Community Environmental Workers (CEW's)

The Community Environmental Workers (CEW) Programme was highly successful and continued into 2002, but came to an end with the close of a UK Department for International Development project in early 2003. Renewed funding could revive this valuable programme.

The CEW's, one or two local part-time workers in each village, raised environmental awareness in the schools, conducted wildlife and resource mapping research, and worked with communities to develop natural resource management systems. They also led Iwokrama-supported village income generation initiatives.

In total, CEW's were involved in over 50 different initiatives supported by Iwokrama and developed significant leadership skills. Many were elected to Village and Community Councils in the March 2002 elections, subsequently playing an even more integral role in local affairs. One was elected village leader.

Background

This was a joint effort between Iwokrama, 13 villages of the North Rupununi and the North Rupununi District Development Board (NRDDB). Iwokrama trained the CEW's in natural resources management.

The CEW's evolved from the idea of North Rupununi community rangers. They saw the need for community representatives who would raise environmental awareness, gather information on natural resources, and enforce natural resource management laws in communities.  While the CEW's did not have enforcement capacities, they performed these very valuable other functions.

CEW projects:

• Worked with wildlife clubs on bird watching and cutting nature trails.
• Conducted Surveys on wild animals in the North Rupununi and along the road and rivers.
• Organised villagers to clean up trash in their surroundings and at 3 Mile on the Georgetown-Lethem Road.
• Organised villagers to build garbage pits and pit latrines.
• Worked with Rupertee Village to make a plan to conserve and plant Paurine trees.
• Worked with Wowetta Village to make a plan to conserve Ité trees.
• Conducted a survey on malaria with about 1000 households.
• Visited schools to teach about the environment.
• Conducted a survey on crabwood oil market in the North Rupununi.
• Worked in their villages to map important areas used for fishing, farming, hunting, tourism, and other activities. These maps are important for making plans to manage the resources, in and around, the Iwokrama Forest.
• Worked with the Makushi Research Unit to translate books from English to Makushi.
• Assisted Iwokrama with consultations on the Zoning of the Iwokrama Forest and the Iwokrama Road Corridor Management Plan.
• Surveyed Arapaima in the Rupununi River.
• Surveyed deer populations in and around Toka Village.
• Tested fish farming in Massara, Toka, Yakarinta, Surama and Rupertee Villages.