Blue Bonds for Ocean Conservation

A debt-for-nature swap in Belize can protect marine resources.

It’s a world away from the familiar fields and woods of Illinois, but off the coast of Belize, The Nature Conservancy applied our trademark ability to bring diverse partners together and spirit of innovation to achieve an important conservation victory.

Belize’s barrier reef is part of the larger Mesoamerican reef, which is the second largest reef in the world. The lapis lazuli waters are a diver’s paradise with abundant rich coral, over 500 species of fish and a shoreline fringed with lush mangrove forests and lagoons.

These stunning natural wonders are under pressure as Belize struggles to repay its massive public debt (which exceeds its GDP). With tourism down and limited funds available for environmental protection, the government sought a way to raise capital without destroying its resources.

Belize found the answer in a debt conversion program that TNC piloted called Blue Bonds for Ocean Conservation. Countries agree to protect at least 30% of their ocean resources in exchange for restructured debt agreements. Belize reaffirmed its environmental leadership by becoming the first country in the Americas to finalize a debt-for-ocean conversion—an investment in marine protection that’s unprecedented in scale.

“Nature is crucial for Belize’s economy, and we are proud to be partnering with the first country in Latin America to tackle these challenges using the Blue Bonds model,” says Julie Robinson, program director for TNC in Belize.

In November 2021, TNC succeeded in restructuring $553 million of Belize’s debt, working with a major international bank and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation. Now that the principal on its debt has been lowered by $250 million, Belize has unlocked $180 million for marine conservation: good news for wildlife, tourists and residents alike.

Learn more about TNC’s Blue Bonds model at nature.org/bluebonds

Urban Conservation Tackle air quality with Latinos Progresando

TNC partners with community groups in Chicago to support their efforts to improve environmental and human health in their neighborhoods. Starting last spring, TNC partnered with Latinos Progresando, as well as the Environmental Law & Policy Center and other organizations, to pilot an air quality monitoring program. To make the case for policy changes, trained volunteers collected data in Marshall Square, a neighborhood with particularly poor air quality. TNC is also collaborating with Latinos Progresando to add green elements to the central corridor, California Avenue, beginning with a project at a local school. “We’re using the Cook County Greenprint, a tool we developed that identifies priority areas for natural infrastructure, to help us focus our work,” explains John Legge, Chicago conservation director.

Fire Stewardship Prescribed Fires in April

At TNC preserves, controlled fires are set in spring. While fire is often viewed as a destructive force, scientists say the correct use of wildland fire can save money, protect lives and improve native habitat. TNC and our partners use fire to maintain landscapes that depend on it, like oak–hickory forests and grasslands. Fire keeps invasive species in check, allows native species to thrive, keeps woody shrubs from taking over grasslands, returns nutrients to the soil and stimulates many plants to blossom. “Right after a burn, people wonder, why did they do that?” says Ashley Maybanks, director of government relations at TNC in Illinois. “But within a few weeks, there are beautiful flowers popping up. The grass comes back almost immediately.” This spring, look for prescribed burn sites at our preserves and in state parks!

Lands and Water Vote Yes Success in Cook County

TNC is celebrating a big win: the passage of a referendum on last November’s ballot to fund the Forest Preserves of Cook County. The ballot initiative will generate approximately $45 million per year to care for the forest preserves. TNC co-led a coalition of over 160 environmental groups that advocated for this initiative, which proposed a miniscule property tax increase to support the forest preserves. Spanning 70,000 acres, the preserves contain the Chicago Botanic Garden and the Brookfield Zoo and receive over 62 million visits a year. This network of urban forests is critical for protecting Chicagoland’s biodiversity, absorbing floodwaters and providing heat protection as we ensure that the region’s more than 5 million people have access to healthy outdoor spaces.