With over 87 per cent of forest cover, Guyana is considered to be one of the most heavily forested countries in the world, with its forests playing a vital role in the country’s development.
The world observes International Day of Forests annually on March 21 and this year’s observance placed the spotlight on “forests and health”. The theme was carefully crafted to highlight the threats to forest resources owing to a growing global population. It also stresses the need for conserving and sustainable use of those resources.
A section of Guyana’s vast forest
The United Nations in its description of the theme states “…healthy forests are vital for all aspects of a healthy planet, from livelihoods and nutrition to biodiversity and the environment, but they are under threat. It’s up to us to safeguard these precious natural resources.”
Guyana’s forests are part of the Guyana Shield inclusive of areas in Suriname, French Guiana, Colombia, and Brazil. It covers approximately 270 million hectares of pristine rainforest and is recognised as one of the last remaining “frontier forests” of the world. Guyana’s contribution to this is approximately 18 million hectares or 87% of the land mass of Guyana.
The Natural Resources Ministry has said that the Government has always held the conviction that forests must be utilised for the socio-economic advancement of all Guyanese but in a manner that is in keeping with respect for, and appreciation of the unparalleled environmental values of this renewable resource.
Guyana has been engaged in logging activities for centuries in keeping with the principles of sustainable forest management. Due to this commitment to environmental integrity, Guyana has one of the lowest deforestation rates in the world.
The forested community of Paruima in the Upper Mazaruni region (APA photo)
With the majority of Guyana’s population concentrated along the coast, the Indigenous peoples of the hinterland regions are often considered the guardians of the forests. The relationship shared between Indigenous peoples and the forests has been there since time immemorial.
However, the forests do not only provide for Indigenous peoples but play an important role in the survival of the planet. With the growing issue of climate change, more emphasis is being placed on the protection of forests and the sustainable management of those resources.
The sustainable management of Guyana’s forest and forest resources has always been a point of contention owing to deforestation caused by logging and mining. However, the management of the forests is outlined in Guyana’s revised Low Carbon Development Strategy which saw the country becoming the first to receive a certification of over 33 million carbon credits by the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART) on December 1, 2022.
Guyana has signed a US$750 million deal with Hess Corporation for the sale of carbon credits, with 15% of that money going directly to Indigenous communities. Last week, the Government received a four-year €5M grant (approximately GY$1.1B) from the European Union (EU) for the sustainability of the country’s forests and forest-dependent communities.
While Guyana’s forests store approximately 90.5 gigatons of carbon, globally, trees and soil store in excess of 13 billion tonnes of carbon. It is clear that in order for humans to survive, forests must be preserved.
