The Guyana Forestry Com-mission (GFC) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently signed a $41M grant aimed at keeping the country’s standing forests intact and conserving the Moraballi Forestry Reserve.
A Government Information Agency (GINA) press release said the reserve located in Region 10 is a major seed bank for greenheart. It comprises 11,000 hectares and is under threat from poachers because of limitations in monitoring.
Director of Natural Resources, EPA Dr Indarjit Ramdass said the agency is pleased to be associated with the initiative. He said the grant would assist the GFC to establish a monitoring building and provide three vehicles and a communication system in order to manage the reserve. The seven-month project is being funded with $35M from the German government and $6M from the GFC.
Meanwhile Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud said the facility should be used as a model. Persaud said within each Timber Sales Agreement there is a requirement that 4.5% is allocated to a biodiversity reserve. He said resources at the facility would be fully utilized to ensure that the objectives of the grant are met.
