Wow. Even now, I truly cannot believe everything we got to experience and do in these past two weeks. From exploring the forests and the caves at Las Cuevas to snorkeling around the reefs of Glover’s, everything has truly been so unbelievable. The rainforest and the reef, though they are so different, can honestly be comparable to each other as the terrestrial and aquatic equivalents. Both environments host some of the most biodiverse ecosystems in their respective areas, from the insane diversity of creatures of the rainforest to the absurd abundance of fish and corals of the reef. The comparisons between trees and corals is also one that cannot be ignored, especially how both provide structure and habitats for so many organisms, and are arguably the defining trait of each ecosystem. Without trees, there is no forest, and without corals, there are no reefs.

Never had I thought about the two in such similar contexts, but going from forest to reef back to back, these similarities were inevitable. But though they feel like the terrestrial and aquatic counterparts, there are still many a differences between. Everything in the forest felt so hidden, and we had to be actively searching for everything, from small insects like grasshoppers and crickets to larger mammals like agoutis and howlers. The reefs, however, felt so much more open and out there. I noticed how prevalent fish truly were, and how they were literally everywhere. I also noticed how, especially in MPAs, fish were so much more comfortable with human presence as opposed to the wildlife at Las Cuevas, despite both being arguably equally isolated.

But still, both experiences were genuinely insane, in the best way possible. Honestly I don’t really know what I was expecting coming into the course, but I do know I was really only interested in the reef section. The rainforest half felt like a week in between me and a Belizean snorkel vacation, and unfortunately that thought was very prevalent in my mind at the start. What I didn’t expect, however, was how much I would end up enjoying LCRS and the Chiquibul.

By the end of my senior year, I had in some way fallen out of enjoyment with backpacking, and in part a lot with nature and the forests as well. The thought never occurred to me that LCRS could reinvigorate my love for the outdoors and relight the spark I had developed throughout my high school years.

Obviously, as such, I really enjoyed the hikes we had in the Chiquibul. I loved exploring the trails, hiking to the bird tower for both sunset AND sunrise, and our campfire we had before we left. Almost every experience, but these in particular reminded me just how much I missed being out in the middle of the woods, especially with friends.

Though I was most excited about the reefs, at some portions I did feel a bit, not necessarily sick of it, but ready for the reef portion to be over. I think the best way to explain it was during my time at LCRS, I was actively trying to ignore the day we were about to leave, and not looking forward for that day to come. However at GRRS, I found myself counting down the days and wanting to leave all the way up until I was in the boat and we started driving away from the island.

Beyond just what I’ve learned about Orthoptera and Groupers, like how grasshoppers, crickets, and katydids (which I lowkey never heard of before this trip) are actually pretty cool insects, and how groupers aren’t always these giant behemoths roaming around the reefs, I hope that in five years from now I’ll still be able to take away how much nature does in fact have to offer us, even beyond any surface level or economical value. I’ve realized that nature and the outdoors is truly my happy place, and I never want to give up on it ever again.

I also hope to remember just how beautiful nature is when it is completely untouched by humans, and how important it is to keep what little we have left. I hope to always remember the stark difference between parrotfish behavior in the untouched MPA, where they weren’t skittish nor afraid of our presence, versus the place Dr. Evans suspected had been fished, where all the parrotfish were constantly on high alert and would dart away at even a shadow. This in particular really quantified just how much of an impact humans make even when we don’t believe we are affecting Mother Nature that much.

My last takeaway is hoping to remember that no matter how unimportant I feel an organism may be, they truly have a central and vital role to their ecosystem. I came in not knowing how important Orthoptera, groupers, or angelfish were to their respective habitats. They felt like animals that could be cool to observe, but I never realized how important they are to the cycling of nutrients and trophic levels, nor their roles in keeping their food sources in constant check. It fully opened my eyes to how rarely is there ever going to be a species that is truly and genuinely useless, and that, in some way, everything really is by design.

All in all, genuinely, this trip was the experience of a life time. I cannot put into words how fortunate I am to have been able to be a part of this adventure, and having the privilege to experience the pure rawness of the tropical rainforests and coral reefs. I don’t say this often, but I found myself saying this a bit too much for this trip: I will never forget any second of Belize. As they say, forever a TFB.

Here are some of my favorite moments:

It’s been a good one. TFB Ian, signing out.