Iwokrama International Centre Training Activities

Training continues to be one of the main avenues for Iwokrama to disseminate its experiences and technologies pertaining to conservation and sustainable use of the tropical forests, whilst rapidly becoming a major source of revenue.

Iwokrama continues to collaborate with its key partner, the North Rupununi communities through the North Rupununi District Development Board (NRDDB), in various training activities that ensure the continuing success of Iwokrama through facilitating a strong and dynamic relationship between the Centre and local communities.

Over the fourth quarter of the year 2005, Iwokrama has had several training activities which are detailed in the succeeding paragraphs.

Iwokrama conducted a one-week course in Tropical Forestry and Conservation for University of Guyana (UG) Forestry Students from November 4 – 8, 2005 for 22 students and 2 lecturers at the Iwokrama Field Station. The course was designed to provide the students with a first-hand experience in wildlife management and monitoring in the Iwokrama/Rupununi ecosystem, and the Iwokrama-Community relationships with specific focus on the NRDDB and the co-management Fairview’s land claim.

Iwokrama also conducted two Forest Certification Workshops from November 23 - 24, 2005 at Iwokrama Field Station for its field staff and Fair View Village for the community members respectively. The workshop was facilitated by Ms. Sharon Ousman. The objectives of the forest certification training with both stakeholders groups were to provide awareness on forest certification, certification procedures and requirements by the certifiers and to provide awareness on the requirements of forest certification specifically, the third draft of the National Forest Certification Standard. The training also provided an opportunity on the definition, know how and the technical areas for certification.

A group of nine CARICOM Youth Interns and five North Rupununi Youth Leaders attended a CARICOM-sponsored workshop on HIV/AIDS and Biodiversity from December 6 – 8, 2005 at the Iwokrama Field Station. Participants were introduced to the Iwokrama HIV/AIDS Healthy Lifestyles Project, and the North Rupununi Youth Leaders also performed skits on the social issues relating to HIV/AIDS. Three out of the Five North Rupununi Youth Leaders were sponsored by CARICOM, while the other two were sponsored by Iwokrama.

The Centre has now developed a portfolio of courses in natural resource management, which it can now adapt to meet the needs of its clients. Iwokrama’s training portfolio comprises of courses on Park Rangering, Tour Guiding, Collaborative Management for Graduates and Collaborative Management for Communities.