You betta Belize it!

Hi everyone and thanks for following our field course blog!

Yesterday the class arrived and headed straight to the Belize Zoo – one of the best places in Belize for environmental education and conservation.  The group then continued on to the western end of Belize to Chaa Creek resort. They had a delicious rice and beans and stewed chicken supper at the Macal River Camp casitas. Oil lamps in cabins, decks with hammocks that overlook the Macal River below...it is rustic with no electricity, river/jungle setting, and basic accommodations – but it is very classy and beautiful!   What a great way to welcome a group to Belize!

Welcome to Belize!

Hi everyone!  They are (almost) here! The Belize Field School Staff, Ms Rhondine Petrof, Mr. Lenney Gentle, Mr. Danny Velazquez, Yute Adventure Tours (bus/driver/guide) and I are excited and looking forward to the arrival of the Puerto Rico-New Mexico group!

(check back later today/tonight -- and through the week for updates!)

You Betta Belize It!

Hello! This is Kristi with the Belize Field School Program at New Mexico State University. The field school staff in Belize is ready and waiting for the students from University of Puerto Rico, New Mexico State University and New Mexico Highlands University. We have a record-breaking numbers of professors as well: Dr. Sara Brown, Dr. Jesus Rivas, Dr. Sarah Corey Rivas, Rick McNeill, Lisa Bentson and Dr. Ed Boles (from Belize).

 On the map of Belize (below): we’ll start by going to the western edge of Belize in the Cayo District (near San Ignacio town). After a couple of days acclimating, we'll head to the Cockscomb Basin Jaguar Reserve near Dangriga (central, coast) where course projects will be conducted. Last we'll spend a couple days out on the reef at Southwater Caye southeast of Dangriga.

STAY TUNED FOR UPDATED STORIES AND PICTURES FROM MAY 18 ON...

Course videos!

THE POSTS BELOW ARE FOR THE MARCH SPRING BREAK CLASS - NMSU'S COURSE WITH MARTHA DESMOND MARCH 18-25....

These 2 videos below were shot and edited (on location) by Daniel Velazquez in Belize!

Click the link below to open the 27-minute course documentary made for the students to take home with them:

http://vimeo.com/39497958

And here's a 4-minute promotional video for Dr. Martha Desmond and NMSU Study Abroad:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oVAdrEAUfg

For the past 6 years, I am so proud of what the Belize Field School (along with NMSU Study Abroad) has been doing for field education and service learning (for NMSU students and faculty) and community assistance, collaboration and conservation in Belize! Thank you to everyone who helped make this possible!

Kristi Drexler, Director

NMSU Belize Field School

Thank you Belize!

Thank you Belize for such a wonderful 10-day field school! We went out all day yesterday and snorkeled 2 reef sites and a mangrove area. We also had a couple presentations by the NMSU Gerald Thomas Chair Dr. Ed Boles and finished with another intertidal walk where we saw a good size octopus, fire worms, sea cucumbers, sea stars, sea horses, urchins, sea hairs, etc... you can spend an hour going 30 feet along the beach looking under coral rubble and finding 100 things.

Here's an interview with Ed and Danny the videographer over coffee this morning:

KRISTI: Danny, from your documentary video of the field course, what would you say is the overall sentiment of the students?

DANNY: Awesome. It was another great collaboration by the students. Almost half the material was from them. Really talented photographers [in the class]. Overall, the comedic parts were a success. It was a great cast of characters. One of my favorite bits was the intro to rainforest medicine....its a very important plant in the mundo maya...there were good [facial] reactions to their trying this plant.

KRISTI: How did you choose the music?

DANNY: I always use independent and local music. I have no particular way of choosing...I just drop in in there. The music sets the ambiance. I hope they go out and buy the music.

KRISTI: Dr. Ed - How did you think this field course went overall ?

ED: I think there's another group of NMSU students that have a broader perspective of the world. I imagine - out of this group - there will be quite a few returning to Belize. Some having snorkeled for the first time in their lives...some its the first time seeing the sea. One highlight was meeting University of Belize students and Fisheries personnel for a presentation and learning about all of the research and monitoring activities that they need to conduct....and discussing opportunities where our students - who are engaged in project based field courses - can make a valuable contribution to protected areas management.

Our banner! Staff at the lodges in Belize said the NMSU group was one of the nicest and best student groups they've seen in Belize.

Dr. Ed Boles giving a marine ecology lecture at IZE station on Southwater Caye

Corrie at the breakfast line: quiche, scrambled eggs, refried beans, fry jacks (flat sopapillas) fruit and juice - just the fuel we need for snorkeling!

Sunrise view from the Instructors' cabana - mangrove vegetation and reef right off shore.

Can you spot the blue-headed wrasse (almost center of the photo)?

Ariane snorkeling, checking out a 'donkey dung' sea cucumber

Check out the NMSU students, snorkeling in the crystal clear Caribbean Sea!

From all the Belize Field School staff and guests - Rhondine, Lenney, Melvis, Vladamir and Programme for Belize, The Belize Zoo and TEC, Dr. Isabelle med-vet, Nikki Buxton and Belize Bird Rescue, Richard and IZE at Southwater Caye, and Kristi and Charles...

THANK YOU NMSU students and faculty for participating in the Belize Field School Program. You have friends in Belize and you are always welcome back to Belize!

Here is the Belize Field School staff:

Mrs. Rhondine Petrof, owner of Toucan Education Programs. She is truly incredible! www.studyinbelize.com

Professional guide and conservation biologist - Mr. Lenney Gentle

Dr. Ed Boles, Aquatic Ecologist and Gerald Thomas Chair at NMSU Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology Dept.

Daniel Velazquez, professional videographer and artist

Dr. Martha Desmond, Interim Department Head for Fish, Conservation and Wildlife Ecology Dept - and lead Professor of this Belize Field School course

Kristi Drexler-Britt (Director) and Charles Britt (Research Coordinator), NMSU Belize Field School

Reef and Mangrove Snorkeling near Southwater caye

Day 9 here on the Belize Field School on Southwater Caye. Lovely weather for our all-day reef and mangrove snorkel today!

JAYCE: Today is the 24^th and this trip has flown by! I am amazed at how much we have done in our day to day schedule in such a short amount of time. ATM cave was intense because I did not know how well I would fare with all the climbing and maneuvering due to a recent back injury. I kept my head on my shoulders and paid attention to everything going on inside the cave the higher we climbed. Cave swimming was a new experience for me and I loved it. Yesterday and today will be (for me) the greatest part about this entire field course! South water Caye (Key) is fantastic! Night snorkeling and walking on the tropical beach is just beyond awesome! I am in love with the island we are on but I have loved ones back home who mean so much more to me! I really do miss them, all of them haha. Today will be snorkeling off the reef systems near south water and I am supremely excited. Belize you have been amazing and this truly is a trip of a lifetime!

LUIS: I can’t believe it’s almost over. The amount of diversity present in Belize has been extraordinary and unique. It is almost unbelievable how many ecosystems actually occur in this tiny country. Today we saw the sun rise and tonight we’ll see it set all from the same spot. Last night we explored the beach discovering a plethora of creatures ranging from anemones & worms to seahorses and barracudas. If anyone has the opportunity to come to Belize they should take it because it is definitely worth the chigger and mosquito bites. Belize is truly a paradise but as all paradises it is threatened by the most invasive species of all; humans, which is why we are here. We are studying what needs protection and effective ways of enacting protective measures that are beneficial not only to the quality of natural ecosystems but also to us all. Belize is setting a great example in managing their natural resources but still needs a lot of work and education of the public. Together humanity can make a difference in our own quality of life by taking interest and action with respects to humanities effects on the world. But enough of talk, just Belize It!!

SHAE: It’s our last full day here, and I am definitely not ready for it to be over! We got up early to watch the sunrise then took a nice morning kayak before breakfast. If I could do that every day for the rest of my life I think I would be content (not to mention I would have some awesome shoulder muscles). I am so intrigued with the marine life here on the reefs, I could spend all day out there just swimming around. The people are fun, the fish are awesome, and the food is even better! … this has been an awesome experience that I will never forget, and hopefully I’ll be able to come back someday. See you guys soon! Keep us in your prayers.

Daniel Boykin, studying the fish card and logging fish on the fish list

Dachin's view: "Paradise"

Post-snorkeling boat ride back to Southwater caye for some R&R

Dachin "hello"

Shae and Daniel Boykin on the way to the forereef, Southwater caye in the background

Would you believe Luis never snorkeled in his life before this trip?

IZE at Southwater caye was awesome. (Notice Ed in mid-bite. heh heh...gotcha!)

Hopkins and Southwater Caye

We are at lovely Southwater caye in southern Belize. Perfect weather, nice breeze, clear water...we could not ask for better! We're looking forward to an all-day snorkel tour tomorrow.

DANIEL MACIAS: Belize is, well, UNBELIZEABLE! A Fer-de-lance the first night was a good sign. This whole trip has been an incredible experience. Being a big herper, I was a little worried when I heard that snakes would be uncommon, it being the dry season. Thankfully though, we've seen quite a few snakes and frogs. The diversity of birds is also amazing. I didn't quite make it with Dr. Desmond's challenge to find 200 species of birds, but 112 species in just five days ain't bad at all!

Aside from the wildlife and natural beauty of the rain forest, the cultural experiences are probably the true highlight of the trip. Visiting the Mayan temples and being on such sacred ground has been a powerful experience. I have to admit that I was unsure about visiting Actun Tunichil Muknal cave, it being a sacred place that's become a tourist site. But if you respect the sacredness of the site and enter with the right mind set, I suppose it's okay. Being in the cave and imagining the ancient Maya finding their way through its chambers with nothing more than torches was very profound. All in all, being here and listening to the forest and interacting with the wildlife are experiences that will stick with me with the rest of my life. Now all I need to do is find a quick way to Belizean citizenship!

KRISTI: Here are some photos from the Garifuna culture presentation in Hopkins and snorkeling 101 this afternoon. Pictures and stories from our inter-tidal walk and night snorkel coming soon...

Garifuna cultural demonstration, drumming and dancing. EVERYone was punta dancing in the end...

Yute Expeditions transports our group on the scenic Hummingbird Highway

'Snorkeling 101' off Southwater Caye

Corrie: "Peace"

Paradise during the day... and where the octopus, sea horse, sea hairs, and 100s of critters hang out at night!

Heberto jamming to his tunes underwater at whale shoal reef site

Jayce - loving the sea

Daniel Macias - perfecting the 'hover

'

Dustin (and Daniel Macias and Lori in the background) enjoying fresh coconut