CI and Iwokrama team up
- for sustainable management of forest
Kaieteur News
June 25, 2004
CONSERVATION International (CI) and the Iwokrama Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will forge a closer partnership between the two entities for the long-term sustainable management of Guyana’s forest resources.
Acting Director-General of Iwokrama, Dr Graham Watkins, said the MOU is indicative of the close ongoing relationship between the two conservation bodies.
Both CI and the Iwokrama Centre have interests in the Rupununi region, an area, which Dr Watkins said, has significant global importance from a biodiversity perspective. He pointed out that the area has the largest number of bat and fish species that could not be found in a single specific location in the world.
“Guyana needs to work more to try to bring world recognition to the area. More books and articles have to be published to raise awareness of what the area has to offer,” Dr Watkins stated at the signing held yesterday at CI.
He said that moves are ahead to develop Guyana’s National Protected Areas System (NPAS), noting that much could be learnt from Iwokrama’s experience, since it has been functioning as a protected area for a number of years.
He pointed out that CI brings out an international aspect on Guyana’s conservation efforts and said this needs to be marketed more.
“If we could develop a positive image it would bring substantial long-term benefits to the country,” he said.
He said the number of visitors to Iwokrama so far for this year has increased over the corresponding period last year. This, he said, could be further improved if a positive image is projected.
Executive Director of CI, retired Brigadier General Joseph Singh, said the signing of the MOU is in keeping with the reinforcement of the important collaborative component in the establishment of NPAS.
Singh said entities like CI and Iwokrama must work together with communities at the local and international levels, so that the projects could withstand international scrutiny.
He stressed that communities must be involved in the management of projects being undertaken. Such projects must not be seen as only the concern of CI and Iwokrama, he said. Singh stated that placement studies would be done in communities, and the sharing of data and research would be encouraged.
Community-based enterprises would also be set in train, he said. CI’s President, Dr Russell Mittermeier, who is in Guyana on a visit, said he was delighted with the new relationship being forged with Iwokrama.
He stated that he visited the Iwokrama’s rainforest for the first time, a few days ago, and was impressed by the facilities and research being carried out there.
“The thing that impresses the most is the relationship between the [Iwokrama] programme and the community. What goes on there is not just a model for Guyana but internationally. We work in 40 countries around the world and you don’t see this close relationship between communities and research stations.”
Dr Mittermeier said he would encourage the organisations that CI works with to visit Guyana to experience the model of conservation being undertaken in this country. The CI President stated that the establishment of a field research station in collaboration with Iwokrama is being considered.
CI has already established six such stations. Mittermeier said the research stations have a ten-year funding window.
Some of the countries in which they are located include Costa Rica, Brazil and Suriname. Chairman of the North Rupununi District Development Board (NRDDB), Rodney Davis, stated that the NRDDB has been in partnership with Iwokrama over the years and the MOU signed between the two entities would bring further benefits to the Board.
He said more skills would be learnt and, apart from the scientific aspect; there would be more contribution to the development programme of the NRDDB.
- CI has worked with Iwokrama to train rangers from Apoteri, Rewa and Crashwater.