SECURING the Amazon came to the fore on Wednesday when the Government of Guyana, in collaboration with the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), hosted a technical workshop aimed at strengthening landscape connectivity and sustainability within the country’s forested areas.

The workshop, which was hosted at the Guyana Forestry Commission’s multiplex in Kingston, was held under the theme, “Securing a living Amazon through Landscape Connectivity in Central Guyana.

It is the first in a series and is aimed at strengthening and improving landscape connectivity. This will be done through the establishment of conservation areas and the management of productive areas within the eastern half of the country, geared at ensuring continued sustainability of Guyana’s forests.

Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Sydney Allicock, said that the project should be one that can be implemented and be fruitful, not just in theory but also in practice. He further related that the natural forest cover in Guyana remains at a high percentage due to the measures that are already in place.

“The theme of this project, “Securing a living Amazon through landscape connectivity in central Guyana is so appropriate at this time in the history of Guyana. I want to signal that this should not be just another project; this should be a project with a mission to save or to protect the Guyana shield and more particularly the Guyana forest. It is amazing to know that we still have 87 per cent of the forest cover of this country, and the deforestation rate is so minimal, it means that we have a good opportunity to make this project a success,” said Allicock.

He further went on to state that the resources, air and water, which can both be found in the target areas, are two of the most important resources on the planet because they facilitate the continued survival of every individual on the planet.

“We know that water and fresh air are the two most valuable natural resources, everything else comes after; without water and air, nothing survives. I also understand that in the Guyana Shield we have the reservoir that accommodates 15-20% of the earth’s fresh water, which means we have a heavy responsibility to protect and to help mother earth to have continuity in adequate water supply, which means we have to develop attachment areas for surface water, so that we could have new vegetation, so that we could have support to a healthy ecosystem; if we have a health eco system we would have a healthy nation and a healthy nation will have a long time on the face of the earth,” expressed Allicock.

He encouraged the team working on the project to involve the indigenous peoples in their operations, explaining to them that one of the major reasons Guyana has been able to maintain its forests is due to the practices that were adopted and maintained by the indigenous peoples.

“What I would like to see is more involvement of our indigenous people and why, because our people live the life every day; when we speak about a “green” state, or we speak about the development of protected areas, our people have been there, they understand the laws of nature. It is not for money, it is for sustainability and a good life, to be there free, living with nature, supporting nature. And this is the education that will be gathered from this exercise, so we could share it along with our fellow Guyanese. To know that while we might not be hearing much from the indigenous people, every day, they have been protectors of these resources, we hardly plunder, we hardly gone destroying the natural resources; it is only because of the teachings they imposed upon us and because of the need to have economic strength for our country,” he stated.

Minister of State Dawn Hastings-Williams stated that the project will provide the support needed to improve monitoring and integrated management of selected landscapes in central Guyana , which is an important biological corridor. The project will also provide the science-based evidence needed to enable the Government of Guyana to make good decisions on the management of the area. She further related that the new system would further embolden the government to employ new measure to protect its natural patrimony.