The jungle environment presents different challenges to our soldiers than they are used to, ranging from jungle forest to secondary and primary jungle. It’s a far cry from the open grasslands of Salisbury Plain Training Area. It is not just the training that’s different, it’s the environmental considerations. It’s vital that we maintain our consent to train by adhering to the BATSUB environmental compliance plan. We hold the key for future training and must ensure we are able to operate alongside the wildlife within this unique training area.
Charitable partners
As well as working with Panthera, a charity that monitors and protects big cats, we also work with other NGOs to protect the environment we share with the local inhabitants.
We work closely with the Belize Maya Forest Trust (BMFT), which purchased a large area of 80,000 hectares of forest. Their aim is to preserve the area from being used for agriculture, which would have an impact on the local wildlife. This will reduce the threat to four Endangered or Critically Endangered species and reduce carbon emissions.
Working with the Belizean government
Naturally, a military force training overseas, even in a friendly nation such as Belize, requires a positive working relationship with our hosts. We are in regular contact with various departments of the Belizean government, especially the Forest Department and the Department of Environment, and we host a yearly visit for these organisations. This allows us to show the training estate we have used, and how we have managed the area to allow the jungle time to recover.
Forest fires are unfortunately another danger in this tropical environment. We ensure the exercising troops are fully aware of the restrictions imposed upon them, along with the actions that are required if a fire starts. BATSUB engaged with the Belize Forest Department at the start of the dry season, sharing information and experience of forest fires and allowing us to learn and share our own experiences of preventing and fighting fires. Last summer, for example, the Range Control team worked with BMFT rangers and the Forest Department to get water to a large area which was actively burning. Such collaboration is vital to our successful operation in this beautiful country and we are always grateful for the support of the Belizean government and our other partners.
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