Press Release 17 November 2004

Iwokrama Publishes Business Plan,
Projects Financial Self Sufficiency in 2007

Iwokrama Centre, Guyana – Iwokrama International Centre has rolled out its Business Plan 2005-2006 this month November 2004. The plan identifies commercialisation of ecologically sensitive, sustainable timber harvesting as a top priority. The timber venture will be run by enterprises set up in the Iwokrama Forest in partnership with Iwokrama and local communities. The plan also highlights the further development of high value, low volume visitation ecotourism, working in conjunction with community tourism efforts in the Rupununi and a comprehensive governmental programme to promote national tourism. The focus of Iwokrama’s ecotourism will be to deliver specific wildlife and nature-based products. Iwokrama also intends to boost its provision of training and consultancy services in support of natural resource management both in Guyana and regionally.

Over the next two years, Iwokrama has projected revenues flows of US$1.45M and US$1.48M in 2005 and 2006 respectively. Activities in Timber, Tourism, Training & Consultancy, and Merchandise are expected to contribute a total of 29% and 50% of this revenue for 2005 and 2006 respectively. The plan requires complementary financial support of US$1.05M over two years to fund priority projects to support its sustainable commercial activities, such as ecosystem monitoring. Iwokrama expects that this business plan will move Iwokrama substantially towards financial self sufficiency in 2007.

Iwokrama is built on the key tenet that people are central to effective conservation and wise use of rain forest resources. In this context, the organisational responsibility extends beyond income generation activities and includes activities in conservation and monitoring, community development and forest research.

Covering core costs has been a very important objective of the Board of Trustees and management of Iwokrama. Over the last two years, the organisation’s restructuring led to a 40% reduction in operating costs while core functions and objectives of Iwokrama have been retained. A clear direction has also been charted to achieve Iwokrama’s goal of demonstrating how to use tropical rain forests wisely to satisfy the needs of local people, the development aspirations of the Guyanese people, and the international concerns about rainforest and biodiversity loss.

“The success of Iwokrama is fundamental to the future existence of the remaining tropical rainforests. Iwokrama is a developing country response to the conflicting local, national and international concerns about the future of tropical rainforests,” states Director General Dr. Graham Watkins in the Foreword to the Business Plan.

The successful implementation of the business plan is dependent on keeping the present number of staff and recruitment of additional key personnel to maintain the high quality of output that has contributed to Iwokrama being internationally recognised as a leader in conservation and sustainable use of tropical rainforests. Above all, the success of Iwokrama is dependent on the continued and demonstrated support by its primary partners: the Government of Guyana, the Commonwealth Secretariat and the people of Guyana.