Guyana's first local Community-Owned Conservation Area (COCA) was officially established with the signing of an agreement between the Wai Wai community of Masakenari and Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Carolyn Rodrigues on Wednesday.
This followed months of consultations with villagers and commits an area of forest approximately 625,000 hectares (just over a million acres), held by the Wai-Wais in southern Guyana for conservation purposes. Residents will manage the area in accordance with rules, which the minister approved on Wednesday. The rules will allow the residents of the community to utilize the resources in a sustainable manner.
After gaining title to the land in 2004, the community had expressed a desire to establish it as a conservation area, and as a result, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) with the government and Conservation International (CI). A release from CI at the time said that under the MOC, the parties will work together to jointly evaluate the ongoing resource use, the needs of the Wai-Wais and the impact of traditional land uses on biodiversity and eco-systems. Other stated aims were to increase local, national and global awareness about the importance of bio-diversity and eco-systems in the Konashen District and develop sustainable land and resource use practices that satisfy the needs of the Wai-Wais while conserving ecosystems and biodiversity. The MOC also set out to identify and address threats to the integrity of the Konashen District and identify and develop income-generating projects and potential sources of funding for the projects.
On hand to witness the historic ceremony held inside a traditional benab at the remote Region Nine (Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo) community were villagers, representatives of CI, Regional Chairman Clarindo Lucas and indigenous persons from Brazil, Suriname and French Guiana as well as residents of surrounding communities.
The rules under which the area will be managed are the first set enacted under the Amerindian Act and will be the by-laws of the village. The document is to be gazetted.
Rodrigues promised the Wai-Wais on Wednesday that when legislation was enacted to establish a National Protected Areas System (NPAS), the isolated community would be among the first included.
The minister, describing the occasion as a "historic achievement" expressed happiness that after months of work the first community-owned conservation area was being established. She noted that it was the "first one in the history of Guyana owned by the most remote Amerindian community". She declared that Masakenari was setting the example for other Amerindian communities in Guyana and asserted that "the community would benefit even more in the long run with all the international attention being given to standing forests".
Meanwhile, giving an overview of the project, CI's Biodiversity Analyst Curtis Bernard said the process began when the community was given absolute grant to 625,000 hectares of land in February 2004. He said the community approached the organization to assist in developing a management plan for the land and the MOC was signed. Since then, he said, the organization worked with the community "in a very participatory way", with the village leading the process. He said meetings were held, the plan was publicised and capacity building was undertaken. The community had formulated several goals including family development, community development, keeping of the traditional way of life and maintaining biodiversity. Bernard noted that there was still a long road ahead and the community will be supported in managing the land.
Speaking with Stabroek News shortly after, Bernard said the next step would be the finalization of the management plan "to do the things the community is setting out to do". He said this was likely to happen by early next year and stressed the continued involvement of his organization. He noted that the area was identified to be part of the NPAS and CI would continue to work with the leadership group to manage it.
Bernard said the community was very interested in tourism and "various other business activities such as hosting researchers" adding that to an extent that was already happening and scientists had expressed interest in visiting the area. The community had previously hosted a group of CI-led scientists who had conducted a Rapid Assessment Programme (RAP) of the area's biodiversity.
The biodiversity analyst added the craftwork of the Wai-Wai community was unique and there was a market for it; it was just a matter of linking production with the marketplace. He noted that there were similar community-owned conservation areas in South America, notably in Brazil though they may not have the same structure.
Yowkari Mawasha, a community representative, said that since the 1930s, "there was a vision of our leaders and forefathers that one day we would be the owner of the land". He noted that in 2004 this was realized when the absolute grant was handed over to the Konashen village council. He said the community has three main goals, conservation of the biodiversity, family development through provision of jobs and community development. "The support needed is to continue building our capacity to manage this area to benefit the community, country and the world at large," he asserted.
Residents who spoke with Stabroek News afterwards described the agreement as "alright", with some stating that there were already changes within the village since the partnership with CI.
The 625,000 hectares of titled land is the largest plot held by any indigenous group in Guyana. The just over 200 persons who reside there mainly members of the Wai-Wai nation.Stabroek News
