Farmers Raise Concerns Over Unusual Land Clearing in Vaca Forest Reserve

Farmers near the Vaca Forest Reserve are raising concerns about large-scale land clearing that they say is unlike anything they have seen before. According to residents, heavy machinery is being used to clear wide sections of land, raising fears about deforestation and possible illegal activity.

The farmers, who have worked the land near the reserve for years, say the scale and method of the clearing is new and alarming. In response to their concerns, Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD), the organisation that monitors the reserve, confirmed that it has received recent reports of suspicious activity.

Rafael Manzanero, Executive Director of FCD, explained, “The information was that there was a concern that there could be a level of deforestation within the forest reserve. So, the idea was to verify if it was indeed occurring either on private lands or if it was within the particular area.”

Manzanero noted that the Vaca Forest Reserve originally covered 52,000 acres, but about 31 per cent was de-reserved in the past. This means some areas are now privately owned, while others remain protected. The reports mentioned Camp 6, a central area within the reserve, but no specific coordinates were provided.

FCD has passed the information to the Belize Forest Department, which is responsible for verifying such reports through on-site inspections. Until those checks are completed, the full extent and purpose of the clearing remain unclear.