DWS is proud to support WWF’s (World Wild Fund for Nature) marine conservation efforts in Belize, protecting the Mesoamerican Reef—the second largest in the world—and its rich marine biodiversity in a multi-year conservation project. Since 2021, we’ve been supporting WWF to address climate change, overfishing, and rising water temperatures that threaten coral and mangrove ecosystems. By collaborating with policymakers and local communities, the project is driving sustainable development and promoting a resilient “blue economy” in the region.
Conservation project: what have we achieved?
The first phase of the restauration project has now been completed bringing significant progress in the reef and mangrove restauration. Due to extreme heat waves and rising water temperatures, coral bleaching is a growing threat. To counteract this, 24 coral nurseries were established over 11,000 new and more resilient corals were planted at 16 reforestation sites.
We also facilitated the founding of the Belize Mangrove Alliance, a coalition of stakeholders and NGOs working to promote the protection and restoration of mangroves in Belize. As an enormous carbon sink, mangroves also serve as coastal protection and a bulwark against impending storm surges.
Despite these challenges, positive change is happening. Coral coverage has increased from less than 10% in 2015 to more than 50% in recent years at key restoration sites. This progress is critical for preserving the reef, its biodiversity, and for safeguarding the livelihoods of the local people. The underwater metropolis is also an important source of food and income for the people of Belize.
Our measures for the protection of the coral reef
The goal of the project is to restore and protect both the coral reef and mangrove ecosystems so that they continue to provide sustainable livelihoods for local coastal communities.
All photos seen on this page are copyrighted.: © Antonio Busiello WWF-US
