The main challenge facing the Iwokrama Rainforest project is to become commercially viable without damaging its bio-diversity in any way.
This is the opinion of Management Editor of The Economist, Frances Cairncross who delivered the Iwokrama Foundation Lecture at Le Meridien Pegasus on Thursday evening.
She added that the International Rainforest Conservation and Development Programme (IIRCDP) needs to market the name `Iwokrama' as a brand as well as encourage the large Guyanese diaspora to play a role in marketing Iwokrama as an eco-tourist destination.
Cairncross told journalists at the IIRCDP's Bel Air offices on Friday that Iwokrama's experiment to see whether it was possible to exploit the rainforest commercially without damaging its bio-diversity and ecological richness, was a unique global experiment.
Cairncross paid a four-day visit to the Iwokrama Field Station in Region Eight (Potaro/Siparuni) and climbed the 720-feet Turtle Mountain in the reserve and visited the Amerindian settlement of Fairview.
Based on her visit to the field station, she described it as one the wonders of the world "something I don't think any other country on the planet has got... a million hectares of tropical rainforest set aside for conservation and bio-diversity."
The project, she said was remarkable not only because it was known internationally by people who were interested in forestry and tropical bio-diversity but because of the experiment to make it commercially viable while conserving its bio-diversity.
To her knowledge, she said that such a project has not been undertaken anywhere in the world and it will be closely watched.
Cairncross said the venture will be particularly difficult because of the proposal to build a road from Brazil right through the heart of the reserve. Many environmentalists in other parts of the world regard the building of roads as threats because they are known for causing ecological damage; and because it becomes difficult to control the mushrooming settlements and developments along their route. This will be a huge challenge to Iwokrama and will add to the difficulty of the project, she added.
On the positive side, she said that if it was possible to improve the road without doing damage to the rainforest Guyana will demonstrate world leadership in this area which other countries could learn from.
She said there were reasons to believe that Guyana's rainforest was particularly appropriate for an experiment of this sort due to its vast resources including valuable timber species. In addition the valuable timber species do not grow particularly close together like the countries of South East Asia where the trees tend to grow in clumps. This means that in Guyana the exploitation of valuable timber could be done more efficiently than in many other countries.
Business opportunities for Iwokrama, might include: the creation of small business and trade opportunities such as producing craft, and collecting honey all conducted by the local Amerindian communities ; activities on a bigger scale such as eco-tourism, or producing high quality timber; and by using the Iwokrama name. Cairncross feels that as Iwokrama develops its name would become synonymous with efficient and environmentally sensitive exploitation of the rainforest. That will make it a valuable brand in its own right.
Cairncross said the local media also has it role to play and should go see what is happening at the reserve. As "a lively free press" the media could encourage the government to look favourably on Iwokrama and educate the Guyanese about the "internationally renowned treasure."
Based on her visit, she said it was extraordinary that many local residents have not heard about Iwokrama. If the road could be improved the reserve would become more accessible to citizens, including schools.
Despite Belize and Costa Rica's developed industries, Cairncross said that there was still an enormous amount of room to market Guyana as an eco-tourist destination. She noted that the country was close to the United States and Canada both with large Guyanese populations.