Janet Gibson facts for kids

Janet Patricia Gibson is a scientist from Belize. She is a biologist and zoologist, which means she studies living things and animals. She won the Goldman Environmental Prize in 1990. This award recognized her hard work to protect the ocean environments along the coast of Belize. She especially helped save the amazing barrier reef system.

Thanks to Gibson and others, the Belize Barrier Reef became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. This means it is a very special place protected for everyone to enjoy. Today, Janet Gibson leads the Belize Wildlife Conservation Society.

About Janet Gibson

Janet Gibson was born in Belize. She studied in the United States to become a biologist and zoologist. In the mid-1980s, she started volunteering for the Belize Audubon Society. This group works to protect nature.

Protecting Hol Chan Marine Reserve

Between 1985 and 1987, Janet Gibson worked to create the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. She talked to people, businesses, and fishermen. She also worked with the government of Belize. She taught everyone why a protected area was needed.

A beautiful 'brain' coral at Hol Chan Marine Reserve.

Janet Gibson created a plan for how the reserve would be managed. She also helped find money to make the project happen. Her efforts were very successful. The official sanctuary was created in 1987. It was the first protected marine area of its kind in Central America.

The Hol Chan Marine Reserve covers about three square miles. It is a safe zone where fish can grow and reproduce. This helps fish populations that were getting too small. It also makes the area a great place for divers to see many different kinds of fish. In 1990, she received the Goldman Environmental Prize for her work to protect the barrier reef system.

Saving the Belize Barrier Reef

In 1988, Janet Gibson wrote a plan for Glover's Reef Atoll. She started working to make Glover's Reef a protected area too. In 1990, she helped create a Coastal Zone Management Unit. This unit is part of the Fisheries department.

Gibson joined the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). In 1993, their work helped Glover's Reef become a protected reserve. Janet Gibson and other environmental protectors realized something important. Protecting small areas one by one was not enough. They needed a bigger plan to protect the entire barrier reef zone.

Things like pollution from fruit farms, too much fishing in other areas, and dirt from building projects were hurting the reef. So, in 1993, a new plan was made. Janet Gibson worked with water agencies, forest groups, other environmental organizations, and citizens. This plan aimed to make the entire reef a natural World Heritage Site. After several years of planning, UNESCO officially gave the Belize Barrier Reef this special status in November 1996.

Janet Gibson continues her important work today. She is the director of the Belize Wildlife Conservation Society. She has also written many scientific papers about her research.

See also

In Spanish: Janet Gibson para niños