But there is some good news to report tonight. She was named a finalist for a prestigious award from the Whitley Fund for Nature almost a month ago and tonight, we can confirm that after a tight bidding, Belize’s Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development Lisel Alamilla can now add international award winning conservationist to her resume. Alamilla was selected as one of seven global finalists which came from places such as: Peru, Indonesia, the Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Guatemala, and Costa Rica. All finalists had a substantial body of work in environmental conservation and in Alamilla’s case; specifically for her work with the Ya’axche Conservation Trust. Alamilla won the Whitley Fund for Nature award and thirty thousand pounds—almost one hundred thousand Belize dollars—to advance the work of Ya’axche. In 2011, Belizean Doctor Rachel Graham won the Whitley Gold Award for her work in saving whale sharks from extinction in the country. She received just under two hundred thousand dollars to fund her work.

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Minister Alamilla Wins Major International Honour; Ya'axche Gets Grant

A few hours ago, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development Lisel Alamilla received a major conservation award in London, England from Princess Anne.

Alamilla has been selected for the prestigious Whitley Award for inspirational conservation leadership for her work to protect the Maya Golden Landscape when she was Executive Director of the Ya'axché Conservation Trust - a post which she left after the election in February to become a Senator-Minister.

The Whitley Award includes a project grant of £30,000 (pounds) donated by The William Brake Charitable Trust.

It is worth noting that this is the second year in a row that Belize has produced a Whitley Award winner. Last year a similar prize went to marine conservationist Dr Rachel T. Graham.

Notable because the Whitley Awards attract applications from across the globe.

Channel 7

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!

Two in a row! Both women, both based in Toledo. Incredible.

Lisel Alamilla's Award, A Closer Look

Earlier this week we told you about the prestigious international conservation award won by Minister of forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development, Lisel Alamilla.

It's the Whitley Fund For Nature Award for inspirational conservation leadership for the work Alimilla did to protect the Maya Golden Landscape as Executive Director of the Ya'axché Conservation Trust.

Tonight we'll share with you the video cataloguing that work - which was prepared by the Whitely Fund and narrated by renowned naturalist David Attenborough:

As noted before, this is the second year in a row that Belize has a Whitley Award winner - last year a similar prize went to marine conservationist Dr Rachel T. Graham. But that's not all, Marine Biologist Nicole Auil Gomez was the first Belizean to win it back in 2005.

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