Mario Muschamp Selected as PA Officer of the Year.

The Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT) has selected Mr. Mario Muschamp, Manager of the Payne’s Creek National Park (PCNP), a Protected Area co-managed by TIDE and the Forest Department of Belize, as the recipient of the second annual “Protected Area Officer of the Year” award.

His selection comes as a result of PACT’s aim to bring recognition to and awareness of the outstanding contributions made at the site level towards protected areas management by individuals working in the field of conservation.  PACT recognizes Mario for demonstrating extreme dedication and commitment to protected areas management and diligent work over and above the call of duty. 

Mario Muschamp will be presented with his “Protected Areas Officer of the Year” award during the award ceremony scheduled for the occasion of PACT’s 11th anniversary celebration to be held on Wednesday June 6th, 2007 near the pier of the Radisson Fort George Hotel in Belize City commencing at 3:00 p.m.

The management and staff of TIDE congratulate the PCNP Manager for this achievement and wish him many more successful years in conservation work in Southern Belize.  TIDE is also grateful to PACT for their continued support and commitment to funding projects conducted in protected areas.

Over the past few weeks Mario, along with TIDE rangers and the residents who live within the buffer communities of the Park, have been actively engaged in fighting the inevitable wild fires that occur during the hot, dry season in Belize – March to May.  As well, he has recently returned from an international workshop on “Integrated Fire Management in Tropical Pine Lands of Latin America and the Caribbean” which was held in Siguatepeque, Honduras and attended by other representatives from Belize including the Belize Forest Department and The Nature Conservancy Belize Program.

Manager Muschamp will be actively engaged in the upcoming weeks, working together with other protected areas managers who manage Pine Savannah ecosystems prone to forest fires, on a nation-wide National Fire Management Strategy for the country of Belize.

Without donors like PACT our work in protecting the country’s natural resources would not be possible and the Pine Savannah ecosystem within and around the PCNP could be destroyed forever.   To learn more about how you can help contribute to the management of protected areas like the Payne’s Creek National Park visit our homepage and sign up to become a member of TIDE.