SHIPYARD, Belize — Mennonite families in Belize are preparing to move to Suriname to establish massive farming communities in a heavily forested area, multiple sources told Mongabay, raising concerns that they may soon be cutting down trees to grow crops. The deal could cost millions of dollars and cover more land than the U.S. city of Baltimore, according to documents reviewed by Mongabay. The potential move comes amid debate by officials in Suriname over how to increase domestic food production without compromising one of the highest levels of forest cover in the world. Belizean Mennonites have traveled to Suriname at least six times in recent years to scout thousands of hectares of land and learn about local regulations, working with businessmen who have spent the past several years trying to attract the famously agro-savvy Mennonites from different parts of Central and South America. Across Latin America, Mennonites have also been criticized for illegal deforestation, circumventing environmental regulations, and settling on land with disputed or unclear titles. Some critics say the arrival of Mennonites in Suriname could threaten the rainforest, which covers about 93% of the country. “Any activity by Mennonites in Suriname to me is disturbing,” said Ben D’Leon​, a member of the NGO Amazon Conservation Team, Guianas, speaking in a personal capacity. “I’m simply basing that on the factual evidence on this continent. If you look at anywhere that they’ve been active, I don’t believe we can see a trend of positive outcomes for nature and Indigenous and tribal…This article was originally published on Mongabay

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