[Fwd: [CAST] Mangrove wetland area threatened in Belize]

Potter at Island Resources wrote:
>
> >Reply-To: <ramsar-forum@indaba.iucn.org>
> >
> >Belize
> >
> >***ACTION ALERT!!!***
> >
> >Dear MAP,
> >
> >I am writing to beg for your help in stopping a potential subdivision to be
> >built on 500 acres of pristine mangrove. I live on the Bahia del Punta
> >Arena area on Ambergris Caye, Belize. Our local San Pedro town board has
> >proposed a new housing project called San Mateo Phase 1 to be built on 500
> >acres of magnificent mangrove. This subdivision would deforest mangrove to
> >make room for 308 lots. The deforestation will take away from the nursery
> >for our fishery, habitat for our bird life, and numerous microscopic
> >organisms. In its place would be 308 lots of poverty level housing with no
> >access to water or sewage. The raw sewage alone will do untold damage to
> >our environment.
> >
> >If there are any bodies of people you can think of to help before they
> >destroy the environment, please let me know. If you can provide me with
> >any statistics of what deforesting mangroves does it would help me in
> >persuading the local authorities.
> >
> >The Town Board has the entire project mapped out. However, they have not
> >received a permit to subdivide nor a permit to cut mangroves. They have
> >begun surveying the "land" anyway. We need to stop them from surveying and
> >try to impart upon the local officials that it is not appropriate to put
> >this housing subdivision in this particular location. While the project is
> >a good idea, the location could not be worse. We are located near Buena
> >Vista Point, North and San Pedro Town on Ambergris Caye, Belize, Central
> >America.
> >
> >The Ministers and Local Officials involved with this facet of the Goverment
> >along with tieir phone numbers are as follows:
> >
> >Prime Minister Said Musa 011-501-82-2305
> >Minister of Natural Resorces 011-501-82-2331
> >Minister of the Enviornment 011-501-82-3393 or 011-501-82-2816
> >Chief Forest Officer, George Hansen 011-501-27-3228
> >Coastal Zone Management 011-501-23-0719
> >Department of Fisheries 011-501-82-2241 or 011-501-24-4552
> >Minister of Tourism, Mark Espat, 011-501-82-3393
> >Department of Lands and Survey 011-501-82-2331
> >Housing and Planning Department 011-501-24-5381
> >Greef Reef, Mito Paz, 011-501-26-3739
> >
> >The situation as it stands now is that The Depatment of Natural Resorces
> >has issued a stop order on the cutting and surveying. However, they only
> >did this because the San Pedro Town Board does not have the permit to
> >Subdivide. It does not mean that the permit will not be issued and the
> >cutting resumed. Please let me know what additional information would be
> >helpful.
> >
> >Thank you very much,
> >
> >From Ali Gentry, El Pescador Resort
> >Belize, Central America
> >pescador@btl.net
> >
> >
> >Alfredo Quarto, Executive Director
> >Mangrove Action Project
> >PO Box 1854
> >Port Angeles, WA 98362-0279
> >USA
> >fax (360) 452-5866
> ><mangroveap@olympus.net>
> >mailto:mangroveap@olympus.net
> >web site: http://www.earthisland.org/map/map.html
> >
> >
Received on Mon Apr 24 15:09:45 2000