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' 1 "' • vl-., Barama Company Limited
Nort:h West Guyana Sustainable Forest Management Programme
ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL
IMP ACT ASSESSMENT
í i -i
by
M.J.S.Hamson, E.Allen, G.Sutton
EDINBURGH CENTRE. for TROPICAL. FORESTS
June 1993
..•.
·------. - _...,;' T ABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .
SECTION A! CONTEXT . . • ...... 1 l. RATIONALE _ .
2. BARAMA COMP ANY LTh.1lTED ...... • ...... 3
3. BRIEF GEOGRAPHY OF GUYANA ...... 4 3.1. Topography and clímate (Landform Map 2, Appendix I) ...... 4 3.2. Biogeographic zones (Vegetation Map 3, Appendix D ...... 4 3.3. People and Economy ...... 4
4. TIIB FOREST SECTOR ...... 6 4.1. Forests...... 6 4.2 Forest instítutíons and legislation ...... 6
5. ITINERARY OF ESIA TEAM'S VISIT...... 8
SECTION B: NATURAL RESOURCES, POPUI.ATION AND LOCAL ECONOMY IN THE BCL CONCESSION AREA . • . • ...... • . . • ...... 9
6. NATURAL RF.SOURCES IN TIIB CONCESSION AREA ...... 9 6.1. Topography, hydrology and cliroate ...... 9 6.2 Forest types ...... 10 6.3. Timber ...... 10 6.4. Biodiversity ...... • ...... 13 6.4.1. Flora ...... 13 6.4.2. Fauna ...... 13 6.5. Non timber forest products ...... 14 6.6. Sotl ...... 17 6.7. Minerais ...... 17 6.8. Wildlife trade ...... 18 6.9. Fisheries ...... 19 6.10. Conservation / Protection areas ...... 19
7. PEOPLE IN TiíE CONCESSION AREA ...... 20 7.1. Archaeology ...... 20 7.2. General Population ...... 20 7.3. Ameríndían Population ...... 21 7.4. Amerindian land rights ...... 22 7.5. Forest-based livelihoods ...... 24 7.6. Amerindian response to presence of BCL ...... 25 7.7. Local Govenunent Adnúnistration...... 26 7.8. Employment and Economy...... 26 7.9. Health...... 28 7.10. Education ...... 30
8. LAND USES AND LOCAL E:CONOMY IN TiíE CONCESSION AREA . . . . . 31 SECTION C: ENVIRONMENTAL ANO SOCIAL IMPACTS OF BCL OPERATIONS 33 ACRONYMS
9. BCL OPERATIONS ...... 33 AP A Amerindían Peopie' s Assoaation 9.I. TechnicaJ operations · ·, .. · · · · . . . . . 33 ARU Amenndian Research Unít, at University of Guyana 9.2. Survey ...... 33 BCL Barama Company Limited 9.3. Road construction ...... 34 BP Before Present 9.4. Extraction ...... 34 CITES Convention on Intemational Trade ín Endangered Species 9.5. Quality c:ontrol ...... 35 DBH Diameter at Breast Height 9.6. Training ...... 35 ECTF Edinburgh Centre for Tropical Forests 9.7. Social and Communíty policy ...... 35 ESIA Environmental and Social Impact Assessment FAO Food and Agriculture Orgaruzation 10. POTENTIAL ENV1RONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS ...... • 36 GAHEF Guyana Agency for Health Sciences, Education, Environment and Food Poücy 10.1. Impacts of selective logging...... 43 GDP Gross Domestic Product 10.2. Impacts of roads and sktd traíls ...... 44 GEMCO Guyana Envíronmental Monitoring Organisation 10.3. Impacts of forestry-related actívities ...... 44 GFC Guyana Forestry Commission 10.4. Impacts of fíre ...... 44 GGMC Guyana Geology and Mines Commission 10.5. Impacts of employment, economíc development and changing GHRA Guyana Human Rights Association population structure ...... 44 GLSC Guyana Lands and Survey Commission GNRA Guyana Natural Resources Agency GOIP Guyana Organisation for Indigenous People SECTION D: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MITIGATION ..••...... , . 46 GUYREDEM Guyana Regional Development Ministry IBRD Intemational Bank for Reconstruction and Development 11. ENVIRONMENTAL AND SILVICULTURALRECOMMENDATIONS ...... 46 mo Intemational Timber Trade Organization 11.1. BCL responsibility ...... 46 IUCN Internatíonal Union fur the Conservation of Nature 11.2. Govemment responsibility ...... 47 NARI National Agricultural Research Institute 11.3. Opportunities for development ...... 48 NFAP National Forest Action P1an NSRC National Science Research Coundl 12. 49 SOCIAL RECOMMENDATIONS ...... PK Port Kaítwna 12.1. responsibility ...... 49 BCL PSP Permanent Sample Plot 12.2. Govemment responsibility...... 51 TSA Timber Sales Agreement 12.3. Opportunities for development ...... 51 UG University of Guyana 13. BIBUOGRAPHY AND SOURCES ...... 53 MEASUREMENTS 1 APPENDIX NO. I - MAPS . 57 i m2/ha square metres per hectare m3/ha cubíc metres per hectare APPENDIX NO. II - PEOPLE AND ORGANISATIONS CONSULTED . i, 58 1 kml square kilometres er1 ha hectares ,\ APPENDIX NO. m · AMERINDIAN POPULATION IN TifE BCL CONCESSION m AREA. . metres 59 1 mm millimetres cm centimetres Executive Swnmary STRUcnJRE OF THIS REPORT
Thís repott IS presented in 4 sections: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Section A (Conte:,,:t) provídes a general background, including the rationale for this L Background Envíronmental and Social Appraisal, the aíms of the Barama Company Llmi!ed, and contextual geography of Guyana. The Barama Company Limited (BCL) is embarkíng on a 50-year programme of sustamable tiinber production for plywood in a concessíon with a gross area of nearJy 1.7 million ha in Section B (Natural Resources, Population and Local Economy in the Barama concessíon) north west Guyana. The overall strateg:ic aíms of BCL are "to ensure the sustainability oi the gives an analysís of the current status of natural resources and their management in the forest in perpetuity whilst selectively harvesting a major natural resource for the benefü of concsssíon, the Company, people and Govemment of Guyana." This aiJn íncorporates the wider responsibilities of sustainable forest management, including envirorunental and social Section C (Environmental and Social Impact of BCL operations) descnbes the operatíons sustainability. of BCL logging programme, and the potential impacts this may have on the resources described in section B. Enviromnental and social parameters, and regional econonuc growth, are strongly interlinked in forestry developments. This Environmentaland Social hnpact Assessmant (ESIA)examines Section D (RecoDllllendations for Mitigation) finally gives concíusíons and recommendaríons the broader environmental and socío-economíc context of the BCL forestry operanon, for miti.gating and managing the potential negative ímpacts, and maximízíng' the positive díscusses the potential negative and positive ímpacts of this substantial regional impacts. development, and produces reccmmendatíons for il:nplementation by BCL and the Govemment of Guyana for improved planning and forest management in the North-West.
ACKNOWLBDGEMENTS This ESIA forms part of a prograxrune of work being undertaken by the Edinburgh Centre for Tropical Forests (ECI'F) to researeh and monitor the BCL Sustaínable Forest Management We would briefiy llk.e to express our grateful thanks to the Bararna Company Límíred, to the Programme, ECTF has a full-time representative in Guyana, Mr Greg Sutton, worldng ín the many Govemment ínstitutíons, research organísations and non-govenunent organisations ín concession area. The research will be used to guide BCL's forest managsment planning, to Georgetown and Region 1, and to the Ameríndíans, míners, traders and residents of North• advise BCL anel the Guyana Forestry Con:unission (GFC) on the sustainable annual tímber West Guyana, for their help, ídeas, ínformatíon and collaboration in undertaldng this Impact harvesr from the concession, and to monitor the wider aspects of forest management to which Assessment. We also express our thanks to all the individuais and organísations in UK who BCL are committed, includmg 1ong term impacts on Amerindian communities, bíodíversíty helped with informatíon and advíce. and other envíronmental parameters. Toe University of Guyana, and other appropriate Guyanese institutions, will be actively involved in this research, and results will be available to ínterested institutions ín Guyana.
BCL has produced a detailed Forest Management Plan, which serves as one maín reference point for this ESIA. Copie. of this Management Plan are available from BCL. This is a comprehensive document, which covers all operational aspects of the programme, including l:he basis of the annual harvest, and details of the inilial 1-year and 5-year plans. GFC has approved. the Forestry Management Plan for the períod 1992-1996. At the end of years 1 and 2, reviews of the Plan will be carried out to reflect additional infonnation resulting from the ECTF research programme.
Toe ESIA team consulted widely in Georgetown and in the North West regíon, with interested indivicluals, Ameríndian communitíes, NGOs and Govenunent institutions, to :!! provide a broad and balanced perspective on the context and potential impacts of BCL's operations.
Natural resources in the Timber Sales Agreement (TSA} area.
Toe inaccessibility of much of the forested. interior of Guyana, the low density and uneven distribution of the population, and the limited development of mining, agrícuíture, forestry
,, li . ~-
Envuorunental and Social únpact Assessment Execunve Swnmary and roads ínland, explams the relatively undisturbed nature of much of the nation's forests, : t including the North West where BCL's concession is located. Guyana remains one of the few Over 6000 species of plants have been described for Guyana, of which over 100 are developíng countríes in the world where popu!ation pressures on its natural resources are commercially known tree species. The fauna of Guyana so far recorded compríses over 1200 . t virtually non-exístent, The potentíal for econormc development of these resources is vertebrate species, íncíudíng birds (728 speaes), mammals tl98 spedes), repules (137 species), enormous, provided. that the institutional and policy structure to ensure sustainabie amphibians (105 speaes). ln general many species whích are rare or endangered elsewhere development is put ín place. This is a matter of some urgency for the Government of in the Amazcnían forest are still líkely to have good populations in Guyana. Although Guyana. · indigenous bíodíversity is poorly recorded, it is likely to be extensíve and largely intact. Thís is as true for the concession ín the remate North-West as anywhere else in Guyana. A strategy for development of the furest sector has been put forward in the National Forestry ' Action Plan CNFAP).There is an urgent need. for a policy framework for conservation and N'on-timber forest products: Few ethnobotanica.l studies from the North-West have been ; sustainable development oi Eorest resourees, ínstítutíonal strengtheníng, integrated land use published other than lísts of useful species. There is likely to be a rích storehouse of non• planning, incentives for improved forest roanagement, and mechanisms for environmental timber forest products ín the North West, partírularly used for medicinal and subsistence assessmant, moníroríng and controL These options are currently being assessed by the activities by Amerindian and other people lívíng in remote communities. Govemment of CuyaN and íntematíoaal donor agendes. Soil: Most soils ín the concessíon are highly leached clay soils, nutrient poor, easily ~: The ISA covers 1,699,977 ha of predomínantíy flat or undulating lowland without compacted, highly erodible without vegetational cover, and requiring careful management. major topographíc features, with some more hilly areas in the west. Nowhere in the In the north-western part of the concession, the soils are hea vy clay with typi.cally shallow concessíon rises above 240m altitude. It receives about 2400mm rain annually, and is aímost top-soil and limited organíc matter, and in the marshy basíns the soils are sandy and remain entirely forested. The e.xceptions are áreas cleared for mining and past agricultura! waterlogged for much of the year. developments, estimated to cover up to 30,000 ha. Apart from small patches of white saneis and coastal piam on the eastem boundary, the concessíon includes predominantly dryland Minerais: The main focus of mining in the concession is gold, which occurs throughout the nuxed forest types, with íntermíxed marshforests of mora and palm, G.reenheart area of crystalline basement rock ín Cuyana. Toe richest alluvíal deposits are near ridges of (Chloroaudium rodiei), wallaba (Eperua falCJ/.ta and E.grandiflora), morabukea (Mora g ii ili Envíronmental and Social lmpact Assessment Executíve Swnmary BP, the route was one of the main tines of indigenous trade and commurucation. The oldest relatively good schooling and high literacy, and early influences from Anglican and Catholic too! discovered ín Guyana was found on the Wenamu River, a tributary of the Cuyuru nver, missionaries, many Amerindian men and women have earned a cash-based living from and dated as 10,000 years old. · labounng on gold or manganese mines and agricultura! enterpnses, pork-knocking, govemznent service, logging, farming and trad.ing. Nevertheless, many subsistence activities General Population: Toe total population of the North West Area (Region 1, 1986 census) was based on the forest still form the basís of everyda y life. reported to be 18,516, comprising Amerindians (9,768), Mixed (7,024), Negro (1.238), East Indian (473), and Others (13). Toe population of the area is rural. with an average household Whilst the Amerindians knew líttle about BCL or its proposed operatlons, amongst those síze of 5-6 persons. Most of the residents in the area were born there, although there is a interviewed there was almost unanimous approval of the presence of BCL in the North-W est. hígher number of in-migrants to the southern part of the area. Many Amerindians saw potential benefits of new jobs, new markets, access to health care, new roads, improved transport and co:rrununication, and the potential to seII logs to BCL. ln other South American countries, such as Bra.zil and F.cuador, mass movements of population between and within regions create problems of deforestation, conflict over land Employrnent and the Regional Economy: The maín focus of the regional economy in the rights, and rapid urban growth. Within Guyana, with a total population of only 755,000 North-West has centred around famúng and small to medium scale gold mining. There have people, such mass population movements are unknown. been a number of attempts to stimulate regional economíc development and to establísh a more industrial base, but these were singularly unsuccessíul, Amerindian Population: The Amerindian population, mainly Caribs, Arawaks, and Waraus, is concentrated in interior and riverine areas. Region 1 has 24% of ali Guyanese Minimum wages are G$3,000 per month (about US$24), and have to be supplemented by Amerindians. One source suggests that the Amerindian population may be about 15,000 in home production or other sources of incotne. The Barama Company pays relatrveíy well: the North West, a figure somewhat discrepant with the 1986 census figure of 9,768. In either minimwn wages in February 1993 were G$7,SOO per month (USS60)for a five anda half day !.:, case, these figmes indud.e substantial numbers living outside the BCL area of operation, such working week. One consequence of this is that prices in Port KaitUina are now hígh for food, as Hobedia, Hotakwai, Sebai, Red Hill, Wayapoka, Assakata, Llttle Kaniballi, Waikrebi, dothes and other consumer goods. Kwabana, and Santa Rosa. The estimated Amerindian population living within the concession area is about 1,200. This is based on recent census figures and reasonable Health: Leveis of health and health care are generally poor in the region. The provision of estimates, as follows: Port Kaituma, Arakaka, and Matthew's Ridge (500), Kokerite (60), doctors, health workers, and trained medical technidans is scanty; hospitais and health Koriabo (2.53), Chinese Landing (40), and Kurutuku (100); outside recognised Amerindian centres are few, often requinng long and difficult joumeys for people already unwell to reach settlement areas, Baramita Head (possibly 100) and scattered along the major rivers (about any kind of skilled treatment; the supply of drugs for treatment is irregular, insuffi.dent and 1. 150). expensive; local and Amerindian remedíes are less used now than before, and the prevention of dísease, especially malaria and parasítíc infections, is very low indeed. This contrasts with I· Amerindian land rights: There are 4 legally recognised Amerindian settlements within the the lúghly effective cholera campaign in the North West. concessíon: Koríabo on the Baríma River, Chlnese Landing and Kokerite/Kariakau on the Barama Ríver, and Kurutuku on the Cuyuni River. The áreas of these lands and the Port Kaituma now has a well equipped, 2.5-bed hospital with outpatient unit, including: designation of their boundaries are laid out on paper, if not on the ground. Thus each emergency and treatment roam unit; delivery roam; male, female, and children's wards; communíty has a land title to their settlement area. These areas are explicitly exduded from private room; drug roam; linen room; dispensary; nticroscopist roam; medex and nurses the Barama Tírnber Sales Agreenent, being lands legally held by Amerindian Councils as rooms; kitchen; and laundry room. This was set up and is now run by BCL indicated in the Amerindian (Amendment) Act 1976, and the Official Gazette Legal Supplement August 1991. Education: Toe level of education among the rural population, both Amerindian and non• Amerind.ian, in the concession is higher than one would expect to find in comparably remate Some Amerindians live in areas not legally designated as Amerindian Jand. An extensive area areas in other parts oi South America. The value of educatwn in itself anel the real abillty of at Baramita in the Barama headwaters, part of which overlaps with the concessíon, was most of the population to read and write, to a large extent reflects the earlier colonial recommended by the 1969 Amerindian Lands Commíssíon, but was not followed through adnúnistration and the work of religious groups in the area. with legislation There is no information on the current population and use of this area, but ECTF will undertake a survey. There are a1so Amerindians living in the maín population centres of Port Kaituma, Arakaka, and Matthew's Ridge, and, at least in the eastem part of 4. BCL technícal forestry operations the concessíon, a small scattered population líving in individual family uníts dotted along ,. the main rivers, at average intervals of one family every 4 km, each with a small garden. The príndpal forestry activities that BCL will undertake in the concession, and the procedures ·:· to be followed, are outlined in an Operational Manual produced by the company, in addition Arnerindian Econorny: The majority of Amerindians in the conces.sion live within the local to their detailed Management Plan. The main technical operations are: market economy, Tilrough a long history of contact with coastlanders and outside commercial interests in mining and agriculture, combined wiJ:h Engllsh language skills, iv V Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Executive Summary • surveying (inventory, mappíng, road alignment) road construction (about 70km/year) 5.2 Potential impacts of roads • extracnon (the cakulation of the annual allowable cut is based on a mean annual growth increment of 1 rri/ha/year, a maxímum ha.Ivest of 25 m3/ha, anda cutting Soil erosion and sedimentation, localized along main roads and culverts cycle of 25 years, givmg a maxunum annual cut in accessible forest of approxiroately High runoff or poor regeneration on compacted soíls, localizai to main roads and 1,250,000 m3) feeders . • quallty contrai (scaling, wood protection, and volume accountíng) Damage to residual trees, ca.reless skidding and traming (in driving skills for tractors, ski.dders, bulldozers, graders; chain-saw Loss of forest through road constructíon, estimated at 130m of road per km2 of operation and directional tree felling; enumeration and surveying; and construction, concession engineering and mecharuc.al skills). Increased hunting pressure, wildlife trade, and illegal timber felling Increased settlement and shifting cultivation BCL also have a social and community welfare policy covering pay, accommodation, a retail Increased miníng activities, major impact of road network, with positive economíc store, medical care, and water and power services. benefits and high potential environmental costs Increased transport and conununication, major regional benefits of conununication, travel, access to health care and markets 5. Potential lmpacts Change in traditional transport pattems, impact on river traffic and dependent river communities, as traffic shifts to roads A number of potential impacts are considered, that may result from selective logging, building roads, forestry-related activities, and changes in employment, regional economíc development and population structure. These potential impacts are drawn from experiences S.3 Potential impacts of forestry actívities elsewhere in the tropics, and each is considered in relation to the specific context of the BCL concession in North West Guyana. Recommendations for further research or for mitigating Friction with local residents, many potential social conflicts, over jobs, markets, prices, activities have then been drawn up from this assessment. split communities Generation of polluting wastes, highly localísed, at the Oronoque log pond, timber camps, sawmill, and along the barge route to the sea 5.1 Potential impacts of selective loggi.ng in the concession indude: Acceleration of eutrophication by bark waste, localized at lhe major debarking operation at Oronoque Soil erosion, compaction and sedimentation locally in hilly areas and on skid trails; Contamination of waters by wood preservatives, seepage, spills ar spray of locally - Decreased infiltration and ground water recharge, with localized ponding on applied insecticides and fungicides at the Oronoque log pond compacted soil Improvement of livmg standards through social provisions, in Port I vil 1 vi f' 1 'l: - Envíronmental and Social Impact Assessment Executive SUIIlIN.Ij' practice and safety awareness should be instituted by BCI. for the use of such 6. Recommendaríons for mitigation wood treatrnent chemicals, with special care in their use at the Oronoque log pond. where local residents use the water for drinking, fishíng and bathíng. The following recornmendations have been made, for mítígatíng and managíng potential negative ímpacts, and maximi.zing positive ímpacts. The recommendanons fali into three Rec E3. SilV1cuitural research: Whi.le satisfactory initial harvesting guidelines exist, categoríes: there is currently insuffident ínformatíon available to determine accwately the sustainable tirnber cutting levels achievable m the north-western forests. To 1. BCL responsibility: recommendations for BCL to çany out, as a responsibility to this end, BO. have already recruited ECTF to conduer a programme of sustainable forest II\al\ageinent, with direct implications for the work of the company. researdt aimed at the assessment of snsraíned yie1d harvesting levels and These recommendations imply a duty of care on the part of BCL, and will be part of improved logging management. The criticai áreas of research cuxrently being the remir of ECI'F to monitor. undertaken by ECTF are seedlíng regeneration, mortality and stand growth after logging, in relation to gap sízes, intensity of loggíng, residual parent 2. Govemment responsibilities: identification of áreas in wlúch government trees, damage to residuais, soil compactíon and degradation, and stockíng responsibility would normally be assumed. but in which some consultation, density; improved. inventory and mensuration to incorporate ali woody representatíon, and/or actíon from BCL may be involved. Whi1e govenunent is specíes, a wíder range of tree síze classes, and defective trees, for a more responsible for policy, in practical terms BCL can provide logísneal or even financial accurate picture of ecological structure in the forest, and for more effectíve assístance ín some circumstances. assessment of stocking, potential sustainable harvesting and logging impacts. A network of permanent sample plots and experimental plots is bemg 3. Opportunitle,§ for developtnent: opportun.ities for enviromnental, social and regional established, with active assistance from students at the Uníversíty of Guyana. investtnent or development which would be of benefit to the inhabitants of the area ili· and its resources, and could be ini!iated e.ither by the Government or BCL Rec E4. Environmental research (soils and biodiversitv~: further envíronmantal studies are necessary to monitor the impa~ of logging on soils, biodiversity, The recommendatíons are numbered accordíng to the tables gíven in chapter 10. polli.nators and seed dispersai agents, changes in populati.ons of flora and fauna, and recovery after logging. This work will a.lso be the responsibility oi ECI'F, and is planned for 1994. Further silvicultura! recommendations will be 6.1 Environmental and Silvicultural Recommendations developed from tfus work. BCL responsibility Rec E7. ~: 8CL should continue to exercíse great care in road alígnment, constructíon, and maintenance, to avoid damming and erosíon, as outlined in Rec El. Care and training in felllng and skidding: Particular care should be taken to the Forest Management Plan., maintain vegetational cover Íll hilly areas, to minimise erosion, and to avoid unnecessary damage to residual trees durlng felling and extraction by skídders. This must ínvolve logging supervisers limiting canopy opening on Govemment responsibility steep slopes: chaínsaw operators using wrectional Eelling techníques, to minimise damage to surrounding trees and saplings during felling, and to Rec E6. Production and protection forest Under current government prioriti.es, the present the felled Iogs in thl! optimal direction for haulage from site; and North-West is desígnated for productive economic development and there are skidder and t:ractor drivers Illinimising the number of new tracks and tight no spedfic recommendatíons for protection forest in the area covered by the turns that they make while hauling logs from felling sites, to núnimise soíl concessíon. ln sustained yield logging it is important to maintain logged forest compaction and damage to saplings and seedlings. as "closed" to clearance or further extraction for a long predetermined period, to allow natural regeneratíon of the timber stand for future loggíng, Given the A thorough programme of professional training of the BCL chainsaw and importance of this "closed" period, firmer dassi.fication o! land use types heavy machinery operators is vital to contrai needless waste, damage and rísk becomes essential, in this case as permanent producti.on forest. If government to the regenerati.on of the residual forest stand, and should be established priorities on protection forests change, a reassessment of national needs will urgently by Ba.. ECfF wil1 monitor this training programme, and assess íts be necessary. Until then, new and integrated. land use policies, aad impact in minimising u.nnecessary environmental d.amage. environmental protection policies, should be developed under some fonn of inter-agency govemment instituti.on, to clarify and demarcate long-term land Rec E2. Code of praçtice for chen'licals:BCL should take care with potentially polluting uses such as production forest, protection forest, agriculture and mining. fuels, ínsectícídes, fungicides, sprays, debarking wastes, and develop training and awareness-building amongst those who handle such matetials. Acode of vili ix ,·· Envíronmenta! anel Social Impact Assessment Executive Summary Rec ES. Wildlife trade; C1TES anel wildlife trade pracnces are currently under revíew make suggestions to BCL, and to ensure that any adjustments to the plan are by the govemment of Guvana. This review should consíder the potential discussed at all levels and incoprorated wherever possible. impacts on the wildlife trade oi BCL roads and the operung up of the North• West Regíon, and institute improved regu!ation and contrai of the trade. This appointment should be separata to and dístínct from that of the Amerindian Liaison Offícer recommended below. Rec E9. Mining: EnviroNl\ental contrais on mirung and mitigatíon of mining ímpacts must be established. These should include environmental management agreements between miners and GGMC, mduding procedures for land Rec 52. Archaeology: It is probable that, dunng the course of road-building. restoration, pollution contrai, forest use and clearance. A draft for such particularly in the lower areas and riverine c:rossings,artifacts such as pottery management agreements, including mechanísms formonitoring and regulation may be uncovered. The archaeologists of the Walter Roth Museum of of expanded mining acnvities, is currently being prepared by GGMC. The .•. regulatíon and contrai of mirung activities is a major govemment Arc:haeology and Anthropology m Georgetown, with considerable expertise J., responsibility. in this area of research, should be advised of the work taking place in the concession and efforts be made to ensure that p • any findings made during BCL operations are identified and documented; 1·,· [. Opportunities for deveJopment • BCL employees, particu!arly road crews, are briefed on the an:haeological situation ín the regíon and what artifacts are likely to be found; L Rec E5. Genetic: reserves: Given the risk of genetic depletion from logging that focuses • the museum may be helped to investigate any finds that are made in the concession area. on few spedes, there is a case for having genetic reserves in the concession. Reserved forest is needed in representalive forest types, to .safeguard Rec S5. Public use of BCL roads; There must be an clariffcation on po!icy about important genotypes/phenotypes of c:ommercial specíes, e.g. reserves of early the public use of BCL roads, with mechanisms for regulation and c:ontroL The baromalli to maintain genetic variability and provide genetic material for use of BCL roads by the wider public must be carefully monitored, Titis is a potential selection, propagation, and genetic:improvement Such reserve areas matter for wide debate between BO.., govemment and local resídents, and may occur naturally in unharvestable áreas (swamp, hills. Amerindian lands). It will be in BCL's longer-term strategic interest to consider such genetic: policy and procedures should be estab.lished and mon.itored before potential conflícts aríse, reserves in their future planníng, as the programme develops. Similar arguments apply to maintaining wider biodiversity, although this should be Rec S7. considered within the framework of a National Bíodiversity Action Plan. Amerindians: Recommendations for Amerindian Settlem.ent Areas and the Amerindian population include: 6.2 Social Recommendatíons i) the appaintment by BCL of at least one Amerindian LiaisOn Officer, an Azneríndían, whose job would be: BO. responsibílity • to· deal with relations between Amerindians and BCL, • receive complaints and assist in arbitration - ín conjunction with the Rec S1. Communíty Liaison Officer: A Community Líaison Officer should be Community Liaison Offic:er if necessary, appointed: • assist in development projects that may arise from BCL work in the regíon • to improve communícatíons between BCL and the residents oi the region; • in.itiate and help carry out research into sodo-economíc conditions among • to investigate complaints between the residents of the regíon and BCL as Amerindian groups ín the concessíon and help to ascertain Jand titles. soon as possible and recommend appropriate action; • tnaximise use of the ''Notice of Intention to Open a Bloc:k" procedures, so as • to monitor the activities of traders, local markets, and prices of common to reduce the chances of potential conflict. goods to assess impacts on BCL workers and thei.r families. • to maxímíse the use of the "Notice of Intention to Open a Block"proc:edures, so as to reduc:e the chances of potential conflíct, ii) The establishment of a Local Committee to advise and cooperate with BCL and Amerindian groups in the concession. Invitations to participa.te on this Thís officer should be responsíble for improving the flow of information to committee shou!d include Amerindians from the area: representati.ves of and from the population in the BO. concessíon area, through meetings with recognised Amerindian supporr groups active in the area of the concession; individuais and with groups, before the survey teams arrive in an area, before representatives of BCL, including the Amerindian Officer and the Community Liaison Offi.cer; and any other relevant persons with experience of the region road construction begins, and before logging starts. Thís officer will take steps .!;ti to explain the work BCL is planning to carry out, to invite the residents to and of Amerindian life and customs in the concession. .. , X :i ! xi :' í j: Eitecutive Summary Envíronmeneal and Social Impace Assessment Opportunities for development. ili) A poruzlation survev shOuld be carried out to tlle north, west, and south of Matthew's Ridge including the 13araxnita areas to determine the densíty, Rec S6. Marketing: Given the requirement of BCL for supplíes of food. for workers extent and locatíon of Ametllldian settlei:nents and núning activity in arder to with the company and their families, it would bt! opportune to: establish appropriate management of the process of timber extraction in these • help to set up better marketing structures in the main centres, such as Port popula ted areas and advise on further gazettement of Amerindian lands if this K.aítuma, for the purchase and suppiy of fooostuffs fl'om the local conununity is found necessary, It is Ulldersrood that tlle Amerindian Research Unít (ARU) • promete initiatives wíthin or ccmíng from the cor:runwtlty for agricultmal is plaruting sudt a survey- ECTF will undertake a complementary survey, deveíopment, baseei on tocai products. together with the BCL Ameriruiian Li.ai.son Officer oru:e he is appointed. Rec SS. Health ça,re: Given the acute problems of heaith care provísion over the whole 'i iv} The marking of the boundaries between the BCL concessíon and. the ragíon, there is an urgent, widespread need for: desígnaeed Amerindian sreas within the concessíon (Koriabo, Chinese • mote medical training, employxnent of more medical personnel Landing, and. Kokerite icitially, Kumtuku. at a later date) should be • provísícn of outstation dínícs or tra velling health clinics l undertaken by BCI., in collaboration with the appropriate Govemment officers • more malanal screenmg facilities, even ín remate areas. and the supply of ! and Aml!rindian council members. The boundari.es should be cl.early marked, medical treatment and drugs for malaría, i in a way which is evidentand long-lasting. • more preventalive health care provísíon v) Ali Amerindian settlements and culth·ated/fallow l.and should be marked • 1 Rec S9. Education: Given t:he real and perceived need for better educatíonal facilitíes, onallBCL~. : 1 and the aim of BCL to train more s}dlled workers in the concession area, there d. is an evident requirement for: l vi) BCI. should not initiate or encourage the extraction of limber or the • the education of 16 year olds for a variety of occupatíons, rural and building oí roads on Amerindian Iam@. Should t:i.mber be extracted b'Om índusmal, which wíll benefit the community, the regíon and the company e t Amerindian 1ands by any agreement for sale to 'BCL, then BCL should make . ) ev~ effort to determine that the agreement has the oocking oi the • vocatíonal traíning. both pre-employment and ín-servíce instructíon conununíty, through the Amerindian Liaison Officer and the respective • the setting up of a system of apprenticeships for trades and skills Amerindian Council, and that the timber had been selected, cut, and exttacted ~; by the sarne high standards of forest n,anagement as it is proposing for its own concessíon, ! 7. Monitoring vii} All BCL employees, particularly those working ín surveying partíes, As part of ECTF's overall remit to conduct research and monitor the BCL prograr:rune, it will timber camps and field teams, should be made aware of the need to mipimise ' l remain ECTF's responsibility to monitor the responses of BCL and the Government oí the disturbance that BCL work may cause to local communití.es. Guyana to the recommendatícns provided in tlús report, and. to continue to monitor and l report on the environmental and social ímpacts of the BCL progranune duríng its .: 1 vüi) A future environmental and so9&l appraisal should be made of the '.'j southem portion of the BCL concessíon in the Cuyuni and Puruni River areas i.mplementation. - at the appropriate time (1(H5 years hence), but well in advance oí any ?!Í surveying, road building or timber extraction. :i i •J 1 : i Goverrunent xesponsibility. Rec S3. Access to forest: An effective policy should be developed. and implemented to regulate and control access by outsíders to the forest within the concession, ., ' especially forest that is "dosei" after logging, and the expansíon of shifting cuJtivation, mining and other potentially damagíng acti\ri.ties.This is a vital part of sustainable forest management, and. can only be Ied by goverrunent policy badcillg.. and a Forestty Cornmíssíon backed with sufficient resources. xili - -- - - r ....•••• Rationale SECTION A: CONTEXT 1. RATIONALE Toe Barama Company Llmited (BCL) is embarkíng on a 50-year programme of sustainable tímber production for plywood in a concession with a gross area of nearly 1.7 million ha in north west Guyana. This Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESW forms part of a programme of work being undertaken by the Edinburgh Centre for Tropical Forests (ECTF) to research and monitor the BCL Sustainable Forest Management Programme. EcrF has a full-1:ime staff member in Guyana, Mr Greg Sutton, working in the concession area. Toe Universíty of Gu.yana, and other appropriate Guyanese institutions, will be actively involved in this research, and results will be available to interested institutíons in Guyara. Toe FSIA of BCL's forestry developments in north-west Guyana aims to examine the potential negative and positive ímpacts of this large-scale operation, and to produce guidelines and recommendations for incorporation by BCL into ímproved planning and forest management Toe justification for such an assessment at an early stage is multiple: to identify potenti.ally seríous negative impacts oi Iogging activities on environmental and social welfare, which will impede the objectives of sustainable forest management, and to recommend mitigating actions for incorporation into BCL's ,,., Forest Management Plan; .: ,, to refine the definition of sustainable forest management as it applies to this ;, Íi progranune, íncluding both sustained timber yield and wider biological, 11 n environmental and social sustainability, which will set a clear agenda for BCL's forest management responsibilities; .,:. l''J to inform good management practices that satísfy Wider national and intemational concem, and that satisfy critería being developed by a nwnber of intemational bodies for wise iorest management. This wilI have dear ímplications for future marketability of tropical forest products, under growing international pressure for certification of t!· forest products from sources which meet pre-determined forest management criteria; to identify those aspects of environmen!al and social concem which need to be monitored in detail during the loggíng programme. to foster better understanding of both enviromnental and social interrelationships that may result in ímproved envíronmental management, sodo-economíc benefit and longer-term eeonomíc growth in forest regions opened to logging. Thís FSIA represents an early social and enviromnen!al audit of the BCL programme. However, environmental and social assessment procedures are nct the only constituent of sound natural resource planning and management, and it should not be expected to solve or avoid a11 environmental and social problems. Its role is to provide information and 1 Envírcnmental and Social Impact Assessment Barama Company Lllluted recornmendations leading to improved planning and management. 5peafic outputs from thls ES!A include: 2. BARAMA COMPANY LIMITED baselíne inion:nation on na turaJ resources and sodo-econonuc actívitíes within the' Toe Barama Coznpany Ltd (BCL) has a Tímber Sales Agreem.ent CTSA) to extract timber in concessíon, and analysís of likely enviro=ental and social impacts of the logging an area of 1,669,977 ha in the north-west oi the country, in pazts of the Barima, Waíni, programme; Cuyuni and Mazaruni sub-regíons CMaps 1 & 4, Appendix L). recommendatíona for mitigating actions and improvement of envíronmental Toe programme is specifically designed by BCL to selectively harvest timber from lowland management and social safeguards; forest in the concession under sustained y:ield management. This will operare over a 25-year cycle, for a period of fifty years, Harvested logs will be transported by barge from Port key mdicators of environmental and social sustamability, with cross-reference to the Kaituma to the new plywood factory sited at Land of Canaan on the Demerara River near ECTF research programme that will monitor these; Georgetown. Some wil1 be sawn for lumber and other forest products. clarifkation of the respective responsibilities of BCL and the Government of Guyana Toe overall strategic aims of BCL are "to ensure the sustainabtlity of the forest in perpetuity in follow-up developxnents ín north-west Guyana. whilst selectively harvesting a major natural resource for the benefit of the Company, people and Govemment of Guyana." Thís aím incorporates the wider responsibilities of sustaínable BCL has gíven a commitntent to sustainable forest management in the concession. However, forest management, including environment.al and social sustainability. environmental and social parameters are strongly interlinked ín forestry developments, and regional economic growth will itself be linked to the development of other potentially BCL have produced a detailed Forest Management Plan, which serves as a maín reference damagíng actívítíes, such as the expansion of mining. There will be difficulties attributing point for this ESIA. A copy of this Management Plan is available from BCL, and ít ís not cause and effect in some of tlte social and enVironmental changes that occur ín north-west reproduced here due to space limitations. Thís is a comprehensive document, which covers Guyana, and both 13CL and the Govenunent of Cuyana need to be sure of their respective all operational aspects of the programme, including the basís of the annual harvest, and tesponsibilities for rnitigating actions, clarifu:ation and recognition of land rights, law details of the inítíal 1-year and 5-year plan. Outlines are also given for BCL's commitments enforcement, and the provísion of resources and institutional support needed to balance to environmental safeguards and to the security of designated Amerindian community lands. soda.! change and maint.ain environment:al control Toe Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) has approved the Forestry MaNgement Plan for the period 1992-1996. At the end of years l and 2, reviews of the Pla.n will be carried out to reflect addídonal information resulting from the ECTF research programme. ECTF have been contracted to conduct appropriate research and. monitoring of ali aspects of the Sustainable Forest Management Programme pertínenr to this concessíon, This will be used to guíde BCL's forest management p!anning, to advise BCL and GFC of the sustainable annual harvest from the concession, and to monitor the wider aspects of forest znanagemenr, including long term impacts on Amerindian COIIIIIlUI\i.ties, biodiversity and other environmental parameters. • 1 2 3 - ) Environmental and Social Impact Assessroent Bnef Geography of Guyana Toe Guyanese populatian is small (755,000 in 1990) for a country of 214,000 knr (GAHEF, 3. BR1EF GEOGRAPHY OF GUYANA 1992b).The population, mainly oi East Indian and African Origin, indudes some 35,000-45,.000 indigenous Amerindian people. The Ameri.odian communiti.es live mainl.y in the interior, 3.1. Topography and climate (Landfonn Map 2, Appendix D predominantly in the 65 reserved Alnerindian settlements (covering 13,900 km2), although some communítíes and individuals live scattered throughout the forest. Toe average Five dístínct bio-phySical regíons are recognized, each with a characterislic combination of Guyanese population densíty is 3.5 per km2, although over 90% of the population lives along rock, soils and vegetation types: the Coastaí Plaín, the White Sands region, the Pakaraima the íertile coastal plain (18,600 knr, or !ess than 10% of the Jand areal. This means that the Mountain region, the Tropical Savannahs, and the predominating Pre-Cambrian Lowland population density in the interior forested areas is 0.1 per km2• Plateau, The crystalline pre-Cambrían plateau forros part of the Guiana Shield. It is a complex mixture of volcanic and metamorphic rock, pnndpally granite, which underlies much of the country, and is almost entirely clothed in rainforest. The Guyanese climate is chazacterised typically by 1800 - 2800mm of annual rain!all, in two rainy seasons: May-July and Nov-Jan. In the southwest, this tends towards a single rainy season in May-Aug. Countty extremes of rainfall are up to 4000mm in the Pakaraima Mountaíns, and down to 1400mm towards the east and southeast in the savanna areas. The concession falis within the country norms, and average annual rainfall at Port Kaítuma has been 2400mm over the last 5 years, 3.1. Biogeographi<: zones (Vegetation Map 3, Appendix D The major landform regions correspond broadly with the three maín biogeographical provinces in Guyana (Coastal, Savanna, and Forest: GAHEF, 1992), which each include a variety of biotic commwúties or ecosystems. The Forest biogeographic province comprises the following biotic commwúties: tropical moist forest (or mixed lowland forest, described below, comprising most of the country's northern forests at elevations below 300m); white sand.s forest and bordering brown saneis forest (including dry and seasonal forests in central and southern Guyana); montane forest (in the Pakaraíma and other mountain regions): swa.mp forest (in poorly drained coastal areas). While these forest biogeographic commwuties correspond largely with the landfonn characteristics given above, the forest types and dominant spedes are detennined mainly by soil characteristics and the availability of water. 3.3. People and Economy Forestry produces about 4% of gross domestic product (GDP) ín Guyana. It is thus currenUy a relatively small sector of the economy. The main economic sector is agrículture (61 % of GDP ín 1987: sugar 48%, rice 4%, other crops 9%). Mining and construction accounted for 11 % and 10%. Toe 4% in forestry has remained steady throughout the 1980's (GAHEF, 1989; NFAP, 1989; IBRD, 1992). 4 5 1 ! l í Environmental and Social Impact Assessment The Forest Sector '' is GFC GFC' s responsibilities include assignment of harvesting ríghts, concessíon or logging 4. THE FOREST SECTOR permít boundaríes, and assessment and collection of revenues. GFC has !ímíted powers in ! forest management and forest pclícy, although it acts as the government's advisory body, It l 4.1. forests is greatly under-resourced, in both staff and funds/ equípn,ent. The effectivenass of sustainable forest r:nanagement initiatives currently rests on the professionalism and ' 1 j The major moísr ttopical forest types in Guyana are: commitment of a few key índívíduals or ad hoc groups in the public and private sectors, and does not have the backing of strong or well-resourced govemment policy or institutíons for wallaba forest on white sands peneplains, domínated by Eperua speaes (wallaba); regulation and conrrol, mora forest on alluvía] silt and day along rívers and riverine flats, domínated by ; r Mora excelsa (mora); A strategy for development of the forest sector has been put forward in the NFAP.There is seasonal forests in southem Guyana with marked seasonal rainfall; an urgent need for a policy ftamework for conservatíon and sustaínabla development of ,.• t,ii marsh forest on pegasse or alluvial silt over a clay pan which is seasonally flooded; forest resources, instítutional strengthening, integrated Iand use plaru:ling, incentives for lJ' coastal swamp forest, dominated by Symphonia globulifera (manni) and Viro/a ímproved forest management, and mechanisms for environmental assessment, monítoríng ~! (dalli) surinamensis and control These options are au:rently being assessed by the Govemment oI Guyana and ti, and míxed lowland forest (including greenheart forest), which covers a variety of internatíonal donor agencies. ~ ' forest types accordíng to sai! and moisture, although always on well- The 1970 FAO forest ínventory indicated typical timber volumes of 180-220 m3/ha (all species), 100-150 m3/ha (commercial spedes), and 12-15 m3/ha greenheart. Currently greenneart is the domínant commercial species, compri.sing 15% of total volume but over 40% of tímber harvested and up to 70% of timber exported. Mean stocking density for the míxed forest is 25 commercial trees/ha (range 12-42 b:ees/ha), out of a total stock of 75-100 trees/ha. Until now, all conunerdal forestry has been based on timber, either for intema.l consumption l or for export as logs or sawn lumber. The BCL programme is the fust large-scale plywood ' enterprise to be undertaken in Guyana. 1: !ÍI 4.2. Forest institutions and legíslatíon :! ' i The inaccessibility of much of the forested interior, the low density and uneven distribution of the populatíon, and the limited development of míníng, agriculture, forestty and roads inland, explains the relatively undisturbed nature of much of the natíon's forests. Guyana remaíns one of the few developing countries in the world where populalion pressures on íts '1. natural resources are virtually non-existent Toe potential for economic development of these resources is enormous, provided that the institutional and policy .structure to ensure sustainable developtnent is put in place. This is a matter of some urgency, i' í' Although GNRA is the umbrella organisation coveríng forestry among other natural resource 1.' sectors, the main agency actively responsible for the administration of the timber resource 1 ' 6 7 f• Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Natural Resources in the Concession Area 5. ITINERARY OF ESIA TEAM'S VISIT SECTION B: NATURAL RESOURCES, POPULATION ANO LOCAL ECONOMY IN THE BCL CONCESSION AREA The Impact Assessment was conducted over three weeks from 11 February - 5 March 1993. Toe team íncluded Dr Michael Harrí.son (team-leader and ec:ologíst), Elizabeth Allen (social Section B provides the background and baseline uúormation on the forest and mineral sdentíst), and Greg Sutton (ECTFs resident tropical forester ín Guyana). The aim was to resources in the concession. This has been used as the baseline agaínst which to discuss the undertake independent and objective review of the environmental and social context of the potential silvicultural, environmental and social impacts of BCL' s operations in the concession BCL Sustainable Forest Management Programme. The mission included visits to the north• (section C), and the reconunendations for nutígatíng, actions (Section D). westem part of the concessíon, and consultatíon meetings with numerous interested parties in the North-West and ín Georgetown. The team visited only the northern part of the concession, and can work only with other supporting mformation as it exists. The vast majority of the central and southem parts of the Site visits in the concession induded different forest types and operational areas, BQ.' s inítial concession are relatívely unknown. While the general topography and soils are known at infrastructure developments and road bwld.ing, inventory and volume table research, reconnaissance levei, timber resources and flora and fauna remain little known, and due to extended trips on foot and by boat to Amerindian and miníng communities within and inaccessibility there is little human activity over the bulk of the concession. A growing body outside the concessíon, and an overflight of extensive areas of the western and southem of information exists from the northern parts of the concessíon, upon which this report relies concession area. extensively. Despite difficultíes of access and transport, the team had extensive community and individual meetings with Amerindians, miners, traders, anel. residents in Port Kaítuma, Arakaka, Konabo, Chínese Landing and Sebaí, on the Baríma, Barama and Kaituma Rivers. Earlier 6. NATURAL RESOURCES IN THE CONCESSION AREA trlps by Sutton also included visits to Kokerite and Kariaka.u, anel. a number of smaíl family farms dotted along the maín rivers. This covers all but one (Kurutuku on the Cuyuni River) 6.1. Topography, hydrology and climate of the Amerindian Settl.em.ent Areas within the concession (Sebai is just outside but near the sphere of influence), anda number of individuais living outside these formal settlements. The The concession is almost entirely underlain by the pre-Cambrian plateau of the Guiana Shield team was accompanied by Amerindian guídes, and met the Amerindian Captains or (Map 2, Appendix 1). Toe major geological formations ín the concession are granite and Councillors in those areas, as well as =y village members, both in group meetings and as greenstone. Three major rivers dissect the concessíon, the Barima and Barama draining to the individuais. north in Venezuela, and the Cuyuni draining centrally into the Essequibo River (Map 5, Appendix 1). All rivers and streams drain into these, except for small watersheds draining Specifically exduded from this F.sIA is the site and operations of the BCL plywood factory into the Kaítuma River on the northern concession boundary, and into the Puruni River on on the Demerara River at Land of Canaan. the southem concession boundary. The team also undertook extensive consultations with a wide range of individuais, The rivers draining from gold mining sites are laden with a brtght brown fine silt from the orgamsatíons and institutions in Georgetown (see Appendix ID, to solicit information or heavy clay soils; in clear rivers without erosion sediments, the water is c1ear and dark with comment pertinent to this ESIA. The current politícal and public sensitivities (expressed ín leached tannins and phenolics. Water in the major rívers, Barama, Barima and Cuyuni, is the press and amongst some NGOs, but not within Govemment) over BCL logging cloudy and dark brown, a mixture of the leached waters draining from the forest and mining ' operations in Guyana presented some difficulties to our mission. In particular we had trouble sediments. being able to speak to all interested parties, and met occasionally with misinformation and prejudice. However, we feel that a broad perspective was achieved, and the points of view The concession is predominantly flat or undulating lowland without major topographic of most have been incorporated, particularly those living within the concessíon, features, except in the west 0n the eastem fringes of the concessíon there are some patches of coastal swamp, and towards the south-east there are patches of white sands. Most of the concessíon is dryland with intermixed marshforest and rtverine floodplain. The westem parts of the concession are more hílly, wíth some very steep hills in the Matthews Ridge area (maximum altitude 180m). The Imataka Mountains in Venezuela abut the westem edge of the concessíon, but nowhexe in the concession rises above 240m altitude, the híghest areas being south of the Cuyuní River. The I Raínfaíl figures are avaílable for Port I 8 9 i..------~ ------·· ------ Envuunmental and Social Irnpact Assessment Figure l. and peaks in July and December, The concession falis entirely witbin the 2200 - 2400aun rainfall isohyets (Min Ag, 1990). l 6.2. Forest types i c:o -·~ The concession area is almost entirely forested. The exceptions are areas cleared for mirúng 1-~ J and pasr agricultwal developmerus, esttrnated to cover up to 30,000 ha. ;p: .··-', ~~- -~-.... ,.. ln the North-West, apart f:rom small patches of white saneis and coastal plaín on the eastern 1 :it~~:S~ ·, ~; .· .. : · ,. . concessíon boundary, the concessíon iilcludes predominantly dryland núxed forest types, i!~ r z with mtermixed marshforests of mora and palm. Greenheart (Chlorocardíum radiei), wallaba ctS (\J (Eperua falcata and E.grandiflora), morabukea (Mora gonggrijpii) and wamara (Swartzia l.t- (j) t(: : :.-: , _, . '>::,: {j,._" 1 leiocalydna), five species characteristic of mixed forest in central Guyana, are virtually absent c- ~~ •• ·~.~~- ••••• tvc • ', '',,:. _, ~..-,v.~.,t in the north-westem forests. Historically this is one reason why little investment in forestry 1 has been attracted to this regíon, ·co õ The proportíons of these forest types in the concession probably approximate to the following a:º 1 regional breakdown for the North-West {after Welch, 1975): Ol ~ =i <( C\I 1 ' Mixed forest on undulating or hilly terrain 79% o· "1 C') " Mixed forest on deeply dissected terrain ::í 1 13% --:) . r Mora forest on flat, seasonally flooded. ríverína terrain 4% 1 =:' e: Mixed forest on steep hills 3% =i J l Wallaba forest on white saneis ridges 0.5% >, Mixed forest on flat terrain along nvers 0.5% cu ~ ! t ! This underestimates the area of marshforest, at least ín the north of the concession, where the BCL inventory shows that 80% of trees stands on dlyland and 20% on wetland or mar.;hforest. 1 f: The southem part of the concessíon, judged f:rom the aír, supports different forest types, different dominant species with different phenological cycles, Many semi-deciduous specíes C/l with flush leaves and flowers were apparent along the Cuyuni river {late February a., l 1 from '- Q 1 overflight), absent the North-West. ã5 Q) 1 E .L 1 1 1 6.J. Timber e: ~I Cll '\ J 8CL has been undert.akmg a 100% inventory of merchantable timber in the concession, 1 ~-! ~ starting in the north-west compartment {Compartment I - North-West Kaituma) which will o o o o o o o o o cover the first 34 years of logging. Only non-defectíve trees of commercial specíes over -.:i- C') C\I 35cm DBH are enumerated. o, rr:: These data give a good índícat:ion of the conunercial potential, but are of more liJnited value 10 Natural Resources in the Concession Area for assessíng logging sustainability and stand dynamics. They provide limited information on ecologícal parameters. stand structure, total biomass volumes, specíes distnbution, and ecological constraints on sustained yield logging. Further inventaries to suppíemenr the BCL surveys are being conducted by ECfF as part of the silvicultura! research programme, including information on all tree species, ali trees induàing defective srems, and sue classes induding saplings and seedlings. The EcrF progranune will also study growth and yield, mortality and regeneration, according to forest type and stand structure, and responses to loggíng, Nevertheless, the BCL survey provides a substantial baseline data set for the NW compartment of the concession, summarized below. Top 20 commeráal spedes by volume (100% sample of 4,SlOha) Common ,wne Cou\metdal Botanic&l name tteeo/ha Volm'/ha ~ byvol11111• use 1. BarollWli plywood Ozlos-...,.. uo 10.00 37.1 2. Haiariballl plywood 1,1 ••• .,,. 4.48 4.26 15.8 3. Blad< Kal 6.Maho plywood Staculiup. O.í'S Q.83 3.0 7. [(.abUka.lh timber ea..""'g/Jz/mi 035 0.81 3.0 8. Burada non-comm Porn,m'I'· 0.24 0.50 1.9 9.Dilli plywood Virow ,,.,,,,..,.,..is 0.21 0.34 1.3 10. Wlllo. l•g• sp. 0.41 0.31 1.1 11, W111a. K.úarull n= ~~ 0.21 0.3() !.I 12. Suradan Hie,,my,,,,,J4%ifl.a,a 026 0.30 1.1 13. Blllletwood proi.md Molul,.,,. bik>,riw, 0.()6 0.29 1.1 14. Maporol 1S.S1muup1 llmber Si,n,irub,,.....,.. 0.11 0.24 0.9 !6. White Kabralll RO!l- 19. FuttU plywood /a-.uuiAa,pllO O.IS 0.18 O:J :!O. Monlccy pot IJmber l..«yll,.ís.t.anni 0.15 0.18 0.7 :f ' 21-95 75 other speaos :z..33 2.01 7.S TOTAL 21.08 '11,.97 100.00 ,j 11 Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Figure 2. The following summary of tímber stand statistics takes 3 sample blocks (each of 100ha) from the 100% inventory, one wíth average stocking densities, and two representing the extremes oi high and low stocking. Swnmary of BO. survey statisfü:s for 3 x 100ha bloclcs No. trees/lOOh.i btoclc Volume r:n' /ha. Basal uea m' Ih• t bíod< b!od< bloó: block blod< b!odc blodr. blód: b[od< 2J.C zs-c 2$-F 23-C 25-<; :Z.S.F 23-C lS--G 2$-F Ej Baromallt 457 647 933 9.21 13.03 18.75 0.97 1.58 l.18 63 31 Hainballl 6211 848 1266 439 838 12.00 0.85 96 4 o 31.,.clr. 518 821 &39 3.53 7.43 7.53 0.68 C'J Kwnlll 99 1 C/) (]) I Cr.ibwood 242 179 258 1.83 2.03 2.112 o.35 o C/) 76 24 (\J (/) 1 / Oútcn 622 IZOJ IS69 7.45 13.51 16.53 l.35 ro 88 12 ·H Totil 2661 3695 4865 26.41 4U3 S7.6S 4.20 6.83 8.68 80 20 (]) ºº.!::! ! ! o C/) Over the fuller data ser, the average commereíal volume in 17 x 100 ha blocks is 34 m.3 /ha o (range 12 - 51 m3 /ha). Some 70% is from plywood or potential plywood species (23 m3 /ha). :r:: There is considerable variability ín stands across this part of the concession, in stocking (I) density, specíes distribution, and in proportions ofwet/dly and hilly/flat terrain. Baromalli gº and Crabwood, for example, occur in highest densíties at l:he diyland/swamp boundary, E Haiariba!li and Black Kakarallí at highest densit:ie.s in dry forest, and White Cedar (Tabebuza o () instgnis) and Manní (Symplumia globulifera) in 1Ila1Shforest. co -r-o The frequency distribution of tree síze classes ín 3 x 100 ha blocks (11.206 trees) (Figure 2) shows the structure of the forest heavily skewed towards smaller trees. There are very few trees over 100cm DBH, and a very high proportion in the 35 cm DBH class, suggesting that the overall basal area may be low compared to other tropical forests. However, BCL data o currently available are not reliable for this analysis, as they record only commercial species. <.O ECTF research will clarify this. a fn summary, in the north-westem part of tlle concessíon, the forest is small in stature, with io canopy heights of 20-25m, apparently low basal area and stocking volumes compareci to tropícal forest averages, and with veiy few !arge trees. A few spedes dominara the forest, notably Baromalli which makes up over one third of the total commercial volume. i : Agaín, the southem parts of the concession are like!y to differ in structure, composition and ' o o o o O' o o stockíng, and this has yet to be assessed. o a o o o o 1 a o o o o o C\I e.o LO "<:t" (") C\I O> ·Í iI: 1 12 Natural Resources ín t.he Concession Area 6.4. Biodiversity Toe "Cuíana" regíon lies on the edge of the great Amazonian forest block, and although it contains a number of endemic plant and animal spedes, it is relatively speaking the poorest region for biodiversity ín this block, the richest lying along the base of the Andes in Peru and Ecuador. However, it should be emphasised that the bíodiversíry even ín this relatívely "poor" region is still very rich in global terms, The Amazonian forest block is one of the most diverse ecosystems on earth. 6.4.1. Flora Over 6000 speàes of plants have been described for Guyana, of whic:h over 100 are commerdally known tree species. Many areas have still not been collected or are poorly described by plant taxonomists, who esfunate that 7000 - 10000 speàes may be present. There are 74 speàes of endemic higher plants (GAHEF 1992), none threatened according to rum crítería. Guyana has few biogeographical baniers with other Amazonían countries. lnformation on species distributions remaíns poor. The only site identified in the North-West of Guyana as an endemíc centre for plants is in the Aruka Basín, which is outside the concession. There has been little plant taxonomic work dane within the concessíon, especially the more southern forests in Waini, Cuyuni and Mazaruni regíons, due to their relative inaccessibility. Despite the very linúted ínformatíon base on the status of plant diversity in the concessíon, it is fair to assume that as intact forest, the biodiversity is in a healthy state. Further, as part of the vast pre-Cambrían lowland plateau, there is little reason to think there is great variety of forest or habitat types within the concession that are rare or híghly restricted ln distributi.on. Human actívítíes in the concessíon that have influenced the flora are lliruted to some forest loss in localised míníng areas, and up to 30,000ha of forest cleared for past unsuccessful agriculturalschem.es. The traditional low impactsubsistence activities of Amerindians include small scale shlfting cultivation on an 8-10 year rotation (some Amerindians reported longer cycles, up to 25 years), and collection of non timber forest products. There is no legal export trade in wild flora in Guyana, although many orchid species wou!d present commercial potentiaL 6.4.2. Fauna The fauna of Guyana so far recorded compríses over 1200 vertebrate speàes, including the major taxa as follows: birds 728 species mammals 198 species reptiles 137 species amphibians 105 species 13 , '--- - Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Natural Resources in the Concession Area The status of these is swrunarised by GAHEF (1992): there are IO endemic species (amphibians and reptiles; there are more regional endemícs); 14 species are rare/vulnerable Kautiballi Shlngies, fuewoOcl, coai accordíng the IüCN critena, anel 1 species has been recorded as extinct (Anhima comuta). ! K.a.bukalli Canoes Currently 144 of these species are listed in CITES (the Conventíon on Intemational Trade in ! Endangered Species). Keren Canoes Manicole palm Edible, Ieaves for thatch ln general many species whích are rare or endangered. elsewhere ín the Amazonían forest are still likely to have good populations in Guyana. The indigenous biodiversity is likely to be Mora Boat buildlilg extensive and largely intact, although it is poorly recorded. Thís is as true for the remate Nibi palm Bask.et wan: North-West, in the concessíon, as anywhere else in Guyana. For example, the giant tiver otter is still common in some of the northern rívers, whereas it has become locally extinct in many l'araku.san Canoe paddles populated regions in the Amazon basin. Quaslü Medicine Amenndian hunters ín the North-West reported wildlife as plentiful, and hunting e.asy and Talabu Baal Bwlding local Occasionally shotguns are used, but cartridges are hard to obtain, and most hWlting Tibisi palm Mais, floor lt\ats is dane by bow and arrow. Common prey is pea:ary, tapir, Iabba, agouti, paca, and brocket deer. Also present are a full range of larger mammals, induding jaguars, smaller cats and Trull palm Houx roof tlwx:h other carnívoras, a number oi pritnate species, edentates (sloths, annadillos, and anteaters), Wallaba Posts, staves, s~e opossums, and a large number of bats and rodent spectes. No forest fauna! surveys have Yarriyam been conducted in the North-West interior, although rnanatee and crocodile surveys (NSRC, Oars, handles, fishing rods 1974; Ministry of Agriculture, 1990) have been undertakan in coastal areas, mostly outside Yarula Paddle!, handles, roeis the concession. The crocodile survey for CITES found only Cuvier's dwa.rf caíman Wa.ili iPaieasuchus palpebrosus) in the Bariina River, within the concession, where it is hunted for fruit i.rt pod·like bean (floral food) food. This is not considered an economic species in the c:rocodile leather trade. Asipoko round reddísh fntit (floral food) ,, Arawiya fruit (floral food) 6.5. Non timber forest products Oímo:phandra mora, Nectandra rodioeJ mora and ,çeenheart seeds (flota) food) Ballimani seeds (floral food) Few ethnobotanical studies from the North-West have been published other than lists of useful species, whích are summartsed below (Adams, 1972; BCL Management Plan; this Anacardium sp. cashew nuto (floral food) ESIA). Mmmtliana regi.a, M.auntia flexuosa/Kokerire &: Ire palm f:rwt (floro /ood} palm fruit Sámtific or loc.al rumea: planta u- A.stroauyum tuoima/ Akoyuru seeds flotal food Akurvu palm Bows, walking sticks, ians Ma.rama indica, Miramos1ssima arrow root (floral food) Aromata Bark for snake blte Caryocar tuberculosa Brazil nut (Iloral food) Barabara Oars, tool handles Hymenae acourbaril locust seeds {floral food) Baradan ômoes Lecythis davisii/ monkey pot floral food Baro1J1alli Bark for walls & flooro in Ameriridian huts Atupamu fine red seed (floral food) Bloodwood Fuel Apotari seed (floral food) Bulletwood LaleJI, too) handles Toro nut (floral food) Cedar white Medid.ne, eanoea Semusemu &uit (floral food) Crabwood Bark for medicine Cuumedi black seed {floral food) Halàa Wallàng slide,, il.wng rcd T""' pabn leaves for tu ífloml food.) Jack-in-the-box Floors, canoes, floats C..wawi a nut &om a ~ (lloral lood) 14 15 ••• ' Envl.l'onmental and Social Impact Assessment Natural Resources m the Concession Area Scientific cr loal n.unes: •llimw u ••• 6.6. Soil 1 Dasyroctaaguti/accoun (aunai food Coelogenys/labba fauna! food 1 Toe only surveys of soils in the concessíon were conducted as part of a national soil survey ín the early 1960s (FAO, 1966). ln general, there is a dose rel.ationship between soils and annadillo fauna! food topography in the maín physiographic regíons within the concession: Mynnea,paga/antbear fauna! food small areas of the lowland floodplain along the major northern rivers, the Baríma and Dicotyles labialus, Oictotyles tcrquaNS/bu,hhog faunalfood Barama; deer of severa\ varieties fauna! food rare patches of white sands plateaux; some areas oi mountains and high plateaux; 1 1 turtles and theír eggs fauna! food but in much the greatest predomínance, the pre-Cambrian crystalline shield uplands manatt/ sea c:ow fauna! food underlie most of the concessíon, ríver and land crabs faunal food Reconnaissance soil surveys suggest that the major sou groups in the concession are as Ptertua samba.chü/otters or water dogs fauna! food follows (from the FAO soil maps): Tapir americanus/bush eew fauna! food approxímately 60% of concessíon has deeply weathered and hlghly leached brown wild honey fauna! food sandy clay loams and gravelly reddish-brown lateritic clays of !ow fertillty. Most land Powis, Mamiri,Dukwaru/Djolcoro, Wicissidueks, fauna! food is flat or undulating. with hllly terrain common in the west. Steeper slopes present Rupocolaelegam, blnl,, and theír eggs a serious erosion hazard if cleared of vegetation. These soils have severe limitations for agricultura! use; rars fauna! food Tchiri worms/Komburu worms faunalfood about 35% of the concession has deep wall-draíned brown sandy soils of low fertility, kushie ants fauna! food on gently sloping to rolling topography, which would present moderate limitations to agricultura! use. These occur mainly in a narrow band along the Cuyuni Ríver in Muro &og.hog eggs fauna! food the south of the concessíon, and in the Barima and Barama headwaters. stmg ray and ana,Js of two varietil!s fauna! food the remaining 5% is effectively deep, stenle, excessívely or poorly drained white sand Kibihi faunalfood soils on gentle síopes, and areas of shallow brown sandy gravei soils cn steep slopes, Salà winki monl Toe major mineral resource mined in Guyana is bauxita, in open-cast mínes, Bauxite is not found in the concessíon, Diamonds have their main deposits in the Roraima formations and assodated escarpments in eastem Guyana, again outside the concession. Some licences for predous stone prospecting have been given within the concessíon, Historically within the concessíon, manganese has been mined at Matthews Rídge, Over 1 million tonnes were exported up to 1968, but this has since ceased. 16 17 '\ 1 Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Figure 3. The maín focus of mínfng in the concession is gold, which oocurs throughout the arsa oi crystaliine basement rock in Guvana. The ríchesr alluvial deposits are near ridges of metamorphic rocks and in lateritié areas, which are common in the MattheW's Ridge area. .,-- There has been a long history of mining anel migration up the Barama anel Barírna Rivers, from the gold rushes in the early 1930's, although actívity is much reduced now. It is, 0) however, still the mainstay of the !oc:a! economy, providing jobs, markets and llinited O") j transport. ..,-- 1 .•.... Gold recovery IS mainly by hand, using high pressure water jets. Along the Cuyuní River, O'/ in the southem part of the ccncesston, gold is dredged. Cunently ín the concession most ~ .•....O) J activity is medium scale hydraulic extraction, and small scale pannuig by traditionaJ pork• co knockezs. Merrury is widely used to consoíídate the sluíced gol d, then evaporated by heating. O") Although some miners attempt to condense the evaporating roercury forre-use, for the most o I O) part it disperses into the enviromnent. There is no recordeei informatíon on levels of mercury .,-- .•....cn pollution and mercury-related illness in the concessíon. There is, however, circumstantial evidence that mercury has caused some locaüzed enVironmental probíems, e O) Gold prices have fluctuated considerably over the last decade, and are currently rising again. co Gold prices and these fluctuations are one of the major influences on the intensity and spread o ,.....O'l of min.ing acnvítíes, Toe other major influence is accessibility, and without question the i inacces.sibility of much of the North-West Region of Guyana has limited the extent to wlúch ; ' ~-~ ,,,' ' ~ . '-::· ,,. minars operate. Annual gold production, largely reflecting prices, is depicted in Figure 3. co 'i \~·- ~' . ; : : , ; , ~-.: co .,....O'l The current status of mi.ning claims and activity in the concessíon is discussed in Section 8. Toe environmental damage caused by mining can be severe and striking. Localized removal of vegetatíon and upper soíl horíaons leaves semi-pennanent scars, and sedhnenration is ~ camed downstream, A medium-scale operator with engines and pumps will cut deeply .,....O) through the clay some 10-lSm down to the gravei bed containing the alluvial gold. Toe run of slurry may kill a significant area of forest, and wash into the streams and rivars, An overflight of the concession showed the heavíest activíty at Arakaka and Matthew's Ridge, (O 00 and along the Cuyuní Ri ver, but occasional feeder streams of the major rívers remete within .,....O) the concessíon were also heavily sedimented for many kilometns, with a fine bright brown silt from the heavy day. \{) co 6.8. W'Lldlifetrade O'l.•... Over the last 30 years, wildlife trading has built up so that there are now 18 registered. V exporters, and some 200 trappers wod:ing in Guyanese forests (GAHEF 1992). Guyana is a co signatory to CITFS (signed in 1977), and thus constramed by its trading regulatíons. The CJ) wildlife trade is worth up to US$ 1.5 million per year, with over 10% of this collÚllg to the govenunent of Guyana as revenue (CAHEF, 1992). o o o o o o o o The major exports are: o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o r-,. (O lO .,.... • bírds, mainly parrots and macaws (29,000 exported in 1986, 33,000 in 1990); bírds 'St' C') C\I represent about Z5% of expore numbers, but 85% of revenue (NFAP, 1989). - amphil:>iansand reptiles, mainJy lízards, caímans, iguanas, and frogs (130,000 ín 1986, 18 . ~- - ·------. ·------·--·· ·------. -·------ Natural Resources in the Concession Area over 100,000 III 1990); some mammals are exported also, inc!uding sloth, agoun, and squme1 monkeys (6000 ,1 in 1986, of which 5000 were primates, and 3800 in 1990, of which 3000 squírrel mollkeys). There is no recordeei information on the localities involved in the wildlife trade, although the North-West of Guyana is known to be an important source area. Within the concession there is currently a limited wildlife and fish trade in selected species. Traders collect birds, freshwater físh, and occasionally cats (ocelot, rarely jaguar "tiger") from Amerindian collectors (e.g. at Koríabo and Sebaí), but the scale is low due to the inaccess.ibility of most regions. There is also an atmosphere of secrecy surrounding this trade. 6.9. Fisheries Guyana's main fisheries industry is marine, with limited large-scale conunercial inland fisheries. Nevertheless, there is substantial subsistence físhíng, and a commercial omamental/aquartum freshwater fish export industry, the latter estimated to employ 3000 individuais, with an annual value of US$18,000 (GAHEF 1989). + While fisheries elsewhere in Guyana have to some extent been affected by coastal ( developments, pollution and agricultura! wastes, there has been little effect on inland fisheries in the North-West, apart from the possible effects of localized siltation and mercury !: pollution ftom gold mining. i ! 6.10. Conservation I Protection areas 1 ·j At present Guyana has only one protected forest area, at I The NFAP outlines an action plan that indudes proposals for a Protected Area System, includíng some 15 sites recommended for protection. None of these lies within the concession. One recommendatíon, for a site in the commeràal forest zone, for silvicultural research and ecosystem studíes, has already been fulfilled by the Iwokrama Project.. although this lies in a different forest type (brown and white sanda, greenheart forest). 19 Envu-onmental and Social Impact Assessment 1J People in the Concession Area i• for agriculture, extraction of forest products, and hunting for a very long time 7. PEOPLE IN THE C0NCE5S10N AREA 1 l· Toe main centres of population in the BCL concession area are Port Kaitwna (at most 2,000 7.1. Archaeology 1 people) (Smartt, 1993; Salvador, 1993; Allen, 1993; Voters Regist.l!Z' Oct 1992; Pen Kairuma School enrolment, 1993; Otolera Survey, 1992), Matthew's Ridge, and Arakaka (population The North West District, iU)d the area of the BCL ccncessíon has a Iong history of human activity and occupation. of abour 600 people) (Med~. 1993; and Phillips,J, 1993). The Deputy Regional Admínístrator noted that, until the arrival of BCL, the popu!ation of Port Kaituma was in decline (Smartt, 1993). 1 Archaeologically, the area from the Upper Cuyuni, northeastwards to the coast along the Barama and Bariina Rivers may be one of the richest in Guyana. By 7,000 years BP, the route In other South American countries, such as Biazil and Bcuador, znass movements oi ·t was one of the maín tines of indigenous trade and communícatíon, 0n the Wenamu River, ,j population between and within regíons create problems of deforestation, conflict over land a tributary of the Cuyuni river,(to the south west of the concessíon), the oldest tool ., rights, and rapid urban growth. Within Guyana, with only 755.000 people, such mass discovered in Guyana has been found, dated 10,000 years BP. This important find is of the .,. ~ Oovis and Fulsom typology of toolmaking (Williams 1993). population movements are not regarded as a poSSi.bility nor a potential problem. Toe main migratory feature has been an exodus of skilled people to the USA and Europe (Noble, 1991). ,,, "í fmportant archaeological sites, with shell mounds, pottery fragments, and bur:ia1 places, In the concessíon area, the proportion oi people oi Negro, East Indian anti other races is dating from 6885 :!: 85 years BP at the base, 5965 ± 50 years BP in the middle, and 4115 ± 50 years BP near the top, have been identified and excavated at Barabina Hill on the Amka small North West Area, Region I census division, for example, has about 1,724 of these in the population (Saul, 1989). This group is generally referred to as "coastlanders", with River near Mabaruma (just to the north of the concessíon area) and within the BCL area at f Koríabo Poínt, dated by radíocarbon at 7,230 BP, on the Baríma River (Williams, I993; the illlplication that they hold different values and have different attitudes to those people 1 from the "interior", t, 1 Williams 1981 & 1982, and Evans and Meggars, 1960; Bassier, 1981) l ,." 1i It is probable that, during the course of road-buíldíng, particularly in the lower areas and 7.3. AinerindianPopulation riverine crossíngs, artifact.s su.ch as pottery may be uncovered. The archaeoiogists of the Walter Roth Musewn of An::haeology and Anthropology in Georgetown, with considerable The Amerindian population, mainly Caribs, Arawaks, and Waraus, is concentrated in interior expertise in this area of research, would Iíke to have every opportunity to identify and document any such findings made during the BCL timber operatíon and riverine areas. Region 1 has 24% of ail Guyanese Amerilldians (Saul, 1989). Forte (1990) suggests that the North West district Amenndian population is about 15,000 7.2. General Population people, somewhat discrepant with the 1986 census cited above (9,768 Amertndians), but this includes substantíal numbers living outside the BCL area oi operation, such as Hobedia, The total population of the North West Area, ~gíon 1 census divísíon was reported to be Hotakwai, Sebai, Red Hill, Warapoka, Assakata, Little Kaniballi, Waikrebi, Kwabana, and 18,516 in 1986 (Guyanese Statistical Officer,1986; Saul,1989:217). Detailed and Santa Rosa (Map 5, Appendix I). comprehensive population figures for the area of the concessíon, as for the rest of Guyana, are not readily available and figures have to be drawn from a wide variety of sources, Toe recent survey conducted by the Amerindian Research Unit (ARU) at the University oi Guyana (UG), and our own observatíons, suggest that the probable Amerindian populatíon Toe population of the North West Area is made up of Amerindians (9,768), Mixed (7,024), in the concessíon area is about 1,200, as follows: Port Kaitwna, Arakaka, and Matthew's Negro (1,238), East Indian (473), and Others (13). Toe population of the area is rural, with Ridge (500), Kokerite (60), Koriabo (253), Chinese Landing (40), and Kurutuku (100); data is an average household size of 5-6 persons, Most of the residents in the whole area were bom not available for the Amerindian populations of the Towakaima tiver settlements and there, although there is a higher number of in-migrants to the southem part of the concessíon Barama/Baramíta Heads, but these may amount to another 100; and scattered along the major rívers, another estímated 150. A detailed population breakdown is given in Appendix area (Saul 1989). m. There is a general movement of population within the area, particular! y among men in search of short term employment in gold mining and among the Ameríndían population, even Toe Ameríndían population in Port Kaítuma and surroundíng area was estímated as about between Amerindian areas, 500 (Amerindians and Mixed} in 1989 (Forte,1990; Ministry of Regional Development, l989), a decline from the esdmated populatíon in 1986 of 915 Amerindians (100 in Oronoque, 81 Along the banks of rivers and creeks there is a scattered population made up pri.ncipally families belween Port Kaituma, Anni Creek, and Arakaka, and 120 families from Arakaka to of small family settlements. Although the areas away from tiver c:ommunication have few Matthew's Ridge). The GUYREDEM retrospective survey, made in 1987 and referring to pennanent or long temi. inhabitants, there is evidence to suggest that the area has been llSed 1980, gave a population of 225 Amerindíans, 590 Mixed, 85 Negro, and IS East J'ndians in Port Kaituma (Forte, 1990). 20 21 Environmental and Social Impact Assessment People in the Concession Area Toe situatíon of the Amerindian Villages of Kokerite, Chinese l.anding. ! 22 23 Environmental and Social llnpac:t Assessment People ín the Concession Area mterviews conducted in the area it was clear, from both the men and the women, that one source oi revenue: selling farm produce in local markets, livestock rearing (cattle, pigs), of the maín sources of income for Amerindian men was through pork-knocking or working trading in live fish and birds destined for export, and selling logs to local sawnullers from for medium-scale gold-mi.ning operations based in Matthew's Ridge or Arakaka, the coast. For exarnple, one such sawmiller worked in the Amerindian settlement area at Koriabo for severa! years, logging with tractor and chainsaw, employing Amerindians from There remaíns uncertainty over whether an area still needs to be designated for the Barama the village and reportedly paying a royalty to the Koriabo Commuruty Development Fund, Caribs, following the Lands Commission recommendation for the Baramita area. an arrangement made between the sawmíller and the Captain. Other areas: strictly speaking, the families and settlements in the forest outside recognised Thís embrace of the market economy is certainly true of the Arawaks, but the Caribs present Amerindian areas have to compiy with Guyanese law for the use and renta! oi st.ate land a somewhat different picture and this group may be more adversely affectecl. by regional (GLSC, 1993}, and should lease and pay annual rental on land that they use. Thi.s includes developments. They appear to be more forest-based, less involved in commerce, have a the scattered houses and small settlements along the riverine áreas of Barama and Baríma renowned plant pharmacopoeia, are more prone to periodic shifts of hcuses or villages, Rívers, While some Amerindians have registered a lease with GLSC (Allen, 1993), in a remate preferring to líve in more scattered households. They appear to have less contact with rural area such as the North-West Dístrict, some farmers {Amerinclianand non Amerindian) commerdal developments ín the forest, following an unsettled history of being pushed back ,:, may have used land for many years without necessarily registering their use. This may be and forth across their traclitional Barama/Barattúta lands by early mi.rungand trading agents, a potential source of disagreement, which will need to be resolved during the course of the But many still seek to eam wages when they can. 'i' BCL programme, and will involve the relevant govenunent departments, the individuais and groups of people concemed, and 80.. Rivers are the major arteries of communication and travei in the region, the life blood for markets, jobs, hea!t.h, development. In most cases, the potential for disputes and conflícts over the prima.ry rights to land under cultivation will be alleviated to some degree because they are not attractive for tímber extraction, as they will not contain suitable commercial trees and will not be of interest to 7.6. Amerindian response to presence of BCL BCL for timber. Trus would apply even to areas under long-term fallow: once cleared for agriculture, the land is unlikel.y to be of any commercial interest for timber for many years, Toe Amerindians interviewed in the concessíon knew relatively little about BCL or its well beyond the rotation periods used by farmers, proposed operatíons. There was a Jack of awareness of the potential long-term impacts, and no idea of the scale of operations. However, cm the basis of the little they did know, there was almost unanímous approval of the presence of BCL in the North-West. They expressecl. 7.5. Ferest-based livelihoods little fear of loss of forest or wildlife, as they felt this to be so abundant that there were ample resources within theu- own settlem.ent areas to meet their needs. · The majority of Ameríndíans living within the concessíon are firmly baseei within the local market economy. lbrough a long history oi contact with coastlanders and outside Many Amerindians interviewed saw benefits of new jobs, new markets, access to health care, commercial interests in miiling and agriculture, combíned with English language skills, new roads and improved transport and communication, and many were keen to sell logs to relatively good schoolíng and high literacy, and early influences from Anglican and Catholic BCL. Mining is currently the mai.nstay of the local cash economy, and transport is the key missionaries, many Amerindian men and women have earned a cash-based living from limiting factor to deveiopment of trade and míning in the region. Toe new roads and labouring on gold or manganese nunes and agricultura! enterprises, pork-knocking, consequent possible expansion of mining also represented. for them added opportunities for govemment service, logging,. farming and IJ:ading. jobs or shares in new mining ventures. Nevertheless, many subsistence activities baseei on the forest still persist. Forest resources are Ali of these changes or potential changes were seen as good regional development by many. still used for huntíng, fishing, construction, and food. More linúted use is now made of plant However, the expectant naivety meant that in many cases they would be open to easy medicines, with the advent of modem medicines, although some Caribs stíll have good exploitation by unsaupulous outsider.s, and the need for restraint, responsibility, and a reputatíons for knowledge of plant medicines. Some details of the flora and fauna used for representative voice for Amerindians was obvious. The impacts of regional development ma y subsistence activities as given in section 6. The mainstay of subsistence remaíns the faroily prove beneficial to the majority oi Aiawaks, but neutral or negative for many Caribs. farm, growing mainly cassava, worked as shifting cullivation on an 8-10 year rotation. Thís is supplemented by fish from the rívers, speared, netted with seine nets or poisoned ín smail It is most likeiy to be through changes in the local market economy (roads, jobs, markets} creeks with natural plant poisons, and meat hunted with bow and arrow with relative ease that BCL will have its major social impact on Amerindians (and miners and traders), and not from the forest nearby. Hunting does not involve extended trips over long distances and through íorest utilization and changed forest livelihoods. many days, as game is sufficiently abundant locally. Much time is spent trying to earn money where possible. Apart from the main local source oi employment in míníng, trading ín forest or agricultural product.s represents an important 24 Envirorunental and Social Impact Assessment People ín the Concessíon Area to the house or settlement may províde cotton, coffee, fruíts, herbs, medicines, and the 7.7. Local Govezrunent Administration. regular hunting of game and .fishing in the rívers provides sources of animal protein. Guyana is 26 27 - Envil'onmental and Social Impact Assessment People ín the Concession Area Leveis of income in the area are low. While so rnany people exíst on fann productíon it is private roam; drug room; linen room; dispensary; microscopist roam; medex and nurses difficult, wíthout a cietailed housellold survey, to assess the actual leveis oi cash incarne. rooms; kitchen; and laundry roem. This was set up and is now run by BCL. Mínímum wages are G$3,000 per tnonth, about l.ISS24, and have to be supplemented by horne production or other soueces of íncome for survíval, The Barama Company pays The hospital is staffed by a doctor, a nurse, tni.croscopist, maíd and two porters, Services are relatively well: minunum wages in February 1993 were G$3SO per day or G$7500 per month (U5$6())for a five and a ha)! da y worldng week. offered for the conununity (88.3% of cases, Nov 92) and for the Barama Company (11.7% cases). An outstation clinic ís run once a month to the Sebai Amermdian Village, one hour's ! boat ride to the north (Salvador,1992 & 1993). Drugs and treatment are free of charge. Príces in Port Kaitu.tna are high for food, dothes and other consumer goods. BCI. employees are able to buy food on credit ín the retail store for up to 55% of their monthly wage. Toe 1 Arakaka has a health centre, recently reopened, which relies mainly on the funding of the table below shows the relative prices for very basic commodities in Port Kaituma stores, the local community. It has two rooms, equipped with c:amp beds, a medex room, consulting BCL retail store, and in Georgetown supermarkets (in Guyanese dollars, February 1993). At roem, and waiting roam. Staff consísts of one medical orderly and drugs have to be paid for. present (April 1993) the BCL store has a lirnited range, but as the frequency of transport The conditions in the hospital require renovation, and maintenance, as well as the provision 1 ímproved, this range wtll be extended to include other non-food items. of equipment and medical supplies of all kinds. There is no facility for the analysis of I' 1 malaríal smears, despite the high prevalence of the disease in the conunuruty (Allen 1993,). Matthew's Ridge also has some basic medical facilities and one trained medical worker. It 11' 1 is understood that the Matthews Ridge hospital is four times the size of the Port Kaitt.una ·1 1 1 hospital Since the manganese mining operation ceased, the facilities have declined rapidly. PRICES OF BASIC COMMODITIES (GS): FEBRUARY 1993 ., 1 ;,: There is an urgent need for better preventative medicine and for more and better medical Commodity Port Kaítuma BCL Geargetown facilities and staff. Eve.n the tzaining and employment of communíty health workers by the govemment appears to be in decline. The major health problem of the population is malarla. llb wheat flour 3540 27 23 The Kaituma Hospital carried out 802 smear examinations ín November 1992, and found 296 1 gallon of rice 200 128 140 cases (The preceding month gave comparable figures of 780 and 296). Toe overwhelming llb sugar 40 26 39 majority suffered from Falci.panun Sp. infection. 11b chicken 175 100 80-95 ,l 1 llb onion 60 44 40 Over the regíon, there is scarcely a person, adult or child who does not suffer from the 1 pínt frying oil 120 60 60-65 dísease, During the appraisal research, it was evident that malaria affected all ages and I gallon kerosene 320 150 120 conditions of people, often taking life. One informant c!ailned that 33 people died of malarla 1 bottle of beer 100 na 50 in Arakaka ín 1992; it was not possible to verify this (Phillips,J, 1993). In another locatíon, for mosquito net 2000 na 1100 example, ín an Amerindian settlement, malaria and fever/diarrhoea had killed four people out of a .family of five in less than three months (Allen 1993). A number of ínterviewees expressed the following concerns about the changing local Other ailments and diseases include: pain, eye ínfectíons, respiratory tract infections, economy: the inability to continue farm labour if employed by BCL; the inflationary impact intestinal parasítísm, skin infections, iníUry, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases, oi new wage economy; the high prices in Port Kaituma reduce the spending power of teves», acid peptic disease and diarrhoea. There were no reported cases of men:ury poísoníng relatively good BCL wages. These concerns may be short or long-tenn, and real or imagined. although, given the amount of gold mining activity, thís seems unlikely. One man, an affluent míner, did report that he had discovered high levels of mercury during a health 7.9. Health. check ín the USA. The health situation of the area covered by the concessíon is generally poor. Toe provision Population mobility within the region means that disease transmission is difficult to controL of doctors, health workers, and traú\ed medical technicians is scanty; hospitais and health It is notable that the campaign against cholera in November 1992, using written warnings, survey techniques, and personal health wamíngs, appears to have reached even the most centres are few, often requiring long and difficu!t joumeys for people already very unwell to readi a11y kínd of skilled. tteat:ment; the supply of drugs for treatment is irregulal', remate loc.ations. The ad vice, in general and where possible, appears to be heeded. Only two insuffid.ent and expensive; local and Ameríndían remedies are 1ess used now than before; cases of cholera were reported in the Port Kaitunia hospital, probably originating in a trip to Venezuela by the patients concemed (Salvador, 1993). and preventíon of disease, especially malaria and parasítíc infections, is very low indeed. Port Kaítuma now has a well equippsd, 25 bed hospital with outpatient unit, including: emergency and treatment roam wtit; delivery roozn, male, female, and children's wards; 28 29 ....• Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Land Uses and Local Economy in the Concession Area 7.10. Education 8. LAND USES ANO LOCAL ECONOMY IN THE CONCESSION AREA Toe level of education among the rural population, both Amerindian and non-Ameríndían, Toe c:urrent land uses within the concessíon are principally natural forest, small scale in the Barama concesston is higher than one would expect to find in comparable remate areas agriculture, fishing, hunting, and mining. There is some evidence of isolated and small-scale in other parts of South America. Toe value of education in itself and the real ability of most logging operations for particular ttee species, but no evidence of any form of larger scale of the population to read and write reflects, in large part, the colonial administration and the activity. work of religious groups in the area. Agriculture is the mainstay of most of the population of the regíon, whether Amerindian, Schools were run by religious groups, particularly the Anglican and Catholic Churches, until local, or coastlander. This is prindpall y based on shifting cultivation, as the land will, at the the takeover of private schools by the Bumham govemment m 1975 (Latin American Bureau, most, only provide suitable crops over a four year period. Toe fallow period required before 1984). In ali settlements visited during the field research, the population genuinely bemoaned retuming to the sarne spot for cultivation is about 10 years. The principal crops are cassava, the Jack of a proficíent schools for the children, commentíng on the decline in educational maize/com, bananas/plantains, and eddoes. Some ftuit !rees are grown. A few areas have standards f~r the school-age children today. been more intensively used for agriculture ar livestock production. Toe most notable of these areas lie around Port Kaituroa, Arakaka, Matthews Ridge, and just outside the concession in Some Amerindiall settlements no longer had schools for the children to attend (eg Chinese the Baramita Head area. Landing); in another, the settlement had built a school recently (Koriabo); and in a number the parents commented that the teachers were older children teaching what they knew to the Hunting for forest game is carried out regularly, at varying distances írom the sertlement, younger pupils. Toe schools had very limited supply of books, paper, and equipment. and fishing is practised in the rivers and cree.ks. Both are important sources of prateio and Teachers had, in some cases, to take days off school in arder to travei to the Regional of cash income. Animals and birds are also trapped ar captured when young for pets, for Administrative Offices, in one case a joumey of over three days, to collect their pay. eventual consumption, ar for sale to animal collectors. Many of the settlements visited raised the point that they wanted to have a trained 'head Collection of forest fruits is also made to supplement the diet of ali local ínhabítants. Palms, teacher', or even a visiting head teacher to be shared between a number of schools in one grasses and other forest plants are also used for many everyday uses, from hammock• area, in arder to raise the standard of education. making, canoe building, and basket weaving to bows, arrows, and fishing traps. Education over the age of 16 has to be obtained outside the North West Region. There is no Mining: Around Matthew's Ridge, large areas have been excavated during the extraction of technical or vocational training in the regíon, for either men or women. manganese ore and now remain bare of trees or substantial vegetation. Mining is an important economic activity, particularly for gold. It operates at two scales in the area of the Toe demands of an operation such as that of BCL require a range of skills and training, Barama Concession: (i) the traditional, small scale porkknocker, operating in family groups wlúch is difficult for local people to acquire formally. Training, of necessity, is being carried ar in groups of about three or four men on informal claims or on registered claims of 1500 out during the operation of the job itself; for example, chain saw operators, bulldozer drivers, x 800 feet, using traditional methods, and (ü) the medium scale, more capítalísed, mining skidder operators, sawmill workers, maintenance and construction workers. operation, run by mining operators using dredges in the river or high pressure hoses on alluvial sites and employing, or sharing the proceeds of mining with, up to thirty men, on 0n the job training, in the operation of teclmologically new and sophisticated equipment such a registered claim of 1500 x 800 feet ar a medium permit of between 150 and 1200 acres. as word processors and computers, is also carried. out. Local people, including Amerindians, are gaining these skills, and in some cases excelling at them. Records of mining leases and locations are kept by the GGMC are published in full on 31 December each year, with a list of abandoned claims published in April. A separate notice of location is published every month as an update to the annual text Esti.Inatessuggest that 60% of mining c1aims are never used. An idea of the total number of c1aims for the northern section of the concession area is given by the records published in the Offidal Gazette [First supplement], 18 January 1992, for District No 5 - Northwest, for gold, gold and precious stones, and river locations: part of this covers the concession area and lísts some 1,300 entries. A similar number of claíms, if not more, would apply to the southern portion of the concession area, around the Cuyuni River. Large scale, highly capítalísed, formal míning company concems, prospecting on areas of over 5,000 acres ar with mining licences for anything from 1-12,000 acres, are not found in 30 31 -- Environmental and Social Impact Assessment BCL Operations the concession area. Within the concession, prospecting licences have been issued to South American Goldfields at Aurora and Akawaíor and to Roraima Mining Company at Imotaí, SECTION C: ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS OF BCL OPERATIONS lanna, and W est Fork Aranka. The Paranapanema Company canied out prospecting surveys for five years from Tassawini Landing (in the eastem part of the concession) recently, but is Section C describes the actual operations of selective logging that will be undertaken by BCL no longer working in the area, when logging starts, The environmental and social iropact of these operations, undertaken in the context of the natural resources and people within the concession described in Section B, are then examined. Five kinds of potential impacts are envisaged: 1. Impacts from selective logging il:self 2. Impacts from new roads into previously inaccessible areas 3. Impacts from forestry-re!ated activities 4. Impacts from fire 5. Impacts from employment, economic development and changing population structure. The social ímpacts of BCL' s operations will be difficult to separate from the environmental impacts. Social effects will come from bringing more money into the regíon, from the construction of roads and improved mobility and communication. and from changes in population numbers and distribution; these in tum may increase cultivation, hunting, míníng, pollution and other indirect environmental impacts from these social developments. 9. BCL OPERATIONS Toe operational headquarters of logging will be at Oronoque, adjacent to Port Kaituma, the only site in the North-West where barges can access d.Iyland to transport timber to the plywood factory at Land of Canaan, When operations reach the southem part of the concession area, access will be gained by road from Bartica. 9.L Technical operations The principal forestry activities that BCL will undertake in the concessíon, and the procedures to be followed, are outlined in an Operational Manual produced by the company, in additi.on to their detailed Management Pian. The main technícal operations are described here, to provide an understanding of the likely environmental and social impacts of logging in the concession, and the potential mechanisms for managing negative impacts. 9.2. Survey The concession area has been divided into 7 operational compartments, to be logged in sequence over 25 years. Each compartment will thus take about 3-4 years to harvest. 1bree survey crews are responsible for marking the lOOha (1 km.2) logging blocks on the ground, and conducting a 100% enumeration of all marketable species over 35cm DBH, including measurements of diameter, height, form, and log volume estimates. Presently over SOOOha have been enumerated, and this information forms the basis of the stocking analysis in section 6.3. Toe survey crews mark the locations of roads, quarries, landings, forward camp sites, and skid trails. They aJso produce working maps of blocks, topography, main ,) 32 33 Environmental and Social Impact Assessment BCL Operations skid traíls, and tree locatíons, and an indication of main access to each block and the season Toe calculation of the annual allowable cut is based on a number of initial assumptions: in which it can be logged. Once each block has been closed after loggíng, the volumes extracted will be compared with the 100% enumeration figures. - the mean annual growth increment is 1 m3/ha/year - the maximum cut will be 25 m3 /ha Annual working plans will be pnoduced for approval by the GFC. - the cutting cycle will be 25 years Toe concession area covers just less than 1,670,000ha,of which approximately 369,000 ha will 9.3. Road construction not be logged, represented by swamp and water (est. 250,000 ha), old agricultura! land (est. 30,000 ha), Amerindian land (est. 30,000 ha), and other non-forest area (est. 50.000 ha). This 12 Road construction will be carried out 6 - months ahead of logging. At least 70km of main leaves about 1,300,000 ha as potentially harvestable. Cut at 25 m3 /ha over a 25 year cycle, this and spur road will be requíred each year, to keep pace with planned extraction volumes. gives a maximum annual cut of approximately 1,250.000 m3• Road construction will strictly follow the principies of effective drainage, ridge-top alignment where possible, maximum camber, heavily compacted surface material, culverts to avoid These assumptions, area estimates and operational p!ans will be revised subject to the results damming in low-lying or swampy areas, and suffi.cient road-side (and bridge-side) tree of remate sensing and silvicultura! research undertaken by ECTF. Then, in consultation with clearance to allow light and drying of the road surface. Main roads have 60m width of the GFC, a growth and logging damage factor can be calculated, with revised area estimates cleared vegetation, secondary roads 30m width. Under the terms of its contract with the and ínventory data, to derive an accurate sustainable cutting leveL Govemment, BCL will have full control over the use, by third parties, of the roads which it constructs. 9.5. Quality control 9.4. Extraction Clear procedures for quality contrai at the Ianding site have been laid out, including scaling, wood protection, and volume accounting to compare with 100% block enumerations. The Toe allocation of each logging block is to be formalised by a "Notice of lntention to Start actual volumes extracted wtll be recorded at this stage, and provide vital information for Operations", submitted by BCL to the GFC Ranger, before any extraction takes placa Thís silvicultural management and planning. important mechanism will allow time for any disputes or objections for valid reasons covered in the concession to be resolved prior to logging. This iS a system suggested by BCL, which has been used effectively in south-east Asia and Papua New Guinea by the BCL Forest 9.6. Training Operations Director. Blocks will be fonnally "Oosed" after presaibed extraction has finished, and not re-entered until the p!anned 25 year cycle has run. New blocks wil1 not be allocated BCL will institute a training programme for all aspects of operational work, as most of the until blocks currently being worked have been closed. locally recruited workforce will initially be unskilled. This programme will be stepped up as operations develop. Toe programme includes driving skills for tractors, skidders, bulldozers, Merchantable trees are to be marked, with felling direction, and skid trails planned graders; chain-saw aperation and directional tree felling; enumeration and surveying; and accordingly. Main skíd trails are to be laid before logging, as far as possible simply by construction, engineering and mechanical skills. flattening low vegetation with a tractor and without disturbing soíl cover. Fellers are allocated felling áreas determined by the skid trails, and will be trained and supervised to minimise felling damage to residual trees. No trees are to be felled within som of major 9.7. Social and Community policy water courses. Operational procedures for BCL also include a social policy for the BCL workforce and for Care in skidding and directional-felling are crucial aspects of logging-damage controL Logs local residents in the concession. Pay is above the national average for unskilled and semí• will be extracted immediately after felling, to reduce wastage and damage from insect skilled work.ers. Staff accommodation is to be provided, both single and married quarters. infestation. Toe supervision and inspection of blocks by the forest manager, and the A retail store selling food on creclit to BCL employees has been set up. Free hospital services coordinated team-work of loggíng supervisors, surveyors, fellers and skidders operators are and medical care are provided for staff and ali local residents, as well as electricity and water important mechanisms for quality contrai of timber extracted, and for ensuring least damage to residual stands and soíl, for the Port l 34 35 Envtronmental and Social Impact Assessment Potential Environmental and Social Impacts 10. POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS J. Cli!Nlho Olld ai:r qaality Hlgher ground tcmper.uure - "'"""'PY gaps. polentw unpaa ~ Toe set of tables below presents manv of the sígníâcant environmental and social impacts on seedling reg.,,..,.tion RecE3 known to have occurred in past forestry developments in the tropics, in the form of LClcal or regional . 10<2hiad dena:ation zlong l'CIUl.9 checklists. Toe lists have been annotated according to the team's interpretation of potential deeceaeca and IJI wger c:anopy gaps impacts under the drcumstances currently prevailing ín the BCL concession and in Guyana. Dust, smolre, = pollubon X to,npomy anel locallzed The tables will then be followed by explanatory notes (i,ii,üi..) where necessary, or cross 4. V ogetation referenced to specific environmental and social recommendations (El,E2,E3.. .Sl,S2,53... ). Timber huvesllng may not - tllis could potontwiy 1oapard,%e 5 be biologically sustwwile tho object,ve of lhe enlire BCI. Rec:E3 at p!aruted extraclion leveis prognmmo Forest may be cleared and . localized okmg raads and 1. POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF SELECTIVE LOGGING not regenerate heavtly compacted =s. no dearfe!llng ispwmed Los, oi plant speaeo, POTENTIAL !MPACIS OF NOIMPACT SlGNIFICANl' !MPACT: N Deaease in catian-ex<:mnge X . .ditto. 1 Dite:t damage to foreit " ruk .Irem <21'1!1 •••• felling and Ree Et capadty from machine,y anel. feiling mdding Latenution X ,nsignillcant soU e.xpoou,e Dittct damage to •djaomt X low risk oi big WU1ds, 1m foreot frmn wmdthrow, and hydrolog,al dunge,, 2.Watutu0mcn llzes, oedimenttlloll, etc ~ infiltrabon and . locali%edp Aa:elerated eutrophkalion X 1,2 l.oos or damage to ternporary loa of Wlldllle/g.u,10 8 tom,otnal anunal breedlng - with recovery for l1'IOSt speaeo, Ra::E4 Water amtmunabon from . locallz.edto Oronoque log pond 3 or feeding silos long-tonn for some speaes sp,11.age or sproy,ng Re:: E2 Los, or Populatum stresoes ftom temporuy, •• no habitats are RecE4 dlsplaced animais moving doufolled; potentlally longu- Ulto •dla=t uncut foreot tenn for ,ome speae 36 37 Envíronmental and Social Impact Assessment Potential Envirorunental and Social Impacts New hab!t.at aeated by X tmal.DWT1 esíects on i..1.lSlUe toggµig may favour some anis. • canll\0!1 post m 2. POTENTIAL IMP ACTS OF ROADS i ?<5t uwna!s •gncultun.l tand Displaced herbtvore X POTENTIAL !MPACTSOF NO!Ml'ACT SlGN!FICANTlMPAcr: Llltpac:t on agncultwa1 aops ROADS NOTE • ~ " moden.ce. - majcr /REC 6. Tnditional cul,.,,., local 1. Direc:t impacts md sabristence economy 1 Soli =on and . loahzed alaog mam roads anel Reducnon or ewnlmtion oi temporuy and loallze 8. Conserntiors lnc:roued settlement and M X low population pressure, conc:entratian on roadl at 10 shlfting cultivatlon and land hunger Oamage to Old.1ting. poorly X no c:cmervatJ.on areas eX1St population == Rec!il dm,a.r,:aled or legally in TSA Increased mlning &dlVltieo uncertam camervation - U1aJOI" impac:t oi road. networl:, 11 .,_ Wlth positiv,, oa,nom!c: bonelits R"'E9 aDd hlgb pot,,ntW envuonmentd Omupl,on of lmproved aca,ss for X low potonllal towisin Sauroo ot •<=lents X lowtrolfic:d.,...ty Oamagc or deotruction to X law tn.ffic donsity but wildllfe poos,ãle chsruption to .uwnal t,rrltone, Changc in tndltional . 1mpac:1 on nvu traHic and 13 transporl pattems dopendont tiver OOllllllllnllleo, •• trafflc slúfts to roads 38 39 Environmental and Social h::npact Assessment Potennal Environmental and Social lmpacts 3. POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF FORESTRY ACTIVITIES 4. POTENTIAL IMP ACTS OF FIRE POTINTIAL IMPACTSOF NO!MPACT SIGNIFICANI' IMPACT: NOTE FORESTRY ACilVITIES • smalL •• moderata.. ••• tnl)Ot /REC POtlNTIAL IMPACTSOF NOIMPACT SIGNTFICANTIMPACT: NOTE FlRE • sm.all, " modlnie. - ma}Ot /RJ:C r, f'oralry worlâOlff t. Forost clunng by fin! Add!tional premure on X lO fomt - through "'ªJOf 1'sue, mudl Dam1g,, to sous, ~t,on, X no foreot clatance planned hwtbng, shlftlag culllval1on agncultura.l w,d .iteady law,a, seed bonks deared near Port K.útuma Alr pollulion X Frtcl!OI\ wlth local rosldet1to .. Mmy potontlal soda! corullc:t,, Rec:Sl are, jobs. markm, pd Geaeraaon of poUullng . hlghly loaJlsed,. at Oronoque log R«:E2 •••• te pand. tlmber campo, sawtrull,. anel along barge roUle to sa lntetwfflCI! with navigation X .u logs 0D bargo, ot bsllenncn by stray logs Aa:eleration of .. localmd, 11\ijor dobarl:lng 14 eutrop!uallon...•.•. by buk operatlon lll Oronoque Rec:E2 lnterf.....a, with local rtv J. O\enticals Contammation of walen by . Seepage, spills ar spray at locally R«:El wood preoervatlve applled wectlades and l=g,.oda •• Oronoque log pond f, Olltu BCI. aálv!tiff lmprovement ot Uving - ln PK hlgb local beft H=g .. S.,,e!!ls to local ~ of MW houmlg b: ali BCL wotlcas and&mille 40 41 ) ~ nd Social lmpacts td Social lmpact Assessment Potennal Environmental and Soaal lmpacts 10.L Impactsof selective logging zurs tend to come i\L IMPACTS OF EMPLOYMENT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, hese people have ANO CHANGING POPULATION STRUCTURE Notes from lmpact tables: md credit. It will ! opporturuhes to 1. Toe potential loss of nutrients and organic matter from the forest is unknown, but SIGNIFICANT lMPACT: NOTE !'SOF · NOIMPACT CELOS research in Suriname (Poels, 1987) suggests that thinning of up to 50% of the ,'E • sma1L - moderatt, - ma)Ol" /REC aituma, presently forest biomass does not result in major loss of nutrients from the ecosystem, and is rea. Traders and expectabons high and unrealisllc 15, 17 not likely to be a significant impact of selective logging. - , fruir, and store ; the market now IÍ ma,or soaa1 benel!ts oi 11. 12, 2. Hydrological impacts of selective logging are not likely to be sigruficant either, in the 1t the end of the arl:et - stimul.tted regional eamomy IS, 16, predominantly flat or undulating concession (see review in Bntijnzee!, 1990); the maín 18 hydrologic:al rísks are likely to continue to be from mining siltation and mercwy Re< 56 pollution. 58.59 :ure whereby the . hiotory regloilO! 17 ie North West by ~ alreod.y • oi 3. Logs will be sprayed with insectic:ides and fungicides, to prevent infestation and economic d-opmenl lrulallves RecS7 also II\ÍSSU\g and damage to the wood, as soon as they are felled and brought out to the log pond nvesting nothing, flle - hlgll risl:. espedally for """'º 19 collectíon point for loading on to the barges to Land of Canaan, ,emote Canbs Re:: S7 ves its benefit. moe popul.alion mcreases amcentraled 20 4. In larger canopy gaps, especially where reefs of large commerdal trees are extracted, - on roodsides and msllng Rec:53 ?ating jobs in the ltins the soil and understorey will be exposed to higher temperatures: the altered light and popul.alion cen!NS: laser rlsl: of · trained in those c:ult!vat!anln "dosed ofi" loret microclimate may have a considerable effect on seedling physiology and regeneration, · is not presently either positive or negative. i:z,oued X e impact of new iSSU'S oung men of the 5. Toe conclusion from the analysis of timber in section 6.3 is that this is a small stature vn, ,esby . poos,ble mcreose 111 venerai 21 forest, with canopy heights of 20 - 25m, and very few large trees. Toe question of other clixase and AIDS whether an average extraction rate of 25 m3/ha is sustainable, and what its impacts .ct as one which will be given the structure of the forest in the North-West, remains to be researched. tities. Toe social Research to be conducted by ECTF into the responses of the forest to such extraction tituma, Arakaka, rates will critically examine the potential stress placed on these forests. As a mall minority of provisional extraction rate 25m3 /ha is considered to be acceptable for this type of k that was to be forest and has been approved by GFC. lllllY people were :byBCL 6. Persistent extraction of high quality parent trees, large and well-formed, may erode the genetic potential of the main commercial spedes, favouring reproduction and left to regenerate regeneration of deformed or lower quality trees. tions fail because :ulture, breaking 7. The colonisation of gaps by pioneering Cecropia trees is unlikely to pose a threat to sustainability if the residual stand is left in good arder. long history of B. Direct lasses of fauna may result from remova! of critica! elem.ents of the food chaín nt a new threat or breeding cycle. Indirect lasses may result from increased pressure on some specíes, through hunting or increased densities due to displaced populations. In many cases, recovery is likely, if at differing population densities. 9. There is little movement towards policy development in conservation planning in Guyana. Toe concessíon is not in a high priority area, as identified in the NFAP, although as untouched primary rainforest, it should be the subject of such policy considerations. 42 43 Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Environmental and Silvicu.ltural Recommendations Rec E2. Code of practice for chemicals: BCL should take care with potentially polluting SECTION D: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MITIGATION fuels, insectiddes, fungicides, sprays, debarking wastes, and develop training and awareness-building amongst those who handle such materiais. Acode of This final section gives conclusions and recommendations for nútigating and managing the practice and safety awareness should be instituted by BCL for the use of such potential negative impacts, and maximizmg the positive impacts. Where a programme of wood treatment chenúcals, with special care in their use at the Oronoque log monitoring or further research is recommended. this is briefly outlined. pond, where local residents use the water for drinking, fishing and bathíng; Toe mitigating actions which are recommended from this environmental and social Rec E3. ECTF research programme: silvirulture: A crucal area of silvicultura! research assessment fall into three categories: is to investigate seedling regeneration, mortality and stand growth after logging. in relation to gap sízes, intensity of logging. residual parent trees, 1. BCL responsibility: recommendations for BCL to carry out, as a responsibility to damage to residuais, soil compaction and degradation, and stocking density. sustaínable forest management, with direct implications for the work of the company. fnventory and mensuration should be improved to incorporate ali woody These recommendations imply a duty of care on the part of BCT.., and will be part of species, a wider range of tree size classes, and defective trees, for a more the remit of ECTF to monitor. accurata picture of ecological structure in the forest, and for more effective assessment of stocking, potential sustainable harvesting and logging impacts. 2. Govemment responsibilities: identification of areas in which govemment Prescriptions for improved logging management will be derived from this responsibility would normally be assumed, but in which some consultation, work. which is currently the responsibility of ECTF. representation, and/or action from BCL may be involved. While govemment is responsible for policy, in practical terms BCL can provide logisti.cal or even financial Rec E4. ECTF research programme: soils and biodiversity: Biological studies are assístance in some circwnstances. necessary to monitor the impacts of logging on soils, biodiversity, poll.inators and seed dispersa! agents, changes in populatíons of flora and fauna, and 3. Opportunities for development opportunities for environmental, social and regional recovery after logging. This work will also be the responsibility of ECTF, and investment or development which would be of benefit to the inhabitants of the area, is planned for 1994. Further silvicultura! recommendations will be developed and its resources and could be initiated either by the Govemment or BCL. from this work. Rec E7. Roads: BCL should continue to exercise great care in road aligrunent, construction, and maintenance, to avoid damnúng and erosion, as outlined in 11. ENVIRONMENTAL AND SILVICULTURAL RECOMMENDATIONS the Forest Management Plan. 11.1. BCL responsibility lll Govenunent responsibility Rec El. Care and training in felling and sl::idding: Particular care should be taken to maintain vegetational cover in hilly areas, to minimise erosion, and to avoid Rec E6. Production and protection forest: Under current govemment priorities, the unnecessary damage to residual trees during felling and extraction by North-West ls designated for productive econonúc development and there are skidders. This must involve logging supervisers linúting canopy opening on no specific recommendations for protection forest in the area covered by the steep slopes; chainsaw operators using directional felling techniques, to concessíon, Given the importance in sustained yield logging of maintaining núnimise damage to SUITOunding trees and saplings during felling, and to logged forest as "closed" to other developments fora long period of present the felled logs in the optimal direction for haulage from site; and regeneration, firmer classification of land use types becomes essentíal, ín this skídder and tractor drivers mininúsing the number of new tracks and tight case permanent production forest. H govenunent priorities on protection 1 tums that they make while hauling logs from felling sites, to mininúse soil forests change, a reassessment of national needs will be necessary. Until then, compaction and damage to saplings and seedlings. new and integrated land use policies, and environmental protection polides, should be developed under some fo:nn of inter-agency government ínstitutíon, A thorough progranune of professional training of the BCL chainsaw and to clarify long-tenn land uses such as production forest, protection forest, heavy machinery operators is vital to contrai needless waste, damage and risk agriculture, mining and so forth. to the regeneration of the residual forest stand, and should be established urgently by BCL ECTF will monitor this training programme, and assess its Rec E8. Wildlife trade; CITES and wildlife trade practices are currently under review. impact in núninúsing unnecessary environmental daroage. This review should consider the potential impacts of BCL roads and the opening up of the North-West Region, and institute improved regulation and contrai. 46 47 Environmental and Social Impact Assessment )· Social Recommendations Rec E9. Mining: Envirorunent:al controls on !Ilining and mitigation of mining impacts must be established. These should indude environmental management 12. SOCIAL RECOMMENDATIONS agreements between míners and GGMC, induding procedures for land restoration, pollution contrai. forest use and clearance, A draft for such 12.1. BCL responsibility management agreements, including mechaIUSlllS for monitoring and regulation of expanded mining actívítíes, is currently being prepared by GGMC. The regulation and contrai of mining activities is a major govemment Rec Sl. Communitv Liaison Officer. A Community Llaison Officer should be responsibility. appointed: • to improve communications between BCL and the inhabitants of the region; • to investigate complaints between the inhabitants of the region and BCL as 11.3. Opportuníties for development soon as possible and recommend appropriate action; • to monitor the actívitíes of traders, local markets, and prices of common Rec ES. Genetic reserves: There is a case for having genetic reserves in the concessíon, goods to assess impac:ts on BCL workers and their families. given the risk of gene& depletion during logging that is focused on few • to maximise the use of the "Notice of Intention to Open a Block" procedures, species. Reserved forest is needed in representative forest types, to safeguard so as to reduce ilie chances of potential conflict. important genotypes/phenotypes of commercial species, e.g. reserves of baromalli to maintain genetic variability and provide genetic material for Thís officer should be responsible for improving the flow of infonnation to potential selection and propagation, genetic improvement; similar arguments and from the population in the BCL concessíon area, through meetings with apply to maintaining biodiversity. Such reserve areas may occur naturally in individuais and with groups, before the survey teams arrive in an area, before unhatvestable areas CsWillilp, hills, Ameríndían lands}. It will be ín BCL's road construction begins, and before logging starts. This officer will take steps longer-term strategic int.erest to consider such genetic reserves in their íuture to explain the work BCL is planning to carry out, to invite the inhabitants can planning, as the programme develops. make suggestions to BCL, and to ensure that any adjustments to the plan are discussed at ali leveis and incorporated wherever possible. Thís appomtment should be separate to and distinct from that of the Ameríndían Liaison Officer recommended below. Rec S2. Archaeology: It is probable that, during the course of road-buíldíng, particularly in the Iower areas and nvenne crossings, artííacts such as pottery may be uncovered. The archaeologists of the Walter Roth Museum of An:haeology and Anthropology in Georgetown, with considerable expertise in this area of research, should be advísed oi the work taking place in the concession and efforts be made to ensure that: • any findings made during BO. operations are identi.tied and dorumented; • BCL employees, partia.tlarly road crews, are briefed on the archaeological situation in the regíon and what artifacts are likely to be found; • lhe museum may be helped to investigate any finds that are made in the concession area. Rec 55. Public use of BCL roads: There must be an early c:larification on policy about the public use of BCL roads, with mechanisms for regulation and controL The use of BCL roads by the wider public must be carefully monitored. This is a matter for wide debate between BCL, government and local residents, and policy and procedures should be established and monitored before potential conflicts aríse, Rec S7. Amerindians: Recommendations for Amerindian Settlement Areas and the Amerindian populatíon indude: i} the appointment by BCL of at Ieast one Amerindian Liaison Officer, an 48 49 Environmental and Social Tmpad: Assessment Social Recommendations Ameríndían, whose JOD would be: the disturbance that BCL work may cause to local communities. • to deal with relati.ons between Amerindians and BCL, • receive complaints and assíst ín arbitration - in conjunction with the A Community Lla.ison Officer if necessary. vtii) future environmental and social aooraisal should be rnads of the • assist ín development projects that may arise from BCL work in the region southem portíon of the BCL concessíon ín the Cuyuni and Puruni River areas - at the appropriate time, but well in advance of any surveying, road butlding • initiate anel, help carry out research into socío-economíc conditions among or timber extracnon, Amerindian groups in the concession and help to ascertain land titles. • maximíse use of the "Notice of Intention to Open a Block" procedures, so as to reduce the chances of potential conflict. Govenunent responsibility. ti) Toe establishment of a Local Committee to advise and cooperate with BCL Rec S3. and Amerindian groups in the concession. Invitations to participate on this Access to forest: Development and implementation of an effective policy for committee should include Amerindians from the araa: representa.tives of regulation and control of access by outsiders to the forest within the recognised Amerindian support groups active in the area of the concession; concession, especially "dosed off'' forest, and the expansion of shi.fting representatives of BCL, including the Amerindian O.fficer and the Conununity cultivation and other potentially damaging activities. This is a Vital part of sustainable forest management, and can only be Iead by govemment policy Llaison Officer; and. any other relevant persons With experíence of the regíon backing. and of Amenndian life and customs in the concession. ili) A population surve:,: should be carried out to the north, west, and south 12.3. Opporturtlties for development. of Matthew's Ridge including the Baramíta áreas to determine the density, extent and location of Amerindian settlements and mining activity in order to Rec S6. establish appropriate management of the process of timber extracti.on in these Marketing: Given the requirement of BCL for suppües of food for workers with the company anel their falnilies, ít would be opportune to: populated areas and advíse on further gazettement of Amerindian !aneis if this is found necessary. It is understood that the Amerindian Research Urut (ARU) • help to set up better marketing structures ín the main centres, such as Port is planning such a survey. However, ECTF will also undertake a Kaituma, for the purchase and supply of foodstuffs irem the local communíty • promote initiatives within or coming from the community for agricultura! complementary survey, together with the BCT. Amerindian Uaison Officer development, baseei on local products. once he is appointed. Rec S8. iv) The marking of the boundaries between the BCL concessíon and the Health care: Given the acute problems of health care provision over the whole regíon, there is an urgent, widespread need for. designated Amerindian areas within the concessíon (Koriabo, Chinese Landing, and Kokerite ínítíally, Kurutuku at a !ater date) should be • more medícal training, employment of more medical personnel undertaken by Ba,in collaboration with the appropriate Govemment officers • provision of outstation clinics or travelling health clinics and Amerindian coundl members. Toe boWldaries should be clearly marked, • more malaria.I screening facilities, even in remote areas, and the supply of medical treatment and drugs for malaria. in a way which is evident and long-lasting. • more prevent:ative health care provision v) Ali Amerindi.an settlements, Amerindian areas, and other settlements and Rec S9. cultivated/fallow land should be marked on ali BCT. operational maps. Education: Given the real and perceived need for better educational faciliti.es, and the aím of BCL to train more skilled workers in the concessíon area. that there is an evídent requirement for: vi) BCL should not initiate or encourage the extraction of timber or the building of roads on Amerindian lands. Should timber be extracted from • for the education of 16 year olds for a varíety of occupations, rural and Amerindian lands by any agreement for sale to BCL, then BCL shoul.d make industrial, which will benelit the community the region and the company every effort to determine that the agreement has the bac:king of the • vocational traíníng, both pre-employment and in-service instruction community, through the Amerindi.an Liaison Officer and the respective • the setting up of a system of apprenticeships for trades and skills Amerindian Council, and that the timber had been selected, cut, and extracted by the sarne high standards of sustainability as it is proposing for íts own concessíon, vil) Ali BCT. employees, particularly those worl 50 51 J Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Bibüography and Sowces Edwards, Colín, 1993, Interview. 13. BIBUOGRAPHYAND SOURCES Emmons, LH. & Feer, F, (1990) Neotropical Raínforest MammaJ.s: a fíeld guide. Uruversuy Adams, Kathleen J, 1972, The Barama River Caribs of Guyana restudied: forty years of of Chicago Press, cultural adaptation and population change, Ph D thesis, Department of Anthropology, Case Westem Reserye University, August Europa, 1991, Regional s=ey of the World: South Amenca, Centra! America, and the Caribbean, Cambridge. Adams, Kathleen. 1981, The nanative of a Barama Carib youth, Joumal of Archaeology and Ant.hropology, Vol4 Nos 1&2, pp39-50 Evans, Clifford, and Meggers, Betty, 1960, Archaeological Investigations in British Guiana, Bureau of Amencan Ethnology Alder, D & Synnott, T.J. (1992) Permanent Sample Plots for Mixed Tropical Forest. OFI, Oxford. FAO {1966) Report on the soil survey project: British Guiana. vais I -vn, FAO, R.ome. Allen, Elízabeth, 1993, Interviews and field research in Guyana Friends of the Earth (1991) Life after logging: the role of tropical timber extraction in spedes extinction. FOE London, Amerindian Peoples Assodatíon, 1992, Proposals approved at First General assembly of the Amerindian Peoples Assodatíon, held at St. Pauls Pastoral Centre, Better Hope ECD, Forte, Janette, 1987, Guyanese Arawalcs Today, In Proceedings of the Conference on the on 3-6 November 1992. Arawaks of Guyana, October 14-15 1987, Amerindian Research Unít, University of Guyana. Bakker, A J, 1981, Palynologícal investigations of the Barabina shell midden, Journal of Archaeology and Anthropology, Vol 4 Nos 1&2, pp35-36 Forte, Janette, 1990, The populations of Guyanese Amerindian settlements in the 1980's, Occasional Publications of the Amerindian Research Unit, University of Guyana. Barama Company Llmited, Fact sheet No2: the sustainable yield plan, GAHEF (1989) An environmental profile of Guyana anda programme for environmental Barama Company Llmited, 1992, Forest Management Plan: 1992-1993, manuscrípt, management Georgetown. GAHEF (1992) Guyana: Country Study of Biological Diversity. GAHEF/UNEP. Barama Company Limited, 1992, Fact sheet No 1: The company's profile, [une - revised October. GAHEF (1992b) Development trends and environmental impacts in Guyana. Country report for submission to UNCED Secretariat Bassier, Oennis, 1981, Meggars and Evans Arc:haeologicalinvestigations in British Guiana: a critique, Guyana Journal of Sociology, Vol 2 No 2, November, pp20-37. GFC (1990) Report on a mission to the North West Oistrict Guyana Forestry Conunission report. Blaír, W, 1976, A conci.se history of the Upper Barama Indian Caribs: 1933-1969, paper presented to the Ministry of Regional Development Staff Conference (Interior Gillen, John, 1936, The Barama River Caribs of British Guiana, Papers of the Peabody Administrative Officers) on Regionalism - its impact on hinterland development and Museum, No 14. national uníty, held at Sophia 19-21 June Guyana, 1977, The Laws of Guyana: Chapter 29:01 Amenndian Act, Georgetown. Blair, Daniel, 1857 (published 1980), Notes of an Expedition from Georgetown to the gold diggings on the Border of Venezuela, Journal of the Walter Roth Museum of Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission, 1993, Interview. Archaeology and Anthropology, Vol 3 Nol, April Guyana, 1969, Report by the Amerindian Lands Commíssíon, Georgetown. Bruíjnzeel, LA (1990) Hydrology of moist tropical forest and effects of conversion: a state of the art review. UNESCO publication. Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, 1993, Interview. Colchester, M. (1991) Sacking Guyana, Multinational Monitor, September, ppB-14 HMSO, 1965, Report of British Guiana Independence Conference 1965, London. Colson, Audrey, 1993, Interview and communication. 52 53 Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Bíbl.iography and Sources Hblmes, William, and Catnpbell, W H, 1858, Report of an expedition undertaken to explore Saul, Compton, 1989, Population and amazonian development: the case of Guyana, Di a route by the rivers Waini, Barama. and Cuyuní to the goldfields of Caratal, and Aragon, Luis E, and Imbinba, Maria de Nazare, eds, Populacoes humanas e thence by Upata to the river Orinoco, Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society, Desenvolvimento Amazonice, Serie Cooperacao atnazonica No 3, Universidade Federal do Para, Belem, pp193-265. Vo12, ppl54-157. IBRD (1992) Guyana Agricultura! Sector Review. World Bank. June 1992. Singh, J, 1991, Pattems of .renewable resource use in the humid tropics (with speaa! emphasis on Guyana), IN UNAMAZ, Desenvolvimento sustentavel nos tropices Jansma, M J, 1981, Diatom analysis of a section in the Barabina shell midden, Joumal of umidos; um programma de cooperacao aentifica entre países em desenvolvimento, Archaeology and Anthropology, Georgetown, Vol 4 Nos 1&2, pp37-38 documentos basices, Manaus, Brasil 13-19 junho 1992, Belem, 1992 Jeffrey, Henry B, and Baber, Colin, Guyana: Politics. economics and sodety: beyond the Smartt, Leyland, 1993, Interview. Bumham era, Frances Pinter, London, 1986. St Romaín, Claude,1993, Interview. Latin Amencan Bureau, 1984, Guyana: the fraudulent revolution, London Swan, Michael, 1957, British Guiana: the land of six peoples, HMSO, London Lewis, Llnden, 1980, The Jonestown Affair: towards a sccíologícal examination, Transítíon, Vol3 No 1, pp42-56. Toe Official Gazette [ Fírst supplement], 18 Janu.ary, 1992 pp405-442. Medex, Arakaka, 1993, Interview US Staff Report, 1979 The report of a staff investigative group to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, US House of Representatives, May 15. Menezes, Sister M Noel, 1983, Amerindian life in Guyana, Ministry of Education, Social Development and Culture, Georgetown.Newsweek, 26 March 1979. van Dijk, Meíne Pieter, 1992, Guyana: Econonúc recessíon and tl'ansition, Revista europea de Estud.ios Latinoamertcanos y el Caribe, No 53, December, pp95-110 Mennega E A, Tammens de Rooij W CM, Jansen-Jacobs M J (Eds) (1988) Check-list of woody plants of Guyana. Tropenbos Foundation Veeníng, Wouter, 1992, Guyana, IN Environment & Development Resource Centre and Netherlands Committee for ruCN, Amazonía: cause and case for international Ministry of Agriculture {1990) Crocodilian resources in Guyana. OTES/illCN report. cooperatíorc comparative analysis of policies and positíons of govemments and relevant organisations involved in Amazonian conservation and development issues, NFAP (1989) National Forestry Action Plan 1990-2000. GFC/CIDA Brussels, July, pp 117-119. Noble, T. (1991) Guyana and the demographic transition, Transition, Issue 18,ppS-19. Versteeg. AH, and Bubberman, 1992 FC.Suriname before Columbus, Stichting Surínaams Museum, Paramanbo. NSRC (1974) An international centre for Manatee research, National Science Research Council, Georgetown. Voters Register for Port Kaituma area, October 1992. Phillíps, J (1993) Interview Welch LA. (1975) The timber resoun::es of Guyana. Forest Department, Georgetown. Poels, RL.H. (1987) Soíls, water and nutrients in a forest ecosystem in Suriname. University Williams, Denis, 1993, Pages in Guyanese Prehistory, manuscript, Walter Roth Museum of of Wageningen. Archaeology and Anthropology, Georgetown Polak ,A.M. (1992) Major Timber Trees of Guyana: a field guide. The Tropenbos Foundation. Williams, Denis, 1993, Interview. Salvador, Francisco Raul D, 1992, Port I Salvador, Francisco Raul D, 1993, Interview. Williams, Denis, 1981, Excavation of the Barabina Shell Mound North West district: an interim report, Joumal of Archaeology and anthropology, Vol4 Nos1&2, pp13-33. 54 55 Map 1. APPENDIX NO. I - MAPS Location of the BCL Concession in North West Guyana No. 1 = Location of BCL Concession in North West Guyana No. 2 = Landfonn of Guyana No. 3 = Vegetation of Guyana VENEZUELA ATLANTIC OCEAN No. 4 = Administrative Boundaries in North West Guyana No. 5 = Amerindian Lands in and around the BCL Concession Are2; SURINAME BRAZIL : ,.. .. .•..• , ""\ .•... o 50 100 lSO ZOO 250 km 56 Map 2. landform oi Guyana Map3. Vegetation of Guyana ,\ fLAl/flC ArU.1/TIC OCEAN OCEAN Ct.11tiva1t4 orta Swcunp 'ttQthlton Coostal ploin Rain forut Pakaroi111a maunloln StQIOt\GI fortJf reqlon Ory fornt Whih ionds º"ª Montan, forut Pr1-camb1ion pl hJermadiott 'ª"ª""ª Scrub and VII IO't'Ol\"Q w•o•h:11ion ,oo (w ••• , .• , ,, ••• , &.o .• , .• ,~, ) "· Map 4. Adminístratíva Boundaries U\ N'orth West Guyana Map 5. Arnenndian Lands in and around the BCI. Concess1on Area VENEZUELA ~Hot:akwa1 VENEZUELA ATLANTIC OCEAN ff3' Hobedia / ~.J i '4 Llttle Kaniband1 '~ .. MOUNT\ ~---·-· '• RORA(MA '·1 ·' ~ • .I (-· ) SURINAME BRAZIL }l lethem l ·-·-· o 50 mo 150 ZOO 250 km .. ~ APPENDIX NO. II - PEOPLE AN-0 ORGANISATIONS CONSULTEO APA Edgar Antonio, Jean la Rose, WinstonAloysius Hutson ARU Janette Forte BCL K.T.Oiung, MichaelJourdain, Lloyd Searwar, and BCL staff Carter Centre Dennís King, Becky Johnson GAHEF Walter O\in, 'Bridgt!t Bovell, KNkofi, Denise Ferrier GEMCO [oshua Ramsanuny,Fr Andrew Morrison,Fr Geo:rge GFC David Black GGMC W.H.Woolford,MPersaud GHRA Merle McCormack GLSC Mr Andersen, T.Earle GNRA LanceCarberry GOIP George Norton Hydromet V.Basil Jesuits in Guyana Fr Rigby Minister for AmerindianAffaírs Vibart DeSouza NARI MichaelGrainger Office of the President Navin Chandarpal Open UniversityUI< MikeGillman ParanapanemaMining Co Ltd Colin Edwards RegionalDeputy Administrator LeylandSmart Tropenbos Ben ter Welle,Rene Boot, Dr Walcott UG Dr Inderjit Ramdass,Fr MalcolmRodrigues Walter Roth Museum DennisWilliams Wildlife Ms Matthews Women's DevelopmentProgramme (Red Thread) Joc.elyn Dow The Amerindians,miners, traders, and residentsof Port I 57 APPENDIX NO. m - M1ERlNDIAN POPULATION·IN THE BCL CONCESSION AREA. Sources: Adams 1972, Toe Barama Ríver Caribs of Cfuvana restudied Forte, 1990, The Populationsof Guyanese Amérindian Settlements in the 1980's Allen, 1993, this study. 1969 1986 1989 1993 dates refer to: 1969 Amerindian Lands CoIIllIU.SSion Report refers to 1980 + 1987 GUYREDEM data Port Kaituma (Mixed) 225• 500 + refers to Adams study (1969 data) Oronoque , 100 1971 Adams 1972 (1971 up-date) Port Kaítuma-Arakaka 81 fam. 1986 Forte compilation Arakaka-Matthews Ridge 120 fam. 1989 Ministry of Regional Development recorda 1993 Allen this survey Baramíta, Barama River (Carib) (69 m 1971) - 529 in 1969 inc Aronka/ Aranka 90+ Notes: Old World Mine na The table above includes details of the Amerindian populations within the BCL concessíon Baramíta 47+ area, or in areas which relate to or overlap the concession area. All sources stress the great ln Time Mine 171+ diffi.culty in givjng accurate statistics on Amerindian populations anel the figures shown here should be seen as a guide rather than an absolute statement. With high birth rates, young Towakaima R Settlements, Upper Barama River (Carib) no recent data marriages and big families, and hígh infant mortality, the population may be fairly stable in 1969 inc Massowakhi 5+ between 1969 and 1993. The major feature is one of shifting distribution, as Amerindians Karishaw /Korisho 29+ follow jobs, mining and other regional development opportunities. Piai Creek 39+ (2 in 1971) Kuratokam/Korotoko 36+ Aunama O+ Kurupie O+ Barama/Baramita Heads, Upper Barama River (Carib) no recent data Barama Head 34+ Baramíta Air Strip 53+ (333 ín 1971) Kokerite,Barama R.(Carib) 12fam 60 Wyanamu 40 Aranka 7 (114 in 1971) - Chinese Landing,Barama River,(Carib) 66 59 . 40+ Koriabo,Barima R.(Carib,Warau,Arawak) 264 456 253 (10'7 adults, 146 children) Mo bina 25 23 Shell Hill 28 42 High Hill 74 98 Savannah 136 ManmarinCk 25 Four Mile & Old Four Mile 28 Three Mile 17 Mora Landing 14 Bamboo Landing 6 Sebai,(Arawak,Carib,Akawaio) 33fam 224 198 outside concession, but with dose socio-economic links Kurutuku, Cuyuni River, (Carib) 97 58 59