Press Release 29 March 2004

WWF-Guiana Shield Provides US$50,000 for Certification of Iwokrama Timber Operations

Georgetown, Guyana -- Today, Iwokrama and the WWF-Guiana Shield signed a one year agreement that provides US$50,000 in support to Iwokrama to achieve certification of timber operations in the Iwokrama Forest. In keeping with its mission to show how to sustainably use and conserve tropical rain forests, Iwokrama is developing a sustainable timber harvesting operation which adheres to national and international standards. This WWF-Iwokrama project will ensure that Iwokrama will produce certified timber for Guyana, the USA, Europe, Caribbean and other markets.

Tropical rain forests continue to be degraded and lost as a result of poorly managed business development for timber, agriculture, and mining. Forests in developing countries provide over US$300 billion in revenues every year from timber and non-timber products. Unfortunately, the majority of these products are extracted without consideration of ecological, social and cultural consequences. One of the consequences of this kind of business development is the marginalization of local communities. These communities depend on forests and are in the front line of business development and they suffer many of the ecological, social and cultural costs as their homes and livelihoods are compromised and destroyed. The future of tropical rain forests will therefore depend on the actions of Government, private sector, local communities and organizations like Iwokrama to ensure that effective institutional frameworks are established for sustainability.

One way to encourage the private sector to become socially, culturally and ecologically sensitive is by providing premium-priced niche markets for products that can only be accessed through sustainable actions. The Forest Stewardship Council and initiatives such as the Guyana National Initiative for Forest Certification attempt to develop discerning consumer markets and ensure the "certification" of products for those markets. Certification is therefore an important mechanism to change how the private sector does business. Iwokrama's aim is to provide model systems for sustainably using and conserving tropical rain forests in Guyana and worldwide. As such Iwokrama is moving towards a model certified timber harvesting business. Iwokrama and the local communities already have developed incipient businesses based on green and socially responsible niche markets in ecotourism, aquarium fish, training services and conservation.

In May 2004, Iwokrama will open a transparent tendering process for private sector and local community partners for harvesting timber in the Iwokrama Forest. The timber operations in the Iwokrama Forest will be a social, ecological and economic model for forestry management and will ensure sustainability while still trying to maintain profits by accessing high value niche markets.

The support from WWF will be used to complete the Environmental Impact Assessment process, finalize the Iwokrama Forest Management Plan, initiate the timber harvesting process and undertake the inspections and audits necessary for certification. The grant will support the continuation of the participatory processes initiated by Iwokrama that ensure stakeholders are fully involved in the planning for sustainable timber harvesting.