Kanuku Mountains, Shell Beach declared protected areas

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Written by Kwesi Isles

Thursday, 20 October 2011 16:35

Kanuku_mountains The Kanuku Mountains in Region Nine and Shell Beach in Region One have been added to Guyana’s list of protected areas by President Bharrat Jagdeo.

The announcement was made on Thursday by government spokesman Dr. Roger Luncheon at a news conference at the Office of the President.

“Allied with the enactment of protected areas legislation the president has approved the designation of the Kanuku Mountains area in Region Nine and the Shell Beach area in the North West District, Region One as protected areas,” Dr. Luncheon said.

The two now join the Kaieteur National Park, the Iwokrama Forest Centre and the Konashen District as legally protected areas.

According to the Guyana Biodiversity Clearing House Mechanism (CHM), the Kanukus is one of the most ecologically diverse areas in Guyana with habitats ranging from savannah, gallery forests and semi-deciduous forests in the lowlands to lowland and montane evergreen forests.

It is also home to the Harpy Eagle and the Arapaima and its healthy populations of species which are threatened elsewhere in the world have boosted its importance.

The roughly 140 kilometres of Shell Beach is the nesting ground for four of the world’s eight sea turtle species and also falls under a non-governmental conservation programme.

The Protected Areas Bill was passed in July and provides for the establishment of a Protected Areas Commission which will be responsible for implementing the provisions of the Act. Local administrative bodies in the protected areas will be responsible for executing the tasks set by the central body.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature defines a protected area as "a clearly defined geographical space, recognized, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values."

Comments

+1 #1 OBSERVER 2011-10-20 18:39

Were these areas not ALREADY declared protected some time ago..??

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+4 #2 terry walsh 2011-10-21 06:35

Well done for the protection of our protection and conservation of this area. This is 100 steps forward for our planet and humanity.,

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0 #3 George Ramadhin 2011-10-21 09:24

This is welcome news indeed. Guyana is eventually catching up with the countries within the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) and South America as a whole.

The World Bank moved the goal post continually on this project until they finally withheld the funds. No mention is made of donor support so I assume the preparatory work prior to declaration was largely funded by Government.

By establishing protected areas the government has shown a commitment to biodiversity conservation which shares a similar philosophy as the REDD mechanism.

Hopefully we will get more information on these protected areas in terms of legal definition, infrastructure such as boundaries, equipment etc etc. which are important and necessary for implementation of these sites.

Congratulations !!!

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0 #4 kukuigok 2011-10-21 10:00

What 100 steps forward for the planet ande humanity is terry walsh talking about. These areas are declared protected areas even while the indigenous populations are asking to be the owners or co-owners of these areas as they are their traditional areas that they occupy and use for their livelihood. The indigenous peoples of these areas have maintained these areas for generations. In good faith, all the government had to do was to allow the people involved to be truly informed so that they can agree whil still maintaining their activities on these lands. From experience, the people of Chenapou who used to enjoy going fishing can no longer do that in the Kaieteur area because of the protected area zone. These actions have just been coming down on the way of life of a people.

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0 #5 kukuigok 2011-10-21 10:03

The indigenous peoples were promised that they can still carry out their traditional activities. When reality stepped in, they were told that they cannot do as they want or else they will be charged for breaking the laws. Is this the progress that the PPPC has been going about telling the indigenous peoples of Guyana??

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+1 #6 saibabagee10 2011-10-21 11:09

Could you edify us about what this means for the KANUKU mountain region and the peoples who live therein? How does this affect the people's way of life? What, under this new declaration, can and cannot be done in this area (e:g commercial and non-commercial activities)?

How does the government intend to police the these protected areas to ensure they remain protected? Where will the necessary funds come from? How will it be sustained? Are the personnel available?

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+1 #7 Benrali 2011-10-21 16:31

Congratulations !

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0 #8 Brandon Samaroo 2011-10-22 09:21

Is pradoville a protected area for the soon to be extinct animals living there?

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+2 #9 Concerned youth 2011-10-22 11:23

Quoting George Ramadhin:

This is welcome news indeed. Guyana is eventually catching up with the countries within the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) and South America as a whole.

The World Bank moved the goal post continually on this project until they finally withheld the funds. No mention is made of donor support so I assume the preparatory work prior to declaration was largely funded by Government.

By establishing protected areas the government has shown a commitment to biodiversity conservation which shares a similar philosophy as the REDD mechanism.

Hopefully we will get more information on these protected areas in terms of legal definition, infrastructure such as boundaries, equipment etc etc. which are important and necessary for implementation of these sites.

Congratulations !!!

Interesting timing, because this could have been done way before... wrt to the WB's goalpost shifting, getting a PA recognised at a national forum could have and should have been done before.. not particularly impressed.. sori to say.. peace!

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0 #10 Davilar 2012-03-19 13:15

Quoting kukuigok:

What 100 steps forward for the planet ande humanity is terry walsh talking about. These areas are declared protected areas even while the indigenous populations are asking to be the owners or co-owners of these areas as they are their traditional areas that they occupy and use for their livelihood. The indigenous peoples of these areas have maintained these areas for generations. In good faith, all the government had to do was to allow the people involved to be truly informed so that they can agree whil still maintaining their activities on these lands. From experience, the people of Chenapou who used to enjoy going fishing can no longer do that in the Kaieteur area because of the protected area zone. These actions have just been coming down on the way of life of a people.

Quoting Concerned youth:

Quoting George Ramadhin:
This is welcome news indeed. Guyana is eventually catching up with the countries within the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) and South America as a whole.

The World Bank moved the goal post continually on this project until they finally withheld the funds. No mention is made of donor support so I assume the preparatory work prior to declaration was largely funded by Government.

By establishing protected areas the government has shown a commitment to biodiversity conservation which shares a similar philosophy as the REDD mechanism.

Hopefully we will get more information on these protected areas in terms of legal definition, infrastructure such as boundaries, equipment etc etc. which are important and necessary for implementation of these sites.

Congratulations !!!

Interesting timing, because this could have been done way before... wrt to the WB's goalpost shifting, getting a PA recognised at a national forum could have and should have been done before.. not particularly impressed.. sori to say.. peace!

Quoting saibabagee10:

Could you edify us about what this means for the KANUKU mountain region and the peoples who live therein? How does this affect the people's way of life? What, under this new declaration, can and cannot be done in this area (e:g commercial and non-commercial activities)?

How does the government intend to police the these protected areas to ensure they remain protected? Where will the necessary funds come from? How will it be sustained? Are the personnel available?

I for one tend to ask the same questions asked by saibabagee10. The questions asked were important because the Amerinidains are been living there for centuries and were able to manage and utilize the natural resources there sustainable and now that the areas become protected, how is it that the government and other NGO's are goning to ensusre that the people still maintain their livelihood, are there going to be alternatives to their socio-economic activities.
Hopefully there willbe answers to the questions asked because I am way too concerned aboutt these Protected Areas and the people living within who totally depend on them for their livelihood.

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