The Iwokrama International Centre and its joint venture partner Tigerwood Guyana Inc (TGI) have achieved Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) certification for the Iwokrama Rainforest in Guyana.
The CEOs of the two entities – Dane Gobin of Iwokrama and Sir Ronald Sanders of TGI – made the announcement yesterday in Georgetown. They revealed that the certificate was issued after the forest management and sustainable harvesting operations in Iwokrama were closely examined by FSC appointed auditors, Woodmark of the UK last year.
In a press release, Iwokrama said that FSC’s model of certification allows products that flow from certified forests to enter the global marketplace with a credential that is unique. It said too, “Any FSC labelled product can be tracked back to a certified source, and confirms that forestry operations are conducted in accordance with international social, environmental and economic best practices. It also confirms that the local communities are fully integrated into the business both at the strategic and operational levels and are involved in the decision making process.”
Gobin said it is a proud moment for Iwokrama and TGI. In securing the certificate for the Iwokrama forest and its operation, Guyana has been placed firmly on the map of responsible forest management. “We are the only venture in the area of the Guiana Shield to now enjoy FSC accreditation,” he said.
Speaking for TGI, Sir Ronald declared: “FSC certification was difficult to accomplish. It called for a commitment to sustainable harvesting that that had to be backed with greater resources than a normal harvesting operation in order to achieve higher standards.” He also pointed out that the sustainable harvesting operation is also contributing to the maintenance of the valuable eco-system services of the forest which benefits all mankind.
Both Gobin and Sir Ronald said harvesting was being conducted in strict accordance with the principles of Reduced Impact Logging. The objective is to minimise damage and maintain the forest in an intact condition. Felling blocks will be closed to allow for natural regeneration of plant species according to the 60-year cycle as soon as selective harvesting is completed, the press release said. They also pointed out that a significant number of members of the surrounding Amerindian communities have been gainfully employed in the forest operations and, as these expand adding value-adding activities, more community members were expected to fin jobs in the forest. This will help to alleviate poverty while contributing to the communities’ cohesiveness.
