Iwokrama in 'green' logging project
Stabroek News
March 31, 2004
Iwokrama and the World Wildlife Federation (WWF) Guiana Shield are collaborating in a venture to realise sustainable harvesting of around 100,000 hectares in the Iwokrama reserve.
On Monday they signed a one-year agreement, which sees Iwokrama receiving US$50,000 or $9.75M in support from WWF to aid, among other things, its completion of certification for the timber operations in the Iwokrama Forest.
This WWF-Iwokrama project will see the certified timber being exported to the USA, Europe, Caribbean and other markets.
Presenting the cheque on behalf of WWF-Guiana Shield, Area Representative Dr Patrick Williams says the project is one of several major initiatives being undertaken by WWF to aid sustainable management of the rainforest in both Guyana and Suriname.
According to Williams, WWF in its four-year 5.2M Euros forestry project is essentially looking at environmental conservation in four areas: forest conservation, forest certification, toxic contamination and general conservation support.
Iwokrama, in keeping with its mission to show how to sustainably use and conserve tropical rain forests, is developing a sustainable timber-harvesting operation which adheres to national and international standards.
As part of this venture Iwokrama by May will open a transparent tendering process for the private sector and local community partners to see harvesting of timber in the Iwokrama Forest.
According to the Iwokrama release, the timber operations will be a social, ecological and economic model for forestry management and will ensure `sustainability while still trying to maintain profits by assessing high-value niche markets.
Iwokrama Consultant Dr David Singh said the support will be used to complete an Environmental Impact Assessment in keeping with Environmental Protection Agency Act, to finalise the Iwokrama Forest Manage-ment Plan and to complete the Guyana Forestry Commis-sion's code of practice.
Some of the funds will also be used to aid in the building of capacity among staff, the private sector and the local community in relation to the project as well as to initiate the timber-harvesting process and to undertake the inspections and audits necessary for certification, Singh said.
The release says one way to encourage the private sector to become socially, culturally and ecologically sensitive is by providing premium-priced niche markets for products that can only be accessed through sustainable actions.