The Balam Coastal Estates occupies an important bio-geographic position both within Belize, and within Mesoamerica, being the confluence of several major ecological regions – North American, South American and Antillean – evidenced in the different elements that make up the land. The position of the property, along with the heterogeneity of the habitats and protection from major human impacts, leads to this area being one of the most species-diverse in the region.

The rich resources found on this property make it an internationally recognized “hotspot” for biodiversity. The area includes all three ecosystems prioritized by IUCN in the Mesoamerican region:  Freshwater, Coastal and Marine, and Broadleaf Forest.

With a projected 260 bird species present within the Estates, the property has one of the highest concentrations of bird species anywhere in the world. The lagoons and savannah with intermittent littoral and mangrove forests that compose over 11 miles of coastal waterways are recognized as an assemblage of habitats linked to Belize’s Great Barrier Reef, home to a vast array of marine wildlife.