The State of Venezuela's Forests
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ArtePortada 25/06/2002 09:20 pm Page 1 GLOBAL FOREST WATCH (GFW) WORLD RESOURCES INSTITUTE (WRI) The State of Venezuela’s Forests ACOANA UNEG A Case Study of the Guayana Region PROVITA FUDENA FUNDACIÓN POLAR GLOBAL FOREST WATCH GLOBAL FOREST WATCH • A Case Study of the Guayana Region The State of Venezuela’s Forests. Forests. The State of Venezuela’s Págs i-xvi 25/06/2002 02:09 pm Page i The State of Venezuela’s Forests A Case Study of the Guayana Region A Global Forest Watch Report prepared by: Mariapía Bevilacqua, Lya Cárdenas, Ana Liz Flores, Lionel Hernández, Erick Lares B., Alexander Mansutti R., Marta Miranda, José Ochoa G., Militza Rodríguez, and Elizabeth Selig Págs i-xvi 25/06/2002 02:09 pm Page ii AUTHORS: Presentation Forest Cover and Protected Areas: Each World Resources Institute Mariapía Bevilacqua (ACOANA) report represents a timely, scholarly and Marta Miranda (WRI) treatment of a subject of public con- Wildlife: cern. WRI takes responsibility for José Ochoa G. (ACOANA/WCS) choosing the study topics and guar- anteeing its authors and researchers Man has become increasingly aware of the absolute need to preserve nature, and to respect biodiver- Non-Timber Forest Products: freedom of inquiry. It also solicits Lya Cárdenas and responds to the guidance of sity as the only way to assure permanence of life on Earth. Thus, it is urgent not only to study animal Logging: advisory panels and expert review- and plant species, and ecosystems, but also the inner harmony by which they are linked. Lionel Hernández (UNEG) ers. Unless otherwise stated, how- ever, all the interpretation and find- Mining: ings set forth in WRI publications Marta Miranda (WRI) and Ana Liz Flores Venezuela, and mainly the Guayana region, has forest areas that offer multiple opportunities for sus- are those of the authors. Settlements: tainable development. In a way, we have the responsibility, that even surpasses national frontiers, to Alexander Mansutti R. (UNEG) Copyright © 2002 make this region become an important worldwide conservation element. And there are many risk Geographic Information Systems: World Resources Institute. factors that contribute to minimize the environmental characteristics of this strategic area, among Elizabeth Selig (WRI) All rights reserved. them: indiscriminate logging, mining, agriculture, and population pressures. It is, therefore, neces- Erick Lares B. (Populations) (UNEG) ISBN 1-56973-508-5 (English) Militza Rodríguez (Logging concessions) ISBN 1-56973-509-3 (Spanish) sary to study and record complete and updated information on this subject. (UNEG) Editor: Marta Miranda (WRI) The book that we are hereby presenting is the result of the study carried out by member institutions Production Editor: of the Global Forest Watch Venezuela and the World Resources Institute (WRI), who focused on Rosemarie Philips Guayana as the “Venezuelan last frontier forest.” We trust this book will be welcome by the people Collaborators: responsible of the decision making issues that affect this important area of our national territory. Forest Cover and Protected Areas: Abigaíl Castillo Coordination: Pedro Delfín Fundación Polar FUNDACIÓN POLAR IS A NONPROFIT Hugh Eva Hecho el depósito de ley Otto Huber INSTITUTION FOUNDED IN 1977 BY Leonor Giménez de Mendoza ISBN: 980-379-050-1 EMPRESAS POLAR. IT WAS CREATED Wildlife: Depósito Legal: President Marina Bevilacqua lf2592002574831 TO SUPPORT AND PROMOTE SUSTAIN- Francisco Bisbal Fundación Polar Enrique La Marca Editing Coordination: ABLE INITIATIVES THAT CONTRIBUTE Miguel Lentino Armando Hernández A. TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE Aimara López Supervision: Javier Sánchez AND STRENGTHEN THE VENEZUELAN Gisela Goyo Non-Timber Forest Products: SOCIETY. Technical Revision: Ismael Capote José Ochoa G. Marco DePablos TO FULFILL ITS MISSION AND ACHIEVE Astolfo Mata Revision and Proofreading: Mercedes Robles THE OBJECTIVES IT HAS SET ITSELF, Logging: FUNDACIÓN POLAR WORKS WITHIN Luz Delgado Graphic Design: Jorge Rangel Kataliñ Alava EIGHT SPHERES OF ACTION: AGRICUL- Germán Rodríguez Graphics: TURE, ENVIRONMENT, SCIENCE, FOOD Ramiro Silva Andrés Eduardo Castro S. SYSTEM, ECONOMICS, CULTURE, EDU- Mining: Photographs: Maribel Torrellas Mariapía Bevilacqua CATION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOP- Angel Paulo Cover: Río Chanaro, Cuenca Amy Sprague del Río Caura, Estado Bolívar, MENT, VENEZUELAN HISTORY AND Venezuela, 2000. Settlements: Inside: Procesamiento de la yuca HEALTH AND SOCIAL WELFARE. Víctor Gutiérrez para la preparación del casabe (Sebucán). Alto Río Caura, Estado Marion Iles Bolívar, Venezuela, 2000. Yolimar Infante Pre-press: Rosario Larré Compumedia Gracia Lee Alejandro Signi Printed by: Stanford Zent Litografía ImagenColor, SA Caracas-Venezuela The Venezuelan chapter of Global Forest Watch was initially coordinated by Eric Van Praag. Págs i-xvi 25/06/2002 02:09 pm Page ii AUTHORS: Presentation Forest Cover and Protected Areas: Each World Resources Institute Mariapía Bevilacqua (ACOANA) report represents a timely, scholarly and Marta Miranda (WRI) treatment of a subject of public con- Wildlife: cern. WRI takes responsibility for José Ochoa G. (ACOANA/WCS) choosing the study topics and guar- anteeing its authors and researchers Man has become increasingly aware of the absolute need to preserve nature, and to respect biodiver- Non-Timber Forest Products: freedom of inquiry. It also solicits Lya Cárdenas and responds to the guidance of sity as the only way to assure permanence of life on Earth. Thus, it is urgent not only to study animal Logging: advisory panels and expert review- and plant species, and ecosystems, but also the inner harmony by which they are linked. Lionel Hernández (UNEG) ers. Unless otherwise stated, how- ever, all the interpretation and find- Mining: ings set forth in WRI publications Marta Miranda (WRI) and Ana Liz Flores Venezuela, and mainly the Guayana region, has forest areas that offer multiple opportunities for sus- are those of the authors. Settlements: tainable development. In a way, we have the responsibility, that even surpasses national frontiers, to Alexander Mansutti R. (UNEG) Copyright © 2002 make this region become an important worldwide conservation element. And there are many risk Geographic Information Systems: World Resources Institute. factors that contribute to minimize the environmental characteristics of this strategic area, among Elizabeth Selig (WRI) All rights reserved. them: indiscriminate logging, mining, agriculture, and population pressures. It is, therefore, neces- Erick Lares B. (Populations) (UNEG) ISBN 1-56973-508-5 (English) Militza Rodríguez (Logging concessions) ISBN 1-56973-509-3 (Spanish) sary to study and record complete and updated information on this subject. (UNEG) Editor: Marta Miranda (WRI) The book that we are hereby presenting is the result of the study carried out by member institutions Production Editor: of the Global Forest Watch Venezuela and the World Resources Institute (WRI), who focused on Rosemarie Philips Guayana as the “Venezuelan last frontier forest.” We trust this book will be welcome by the people Collaborators: responsible of the decision making issues that affect this important area of our national territory. Forest Cover and Protected Areas: Abigaíl Castillo Coordination: Pedro Delfín Fundación Polar FUNDACIÓN POLAR IS A NONPROFIT Hugh Eva Hecho el depósito de ley Otto Huber INSTITUTION FOUNDED IN 1977 BY Leonor Giménez de Mendoza ISBN: 980-379-050-1 EMPRESAS POLAR. IT WAS CREATED Wildlife: Depósito Legal: President Marina Bevilacqua lf2592002574831 TO SUPPORT AND PROMOTE SUSTAIN- Francisco Bisbal Fundación Polar Enrique La Marca Editing Coordination: ABLE INITIATIVES THAT CONTRIBUTE Miguel Lentino Armando Hernández A. TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE Aimara López Supervision: Javier Sánchez AND STRENGTHEN THE VENEZUELAN Gisela Goyo Non-Timber Forest Products: SOCIETY. Technical Revision: Ismael Capote José Ochoa G. Marco DePablos TO FULFILL ITS MISSION AND ACHIEVE Astolfo Mata Revision and Proofreading: Mercedes Robles THE OBJECTIVES IT HAS SET ITSELF, Logging: FUNDACIÓN POLAR WORKS WITHIN Luz Delgado Graphic Design: Jorge Rangel Kataliñ Alava EIGHT SPHERES OF ACTION: AGRICUL- Germán Rodríguez Graphics: TURE, ENVIRONMENT, SCIENCE, FOOD Ramiro Silva Andrés Eduardo Castro S. SYSTEM, ECONOMICS, CULTURE, EDU- Mining: Photographs: Maribel Torrellas Mariapía Bevilacqua CATION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOP- Angel Paulo Cover: Río Chanaro, Cuenca Amy Sprague del Río Caura, Estado Bolívar, MENT, VENEZUELAN HISTORY AND Venezuela, 2000. Settlements: Inside: Procesamiento de la yuca HEALTH AND SOCIAL WELFARE. Víctor Gutiérrez para la preparación del casabe (Sebucán). Alto Río Caura, Estado Marion Iles Bolívar, Venezuela, 2000. Yolimar Infante Pre-press: Rosario Larré Compumedia Gracia Lee Alejandro Signi Printed by: Stanford Zent Litografía ImagenColor, SA Caracas-Venezuela The Venezuelan chapter of Global Forest Watch was initially coordinated by Eric Van Praag. Págs i-xvi 25/06/2002 02:09 pm Page ii AUTHORS: Presentation Forest Cover and Protected Areas: Each World Resources Institute Mariapía Bevilacqua (ACOANA) report represents a timely, scholarly and Marta Miranda (WRI) treatment of a subject of public con- Wildlife: cern. WRI takes responsibility for José Ochoa G. (ACOANA/WCS) choosing the study topics and guar- anteeing its authors and researchers Man has become increasingly aware of the absolute need to preserve nature, and to respect biodiver- Non-Timber Forest Products: freedom of inquiry. It also solicits Lya Cárdenas and