Press Release 16 July 2004

11th Iwokrama Board of Trustees Meeting Concludes

Iwokrama Forest, Region 8 -- The Iwokrama International Board of Trustees concluded their eleventh meeting since the formation of the Board in 1997. The meeting was convened on the 14th and 15th July at the Iwokrama Field Station in the Iwokrama Forest. This was the first time that the Board met at the Field Station and served as an opportunity for trustees to see, first hand, site improvements and field activities. The trustees visited several new tourism products within the Iwokrama Forest including the Canopy Walkway and the Turtle Mountain Camp. These new products have contributed substantially to the noted increase in tourism visitation from 350 visitors in 2003 to over 450 visitors for the first six months of 2004 and will be major draws for tourism in Guyana.

Two new trustees were welcomed by the Board - Mr. David Cassells, Chair of the WWF-World Bank Alliance and a previous Director General of Iwokrama, and Mr. Alex Armstrong, previously Deputy Chief Executive of the Countryside Alliance in the UK. These new trustees substantially strengthen the fundraising, policy and management capacities of the Board. The Board also appointed Dr. Graham Watkins as Director General for two years; Dr. Watkins is Guyanese born and brings 15 years of experience in resource management to Iwokrama, and has been acting Director General since March 2003.

Trustees spent considerable time examining Iwokrama's 2004-2006 Business and Work Plans and fundraising strategies. Trustees reported on progress toward establishing Charitable Trusts in the United Kingdom and the United States, and discussed highly innovative business arrangements developing with the Jacksonville Zoo in northern Florida. The Board also heard progress reports for projects funded by CIDA, DFID, the Darwin Initiative, IUCN Netherlands, the Commonwealth, Audubon, and WWF.

The Board examined legal issues relating to the development of businesses within the Iwokrama Forest. As a result of these discussions, the Board has formed a sub-committee to work toward collaborative management agreements between Iwokrama and local communities. The Board has also authorized the formation of a wholly owned subsidiary company of the Iwokrama Centre - Iwokrama Timber Incorporated - that will be responsible for developing timber harvesting operations in the Iwokrama Forest.

The Board, along with the Government of Guyana and the Commonwealth Secretariat will continue to work together to secure additional funding for Iwokrama to ensure the long term future of the organisation. The Board is grateful for the support to Iwokrama from the Canadian Government, the British Government, the European Union, the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO), Jacksonville Zoo, IUCN Netherlands, WWF and the National Audubon Society. The Centre remains committed to promoting the conservation and sustainable and equitable use of tropical rain forests in a manner that will lead to lasting ecological, economic and social benefit to the people of Guyana and to the world in general.