Belize Native Trees is a Mayan owned and operated business located in Aguacate village, Toledo District, Belize.  We grow local provenance, Belize and Central American native hardwood tree and shrub species. Working closely with environmental reclamation professionals, national parks, private landowners and conservation groups our goal is to restore their land with beautiful native trees and shrubs.  Our trees and shrubs serve as important sources of leaves, fruit, pollen and nectar for a host of insect species as well as many reptile, bird and mammal species.

Our Future lies in Our Forests

Belize is a country blessed with lush forests, clear rivers and streams and jungles teeming with wildlife.  Unfortunately, these attributes are under assault by our expanding population and modernization.  Our forests must be actively and correctly managed in order to prevent soil erosion, loss of wildlife diversity and an impoverished people.  Our forests can support people and wildlife, but it must be done correctly.

An important part of the proper management of our forests is replanting degraded areas with new trees and shrubs thus improving habitat for wildlife, reducing soil erosion and improving the quality of our soil.  Our company, Belize Native Trees believes that our plants, grown from seeds that we collect locally, gives the best opportunity for planting success.  We are a small nursery located in Aguacate, Toledo District but we see the big picture in restoring our forests and all of the benefits that creates.

One of the things that sets our nursery apart from others is that we’re actively working to bring meaningful employment to our village.  We work with our residents to train them to identify trees, collect, label and store seeds, care for seedlings in the nursery environment and finally planting those seedlings in the field.  Included with that are lessons on the proper pruning of seedlings after they are planted and appropriate fertilization.  Armed with this knowledge our villagers provide a vital service to ensure a successful planting project while being gainfully employed.

Our ancestors lived and worked in harmony with these forests and we believe it is appropriate that we are now working to save and expand the forests we depended on for generations.