UNTIL a few decades ago, most Guyanese who lived in the coastal regions only thought of the forests—which cover 85% of the country, equivalent to 18.4 million hectares—as being a place that supplied wood for house building and as a territory where porknockers and other gold and diamond miners dug the earth to recover treasure. It was also the place where the Amerindians lived, preserving much of their ancient culture. It was only when foreign institutions and even governments became involved that Guyanese began to grasp the value and importance of their forests.
Foreign institutions such as the World Wildlife Protection Organisation, various international bodies involved in the preservation and protection of Indigenous peoples and cultures, and ecological bodies concerned with climate change caused the Government and people of Guyana to begin to understand the value of their forests. A more recent value of the forests which has come to the fore is their role in the protection of Guyana’s sovereignty against military aggression from Venezuela. The recent commemoration of the International Day of Forests on 21st March, with the theme: “Forests and Foods”, under the auspices of the United Nations, has further opened the opportunity for reviewing the importance and value of Guyana’s forests.

Ten percent of Guyana’s population—consisting mainly of the nine Amerindian tribes: Akawaio, Arecuna, Arawak, Carib, Macushi, Patamona, Warrau, Wai Wai and Wapishana—depend upon the forests for food security, medicines, nutrition, and livelihoods. These people maintain soil fertility, safeguard vital water resources, and support pollinators essential for agricultural productivity. They cultivate cassava, from which they make cassava bread, and hunt wild animals—never killing more than they need. Inhabitants of these forest regions can earn further income by producing non-wood items such as crab oil, honey, and medicinal plants and through eco-tourism.

Guyana’s forests are a living pharmacy from which a vast array of plants with medicinal properties can be sourced for traditional medicines. Western medicine also uses medicinal plants, and it is estimated that at least 25% of prescription drugs come from medicinal plants.

Guyana’s forests are located in the Amazon region and the Guiana Shield—the world’s two premier biodiversity-rich zones—and are globally known for providing habitats for thousands of species of flora and fauna. Guyana’s ecosystems have mainly remained intact because of the policy of sustaining a very low rate of deforestation and forest protection, and the country is regionally and globally recognised as having extraordinary levels of biodiversity.

Guyana’s forests are famed for the large number of animal species which inhabit them, such as the Arapaima—the largest freshwater fish in the world—the unique leatherback turtle, and the jaguar, a species of big cat that is rapidly disappearing from other parts of the world. The Forest Department must constantly be on the lookout for poachers and animal dealers who illegally capture and take away animals for sale abroad at enormous profits. Guyana is being assisted in protecting its animal species by the World Wildlife Fund and the Sustainable Wildlife Management Programme.

Guyana’s forests offer climate regulation and carbon sequestration, which have been globally recognised. These forests store 19.5 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent and have been diligently doing their part to prevent climate change. Guyana has been able to offer this important ecosystem service to the world and has received carbon credits worth several million dollars, which it has been using to maintain the forests and support the economic and social development of the Indigenous people who live in or are affiliated with, the forests.

The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO)’s comment adequately sums up the value and importance of Guyana’s forests:
”Forests are not merely a resource; they are a living, breathing part of the nation’s identity, providing food, livelihoods, and essential ecosystem services… we also must recognise the role of Indigenous People who are sustainably managing the forests to ensure that this vital resource continues to thrive for generations to come.”