British, WWF ink agreement on forest conservation … programme to challenge global warming

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British, WWF ink agreement on forest conservation
…programme to challenge global warming
Kaieteur News, 11 August 2007

The British Government yesterday agreed to continue assistance to
Guyana 's sustainable forests drive with a timely intervention under
the Sustainable Forestry Management and Hinterland Community
Development Project.

The agreement for the project was signed by British High Commissioner,
Fraser Wheeler, and Director of World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Dominiek
Plouvier, in the presence of Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud.
The venue was the British High Commission, Main Street , Georgetown .

Under the Project, two communities—Kwebana in Region One, and Batavia
in Region Seven--will benefit from activities that seek to improve
forestry regulation and building capacity for sustainable management of
the communities' forest resources.

The project, which targets Guyana and neighbouring Suriname , will be
undertaken through the WWF with a £100,000 grant from the British
Government.

Wheeler said the agreement builds on the substantial work the British
Government has done over the years in supporting Guyana 's forestry,
including Iwokrama.

“So, the aim is that for example there will be less illegal logging,
increased value from wood products, more sustainable livelihoods, and a
greater awareness of the potential of the forest resource. The
intention is to spread the good practice learnt from this programme
across other communities within the Guiana Shield.”

He said that based on consultations with the Governments of Guyana and
Suriname and WWF, the expected results from the programme will be
improved forestry regulation and enforcement in these community
forests, and the building of capacity in these communities to manage
their resources in a sustainable way.

“We recognise the importance of the Guiana Shield as the largest
expanse of undisturbed tropical rain forest on the planet. Its
importance is major and multi-faceted from the real and potential
contribution its forests make to the mitigation of climate change, to
its bio-diversity,” Wheeler stated.

According to Minister Persaud, Guyana 's forestry sector received
tremendous support from 1996 to 2003 from the British Government
through its Department for International Development (DFID) programme.

With the support it has received, the Guyana Forestry Commission was
able to develop a Social Development Programme that seeks to encourage
increased economic growth, alleviation of poverty, equitable
geographical distribution of economic activities and diversification of
the economy.

“The Government of Guyana recognises the important role that community
forestry groups can play in poverty reduction through job creation, and
the provision of other spin-off benefits to the wider economy,”
Minister Persaud said.

The Sustainable Forestry Programme will fund activities such as
development of forest management plans and annual operational plans and
provision of training and capacity building on key forestry area.

Assessment of the communities' forest resources will also be carried
out.

Minister Persaud noted that both Batavia and Kwebana have tremendous
potential for further community development through appropriate support
and guidance to utilise their forests resources.