The Friends for Conservation and Development, the organization that co-manages the Chiquibul National Park, has been recognized internationally for its friendly and collaborative efforts to carry out conservation with its Guatemalan counterpart, Asociación Balam.
Durham University's Centre for Border Research, known as the International Boundaries Research Unit (IBRU), recently handed out their 4th annual Raymond Milfesky Award. And the IBRU has selected those two NGO's as this year's awardees.
IBRU considers that the FCD and Asociación Balam are deserving of the award because, despite the cross-border tension between Belize and Guatemala, they have found a common cause in the conservation of the protected areas near the western border. Both organizations have worked to mitigate deforestation and watershed degradation and to foster peace and community development in the transboundary zone.
The award includes a cash prize of 745 pounds, which will be split evenly between the two organizations.
