
Marist students from New York went on an Ecology Mission Trip to Belize
Marist students from Archbishop Molloy High School (New York – United States Province) in journeyed to Belize, from December 4-10, for a mission trip focused on Ecology. The eco-trip was organized by Richard Costa, Campus Minister from Molloy, and chaperoned along with Matthew Corrado, fellow Campus Minister from Molloy, as well as Joanne Cavera, a retired Science chair from St. Joseph Regional, and Sam King, Ecology Coordinator for the Marist Brothers USA.
The immersion in nature was carried out in partnership with Bold Hope (a nonprofit organization that connects and empowers people to transform lives worldwide) that partnered them with a local Mayan community, Mopan Maya (natives to regions of Belize), so that the students have the opportunity to help build the foundation for a new wall around a church and assist in construction at the village school.
On the other hand, the students also toured some local farms around Maya Mopan to learn about traditional agroforestry and the unique challenges facing farmers in a changing climate, and how it affects people.
One of the local farmers, Max, shared with the group that his community had traditionally planted on May 10 and 15 in accordance with the Mayan calendar, coordinating efforts with neighbors so that birds could feed evenly across the surrounding lands. And yet, because of changing weather patterns, he and his community are now struggling with crop yields and planting later in the season. After, the group visited another farm stewarded by Triff, who said that intensified rainfall had resulted in declining corn yields and prompted him to begin using fertilizers to bolster the crops.
Visiting the farms gave students a first-hand glimpse into the close relationships Mayan communities have maintained with lands and waters for thousands of years. âWe saw how they’re very in touch with the environment,â a fellow senior reflected. âThey do all their practices in an eco-friendly way. There’s not a lot of waste on the farm,â a junior highlighted. âThey have owned their farms for a long time, at least since the 80s and 90s⊠Since then, they’ve been experiencing the environmental impacts of climate changeâ, another student expressed. And one senior student was struck by the prevalence of organic farming practices: âA lot of the farmers said they donât use fertilizer because they already have rich soil. Instead, they use other parts of fruits to restore nutrients in the soil.â
The group also partnered with the Southern Environmental Association (SEA) of Belize for a beach cleanup and waste audit led by Education and Outreach Coordinator, Andrea Cowo, by the Placencia Municipal Pier. She began with an ecological overview of the coastal region, highlighting the importance of mangroves and coastal biodiversity, and described how climate change is causing ocean acidification leading to the bleaching of coral reefs. âWe picked up so much trash”, a senior recalled. On the other hand, A junior reflected on the pervasiveness of plastics at the beach and the need for alternatives to single-use plastics: âA lot of what we found were things that could not be picked up easily, like microplastics mixed into the sand.â
Led by Joanne Cavera, science teacher and veteran birder, the students learned about so many types of birds and how to identify them. Cavera described various characteristics to look for â including size, color, and wing shape â and how to identify bird calls using Merlin Bird ID, an app created by the Cornell University Ornithology Lab.
On their final night in Belize, students reflected on their experience in a memorable Zoom call with the Marist Green Team, a community of students, faculty, campus ministers, and Brothers committed to living out integral ecology and the principles of Laudato Siâ. After sharing insights from various encounters â from swimming in a waterfall to snorkeling a coral reef to enjoying a home-cooked meal in a village church â students spoke to how their time in Belize enriched their spiritual lives.
Speaking about his eco-trip one of the students summed up the experience as “God’s beautiful creation.â
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