…Indigenous peoples stewards of forests from time immemorial – Toshao Pearson
THE essence of the world’s biodiversity problem is that most peoples and Governments seriously undervalue biological wealth, and this disregard for nature cannot be excused on the claims of ignorance or for the value of quantifiable acquisitions alone.
So says Chairman of the Guyana Forestry Commission, John Caesar, who spoke at the opening of a seminar to mark the UN Year of Forests at the Guyana International Conference Centre at Liliendaal on Monday last.
“Rainforests provide a plethora of ecosystem services and support and sustain the well being of our citizens, and more so, our indigenous brothers and sisters, who are more culturally dependent on forest biodiversity and related services,” Caesar said.
“It is now a fact that ecosystem services are essential to the survival of human beings and the forests are among the most important providers of ecosystem services for the whole world. Forest ecosystem services operate and provide us with natural things that are so intricate and little explored so we hardly understand them and technology cannot replace those,” Caesar said.
“Forests and their ecosystem services are important for both mankind and the earth, our only dwelling place,” he said.
“I  commended the Government and people of Guyana for advancing what I consider an innovative climate policy as articulated in the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) and you, Your Excellency (President Jagdeo), for recognising very early the potential of our biological and forest ecosystem wealth and leveraging the foresight of one of your predecessors – the Hoyte/Iwokrama initiative…”
“You have also presented yourself as an admirable lead student of ecological economics in the science/policy interface. Your leadership in leveraging evidence-based science policy as a key driver of innovative national climate change policy making is reassuring for the sustainability of our forests locally and globally,” Caesar told President Jagdeo and the audience.
He said that, with the recent establishment of the Inter-Governmental Panel on Biodiversity and Eco-System Services, (IPBS), operationally similar to the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), “it is clear that the world’s attention is also focused on biodiversity and eco-system services.”
Locally, Caesar said there are still some segments of complacency, ignorance and outright disregard as to the true value of the forests. “I believe too, that it is a cultural problem married to a lack of consciousness for our civic responsibility to the environment in our Constitution,” he said.
Chairperson of the National Toshaos Council Ms. Yvonne Pearson said, “On behalf of the NTC, we are pleased to be a part of this special occasion. The year 2011 has been declared by the United Nations as the International Year of Forests.”
The forests, she said, play an important role in both climate change and economic livelihood. “So since the forests provide an important service to all of us, we must ensure that forests are used in a sustainable manner,” Pearson urged.
She noted that countries around the world are now embracing the idea of conservation of the forests. “As they begin to realise the important role of the forests, we, the indigenous people, have been managing the forests from time immemorial. We know that we must care for Mother Nature in order for her to care for us,” she declared.
Because of this, she said the indigenous peoples have a special connection with the forests. “We understand the reason why the earth is changing and we are aware of how REDD plus and Guyana’s LCDS can help to address the global problem of climate change,” Pearson said.
“We are happy to say that the world is looking at Guyana and more so, we are proud of what is known internationally as the Jagdeo Initiative [on climate]. This great policy framework is based on our forests and, as such, we must be able to find that balance to preserve our forests and continue those activities that our lives depend on,” she said.
Noting that the forest is a valuable resource, Pearson said it is important for the realisation of the development of communities and the country as a whole. “So, as we recognise this year – 2011 as International Year of the Forests, the National Toshaos Council wishes to say to all Guyanese that we hope that everyone can have a better understanding as to why it is so important that we continue sustainable use of our forests so that we can move forward,” she said.
“For it is our responsibility to maintain a healthy environment for our future generations. The National Toshaos Council joins with the Ministry of Agriculture, the Guyana Forestry Commission and the United Nations in celebrating 2011 as the International Year of the Forests,” Pearson said.