Crooked Tree Signs Agreement to Better Manage Wildlife Sanctuary

On World Wetlands Day 2026, residents of Crooked Tree joined government officials and conservation groups to sign a new agreement that will shape how the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary is used and managed.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed by the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Climate Change and Solid Waste Management, the Crooked Tree Village Council, and the Belize Audubon Society. It sets rules for fishing and other resource use and gives local residents a bigger say in decisions about the Sanctuary. Officials called it a “participatory conservation model”.

The agreement could also lead to a new Wildlife Sanctuary II classification, which would expand community involvement in protecting the area.

At the ceremony, Village Chairlady Elizabeth Wallace Escobar welcomed participants, while the Belize Audubon Society’s Shane Young shared the journey that led to the agreement. Saul Cruz of the National Biodiversity Office outlined the details of the MOU, which recognises traditional fisherfolk and sets conditions for sustainable use, monitoring, and enforcement.

Giving the keynote address, Minister Orlando Habet said the agreement shows how tradition and conservation can work together, helping communities protect the wetlands while keeping their livelihoods intact.