Ronaldi "Roni" Martinez is the thirty first recipient of the James A. Waight Conservation Award. Martinez was nominated by Caves Branch Lodge and the San Pedro Sun, who both described him as a "vibrant role model for budding conservationists of all ages." He is a bird guide by profession and one of the founders of Belize Bird Conservancy. The award is given out each year by the Belize Audubon Society. The Executive Director, Amanda Burgos Acosta, told us what made Martinez stand out from the other nominees.

The James A. Waight Conservation Award is named after the Belize Audubon Society's first president.



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Meet the man behind the binoculars; Roni Martinez

For as long as he can remember, birding extraordinaire and champion for the protection of Scarlet Macaws in the Chiquibul Forest of Belize, Roni Martinez has always had a connection with nature. But his passion went further than just appreciating the beauty of his wild environment, he wanted to know what made it tick. "I wanted to understand why certain plants only grew in one type of soil or why this bird only lives in this one type of habitat�it sparked a deeper interest in understanding nature, rather than just admiring it," Roni recalls.

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