the river facility might not cause extensive direct habitat loss, but would potentially impact stream flow considerably (including tributaries) - which would significantly impact not only the critically endangered, endangered and endemic amphibian species recorded in this assessment, but the wealth of biodiversity that is intricately dependent upon the hydrology and microclimate within this pristine habitat. Construction / service / maintenance access to any facility (and associated power transmission lines) would be a major cause of concern in a habitat such as this – with inevitable impacts on the micro-climate, as well as increased risk of storm damage, erosion, impaired water quality, hunting and agricultural incursions. Additionally, the extremely rugged topography would pose an enormous logistical challenge to development in this location, a protected area of the MMM, and would further increase the ‘collateral environmental damage’ associated with it. The protected areas of the MMM, such as BNR, including Central River, are “considered to contain significant valuable resources – plants and animals of economic and cultural value… and all have significant ecosystem services, such as providing protection to the headwaters of the majority of the watersheds of Belize” (Walker et al, 2008). There can be no question that the ecological costs of a development within the upper reaches of Central River would be exceptionally high, and the question remains as to whether the river flow volumes would be sufficient to supply a large enough facility to merit any serious consideration of whether the national and regional biodiversity losses could be justified and sanctioned.
19