Guyana has a total area of 21 million hectares of which 18.3 million hectares, or 87%, are covered by forest. Of the latter amount, 12.8 million hectares comprise State Forest administered by the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC). The majority of the other 5.5 million hectares is owned and administered by Amerindian communities while the remainder falls under the jurisdiction of the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission.
The sustainable management and conservation of forest resources are regulated by the Forests Act 2009 which was passed in the National Assembly on 22 January 2009. However, it was not until 12 October 2010 that the then President assented to it, and the concerned Minister did not sign the related Order to bring the Act into operation until 8 August 2012. The predecessor
