Belize Slaps Five-Year Ban on Tree-Cutting Permits to Save Forests

The government has announced a sweeping five-year moratorium on the issuance of Short-Term Forest Licences and Petty Permits for tree cutting on national lands, effective December 1, 2025.

According to the official notice, the decision, taken by the minister in consultation with Cabinet and based on recommendations from the Belize Forest Department, comes in response to “mounting evidence of forest stock depletion” and increasing pressure on young, regenerating forest stands due to “unsustainable extraction of trees,” heightened demand for prop sticks, and widespread unauthorised cutting of undersized trees.

The Ministry said these combined pressures are being worsened by the “growing incidence and intensity of wildfires,” which together threaten Belize’s long-term timber supply, weaken ecosystem health, and risk “significant economic and environmental losses.”

While national lands will see a full halt in new permits, the public is advised that applications for tree harvesting on leased lands will now undergo “more stringent and meticulous” review, with conservation as the guiding priority.

During the moratorium, the Forest Department will carry out a full assessment of forest stock and regeneration, develop a National Forest Replenishment Plan, boost enforcement against illegal logging, and promote sustainable alternatives such as bamboo and reusable steel scaffolding.

Officials say the pause will give degraded forests time to recover, allowing young trees to reach merchantable size and improving resilience against fires and other threats. The ministry adds that the regeneration period will also support wildlife habitat restoration and help rebuild wildlife populations.