Workshop in Belize Advances Peatland Mapping and Climate Planning

A recent workshop in Belize brought together government agencies, NGOs, and research institutions to validate ongoing peatland mapping efforts led by Dr. Samer Elshehawi and Cristina Malpica (Michael Succow Foundation, partner in the Greifswal Mire Centre), in collaboration with PEW Charitable Trusts, Belize's Forest Department, and the Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute (CZMAI).

The workshop drew 32 participants from national and regional organizations. Dr. Hannah Morrissette from the Smithsonian Institute presented findings from soil organic carbon analysis conducted during fieldwork, highlighting the carbon storage potential of Belize's peatlands. 

The Forest Department shared updates on greenhouse gas inventory methods and monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems related to coastal wetlands. CZMAI presented their latest benthic mapping efforts, while WWF-Mesoamerica outlined their land tenure mapping work and its implications for Belize’s climate goals under its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). 

Participants explored how the findings could inform national policy and climate planning, especially concerning the role of peatland-coastal ecosystems in climate mitigation and adaptation. 

Following the workshop, the MSF team and Forest Department conducted a field visit to the New River area to examine peatland transition zones firsthand and further ground-truth the mapping results. 

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Workshop in Belize Photo: C. Malpica / Michael Succow Stiftung Workshop in Belize Photo: C. Malpica / Michael Succow Stiftung Photo: S. Elshehawi / Michael Succow Stiftung Photo: S. Elshehawi / Michael Succow Stiftung