On behalf of the Bay Islands Conservation Association and the ACROPORA Roatan 2023 Eco Trail Run Vida para la Isla 20K 10K 5K and 2K committee, we would like to introduce ourselves; BICA is an environmental NGO that has been working in the Bay Islands, Honduras since the 90s. Our mission is to conserve in a participatory, transparent and sustainable way the coastal marine resources and the ecosystem services which they provide for the social and cultural well-being of present and future generations in the Bay Islands. In 2017, we began this run as part of our awareness campaign on the importance of our reefs and the need to minimize plastic in our daily life. Since then, we have promoted bans on single use plastics (approved in 2018 on Roatan) , strengthened the waste pickers association and implemented pilot separation projects around the Bay Islands. This will be the second year after the pandemic that we hope to hold the event. By 2023, we hope to use this fun, family-friendly event to create change that benefits people and the health of reefs by doing the following:
-Promote a municipal ordinance to ban petroleum based sunscreens that are not safe for reefs.
-Increase awareness on how waste and other chemicals affect us and our reefs.
-Promote a municipal ordinance for separation in businesses, schools and homes. On August 5, 2023, we will be hosting the 5th ACROPORA Roatan 2023 Eco Trail Run 2K, 5K, 10K, 20K Vida para la Isla to promote decrease in single use plastics, waste separation and the use of reef safe sunscreen. The event will begin at 6am starting and ending at Palmetto Bay Plantation Beach. All the proceeds generated from the event will go to the Bay Islands Conservation Association (BICA) programs in the Bay Islands National Marine Park (BINMP). Specifically, to continue the waste separation pilot projects in communities; as well, as the coral restoration project. For us it will be a prestige to have your sponsorship.
