for use by himself, JRC and Medina furniture. • would want to get out of Mahogany use and use other species. March 15, 1999 Belize Enterprise for Sustainable Technology (BEST) Frank Smith

• have a PACT funded project involving Mahogany replanting school grounds in the Cayo District. • use of trees in Agroforestry - have obtained Mahogany germ plasma from Costa Rica. March 15, 1999 Help for Progress Ltd., Forest Drive, Belmopan

• nothing on going • informed that one Gabino Canto has a nursery of mahogany at BCA March 15, 1999 Central Statistics Office, Mr. Willoughby

• assisted with production and export figures on Mahogany. April 7, 1999 • • • • • • • • • • • Melvin Hulse Sr., Roaring Creek, Cayo

we have little Mahogany left, should stopcutting under 8'6" girth. few mahogany remaining. petty permit should be stopped. no clear cut of Mahogany should be allowed. small sawmills should be closed down only need a few sawmills, only three needed for the country. power saw to convert Mahogany into lumber should be stopped. planting and regeneration of Mahogany - Pine, Rosewood, Zericote should be done. Bladen area should have some Mahogany left. exporting of Mahogany lumber should be stopped - use in value added the little that is left. no seed trees are being left - being cut out by chainsaw. salvage permits should be stopped.

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April 8, 1999

Spaceline Upholstery & Cabinet Co.Ltd., Hubert Usher, Dangriga, Stann Creek District

• difficult to obtain Mahogany lumber. • uses 5-1500 bd ft a month • around Stann Creek is $2.00 bd ft; Belmopan and Punta Gorda $2.50$2.75 a ft. • Mahogany for furniture and doors is the demand. • trend is other hardwoods for lockers. April 8, 1999 Belize Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Kevin Herrera, Belize City, Belize

• he knows of the supply problem with Mahogany lumber. • also licensing problem - cutting and processing. • people getting licenses who have no equipment and just flog out the licenses. • see Dr. canton. April 8, 1999 Carter Upholstery Ltd., Darrel Carter, 21 Dolphin Street, Belize City, Belize

• 14 years in the business when BFC was sole supplier and producer of Mahogany lumber in Belize City, • base for furniture - price $2.25 a ft. • now only use it for special purposes, for antique furniture, legs and turning - spend $400.00 a month buying Mahogany lumber (about 200 bd ft). • quality Mahogany lumber difficult to obtain. • use other woods more as an alternative, e.g. pine, other hardwoods. • Mahogany is at an all time premium. April 8, 1999 Medina Furniture, Mr. Medin, 3 - 16th Street, San Ignacio, Cayo

• uses 5000 bd ft a month Mahogany and 3000 mixed hardwood. • mahogany difficult to get. • problem is that sawmillers want to export the best and not sell to Belizeans. • cutting young Mahogany, not good for export, leave inferior lumber for home use. • in 10 years there will be a problem with mahogany. • association needed

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• Forest need to be managed better • export of Mahogany need to be stopped • should cut only mature trees April 9, 1999 Gabourel Custom Cabinet, Mr. Swift, 1745 Coney Drive, Belize City, Belize

• Mahogany lumber procuring problem mentioned being the securing of kiln dried lumber for small operations, large operators who can afford an inventory could negotiate with kiln drivers - Loskot, Belize Timber for their needs. • suppliers are Belize Timber Ltd & Yalbac Manufacturers Assn has agreement with Yalbac to obtain FAS for members. • Price $2.30 bd ft or there about • plywood - mahogany - framing - quality of local plywood is a problem • cotton plywood soaks the glue • impact of pricing - Loskot would put more Mahogany into plywood than in lumber - problem! • regeneration package was pursued in the original concession but got nowhere April 15, 1999 Belize Timber Ltd, John Roberson, Iguana Creek, Cayo District

• They had the BEC Lands, 600,000 acres in extent and were going through 10,000 acres per yaer, removing 600,000 bd ft of Mahogany of merchantable size (6'6" girth). This yielded 60 bd ft per acre and this would be sustainable since it would return to the original 10,000 acres and the yield would have been slightly better than 60 bd ft a year. This production would be the highest for the country as anywhere else would not have the stocking. April 23, 1999 Linda Vista Lumber Yard, Frank Plett, Spanish Lookout, Cayo District

• Has a circular and Band mills resaw. Production of mahogany has been low the past two years. 27-28,000 bd ft from the Manatee Reserve which he has on an annual license. Last year 1998 he bought 24,000 bd ft at $1.50 bd ft which came from the same area. Selling price is $2.25 bd ft for the better grade. Chain saw lumber 30" wide is $3.00 a ft. All the 1" lumber goes fast, there is a good demand for this. • He says that about 40,000 bd ft is available in the mountains in the Manatee Reserve where there is no road and only can be taken out by chain saw operation. 56

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• The Mennonites have 25,000 acres in the Yalbac area already subdivided into different ownerships. They have started replanting in this area by regeneration. This is done by cleaning west of the seed tree and allowing seeds to fall and regenerate. Mahogany is there, but 1/3 of the western part has all gone in illegal logging. The area was bought but is being left having removed the large trees about half the area has been logged. • In the north of the country only small Mahogany are being removed. This is not good. Chainsaw operations are causing havoc with Mahogany. It is easy to view their operations from the air, mostly all illegal. Chainsaw permit is a problem which is affecting the legal aspect of logging mahogany. The price of Mahogany is going down because chainsaw cut lumber is available cheaply as they pay no royalty and are doing the operation at night. • He suggests that reforestation should be done. Mahogany should be planted along pasture boundaries 500 acre pasture. Planting should include Cedar. He said that there should be TV commercials to encourage planting in small areas not used in farming. He is encouraging that this is done more in Spanish Lookout. The attitude is changing there about the wholesale clearing that used to be done at the start, and they are being encouraged to plant Mahogany along boundary lines and in small corners of the field. • He said that they were working with an American with reference to Mahogany regeneration where they were clearing to the west of Mahogany seed tree s for seeds to fall and germinate. This is in the Yalbac lands belonging to the Mennonites. April 30, 1999 Camp 4, Heinrich Hildebrand, Shipyard, Orange Walk Distrct

• furniture manufacturing part time • He obtains his mahogany supply from Little Belize area and a little from Shipyard but it is scarce. It is difficult to obtain Mahogany. Only small logs are available. When lumber was available in Shipyard it was all for export to Mexico. There is also not the quality of lumber available, only narrow lumber available which you have to glue together to make wider pieces. For example, 6 pieces are needed for a 34" wide table. • He uses about 6000 bd ft a year but it is difficult to obtain as only narrow lumber with pin worm is available which has to be cut even narrower to get the best. Price is about $1.50 a ft to buy. Sometimes occasionally selected pieces (wider) would be $2.00 a ft. It is expensive even at $1.50 because they are narrow and you have to cut out what it not good and it gets narrower. The quality is not too good as it is young lumber. • He sees difficulty in continuing the business because of the difficulty in getting lumber. He thinks that the export of Mahogany should be stopped.

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Some people get land for agriculture and get permission to clear out but really only take out the Mahogany and leave the area. He used to grieve a lot when the exportation was more rampant as he thought it should be left for Belizeans to use, to conserve (save) it for Belizeans. He says there are about 35 to 40 furniture makers in the Shipyard area who would say similar things on the Mahogany situation. May 4, 1999 Natalie and Alvaro Campus, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk

• This is not an all year round operation. They have a forest license in the Bomba area, Belize District. Mahogany is difficult to get only 10 to 12 inch diameter trees are available which the legal size is 6'6". There seems to be a lot of Mahogany but all small size. • From January to now they have cut about 15,000 bd ft. They have problem with the license. The Bomba people want to be paid for use of the road. The village council is asking for $15,00 a trip per truck load. They export to the USA, the maximum size lumber for export is 1x12". • This family says they depend on the lumber business. They get no orders from Belize - no one wants to buy much locally, although some have been sold to Belmopan at $1.85 a ft. They have problem to get rid of the lumber locally yet the Furniture Association complains that they cannot get lumber. They are against stopping the export of Mahogany, although there are no exports to Mexico. • They suggest planting 10 trees for everyone being cut like it is done in Mexico. Forestry should start a nursery to have plants available. There is more lumber (Mahogany) than the local market can take so there is no need to stop the export. Replanting should have been taking place long ago. They think they have 3-4 years more logs available from the Bomba area. There is plenty of 5'6" size trees more than the 6'6". They have been in the business for about 40 years. May 4, 1999 New River Enterprises Ltd., J.B. Loskot, Orange Walkt Town, Orange Walk

• He has undergone a gradual transformation in the business from lumber to value added; from primary species to lesser known species. This is to put less pressure on Mahogany. He has license areas in the Chiquebul and the Toledo District. The Chiquebul license is being worked under a Management plan. He also processes for Programme for Belize who are certified both by Smart Wood and the European side. They do flooring and plywood for Programme for Belize. • The export market is picking up in all value added areas, louvre doors, doors, flooring, plywood. Also there is a good local demand. He uses

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about 10% mahogany out of 1,200,000 bd ft of lumber used annually in the business. He also purchases some timber. He has his own private land (10,000 acres) which he uses sparingly - saving it. This area has a lot of merchantable mahogany. There is no problem getting mahogany. • From the Toledo license area he is getting mostly soft broadleaf timber used in veneer. The biggest impact is the way sustainable logging is being done. Regeneration is taking place especially in Programme for Belize lands. Cannot suddenly run out of Mahogany. Using more of the lesser known species is resting the mahogany. The seaboard Mahogany (closer to the coast) is all small trees in the Orange Walk District. • Programme for Belize has 283000 acres with lots of mahogany regeneration and with sustained yield harvesting Mahogany will not run out. Sustained yield harvesting is the right way and it is doing the right thing at the right time and just in time to save the situation. CITES should stay in Appendix III where it is now. NRE were not really certified from the start. For certification you need a large area where you can work two or more coupes at a time to get a mixture of species. Presently he is depending on Programme for Belize who are certified. He has found market for several hardwoods for flooring. He might look for certification for certain parts of the business, e.g., the Chiquebul production being managed under a management plan and can get higher price for the product. • Plantations is the thing to go into and he will go into this as this is automatic certification. He is glad he did not go into it the way he had thought earlier. It is not good to clear forest to put in plantations. It is better to use previously cleared land such as old pastures and other cleared land. He will be buying such land when available close of his manufacturing facilities to have the supply near at hand. May 7, 1999 Belize Timber Ltd. Mr.Canton, Iguana Creek, Cayo District

• There is not much mature mahogany left; there is mostly nothing left in National lands. All chainsaw Mahogany being supplied in the local market. We are not even certain they have permits or if they pay royalty for the trees. This chainsaw situation is causing havoc in the industry. It is happening in the Columbia Forest Reserve where you have a management plan which is being worked but the chainsaw thing is rampant. • Cutting of undersized trees should be stop. Persons applying for license should be told no undersize trees to be cut, and no use of chainsaw for converting into lumber since there are no mature legal size trees they will have to stop and go out of business. This is what the industry needs.

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More newspaper notices should be put out to educate the public. • Certification should be looked at carefully because it seems that it is about certification of other things and not wood. Once someone is working and adhering to a management plan, certification should be automatic. May 10, 1999 Belize Audubon Society, Osmany Salas, Belize City, Belize

• He was appraised of the study and since the Belize Audubon Society is involved in the management of six protected areas where these contain mahogany then mahogany is protected. The scope of the study was outlined and he was asked to express opinions on this and on CITES. May 10, 1999 Programme for Belize, Dr. Palacio, Belize City, Belize

• There is on going research on Silvicultural treatment for Mahogany regeneration to find the best way for mahogany to regenerate being conducted by Laura Snook. Open gaps seems to be the best way. • Openings of gaps of various size and ways: (1) cleared by bulldozer, followed by planting the clearing down wind from seed trees; (2) chainsaw clearing, this emulates timber harvesting; (3) girdling; (4) control area. The sizes of gaps used are 500, 1000, and 5,000 square meters. Measurement of sun light availability is carried out 3-4 times a year at every equinox. • Permanent Sample Plots have also been established and are being monitored in areas where felling has taken place and where no felling has taken place. • The entire property is 260,000 acres, of this 59401.2 logged on a 40 year cycle divided into 120 compartments. No inventory on the entire area has been carried out. The area being sustainably logged is 24049.0 on a 40 year cycle would be working a total of 600 ha per year. In practice three compartments are worked yearly or an area of 400 ha year as the balance is lost in leaving buffer areas along roadsides, waterways, and marshes. • This annual coupe yield 170,000 bd ft of timber of which 60% is mahogany and the rest includes 5-8 species. New River Enterprises Ltd does the conversion based on sales by the marketing officer. The allocation of the yearly cutting blocks is also based on the sales made by the marketing officer. • The difference between 260,000 acres - 59401 acres = 200,599 acres or (105,263 ha - 24049.0 has = 81214.1 ha). • Sustainability of mahogany under certification does not support restricting exportation. Present certification is under Smart Wood (USA) and Wood Mark (UK) for which a better price is obtained. There is no full inventory for the areas, but stock survey is an ongoing activity two years ahead of

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cutting. In addition to the above, the writer had consultations with forest officers especially the ones in charge or Orange Walk and Belize City as they supplied information on sawmill locations.

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Appendix 6
List of contacts 1. Mr. Oswaldo Sabido Acting Chief Forest Officer Forest Department Belmopan, Belize Tel: 501-8-23412 Mr. John Briggs Jaguar Imports Ltd. Forest Drive Belmopan, Belize Tel: 501-8-23494 Mr. Willougby 6. Central Statistical Office New Administration Building Belmopan, Belize Tel: 501-8-22207 Mr. Hubert Usher Spaceline Upholstery & Cabinet 1506 S/C Valley Road Dangriga, Stann Creek, Belize Tel: 501-5-22048 Mr. Carter Carter Upholstery Ltd. 21 Dolphin Street Belize City, Belize Tel: 501-2-75140 11. Mr. Swift Gabourel Custom Cabinet 1795 Coney Drive Belize City, Belize Tel: 501-2-20596 12. 2. Mr. Juan Coye JRC Enterprises Ltd. Belmopan, Belize Tel: 501-8-20186

3.

4.

Mr. Frank Smith BEST Hummingbird Highway Belmopan, Belize Tel: 501-8-23043

5.

Mr. Melvin Hulse Sr. Roaring Creek Cayo District, Belize Tel: 501-8-22856

7.

8.

Mr. Kevin Herrera Belize Chamber of Commerce 63 Regent Street Belize City, Belize Tel: 501-2-73148 Mr. Medina Medina=s Furniture 3-16th Street San Ignacio, Cayo Belize Tel: 501-9-22546 Mr. John Roberson Belize Timber Ltd. Iguana Creek Cayo District, Belize Tel: 501-8-12010

9.

10.

District,

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13.

Mr. Frank Plett Linda Vista Lumber Yard Spanish Lookout Cayo District, Belize Tel: 501-8-30257 Natalie and Alvaro Campus Belize Road Orange Walk Town Orange Walk District, Belize

14.

Mr. Heinrich Hildebrand Shipyard, Camp 4 Orange Walk District, Belize

15.

16.

Mr. J. B. Loskot New River Enterprises Ltd. 14 Westby Alley Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk, Belize Tel: 501-3-22225 Mr. Osmany Salas Belize Audubon Society 12 Fort Street Belize City, Belize Tel: 501-2-34533

17.

Mr. G. Canton Belize Timber Ltd. Belize City Lumber Yard 2 Mapp Street Belize City, Belize Tel: 501-2-45716 Dr. Palacio Programme for Belize 1 Eyre Street Belize City, Belize Tel: 501-2-75616

18.

19.

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Appendix 7
Maps

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Map 1. Location of Belize.

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Map 2. Major Land Forms and Soil Features of Belize.

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Map 3. Original Distribution of Mahogany in Belize.

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Map 4. Actual Distribution of Mahogany in Belize.

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Map 5. Map showing locations of Permanent Sample Plots.

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Map 6. Belize Protected Areas.

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