… It’s In our Nature

AS we approach the end of another year, the Protected Areas Commission (PAC) reflects on some of its achievements in spite of the many challenges that resulted from a protracted national election process and the COVID-19 pandemic.
In keeping with the Commission’s mandate to establish, manage, maintain, promote and expand the NPAS, priority continues to be directed to developing the institution – as we aim for a World Class National Protected Areas System that Protects Nature and Improve Lives. The work of the Commission is guided by our Strategic Plan which serves as a road map for implementation of actions in the hinterland and urban parks. As is customary, an annual work plan and budget are prepared and approved in the previous year for implementation. During the year however, several revisions and amendments were made to the budget and annual work programme in the face of many challenges encountered as a result of the pandemic. Nevertheless, through the dedication of our staff and sound leadership of the Commission, we were able to complete many of the outlined actions in our annual work programme. This article will shed light on two programme areas; Ecological Monitoring and Awareness and Outreach

Ecological Monitoring – Monitoring is one of the main components of the work of the PAC – it helps to ensure that the objectives for which the Protected Areas (PAs) were created are being achieved. In an effort to streamline and improve ecological monitoring of the Urban Parks, we commenced regular water quality testing of the waterways in the Botanical Gardens and National Park, particularly the canals where the manatees live. Over time, this data will be analyzed to determine potential impacts on biodiversity and the ecosystems on the whole.
Due to COVID-19 and associated restrictions, there have been increased threats to the PAs, resulting in illegal extraction of natural resources such as gold, timber and fish. Foot patrols were conducted regularly to prevent current and potential illegal activities. To supplement foot patrols, annual aerial surveys were conducted to determine the scale of illegal activities and to assess areas that are difficult to monitor on land.

Specific focus was placed on Guyana’s only coastal protected area, Shell Beach, where nesting of four species of sea turtles occurs annually. Over the years, there has been significant erosion of various beaches along the coastline of the Protected Area; this has resulted in threats to biodiversity, infrastructure and livelihoods of nearby indigenous and mixed communities.

The PAC, with financial support from WWF Guianas, was able to conclude another successful year of its Sea Turtle Nesting & Monitoring Programme. The season, which began in February and concluded in August, saw another year of sea turtles nesting and hatchlings returning to the ocean, ensuring their population remain viable. Another significant achievement has been the collaboration with the Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard to conduct a coastal survey of the entire Shell Beach Protected Area to identify anthropogenic impacts and unauthorized activities on the beaches. The Team was able to use drone technology and data from foot patrols and overflights to assess changes to the coastline over the last five years.

To conclude our work in this regard, our annual evaluations of the management of the Pas, using the Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT), were conducted to measure how we managed the sites and associated threats. Preliminary results show that there isn’t significant change from previous trends which highlighted a low threat and well managed protected areas system.

Awareness, Education and Outreach – One of the principles upon which the PAC prides itself is the building and maintenance of relationships with stakeholders, especially within hinterland communities. To build effective and lasting relationships, there is a need for visits to and interactions with communities to build trust, understanding and support. Even though COVID-19 guidelines and safety concerns paused physical activities in hinterland communities and with the general public, the Commission was able to be innovative and also use social media and other communication platforms to advance its work.

To this end, Standard Operating Procedures and manuals were created to support parents and students to conduct self-guided “It’s in Our Nature” Camps in their own homes and villages. This manual was first tried out in the Kanashen Amerindian Protected Area where Rangers were trained to support teachers, parents and students in the village to conduct these activities at the family level. Binoculars, bird books and writing materials were provided for the children. Over the coming months, the Commission will finalize its Nature Camp activity booklet and scale up this activity in as many communities as possible. It should be noted, too, that communities, more so children, look forward to the PAC’s hosting of these nature camps.

Social, electronic and print media are all avenues that have been used to share information with the aim of improving the knowledge of the general public about the National Protected Areas System. We successfully concluded a three (3) week campaign in celebration of Protected Areas Day in Latin America and the Caribbean. The campaign included an Eco quiz which allowed the public to participate and win prizes after answering questions about the NPAS. The Ranger Teams and work of the PAs were also highlighted. The campaign ended with the launch of the PAC’s Nature Camp short film which was produced for the Commission by Shannon Holland, a young film maker from Yupukari Village, North Rupununi.

To conclude what has been a challenging, but rewarding year, the Commission received approval from the National COVID-19 Taskforce to host several end-of-year activities that are aimed to bring joy to the hearts of Guyanese, while at the same time sharing information about our work and the importance of Protected Areas. Park Rhythms was held in the National Park on 4th and 11th December 2020, when patrons exercising in the Park were entertained by the sweet sounds of steel pan music while Santa and his helpers from the PAC office shared tokens and snacks to families. Look out for a subsequent article that will highlight our work in Research, Training and International Cooperation.

This article was prepared by the Protected Areas Commission