Belize Protects 17,000 Acres of Critically Important Mangroves
A new agreement will place the mangroves on Turneffe Atoll into an irrevocable conservation trust
Mangroves play a critical role in countries’ efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Not only do they capture and store carbon—keeping it out of the atmosphere—but they also are nurseries for commercially important fish species, buffers against storm surge and hurricanes, and sources of income for local fishers and ecotourism operators. Yet, they often remain overlooked and vulnerable: Globally, 50% of mangroves are at risk of collapse by 2050.
But some countries are taking steps to ensure the conservation of this ecosystem within their borders. On Aug. 19, the government of Belize signed an agreement with the Turneffe Atoll Trust, a Belizean nongovernmental organization, to place 17,000 acres of Turneffe Atoll’s mangroves—an area larger than Manhattan—into an irrevocable conservation trust. By moving the mangrove area into public ownership and restricting how it can be used, this legal mechanism will help protect these mangroves for generations to come.
Like many other countries, Belize classifies most mangroves as forests rather than marine ecosystems, meaning they are managed under a separate set of rules. This agreement changes the designation for Turneffe Atoll’s mangroves and incorporates them into the Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve. As part of the reserve, mangroves are now afforded the same protections as other marine ecosystems—protections that are more stringent than those applied to forests.
The agreement also provides $1.1 million to the University of Belize to create a marine research facility on Turneffe Atoll. The Turneffe Atoll Trust, one of the reserve’s co-managers, has agreed to work to secure an additional $2.5 million to further expand coastal and marine research on the atoll.
“I am proud that Belize is advancing its commitment to both people and conservation through this important designation. Protecting Turneffe’s mangroves safeguards a critical blue economy ecosystem that sustains fisheries, biodiversity, livelihoods, and coastal resilience, while supporting the long-term productivity of our ocean economy,” said Beverly Wade, CEO of the Belize Ministry of Blue Economy and Marine Conservation. The ministry plays an important role in guiding the sustainable development, conservation, and economic use of the country’s marine and coastal resources.
Mangroves buffer coastlines and support communities
Turneffe Atoll is located roughly 20 miles off the coast of Belize City. The city, home to nearly 64,000 residents, is the country’s largest population center, serving as a major port and international trade hub.
The protection of these mangroves will help buffer Belize City—and the surrounding region—from storm events. Situated on the Caribbean Sea, Belize is highly prone to hurricanes and has experienced devastating impacts from them: Hurricane Lisa in 2022, for example, caused $100 million in damage. With the climate continuing to change, Belize could see additional storm-related impacts. Turneffe Atoll provides $191 million in storm mitigation benefits for central Belize, including Belize City, based on estimates from the Turneffe Atoll Sustainability Association, a local nongovernmental organization and co-manager of the Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve.
The protection of the mangrove areas also helps support the country’s fishing industry. Lobster and conch commercial fisheries—two of the country’s largest, both reliant on mangroves—land an estimated 700 tons and 2,776 tons per year, respectively.
“By placing these 17,000 acres of mangroves into an irrevocable conservation trust, Belize is safeguarding not only a globally significant ecosystem but also the livelihoods, coastal resilience, and natural heritage that depend on it,” said Nadia Bood, senior program officer and Belize country representative for World Wildlife Fund Mesoamerica. “This is a powerful example of how innovative land governance can deliver lasting benefits for both people and nature.”
How mangroves fit into the country’s conservation goals
The conservation of these mangroves not only helps the country protect an ecosystem that safeguards communities and commercially important fisheries, but the use of an irrevocable trust provides a model for other countries looking to conserve critical mangrove habitat. It also helps Belize implement the goals laid out in its nationally determined contribution (NDC)—the commitments countries make under the Paris Agreement to reduce emissions and the impacts of climate change. Parties to the agreement are required to submit an increasingly ambitious plan every five years. Belize’s latest NDC, submitted in June 2025, included goals to:
- Protect 6,000 additional hectares (about 14,826 acres) of mangroves by 2030, with an additional 8,000 hectares (about 19,768 acres) by 2035.
- Restore 2,000 hectares (about 4,942 acres) of mangroves by 2030, with an additional 2,500 hectares (about 6,178 acres) by 2035.
With this conservation trust, Belize is demonstrating how to help ensure mangroves around the world are conserved and sustainably managed for the future.
Kim Jensen co-leads The Pew Charitable Trusts’ work to conserve coastal wetlands in Belize, Jamaica, and Kenya and supports Pew’s efforts on peatland conservation.
Michael Latimer supports Pew’s coastal wetlands policy portfolio across the Latin American, Caribbean, and Western Indian Ocean regions, engaging with country partners and stakeholders to drive conservation policy.
People
