Into the Wilderness – GPS Species Identification Fieldwork with the Rangers
Indulging the environmental scientist in me, I donned my hiking boots and long trousers and got stuck into two days of terrestrial field work, accompanying TIDE’s rangers, Mario and Elmar into the field. The sun was hot, the work was hard but I had the most incredible time experiencing some of the work that TIDE does and learning how this is applied to the bigger picture in terms of natural resource management and environmental protection and conservation. The work we carried out
Ridge to Reef Expeditioner, Javier, on Conservation, Community, & Cultural Exchange
One of the defining pieces of this Ridge to Reef expedition—and one which communicates quite a bit about the values of its parent organization, the Toledo Institute for Development and Environment (TIDE)—is the commitment to having a local Belizean student on each expedition. Javier Alegria went through a competitive application process to be here, then helped with the crowd-funded online campaign to cover the cost. His presence has made our experience in Belize that much richer, more interesting, and fun. Jav
Ridge to Reef Individual Placement Program Allows Anyone to be a Conservationist
Ridge to Reef created the Individual Placement volunteer program for the traveler who is more interested in studying Belize’s ecosystems than resorts, but needs more flexibility than Ridge to Reef’s eight-week-long expedition. Individual Placement Volunteers can come for a period of time that fits their schedule, and have more personalization in terms of the activities they choose. Alison Shepherd is the first Individual Placement Volunteer. She’s getting quite used to personal firsts this year—in February, the 58-year-old completed the notoriously challenging
Eight Weeks on Expedition
The eight weeks of the first ever Ridge to Reef expedition flew by. It’s only now that it’s over we can begin to reflect on what the experience has meant, and how the vast amount of memories, skills, and relationships we’ve cultivated over the last two months have impacted us. The video below shares footage from our favorite expedition moments, from cliff jumping to mud fights, and touches on the major themes this amazing experience has embedded in all of us—lessons
Protecting Turtle Nests. A Ridge to Reef Perspective
The sea turtle monitoring component of Ridge to Reef has quickly become one of the most clearly impactful program activities…it’s also the most emotional. First, some context on the incredible journey sea turtles go through to make it into the world. When everything goes according to plan, females lay their nests of more than 100 eggs on the same beach where they hatched years before. The nest incubates for 90 days underground, until the newly hatched eggs scurry out to the
Top 5 Moments of the First 3 R2R weeks
This expedition, Ridge to Reef, is quickly proving to be aptly named. Our team has been traveling all over the southern part of Belize, from the Maya Mountains, to remote Caribbean cayes, up rivers and lagoons, to the Lowland Savannah, learning about the various ecosystems as well as their unique conservation strategies and challenges. There’ve been too many moments to share them all with you, so here are our top five experiences from the first three weeks of the Ridge
TIDE’s Smart Journey
TIDE is working on the front line of conservation by using the new intelligence-based Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool or ‘SMART’. The spatial monitoring tool is being trialed in Port Honduras Marine Reserve (PHMR) to increase the efficiency of enforcement in the reserve and decrease illegal fishing. The use of ‘SMART’ and the training of the rangers could not have been possible without the hard work of Julia Baker and Seleem Chan. We also want to say a big thank you