EPA launches community-led environmental assessments in North Rupununi Wetlands

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), through the Amazon Sustainable Landscapes (ASL) Guyana Project II, has launched a series of community-driven assessments aimed at strengthening environmental protection, conservation, and sustainable management in North Rupununi, one of Guyana’s most significant ecological and cultural landscapes.
The assessments, which focus on land use, livelihoods, and water quality, are designed to support smarter planning, greater community involvement, and long-term environmental protection across the region.

Local communities at the centre
Before fieldwork began, communities and key stakeholders were engaged to explain the activities, gather feedback, and ensure that local priorities and traditional knowledge guided the process.
In October 2025, community participants received hands-on training at the Bina Hill Institute in Annai, learning to use mobile devices and digital tools for land-use mapping. The skills gained will continue to support community planning long after the project concludes.
In November 2025, additional training was conducted for community enumerators involved in the socio-economic assessment. Participants learnt ethical survey methods, household and village data collection, and the documentation of traditional ecological knowledge. Survey tools were tested through pilot exercises in participating communities.

Water quality assessments begin
The first round of water-quality assessments in selected North Rupununi communities has been completed. The data will establish a baseline for tracking changes in rivers and wetlands and guide future conservation and management actions.
These activities mark a major step forward in a multi-stakeholder effort to strengthen local capacity and ensure effective conservation and sustainable management of biodiversity, culture, and livelihoods in the North Rupununi.
The EPA, in its release, noted that through the ASL Guyana Project II, it continues to work alongside communities to ensure that Guyana’s natural heritage is protected – not just for today, but for generations to come.