Iwokrama is not immune from the effects of climate change. Increases in
temperature and changes in precipitation for example will have impacts upon the forest’s ecology. Sustainable management of the world’s forest estate to ensure that it can adapt in response to climate change is essential. We are fortunate that the Government of Guyana had the foresight to realise that its own forests were a global vital resource and therefore took historic steps to set up the necessary administrative and funding measures to secure their future, including Iwokrama’s. By committing to conserve and sustainably use the Iwokrama Forest, Guyana has provided to the world a global public good of carbon sequestration, foregoing permanently the opportunity for forest conversion. In this respect Iwokrama serves the unique purpose of linking biodiversity with climate change. The business community should also show the same foresight in recognizing the role Iwokrama can play in meeting the climate change challenges we all face.

So why is Iwokrama important?

The Iwokrama Forest provides an excellent relatively intact space in which to carry out research on climate change measurement, mitigation and adaptation. Additionally Iwokrama is a perfect model for protected areas management by clearly illustrating that people and parks can coexist. An agreement signed with the village of Fair View (located within the Iwokrama Forest) shows that people can live within protected areas, and that the objectives of a community can be aligned and integrated with the objectives of protected areas management. The co-management agreement between Fair View and Iwokrama is the means by which both parties can continue to collaborate in an equitable manner towards management of the Iwokrama Forest. Fair View will part-own Iwokrama businesses, and Iwokrama will participate in the life of the Fair View Community.

The Iwokrama Forest is part of a vast wetland which spans the forest and savannah areas south of the forest (North Rupununi). There is seasonal inundation of low lying areas and a marked north south gradient in weather conditions, enhancing its role as a global reference site to monitor climate change. This area acts a convergence point for three remarkable ecosystems The Amazon River, the Orinoco River and the Guiana Shield Ecosystems; as a result, Iwokrama is blessed not only with Guyanese species, but remnant populations of Amazonian giants such as the Arapaima, Giant River Turtles, Black Caiman, and Giant Otters as well as healthy populations of jaguars and harpy eagles. The Reserve is also considered to have one of the highest recorded densities of fish and bat species in the world.

The Centre carries out its work through the establishment of sustainable businesses and through monitoring the impacts of these businesses to determine their net economic, social, cultural and environmental impacts and returns. The lessons from these operations are then used to inform the future programmes of these businesses and are also disseminated. In all respects these businesses are operated in a controlled and well-monitored and regulated environment. As such it is possible to carry out controlled experiments in various aspects of conservation and sustainable forest management.

In February 2006, the Centre established a sustainable timber company in partnership with local communities and a private company. The new company will attain Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-endorsed forest certification within the next six months. The timber company is the third business established by the Centre, the others being ecotourism and training. All of these businesses are integrated within the Centre, and allow for a robust research and development programme in which various models and concepts related to tropical rain forest conservation and sustainable use can be tested.

Fundamental to the work of the Centre is the geographical zonation of the Iwokrama Forest into two spatially equal zones: a Wilderness Preserve (WP) and Sustainable Use Area (SUA).

The sustainable timber harvesting operations in the SUA represents a major investment in removing timber in a manner that reduces forest damage and carbon release. The conversion of trees to wooden products stores carbon whilst the regeneration in areas logged removes carbon from the atmosphere.  The timber operation of Iwokrama covers some 100,000 Ha. It presents a major opportunity in carbon emissions trading.

The WP is approximately 185,000 Ha of intact forests that are fully protected and represent a major investment in carbon sequestration through standing forests. The value of this service is being enjoyed globally but is borne locally. The cost of maintaining the WP in fully protected status is not small. It has included many years of consultation, education, capacity building, institutional strengthening and partnering with local communities to develop co-management models and to ensure local access to benefits from sustainable businesses in the SUA and community lands. It also includes inventorying, monitoring and patrols of a large remote area. The major lesson learnt at Iwokrama is that the protection of forests in this manner is not small and would not be sustainable in poor countries if its value is not put at a premium through such schemes as the carbon market. The WP also serves as a reference area for studying the impacts of human activity through comparison with uses in the SUA.