The Guyana National Protected Areas System
Context
GUYANA is globally recognised for its wealth of natural resources, high levels of biodiversity and for having one of the lowest rates of deforestation in the developing world. The People and successive Governments of Guyana have had a long history of instituting mechanisms for the effective management and conservation of these resources. More recently, with the development of the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), the Government made the unprecedented commitment to re-orient Guyana’s economy onto a low-carbon, “green” pathway which we will be showcasing  at the upcoming UN Conference on Sustainable Development, commonly referred to as the Rio +20.
An effective national protected areas system (NPAS) is a key component of the Government’s vision for Guyana’s development, and will contribute significantly to the achievement of the principles outlined in the LCDS.  Guyana’s protected areas system will allow for the protection and maintenance of unique natural and cultural heritage, whilst at the same time facilitating sustainable social, environmental and economic development. It is in this context I wish to update the National Assembly on Guyana’s policy for Protected Areas development.

Legislation
The Protected Areas Act, 2011, (PA Act) was enacted in Parliament on July 07, 2011 and came into force by commencement order on November 01, 2011. The PA Act provides the framework for the establishment and management of a national system of protected areas – including a mechanism for sustainable long-term financing (the National Protected Areas Trust Fund) and establishment of a Protected Areas Commission (PAC).Under the PA Act, existing and new state-owned protected areas, Amerindian protected areas, privately managed protected areas, and Urban Parks such as the Botanical Gardens and the Zoological Park will comprise the national protected areas system (NPAS).

Institutional:
The Protected Areas Commission (PAC), established under the PA Act, is a body corporate governed by a Board of Directors. The Board was appointed by the Cabinet in February, 2012, while the appointments of the PAC’s Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner are to be made, shortly. The Commission’s functions include establishing, managing, maintaining, promoting and expanding the national protected areas system. This encompasses the monitoring and regulating of activities and the use of resources within protected areas; preparing, developing and effectively implementing management plans; providing support and advice to Amerindian Villages to enable them to develop Amerindian PAs; and promoting public involvement in decision-making processes.
The Board of Directors oversees the operations – financial, technical, and administrative – of the Commission, including approving applications which are made by the Commission, to the Board of Trustees of the national protected areas trust fund, for funding. The PAC falls under the new established Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment (MNRE).

Declaration of new Protected Areas:
In the latter half of 2011, the GoG declared Shell Beach and Kanuku Mountains as protected areas, thereby almost doubling the number of protected areas in Guyana. These two new protected areas now join the Kaieteur National Park, Iwokrama Rainforest Reserve, and the Amerindian Protected Area of Kanashen. These five protected areas collectively account for almost nine (9) percent of the country’s land mass. The delineation processes for Shell Beach and Kanuku Mountains were completed under the German funded Guyana Protected Areas System (GPAS) Project using participatory approaches, and a draft management plan for the Kanuku Mountains was completed.

Financing:
The establishment of a National Protected Areas Trust Fund (NPATF), as a mechanism to provide financing for the NPAS, is a requirement under the PA Act.  The GoG will move to establish the NPATF before the ending of 2012.
In the interim, the Government has partnered with Conservation International Guyana to establish the Conservation Trust Fund (CTF). The CTF and its Board of Trustees were established in December, 2011 and its Executive Director, Ms. Nadia Sagar, was appointed on May 01, 2012. Thus far, the CTF has secured commitments from the Government of Germany and Conservation International in the sums of € 4M and US 3.5M, respectively.

Partnerships and projects
In September 2009, the Governments of Guyana and Germany, represented by the German Development Bank (KfW), signed a financing agreement for € 5.15M to support a second phase of the GPAS Project.  It will build on the outcomes of the initial phase which was recently concluded [implemented at an approx. cost of € 2.4 M].
Approximately € 1.15M of GPAS Phase II funds are ear marked for infrastructure measures for the Protected Areas Commission, the development of a management plan for the Shell Beach Protected Area, and follow-up support for community livelihood projects developed under GPAS Phase I. The remaining € 4M will be used as an endowment to the NPATF, to support a sustainable and long-term financing mechanism for the NPAS. Project activities under Tranche I commenced in March 2012 and are expected to be completed by December 2013.
The Government of Germany has since committed an additional € 4.3M for a GPAS Phase III, which aims to support the effective management of the National Protected Areas System, improve livelihoods and resource management capacities in local communities; and improve capabilities of key Sector Agencies [EPA, GFC] .The project document, has been developed and is to be finalised. Implementation is likely to commence in 2014, following the conclusion of GPAS II.

International commitments:
As a signatory to the UNCBD, Guyana has an obligation to protect at least 17 percent of its terrestrial and inland water areas and 10 percent of its marine waters by 2020. Over the last year, Guyana has significantly increased the area of the country under protection, with protected areas accounting for almost nine (9) percent of Guyana’s landmass.
Parties of the Convention are also required to develop a long-term action plan or update the existing plan for the implementation of the Programme of Work on Protected Areas (PoWPA), including detailed activities, timelines, budgets and responsibilities with a view to contributing to the implementation of the CBD’s Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020.Guyana has completed and submitted its Action Plan for the implementation of the PoWPA. The Plan will form the basis of a report to COP 11 by the Executive Secretary and will serve as a framework to access funds from the Global Environment Fund and other financing sources for PA establishment and management.

Moving forward
In moving forward with NPAS, the GoG will build on the experiences of Guyana’s established Protected Areas, while bringing to bear decades of international experience in the theory and practice of Protected Areas administration. NPAS will be based on a policy that Protected Areas must serve as tools for income generation, job creation and conservation. The creation of a world class NPAS will further solidify Guyana’s position at the forefront of new and innovative approaches to conservation and sustainable development.