Iwokrama 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 ensures the continuing success of Iwokrama through facilitating a strong and dynamic relationship between the Centre and local communities.
Over the first quarter of 2006, Iwokrama was host to a group of nineteen students and two professors from the Geographisches Institute at the University of Gottenburg in Germany. The students visited the Iwokrama Field Station for a one-week course in Tropical Forestry and Conservation from March 8 – 12, 2006. The course was designed to provide the students with a first-hand experience on Tropical Ecosystems, Community Partnership using the Iwokrama-CATS Model, Community Business Development using the Ornamental Fish Trade and concluded with a field visit to the Iwokrama Canopy Walkway and Bina Hill Institute, where participants observed at first hand the efforts of the North Rupununi communities in establishing sustainable businesses. Course facilitators included Iwokrama staff inclusive of Iwokrama Trained Forest Rangers, Rodney Davis, NRDDB Executive Director; and Alphonso Forde, NRDDB Tourism Coordinator. The
Lastly, Iwokrama has been contracted to provide Training Services for the Guyana Protected Areas System by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through the assistance of the Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau (KfW), the Federal Republic of Germany’s Financial Cooperation for the next 2 years. The training contract was signed between the EPA and Iwokrama on February 17, 2006 and the Centre has to provide training in Collaborative Natural Resources Management for Graduates and Communities, Park Rangering and Visitor Management/Tour Guiding.
