#102 - Under the Shade I Flourish....

..is the the official motto of Belize. Naturally one imagines sitting under a palm tree, reading a book, having a drink...or two, or three. But in reality, the motto has very little do with relaxation. It refers to the shade of the mahogany tree which formed the basis of the Belizean economy in the 18th and 19th century. The nation was literally covered in these giant red trees until the British abused this natural resource which led to the depletion of mahogany in the 1930's. Today, the mahogany tree is on the conservation list in Belize. It's yet another reminder that we must protect our planet and avoid repeating mistakes made by our ancestors.