Conservation International welcomes establishment of National Protected Areas Trust of Guyana

Last Updated on Thursday, 4 September 2014, 22:47 by GxMedia

Arlington, Va USA– Conservation International (CI) welcomes the US$10M contribution from the Government of Guyana for the newly established Protected Areas Trust of Guyana (PAT), which was launched earlier this week.

With the Government’s contribution, the Trust has now been endowed with US$18.5M, of which some US$5M has been donated by the German Development Bank, Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), and US$3.5M from Conservation International’s Global Conservation Fund (GCF).

Describing the Government’s contribution as truly historic, CI’s President Dr Russell Mittermeier noted the fundamental role that protected areas play in Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), and in maintaining Guyana’s leadership role in the global fight against climate change. “Biodiversity and ecosystems are critical for human survival. Guyana and the Guiana Shield Region as a whole where nature is still so vibrantly intact, are playing an important role in demonstrating the possibilities of growing a healthy sustainable economy while maintaining nature.”

“The establishment of the Trust Fund as an important milestone because it represents another step towards the establishment of a strong governance and institutional structure for the maintenance of Guyana’s natural capital, an important central feature of Guyana’s national Low Carbon Development Strategy,” says Dr David Singh, Vice-President for the Guyana Office of CI.

CI also offers congratulations to the newly established Board of Trustees and the important responsibilities that have been entrusted in the Board. The PAT will support the establishment and management of protected areas in Guyana to ensure the long-term conservation of the country’s rich biodiversity and ecosystems.

CI has been working in Guyana through the locally registered Conservation International Foundation for over 20 years linking human development with conservation of the earth’s living natural heritage; including supporting the establishment of the country’s National Protected Area System.

Building upon a strong foundation of science, partnership and field demonstration, CI empowers societies to responsibly and sustainably care for nature, our global biodiversity for the well-being of people. Founded in 1987, CI is headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area and employs more than 800 staff in 30 countries on six continents, and has nearly 1,000 partners around the world. For more information, please visit our website: www.conservation.org/ or visit us on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

The investments of the Global Conservation Fund (GCF) protect critically important natural areas, benefiting communities around the globe that rely on nature for clean air, fresh water and food. GCF gives local communities, nonprofits and governments the financial and strategic assistance they need to protect their biological riches. Since 2001, the GCF has protected more than 80 million hectares (197 million acres) around the world and contributed more than US$ 1 million in wages to local economies.