Ecosystems – Wetlands

Essequibo wetlands (Photo by G Watkins)

Wetlands are areas that hold water, either seasonally or permanently; they have been titled the kidneys of the landscape and biological supermarket because of the functions they perform in the hydrological and chemical cycles and the extensive food web and rich biodiversity they support. Examples of a wetland include ponds, lakes, rivers, swamps, creeks and seasonally flooded ponds and savannah areas.
The international convention that looks at the management and conservation of wetlands is Ramsar; this convention encourages its signatory countries to identify and designate suitable sites as Wetland Sites of International Importance. One such area for Guyana could be the Iwokrama Forest and North Rupununi Wetlands.

In central Guyana the Iwokrama Forest and the