Q1 2026 | Empowering Communities & Youth Leadership
- BICA
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
Our conservation model is only as strong as the people who champion it. This trimester, we focused heavily on local capacity building:
Ecological Tours with Our Community Guides
At BICA, we believe the best stories come from those who live them. That's why our ecological tours are led by guides who were born and raised in this community, people who don't just know this coastline, they care for it.
To date, we have trained community guides who lead ecological tours focused on conservation. These guides were selected from within the community and trained in key topics to promote more responsible and conscious tourism.
Their training included hands-on experience in sea turtle conservation activities such as nest excavations, monitoring on nesting beaches, and patrols, as well as workshops on marine and coastal ecosystems. This allows them to share valuable information and authentic experiences with visitors.
Through these ecological tours, not only do we provide an enriching experience for our visitors, but we also strengthen the connection between the community and conservation, promoting sustainable tourism practices that directly contribute to the protection of our ecosystems.
Support these efforts
Every tour booked directly supports our guides and the ecosystems they protect. Join us or help spread the word.
Contact us at info@bicainc.org.
Third Generation of Ocean Protectors: Youth Leading Change in Guanaja
As part of our commitment to the sustainable development of communities in Guanaja, BICA continues to strengthen youth leadership through the Ocean Protectors Program, an initiative that is now advancing into its third generation.
Under the project “Strengthening Conservation Actions and Sustainable Use of Marine-Coastal Resources in Guanaja, Phase III”, we are launching an open call to the community to join this new generation of young leaders committed to conservation.
Communities on the island depend directly on marine and coastal resources for their livelihoods. However, challenges such as marine pollution, overfishing, and the degradation of coral reefs and mangroves, combined with limited opportunities for youth development, continue to impact both ecosystems and social and economic well-being.
In response, the program aims to build local capacities through environmental education, active participation in conservation efforts, and technical training, including professional certifications such as Divemaster. These efforts promote sustainable economic alternatives linked to responsible tourism.
Being an Ocean Protector means taking an active role in protecting ecosystems and contributing to a more sustainable future for Guanaja. We are committed to empowering young people who are ready to lead change within their communities.
Open Call! Third Generation of Ocean Protectors
Target group: Youth from Guanaja
Important Dates
Deadline: April 30, 2026
Application review: May 3 to May 14, 2026
Interviews with shortlisted candidates: May 17 to May 21, 2026
Announcement of selected participants. Notification of selected candidates: May 28, 2026
More information and applications: Info.guanaja@bicainc.org
Today, we celebrate this milestone as a collective achievement and reaffirm our commitment to continuing to strengthen and support community leaders in Guanaja, driving positive change that ensures both community well-being and the health of our ecosystems.
Learn more at:
Roatan, Islanders for Change
We proudly closed the second generation of the Islanders for Change Program under the Community Development pillar. The program aims to raise ocean awareness among young adults and equip them with practical marine conservation skills, actively engaging them in conservation efforts within their communities. Through this experience, island youth gain key skills to become future community leaders committed to protecting marine resources and the biodiversity of the Bay Islands National Marine Park (BINMP).
A total of 10 participants successfully completed the program. We celebrated the closing with a diving activity in collaboration with the Clearwater dive center, followed by a gathering and the presentation of recognition certificates to the Islanders for Change cohorts.
At the same time, we launched the call for the 2026 cohort. Six adolescents attended, the selection process has already been completed, and preparations are underway for them to begin their first environmental education sessions. Our goal is to continue shaping young leaders who can work alongside their communities to raise ocean awareness and promote the conservation and sustainable use of marine resources across the islands.
Support our efforts:
Environmental Education Kick-Off in Utila
The 2026 environmental education program kicks off with the participation of 520 students from 7 schools, in collaboration with 5 NGOs. Its goal is to promote environmental awareness through workshops, hands-on activities, and school projects focused on topics such as recycling, reforestation, and the care of protected areas. Throughout the year, students will carry out concrete actions in their communities, culminating in a presentation of results.
From the shores of Guanaja to the classrooms of Utila, from the reefs of Roatan to the nesting beaches where our guides walk at night, this trimester showed us what becomes possible when communities lead their own conservation story.
Ecological tours guided by people who call this coastline home. A third generation of Ocean Protectors ready to carry the torch. Islanders stepping into leadership. Five hundred and twenty students planting the seeds of environmental awareness that will grow for years to come.
None of this happens in isolation. It happens because of a shared belief, that the people closest to these ecosystems are also their greatest protectors, and that when we invest in people, we invest in the future of our oceans and islands.
We are proud of how far this community has come, and we are only more committed to walking this path together. There is still much to protect, much to teach, and much to celebrate, and we can't wait to do it alongside you.
Want to be part of the story? Support our community guides, youth programs, and environmental education, there are many ways to help:
Book an ecological tour: every tour directly supports our guides and the ecosystems they protect.
Make a donation: your contribution funds youth programs, conservation training, and environmental education across the Bay Islands.
Spread the word: share our work and help more people discover the Bay Islands' conservation story.