AS THIS country takes the initiative to become a ‘Green Economy’, it is pivotal to get the Guyanese people fully equipped for the transition and the benefits deriving from such. President David Granger and former President Baharat Jagdeo have made great strides in this transition, but it can be realised only with a greater involvement of the Guyanese community and by decentralising some of the functions from central government.Community Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) can be part of the solution. CBNRM has proven to be one of the most successful ways of managing natural resources worldwide. The Guyana REDD+ Monitoring Reporting & Verification System (MRVS) 2014 Five Report indicated that mining is accountable for 87 percent of the deforestation during that year, and that without drastic and well calculated measures, this will be the dominant practice for years to come, having a negative impact on what we want as a nation. For us to conserve our pristine rainforests, we all need to take action now. There are many models of conservation all over the world, and CBNRM has proven to be very successful.

The impact of deforestation due to mining is one all Guyanese should be concerned about. We have all heard and read reports of the effects of reckless mining in all of the regions: the muddy rivers, large ponds, vast land clearing, chemical-filled ponds, destruction of the flora and fauna, piles of debris, heaps of soil, all affecting the health and wellbeing of our people.
CBNRM is a win-win situation for preventing deforestation and preserving Guyana’s pristine rainforest. With CBNRM, the government, the people, and experts can combine their knowledge in the management of our natural resources in a way that will be beneficial to all. This can be achieved by making each Guyanese a direct beneficiary in the conservation efforts, and providing the opportunities for them to benefit directly and indirectly from conservation.

Through this approach, we will all have a new sense of appreciation, and obligation to preserve our natural heritage by helping the government implement the laws; and hold each investor, as well as miner, both large- and small-scale, accountable for extracting our resources in a sustainable manner. These responsibilities will not fall solely on the government, with its limited resources, but the whole country will have a vested interest in our heritage, and in actively participating in the conservation efforts.

CBNRM can also help expand our eco-tourism industry, thus creating opportunities for a large number of small-, medium- and large-scale businesses. This could become more widespread in Guyana with increased community participation. Cardenas-Torres et al (2007) posited that “to derive financial gain for local communities from conservation is through ecotourism, especially for projects that focus on protecting dramatic wildlife that attracts visitors”.

CBNRM was adopted in many countries of the world: Nepal (Forest Users Groups), Namibia (Community-Based Organization), and the Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development (IIC) have adopted a CBNRM approach to conservation, co-managing with the local communities, international community and the government is the most successful way to preserve our rainforest. Research has shown that our own Amerindian communities use a community-based approach to resource management.
Using the CBNRM approach, the communities assist the government in enforcing environmental policies leading to best practices in land reclamation, since this is never being done after mining.

Getting the community involved as part of a three-way partnership (Government, communities and international organisations) will ensure that mining companies will restore the environment. CBNRM will help create more awareness and a sense of ownership of our natural heritage. It can change the economy; restore biodiversity, preserve our rainforest, and lead to Guyana becoming the world’s first ‘Green Economy’.