FoN's work in Placencia Lagoon

Placencia Lagoon provides critical ecosystem services to human populations and habitat to a diverse community of plants and animals. Development has taken a toll on this unique ecosystem and has threatened to impair many of these populations and functions. Friends of Nature (FoN) works independently and in conjunction with stakeholders, the Belizean Government, universities, and non-governmental organizations to monitor, protect and restore the biological treasures of Placencia Lagoon (photo by T.B. Smith) .



FoN monitors the distribution, ecology and diversity of seagrass species in and around Placencia Lagoon. Food web studies supported by FoN have shown that seagrass support the food web of fisheries in Placencia Lagoon as both a carbon source and habitat. Unique seagrass species, including Halophilla baillonii (pictured here) have been found in the lagoon and shown to be a major diet item of West Indian Manatee (photo by T.B. Smith).



Originally described as a low-nutrient lagoon, water quality in Placencia Lagoon has recently declined as construction, dredging, aquaculture and population density have increased. Sights such as the algae mats pictured here were once unthinkable but now have become real problems in some areas. FoN biologists and community researchers monitor water quality and work with local stakeholders to identify and mitigate such problems when they arise (photo by E. Fernandez).




Placencia Lagoon provides a sheltered environment where adult marine mammals animals like bottlenosed dolphins and West Indian Manatee can care for their young. Recent losses of seagrass forage and increased boating traffic are issues of concern for these animals. FoN facilitates the work of international NGOs and universities to help monitor and study the distribution, behavior and ecology of marine mammals such as West Indian Manatee (photo by T.B. Smith).




Red mangroves dominate the shores, creeks and estuaries of Placencia Lagoon. Mangroves provide critical nursery habitat for coastal and reef fish species, reduce pollution entering sensitive marine environments and stabilize shorelines against erosion and hurricane damage. Effective measures are needed to restore lost mangrove, and protect and manage the remaining mangrove habitat (photo by B. Collier).




The universal popularity of the Caribbean seafront has resulted in rapidly increasing prices for coastal properties and widespread clearing of mangroves. The loss of mangrove habitats represents a critical issue for ecosystems such as Placencia Lagoon (photo by T.B. Smith).





Traditional and recreational sport fishing mingle in Placencia Lagoon. Tarpon, snook, goliath grouper, a variety of snapper and other species are targeted with gill nets and hook and line. Fisheries options will be needed that keep the quality of the resource high and sustainable for all stakeholders (photo by T.B. Smith).

Terrestrial habitats around Placencia Lagoon support a dazzling array of unique plants and animals. Dozens of unique species of wild orchids grow in and around the mangrove forests of Placencia Lagoon. This orchid, Myrmecophila tibicinis, is locally known as cow-horn orchid. It shelters symbiotic populations of ants that protect it from grazers. Untold species and unique biological interactions in Placencia Lagoon remain unknown and undocumented (photo by B. Collier).

The American crocodile and Morelet’s crocodile both live in Placencia Lagoon. Here, a juvenile American crocodile waits for a meal in a boat canal near Maya Beach. Increasing human population density makes interaction between humans and crocodiles more likely and raises a host of concerns for both species. FoN stands committed to balancing the needs of the environment with those of human populations and preserving the species and ecosystem functions of Placencia Lagoon (photo by T.B. Smith).