My Favorite Map of Belize

My name is Gorlee Marin. I hold an Associate's Degree in Environmental Science and an Associate's Degree in Natural Resource Management. I am currently pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in Natural Resource Management at the University of Belize. My ultimate goal is to earn a Master's and a Doctorate degree in Oceanography and become the manager of one of Belize's many marine stations where I will not only conduct research, but also ensure that the area is being protected and preserved. This is why I decided to major in Natural Resource Management.

I am driven by my passion for success and my motto of "never give up".  From a very young age, I would squirm at the thought of failure. This, along with the support of my family, is the sole reasons for all my achievements in both academics and sports. I enjoy playing volleyball and soccer, listening to serene music and spending quality time with my family. Apart from this, I prefer spending time out at sea, where I feel like I become one with the ocean. 

National Protected Areas of Belize (2013)

Above is my favorite map of Belize, which shows the National Protected Areas. It is important to note that the above map was created with information dated to 2013. Therefore, some figures pertaining to the number of protected areas will have changed. According to a lecture done during the University of Belize's Protected Areas Management course, there are 13 marine protected areas, comprising of 12.6% of the country's marine territory. There is over 50 terrestrial protected areas which cover an astonishing 50% of our land area. Magana, J. (2015) Therefore, a total of approximately 62.6% of Belize's entire territory is protected and governed under several environmental laws and acts, mainly the National Parks System Act (1981, the Marine Reserve Regulations of (1) 1983 and (10) 1987, and Forest Act for forest reserves. Ministry of Attorney General (2000)

Belize, "Mother Nature's Best Kept Secret" is known for its wide wide array of flora and fauna and magnificent structures such as the Mayan temples, Barrier Reef, Blue Hole and large forest reserves such as Chiquibul. Our country takes much pride in our natural resources. As a Natural Resource Manager, I too take much pride in protected and preserving the natural resources we have here in our country for the future generations.


References:

• Belize Protected Areas. (2010). Retrieved August 26, 2015, from http://www.pactbelize.org/ProtectedAreas.aspx 
• Magana, J. (2015). Protected Areas Management [Powerpoint Presentation]. 
• The Laws of Belize (Revised ed.), Department of Law Revision; Ministry of the Attorney General, 2000