Prime Minister John Briceño has personally intervened to mediate escalating tensions between environmental conservation groups and commercial operators in Belize’s protected forest reserves. The dispute centers around operational coordination and access rights within the ecologically sensitive Chiquibul Forest Reserves and Mountain Pine Ridge areas.
At the heart of the controversy lies a conflict between conservation organization Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD) and commercial entity Bulridge Ltd. FCD claims that Bulridge has recently blocked their researchers from accessing critical Scarlet Macaw habitats, jeopardizing long-term conservation studies of the endangered species. The organization has raised concerns about potential environmental risks and inadequate coordination procedures.
Prime Minister Briceño, however, presents a different perspective, emphasizing that the core issue revolves around safety protocols and operational coordination rather than intentional obstruction. Speaking about his direct involvement in mediation efforts, Briceño revealed that discussions have been ongoing since mid-2025, with the most recent high-level meeting occurring in July or August.
The Prime Minister clarified that Bulridge holds official responsibility for managing access to the reserves, particularly given their commercial logging operations involving large timber transport vehicles. Briceño emphasized that safety concerns necessitate that all organizations operating within the reserves—including FCD researchers—must coordinate their activities with Bulridge to prevent accidents.
A potential resolution appears to be underway through the identification of a new operational area for conservation activities near the Guatemala border bridge, where FCD may establish new headquarters in collaboration with the Belize Defence Force. Briceño also noted that both organizations are conducting parallel studies on Scarlet Macaw populations, suggesting that enhanced communication rather than restricted access would serve both conservation and commercial interests.
The government-mediated solution involves ongoing coordination between Bulridge Ltd., the Forestry Department, and FCD to establish clear protocols that balance environmental research needs with industrial safety requirements in these protected natural areas.