Last week on the news we told you about a mining threat that had both citizens and environmentalists up in arms.
But while that operation is still purely exploratory, another mining operation is well underway.
This time the company in question is Boiton Minerals Ltd. a Belizean-owned company focused on gold mining in the Maya Mountains.
Cherisse Halsall made the long journey through the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve this weekend to get to the company's camp, and tonight we bring you the first part of her story.
I'm here in the Chiquibul forest at the foothills of the Maya Mountains. Just 4.5km from Boiton Minerals Ltd.'s mining camp. That's where we're headed, and it's why we've come to find out how this company's activities, often unmonitored in this extremely remote area of Belize, will affect the headwaters of the river that bears the country's name.
But that was the mid-way point in the journey. We certainly didn't start there instead we kicked off our trip in Georgeville where we boarded three large pickup trucks to head into Mountain Pine Ridge.
Once there, we sat through a brief of the real journey upon which we were about to embark.
And our jungle limousine was this thing the Jumping Viper a name that has a particular resonance for anyone who's taken one of its 5 to 8 hour rides.
And while it's a rough ride through the Chiquibul forest.
It's also positively breathtaking and a fitting antidote for the stresses of civilized life.
And while all the humans on the journey got a good jostling
That wasn't the case for this little girl, she's called Ceibo or Millonario, depending on which station she's journeyed to. She followed the Viper all throughout the all day 5 hour journey. Nothing out of the ordinary for a dog native to Chiquibul.
And when we'd had enough of the viper, we got down for a hike, a steep climb down the hill.
To what's called the natural Arch one of the most astounding sites in the entire country.
And back at the top of the hill you couldn't escape the hum of the cicadas, a jungle drone that surrounds the traveler, simply impossible to miss.
And while the story of the journey could go on
Our final destination was here, Boiton Minerals Ltd. Mining Camp a homestead set up to support a mining operation smack dab in the middle of a national park.
Tomorrow, I'll tell you why it is a great concern for the Friends For Conservation and Development which co-manages the park."
We'll bring you Part 2 of the story tomorrow.
