The Living Cultural Experience
The Toledo Institute for Development and Environment (TIDE), a non-governmental organization, was founded in 1997 to meet the growing environmental and development needs of Toledo District, the southernmost district of Belize. In 1999 its subsidiary TIDE Tours was formed to promote eco-tourism opportunities and alternative livelihood programs for the Toledo District. With such rich and diverse cultures to highlight here in Toledo, TIDE Tours partnered with the Belize Tourism Board to develop a Toledo Cultural Trail which will provide for
Monkey River Wildlife Tour & Punta Negra Sweet Stop!
The tour began at 8:00am on a crisp Belizean morning. We all gathered on TIDE’s wooden wharf and one by one we boarded the boat as our captain, Carlos Ramirez (Cash), and tour guide, Martin Ack, held the vessel steady from the soft currents lazily hitting the rocks on the coast. As we each snapped on our life jackets, Martin began to explain the itinerary for the day and cautioned us about the seats we had chosen; seats closer to
Thursday’s find- the Dragon-headed Bug
You never know what you will find lurking outside the Science Department at TIDE! This Dragon-headed Bug uses a fake hollow head with phony eyes to avoid being eaten by lizards! “There’s a widespread myth that anyone bitten by this creature must have sexual relations within twenty-four hours or suffer a horrible death” – Biodiversity of the Maya Mountains – a focus on the Bladen Nature Reserve – Daniel C. Dourson
Mr. Eladio’s Chocolate Adventure!
We’d like to welcome the newest member of our team, Jordan Cas! Last month we sent him to Mr. Eladio’s cacao farm for some fieldwork. There he got a tour of the farm and witnessed the source of the ever indulgent sweet we have all come to know as chocolate. This is his experience. The tour began with a small hike from where the van had parked to Mr. Eladio’s cacao farm. Along with a lovely couple and their son, I
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