And further south from "Malanti", the Placencia peninsula is known for its stunning beaches that span multiple villages. But their coastline is in danger from a combination of sargassum and erosion. However, they're trying to stop it before the sea swallows more of their sandy shore - which is also very high value real estate. And they're doing so with a science based solution. Courtney Menzies has this story from an event yesterday int he village.
It's some of the most valuable real estate in the country - but is the Placencia coastline disappearing?
It has certainly shrunk dramatically in some areas over the years.
And now the villages of the Placencia peninsula are fighting back against coastal erosion. Yesterday the Placencia and Seine Bight village councils signed an MOU with the Department of the Environment and the Ministry of Sustainable Development for the launch of a project called the Technical Approach for Shoreline Recovery and Shore Stabilization for the Placencia Peninsula.
This plan aims to tackle erosion with a scientific approach. At the signing ceremony, the chairmen of the villages expressed how significant this battle is.
Jose Aleman, Chairman, Seine Bight Village Council
"This initiative comes at an important time for Placencia, Seine Bight and the entire peninsula. We are all familiar with the challenges we face. Coastal erosion has been steadily eating away at our beaches, threatening our homes, businesses and the natural beauty that supports our tourism and also our way of life. At the same time the increasing influx of sargassum had made the situation even more difficult. When large amounts of sargassum pile up and decompose, they weaken the beach, damage seagrass and accelerate the erosion that is affecting us today, leaving our coastline with less protection and less time to recover."
Warren Garbutt, Chairman, Placencia
"Coastal erosion threatens our homes, our livelihoods and the natural beauty that makes Placencia peninsula a special place for residence and visitors alike. Recognizing the importance of protecting our coastline, this initiative brings hope for sustainable and effective solutions aimed at addressing our erosion problem. Together we can preserve the integrity of our beaches, we can safeguard our environment and we can ensure that the future generations can continue to enjoy the stunning landscape the defines the Placencia peninsula."
And Aleman further explained why a science based solution is exactly what they need.
Jose Aleman, Chairman, Seine Bight Village Council
"And while local efforts across the peninsula have helped and support from the Department of the Environment, BTB and our locals of course, the scale of what we're facing requires a coordinated science based solution. That is why today this launch is so important."
"This new technical approach will give us a scientific foundation to guide future planning and engineering decisions. It will help us to understand how to better protect the coastline, where nature based solutions may work and where stronger structural measures are needed."
Dr Maya Trotz, Professor, University of South Florida
"This is really a beginning I think on a long term plan for the peninsula that many here in Belize have been asking for and proposing, with the initial data collection and analysis that this project supports, I do hope that some real solutions come to the peninsula and that it is something that is along the entire coastline and not like individual households trying to do stuff."
We'll keep following the progress.
