Trekforce Worldwide: March 2007

The projects are now completed and have been handed over in 2 separate opening ceremonies.

DAVIS FALLS

Davis Falls is Belize’s second highest waterfall and the location, surrounded by broadleaf forest, makes it an ideal tourist hot spot! The team have finished their project ahead of schedule. The opening ceremony was held on Sunday 25th March and was attended by representatives from our project partners "Friends of the Valley" as well as members of the local community. Trekforce's Country Director and Logistics Manager also attended.

The finished camp looks fantastic: two large thatched shelters have been constructed using local bay palms for eco-tourists to stay in when they visit the park. Trekforce make an effort to ensure that all of the wood for the project is sourced locally. Local farmers are asked to provide the materials and Belizean carpenters are employed to advise us on cost and numbers. This is important to us to ensure that locals are provided with an income rather than finding external sources! Local hardwood has also been used in the building of seven bridges to give more access to the different tourist attractions surrounding the falls.

Access trails have been re-cleared as they had become over grown with trees and vines. The clearing of the trail is as much scientific as it is manual. With a compass, GPS and map, the group walk along, clearing the trail using machetes and their hands. They must refer to the original map which plots out the trail to ensure that they are clearing the correct area.

The team conducted exploratory transects into the lesser known areas of the reserve and found previously undiscovered waterfalls. This is something the group are bound to talk about for many months to come! Exploratory transects are extremely important, discovering new areas of interest means that they can be highlighted to attract more visitors to the area, as well as ensuring they can now be protected! The park is going through a process of gaining national park status; therefore anything that can be found of interest in the area is an advantage!

With a couple of free days to play with they have also been playing hard to celebrate their achievements. They had a mock wedding (where each role was picked from a hat!) as well as a karaoke night hosted by Dwight Montero- a member of Friends of the Valley, at his home.

RIO FRIO

Working in partnership with Belize Forestry Department the group’s project was based in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve, Southern Belize. The Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve was devastated by the Southern Pine Bark Beetle. Since then, authorities have worked hard to build the rain forest and protect it.

Two ablution blocks have been built; this entails digging a large hole into the ground which is used as a septic tank. This is linked to the toilets they have also installed at a separate location. These are very impressive stone buildings, beautifully thatched, and set back into the jungle. They will be used by visitors to the area- both from the scientific community and tourists.

The group also used their thatching skills they had learnt during jungle training to re-thatch the palapa hut at the entrance to Rio Frio cave, using bay palm leaf. The intention is that area will become the first eco-tourist village in Belize that will cater for Belizeans and encourage them to enjoy their country's incredible forests and caves.

In addition to the two ablution blocks and rethatching, the group also cleared an eco-tourist trail to a huge natural limestone cave. The clearing of this trail takes time and patience. They must plot out the trail by using GPS and a map. The trail must be correct to the letter and then it is transferred onto a map. It will now be a new trail which can be used by anyone walking in the area! For the project group, it is a great feeling to know that they have put a piece of Belize well and truly on the map!

The group faced some delays in their last couple of weeks of the project as it rained lots and it was a bank holiday in Belize for the forestry workers. This meant that project materials could not arrive, and the forestry workers were not on hand to advise. The group made an extra special effort in the last week by getting up at 0430 to get project work started by 0600 and then working until 1830 when it gets dark in order to ensure that the buildings are finished for the opening ceremony on Tuesday.

The volunteers were very proud to hand over the finished project to the Forestry department, who were absolutely thrilled with the outcome and laid on a barbecue for the group. The project also created some media interest as Belize Channel 5 news also attended to cover the ceremony!

FINAL PARTY

The two groups converged for the first time since their jungle training ended nearly two months earlier. They were power-boated off to a tiny desert island called Goff's Caye. The island is a little bit of paradise for the group after roughing it in the jungle for the past 2 months! They laid on short skits for the other group, played games on the beach, and then partied well into the early morning! Everyone then headed back to Belize City where preparations were to take place for the next phase: independent travelling, diving, returning home, or learning Spanish in Guatemala.

Project over, Country Manager, Ed Stafford said: “The jungle part is over and was an unqualified success. Both teams can be very proud of what they have achieved over the past two months."

We can't believe it so we're sure you can't either, the 2 month expedition is coming to an end! Volunteers will shortly be returning home to the UK, moving on to the language or diving phase of the expedition or heading off for some independent travel!

In a short amount of time the volunteers have contributed a huge amount to the community in Belize. They have completed a comprehensive jungle training course which took many outside of their comfort zone but also prepared them for the rest of the expedition, they then went on to complete a worthwhile project, some even turned their hand to sport and completed the Ruta Maya canoe race. All are finishing off their unforgettable experience with a trek... from which they are sure to bring back some amazing images and stories.

The completed projects will be officially handed over to our project partners in a ceremony on Monday the 26th March which is extremly significant to the volunteers who have worked hard over the last 2 months to represent the Trekforce team as professional, committed and team players!

After the ceremony it's all hands to the pump as the medics and Trekforce leaders do their final medical checks on the volunteers and complete paper work. Trekkers prepare for their farewell party and confirm their travelling plans with the Trekforce Leaders on Wednesday 28th March. Whether staying on to complete another phase, going home,or deciding that they want to go off for indepenedent travel, this will all be discussed at a meeting on the 28th March. The first group of volunteers head to the airport for their journey back to UK on Saturday 31st March.