For decades, unsung women conservationists have worked quietly behind the scenes to safeguard Belize’s rich forest ecosystems and vulnerable wildlife populations. Now, a pioneering new initiative is pulling these dedicated leaders into the public spotlight – not through policy debates or grassroots protests, but through the power of creative art.
To mark its 30th year of conservation action across Belize, the Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT) has launched a one-of-a-kind anniversary project called “Rooted and Rising.” The innovative exhibition pairs three long-serving female conservation leaders with three of Belize’s most talented emerging women artists, creating a space to celebrate the human effort behind the country’s decades of environmental progress that often goes unrecognized.
Abil Castañeda, executive director of PACT, explained that the project takes generations of on-the-ground conservation work and translates it into permanent, tangible works of art that tell the story of these women’s impact. “We centered their lives, their decades-long careers and their unwavering commitment to conservation, then turned to some of our nation’s most brilliant creative talents to ask: how can we create pieces that honor this legacy, and memorialize the dedication these women have shown over decades?” Castañeda said in an interview about the initiative.
One of the conservation leaders honored in the exhibition is Jessie Young, a core member of the Community Baboon Sanctuary’s Women’s Conservation Group. Under the leadership of Young and her colleagues, the group has overseen a dramatic recovery of Belize’s black howler monkey population: growing from just 800 individuals in 1985, when the sanctuary was founded, to more than 6,000 today. Young reflected on the challenges of building and sustaining a community-led conservation organization over decades, noting “It’s never easy to manage a community-based organisation… but we have managed to persevere. We believe as women we have the strength that it takes to manage anything.”
For the exhibition, each artist draws direct inspiration from the conservationist they are paired with, turning their work and values into creative pieces. Artist Zyania Alonzo, who collaborated with conservationist Maria Garcia, created a handcrafted leather bag designed to echo the complex layers and biodiversity of Belize’s rainforests. “I wanted to do something that represents the forest and its intricacy,” Alonzo explained of her work.
Beyond honoring the legacy of these women, the project also provides direct, ongoing support for future conservation work. After the exhibition closed its run, organizers hosted a pop-up marketplace where all artworks are available for purchase, with 50% of every sale going straight to the conservation groups represented in the show.
A full feature introducing all three participating artists and the conservation leaders they collaborated with will air during tonight’s 6 p.m. broadcast of News 5 Live, giving audiences a deeper look at the intersection of art, activism and gender in Belize’s conservation movement.