Iwokrama Training Services
The Iwokrama International Centre recently completed the first Ranger Training Programme under the Guyana Protected Areas System Training Contract from September 1, 2006 to December 10, 2006 at the Iwokrama Field Station, Kurupukari. Thirteen participants from the three priority areas – Shell Beach, Kaieteur National Park and the Kanuku Mountain communities, two participants from the Lethem and the North Rupununi respectively and two North Rupununi District Development Board (NRDDB) selected participants participated in the training.
The ranger training programme is intensive and consists of an integrated programme of 29 Units and a series of practical demonstrations and examinations. The course comprised three months instruction at the Iwokrama Field Station and includes supervised successful completion of a project, followed by a three month internship period. The trainees have returned to their communities and will be commencing the second part of their training – the internship period soon and/or undergoing further training.
In February 2006, Iwokrama was contracted to provide Training Services for the Guyana Protected Areas System Project by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through the assistance of the Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau (KfW), the Federal Republic of Germany’s Financial Cooperation for the next 2 years. The overall objective of the training contract is to support ecosystems conservation initiatives of the proposed Guyana Protected Areas System by training a cadre of persons in various skills required in Natural Resource Management in Guyana.
Courses on the Roles and Responsibilities of a Ranger, Wilderness First Aid, Participatory Approaches to Collaborative Natural Resource Management and Community Project Planning, Communication skills, Fauna and Flora Identification, Leadership Development and Team Building Skills and a host of other courses to properly equip the trainees with skills to carry out the duties and responsibilities of a Forest Ranger were conducted. Course facilitators included Iwokrama staff inclusive of Iwokrama Trained Forest Rangers, Guyana Red Cross, Guyana Defence Force, University of Guyana, Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, Bina Hill Institute and the North Rupununi District Development Board among others.
Over the last quarter of 2006, Iwokrama conducted a four-day course on issues relating to Social and Environmental Forestry and Eco-tourism for 21 students and 2 Lecturers from the Forestry Department at the University of Guyana from 19th – 23rd, November, 2006. The course was designed to provide the students with a first-hand experience on social and environmental issues which affect communities and to observe the kind of methodologies and techniques employed to solve these issues and entailed a visit to the Bina Hill Institute.
Iwokrama also hosted a Retreat for 15 participants from the Ministry of Health at the Iwokrama Field Station from December 8th – 10th, 2006 on Identifying and Strengthening Skills and Techniques in Counseling.
Training is one of the main avenues for Iwokrama to disseminate its experiences and technologies pertaining to conservation and sustainable use of tropical forests. The programmes allow Iwokrama to continue to collaborate and foster the dynamic relationship with its key partner, the North Rupununi communities through the North Rupununi District Development Board (NRDDB), in various training activities.
