Using With Losing: People First Approach to Conservation

The Iwokrama Experience Dr Raquel Thomas, Director, Resource Management and Training CTO Conference, April 18th. 2012,

Iwokrama International Centre for Rain Forest Conservation and Development Iwokrama Guyana’s gift to the World from Gov’t and people of Guyana

A protected area An intact tropical rain forest, One million acres (371,000 hectares) Named after a Mountain Range – 1000 metres Indigenous Makushi Word -‘Place of refuge’ Where is Iwokrama Iwokrama International Centre for Rain Forest Conservation and Development An international experiment in

# GUYANA sustainable development # MabarMabaurma m a 20 0 20 40 Kilometers

# Kw ara A L # established by Guyana in E BAR AMANN I N ZU E N # E # Waram uri Mission V # collaboration with the # MarlboMarlbor ougoh ugh

# Towakaim a # Issoroso # Iw o kram a F o re st Commonwealth-1989 # # Takutu # GEORGETOW N

Enmore # Enm ore

# PerthWeldad

# BAR TICA An autonomous international # Peter's M ine # NEW AMST ERDAM # LIND EN multidisciplinary research and # # Ebini

development centre # Potaro # Mowasi 1 million acres of Forest in Central # Kurukukari

# SUR IN AME Guyana (371,000 ha)- 2% BRAZ IL # Annai Guyana’s Forest #LETH EM

# # Dadanaw a Shea Governed by an Act (1996) and # PilanaPilanawawa managed by the Iwokrama International Centre

BRAZ IL

Data Source 1:1000 0000 CSBS Iwokrama’s Mission

To promote the conservation and the sustainable and equitable use of tropical rainforests in a manner that will lead to lasting ecological, economic and social benefits to the people of Guyana and to the world in general, by undertaking research, training, and the development (includes business dev) and dissemination of technologies

SUSTAINABILITY-PEOPLE, NATURAL RESOURCES, MONEY Integrating Conservation with Sustainable Use First phase – Research including Zonation of the forest Communities integrally involved in process of selection of zones Communities involved in all management planning at Iwokrama Wilderness Preserve Sustainable Utilisation Area Iwokrama and Stakeholders

Iwokrama Board of Trustees

Iwokrama Management and Staff

Commonwealth (MoU) North Rupununi Communities (MoU, Collaborative Management Agreement) Government, NGOs, Academia, Zoos, Donors etc Iwokrama and Local People Historical owners of Iwokrama Forest Rich culture Language Archeological sites

Iwokrama & how it relates to People 16 Communities Stakeholders & Shareholders Fairview Village (ownership 22,000 ha of Iwokrama Forest)

Rights of access to the Iwokrama Forest protected via Iwokrama Act

North Rupununi District Development Board

A multi-stakeholder forum and representative body to for the people of the North Rupununi improve communications, information-sharing, decision-making, benefit-sharing

To provide an organised, local, community-based forum for ensuring community-led interests, negotiations and agendas when meeting with other “outside” / “counterpart” Agencies such as Iwokrama, WWF, UNDP, CI etc…

Established 1996 Capacity Building The key to empowerment and sustainable natural resource management/conservation Wildlife Clubs, Iwokrama Training Services Bina Hill Training Centre (NRDDB)

Develop conservation leaders Improve management practices Valuing traditional knowledge on par with scientific knowledge Iwokrama Businesses Integrating Conservation & Use Core Costs Areas Tourism Training Timber (Sus. forestry) Intellectual Property & Services

Benefit sharing mechanisms with NRDDB for all business models developed at Iwokrama From Stakeholders to Shareholders

Community rep. on highest level of Iwokrama’s management- Board of Trustees

No community representative on Board in initial stages

2002 – Sydney Allicock, Village appointed

as Community Sustainable Resource Use

Representative on the Iwokrama .Access to .Scientific Markets & Knowledge & Board Capital Reputation .Management .Business and Business Rights Operational .Established Know-How Communities Partnerships & Trust .Environmental & Social .Historical Rights & Ownership Monitoring & .Local Ecological Knowledge Management .Field Skills Skills .Social & Cultural Structure .Access to .Social Monitoring Skills Green Markets Benefits

Community Fund Established 2008 Fund-capacity building, conservation, community business development

Training Opportunities Courses- sponsored persons Wildlife Clubs

Employment About 60 percent of Iwokrama staff from N Rupununi communities

Community Tourism

Towards the Future…

The lesson / success of the Iwokrama partnership for co-management and development relies on: “ownership” by local people practice of principles for good governance combined vision and skills of stakeholders / partners in the process

www.iwokrama.org Raquel Thomas [email protected] 624 0297

Michael Williams, Chair, NRDDB [email protected]