4 Annotated bibliography

1. Belisle, R. 1993. The Belize National Report on the State of Forestry for the Latin American and Caribbean Forestry Commission. Eighteenth Session. 6–10 December 1993. Montevideo, Uruguay.

This work presents an overview of forestry in Belize. In the first part the author describes the current state and trends for the forests, forest industries and forest products.

Twenty-one percent of the country is covered by Forest Reserves. Management of these areas is based upon the principle of multiple use, which aims to achieve a sustained supply of a range of forest products, ranging from timber to tourist facilities.

Approximately 60 percent of the land within the Forest Reserves is included in protection forests, 37 percent by production forests and 3 percent by other land.

Eleven percent of the Forest Reserves have been identified as containing significant areas suitable for sustainable hardwood timber extraction. Seventy-two percent of the country's economic pine resources are found within Forest Reserves.

The area of existing plantations was reduced by some 500 hectares in 1991. The exclusion of areas of melina plantations for the establishment of citrus plantations by the agricultural sector is reported as the main cause.

There exists a very strong demand for mahogany and cedar but these heavy, hard timbers are difficult to cut and market profitably. Pine is intermediate between these two groups.

In the report is also found detailed information about forest production, export of timber, the Tropical Forestry Action Plan (TFAP ), forest policy and legislation and forestry institutions of Belize.

2. Bird, N. M. 1998. Sustaining the yield. Improved timber harvesting practices in Belize 1992-1998. Chatham, UK: Natural Resources Institute.

This publication documents six years of work with the objective of improving the methods of wood harvesting and the general administration of broadleaved forests. Guidelines are proposed for forest management, aiming at public and private employees who, in the past, only had access to general standards for the administration of broadleaved forests.

The publication also attempts to provide a link to the study and investigation of tropical ecology, which has been beyond reach of many forest administrators. The document is based on forest administrative experiences during the 1990s.

The document attempts to show the forestry potential of Belize, demonstrating how sustainable forest harvesting practices can contribute in a positive way to the conservation of the tropical forest.

3. Bird, N. M. 1998. The Chiquibul Restoration Felling Programme. Forest Planning and Management Project, Ministry of Natural Resources, Belize.

The document describes the harvesting system developed for the Forest Reserve of Chiquibul, one of the most important forest reserves of Belize, with an area of 59 818 ha, of which 69% is proposed as an area for sustainable harvesting. The suggested system is based on management experiences accumulated at the Rio Columbia Forest Reserve. It also describes the past severe damage it has suffered because of hurricane Hattie (1961) and from uncontrolled harvesting. Those two impacts have led the author to propose a forest restoration system to assure a sustainable structure for the forest.

4. Bird, N. M. 1998. The Columbia Controlled Felling Programme. Forest Planning and Management Project, Ministry of Natural Resources, Belize.

The document describes the harvesting system developed for a broadleaved natural forest located in the southeast of Belize, forming part of the Rio Columbia Forest Reserve in the Toledo District.

The forest management area covers 53 100 ha. The described system is based on environmental and ecological principles that help to formulate positive guidelines for sustainable land use. One of the system’s distinctive characteristics is that it emphasizes the trees that should be protected during harvest rather than those to be selected for cutting.

5. Castañeda, Anselmo. 1999. Draft Report. Mitigation and Adaptation Assessment - Land Use and Forestry. UNDP/GEF Climate Change Project "Enabling Belize to prepare its First National Communication in Response to its Commitment to the United Nations Convention on Climate Change".

This report revises the greenhouse gas emissions produced by the forest and land use sector with respect to the Greenhouse Gas Inventory of Belize in 1994. It also analyses and evaluates the mitigation measures proposed for the sector.

The 1994 Greenhouse Gas Inventory for Belize revealed that this country was a net sink for carbon dioxide during the review period. This means that Belize absorbed more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than was emitted through the activities of the population. This could be attributed mainly to the fact that the country still has approximately 79 percent of its territory under some form of vegetative cover, despite the fact that there had been measurable levels of deforestation during the ten-year period prior to the survey year.

A gross volume of 6 165.861 gigagrams (6 185 861 metric tons) of CO₂ gas was removed from the atmosphere due to the existence of the 1 721 398 hectares (17 214 km²) of forest and other vegetative cover of the country. The inventory determined that 1 991 gigagrams of carbon dioxide, accounting for 69% of the total volume of greenhouse gases emitted in the sector, were produced and released into the atmosphere because of human activities.

The table below summarizes the types, volumes, and relative importance (determined by global warming potential) of the greenhouse gases emitted in the land use change and forestry sector.

Table 3. Greenhouse gases emitted in the land use change and forestry sector.

1 gigagram (Gg) = 1 000 metric tons; gross figures are emissions; net emissions are emissions less absorption/removals.

Table 4. Emissions (Gg) and proportions (of the total) of greenhouse gases in the land use change and forestry sector.

The measures of mitigation proposals are:

1. Comprehensive land-use policy

2. Forest management plans

3. Promotion of agroforestry

4. Restoration of abandoned agricultural lands

5. Establishment of tree plantations

6. Develop and implement national fire management plan.

6. CCAD, CCAB-AP, UICN, ACB-ORMA. 1998. Belize Forest Sector Review, 1997. Prepared by Oscar Rosado and Edited by Lenin Corrales and Alberto Salas and Tomi Tounmajuskka. CCAD, CCAB-AP, UICN, ACB-ORMA. San José, Costa Rica, 1998.

This document is a revision of the Belize forest sector condition for 1997. The first part reports the general situation in the country, the second part describes in detail the national forest sector and the third part analyses different aspects that have influenced the deforestation process in the country.

The document has never been published nor made public by the institutional authors.

The following tables are presented in the report.

Table 5. Forest classes in Belize.

Source: Wright, et-al (1959)

Table 6. Estimated forest cover of Belize.

Source: NARMAP, 1995

Table 7. Projected forest cover in Belize, 1996.

Projected year for zero primary forest cover: 2142

Source; Projection based on the data presented in Table 6

Table 8. Broadleaf forests of Belize classified as to production and protection forests.

Source: Alder (1993)

7. Forestry Department. 1985. Progress Report 1980-1984 by the Forestry Department of Belize prepared for the Twelfth Commonwealth Forestry Conference, 1985. Belmopan, Belize.

Information is reported on the forest estate, the forest types and the employment situation. Forestry’s contribution to the economic and social welfare is discussed, covering such areas as environmental problems, wood for energy and forest industries.

The existing forest estate of the country is described as follows:

Table 9. Existing forest estate of Belize.

The principal types of forests with relevant area are given below:

Table 10. Principal types of forests and their area.

In general, the small amount of information on forest cover isn’t discussed very well, nor are citations given for the given numbers quoted. A lot of emphasis is given on employment, the economic and social situation, forest industry and sources of finance.

8. Gray, I.M. 1995. Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve Harvesting Plan, 1995-2000. The Forest Planning and Management Project. Ministry of Natural Resources, Belize.

This plan was prepared to replace the Management Plan of the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve of 1992-1997. The period covered by the new plan is from 1995 to 2000.

The Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve covers a total area of 51 976.8 ha, of which 79.4% (41 295.5 ha) is coniferous forest, mainly Pinus caribaea (86%) and Pinus patula (14%), 19.9% (10 329.7 ha) is pure hardwood forest and 0.7% (350.1 ha) are roads and non-productive areas.

9. Green, E. D. 2000. Belize First National Report on the Implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) 2000.

This report has been prepared in order to fulfil part of Belize’s obligation to implement the conditions of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). It was prepared with input from a number of governmental and non-governmental institutions as well as community-based organizations.

The report represents Belize’s first effort to analyse the situation regarding land degradation that has occurred and continues to occur in the country. Drought-related issues presently developing or that have the potential to become greater problems are also discussed to some extent.

No data are present in the report.

10. Hartshorn et al., 1984. Not titled.

The article consists of various tables containing information on the state of Belize’s forests:

Table 11. Area of forest by origin, formation and function.

Year of reference: 1989.

Table 12. Areas of forest land by ownership (1 000 ha).

Year of reference: 1977.

Source: FAO, p. 4, p. 49.

Table 13. Recent timber production (m³) statistics for Belize.

Data provided by O. Rosado

Table includes mahogany, cedar, pine, 2° hardwoods, rosewood, ziricote and logwood production between

1977-1982

Table 14. Legal status of forest land (1 000 ha).

Year of reference 1989

Table 15. Legally established Forest Reserves of Belize.

(Source: Forest Department, 1984)

11. Howell, J. Not dated. Tables of standardized results for incorporation in the global database. Ministry of Natural Resources, Belmopan, Belize.

This paper contains tables that summarize the standardized results for incorporation in the global database.

Eight sources are listed for the state of forest cover inventory between 1969-1989.

Table 16. Baseline forest cover area data in line with the FRA 1990 classification.

The average reference year is estimated as 1979 and the forest area at 2 050 000 ha including 1 430 500 ha of production forests (1 218 500 ha of closed forests, and 212 000 ha of open forests, including broadleaved and coniferous), plus 619 500 ha of protection and conservation forests.

Table 17. Estimated area of forest plantations (ha).

Table 18. Standardized results: estimated area of natural forest (1 000 hectares).

Table 19. Standardized results: estimated area of total forest (1 000 hectares).

Forest Department / MNREI.2000. Belize Report. EU / FAO.

The authors of this paper describe the current status of the forestry sector (forest resources, forest products, forestry services and forestry policies, legislation and institutions) and give an outlook for the forestry sector.

Estimated forest cover of Belize amounts to 17 214 km² or 79% of the country’s total area. The present area of reserved forests is about 421 000 ha. Forest reserves and other private protected areas cover approximately 37% of the country, with forest reserves being 53% of this area. Today, the area of Belize that is suitable for sustainable timber production is approximately 14% or 302 834 ha of the total land area, which is divided almost equally between forest reserves, forested national lands and forested private lands.

Table 20. Forest vegetation cover of Belize.

Source: Land Information Center/MNREI

The Zisman report of 1992 indicated that mangroves occupy 771 km² or approximately 3.4% of Belize’s national territory and that Belize was losing its mangrove forests at about 3.6% per year in 1991.

Table 21. Estimated area of forest plantations.

Table 22. Protected areas.

12. Jacobs, N. D. and Castañeda, A. 1998. Belize National Biodiversity Strategy

This report is the Belize National Biodiversity Strategy prepared for the National Biodiversity Committee by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment. The section Assessment and Analysis of Biological Resources describes the current status of forests.

The report shows that forests dominate the Belizean landscape. Mainland forests have been divided into the classes listed below (Land Information Center, 1994):

Table 23. Classes and areas of mainland forests.

Forest cover is 79% of the mainland area of the country and 82% of the total land area, including coastal islands.

13. Lindo, L. S. 1988. Brief Overview of Forestry in Belize. FAO.

In the first part of this paper the author presents a short historical overview of forestry, the economy and some facts about the forest estate.

After dominating the Belizean economy for some 200 years, the importance of forest industries has diminished. By 1964, the export income from forestry was only 17% of the gross national product, by 1974 it had fallen to 6% and by 1979 to 3%. The importance of the forestry sector to the national economy was replaced by a number of agricultural crops that are produced primarily for export (sugarcane, citrus fruits and bananas).

The author suggests developing industries based on forests, the country’s most abundant renewable resource, to improve the state of the country's economy.

Table 24. Forest land.

Table 25. Types of forests and relevant areas.

Table 26. The area permanently devoted to forestry (Forest Reserves).

14. Rosado, Oscar. 1999. The Situation with Mahogany in Belize. Centro Científico Tropical, Comisión Centroamericana de Ambiente y Desarrollo, PROARCA/ CAPAS, San José, Costa Rica. Mayo, 1999.

This report covers the situation of mahogany in Belize, taking into consideration such aspects as the original and present existence, occurrence and distribution; a historical summary of exploitation an conservation; the system of exploitation; production and trade; the legal and institutional regulatory framework; the conservation status and options for sustainable management.

Brief information on geographical, geological, other physical features and other relevant aspects of Belize are included at the beginning to place it the regional context.

As for deforestation, this report indicates "The 1984 Belize Country Environmental Profile said that deforestation was not a major issue in Belize, but as the figures on 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 1989/1992 - 1994/1996 was conducted, only then was deforestation recognized as very significant.

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)."

15. Team provided by the UK Overseas Development Administration, Canadian International Development Agency, US Agency for International Development and FAO. 1989. Belize Tropical Forestry Action Plan. Overseas Development Administration, London.

After some general information on Belize the authors summarize the following forest estate data:

The most recent estimates of original vegetation cover include 74% closed broadleaved forest and 5% open pine forest. The actual extent of forest cover at present is unclear.

The area of reserved forests totals 2 545 square miles (659 200 ha) or 30% of the land area. The greater part of 2 531 square miles (655 700 ha) of other National Lands and the 3 241 square miles (839 700 ha) of privately owned land is also forested.

In 1987 the Forest Reserves accounted for 39% of total log output and private lands 48%.

16. Tyler, N. 1998. Final Report – Remote Sensing Analysis of Land Cover and Land Use-Central Belize. The University of Texas at Austin. Bureau of Economic Geology-Austin, Texas.

This paper contains tables summarizing the results for land use-land cover in Belize:

Table 27. Areal extent and percentages of land use-land cover units classified using 1996 Landsat TM imagery.

Table 28. Areal extent and percentages of 1989/1992 land use in study area. Based on data from Fairweather and Gray (1994).

17. White, W., Raney, J., and Tremblay, T. 1996. Deforestation in Belize 1989/1992-1994/1996, Final Report. Bureau of Economic Geology, The University of Texas at Austin. Austin, Texas

One of the principal results mentioned by the report is that between 1989/1992 (reference base) and 1994 about 78 100 ha of forests and forested lands were deforested. More than 90% of the total forest loss (>70 000 ha) occurred outside protected areas, and less than 9% occurred inside them. This reflects the extent of the protected area system.

The report concludes that most of the forest loss is due to extensive agricultural development of plantations of citrus for export as well as small "milpa" areas, which in total represent an important area. The mean rates of forest loss were 5 000 ha/year in the southeast of Belize and 13 000 ha/year in the northwest, but for the whole country it was 25 000 ha/year from 1989/1992 until 1994. The missing 6 682 ha could be because of discrepancies in classification.

The report also mentions that approximately 80% of the lost forest cover corresponds to broadleaved forest (62 000 ha). The remaining 20% corresponds to secondary forest (10 000 ha), coniferous forest (3 400 ha), river vegetation and bamboo (1 600 ha) and mangroves (1 100 ha). This may be explained because the broadleaved forests of Belize represent 66%, secondary forests 4%, coniferous forests 3% and mangroves 1.4%.

Considering the total forest cover during 1989/1992 and 1994, 4% of broadleaved forest has been lost, 5% of coniferous forest, 12% of secondary forest, 14% of river vegetation and bamboo and 4% of mangroves.

The reported results are shown in detail in the following tables:

Table 29. Rates of forest cover loss on mainland Belize, 1989/1992 to 1994.

*Food and Agriculture (FAO) Organization of the UN (1994), Forest Resources Assessment 1990, Country Briefs

**World Resources Institute (1987) cited in Ledec (1992)

Table 30. Forest cover loss between 1989/1992 and 1994 in national and private reserves, parks and sanctuaries.

Table 31. Amount of forest cover loss in those forest reserves in which losses were documented between 1989/1992 and 1994.

Table 32. Loss of forest cover in Nature Reserves, 1989/1992 to 1994.

Table 33. Forest cover loss in National Parks.

Table 34. Forest cover loss, 1994-1996, in protected areas in southwestern Belize.

See text for a more specific explanation of where and how forest cover loss was determined.