WhatisAmazonia2.0?
Amazonia2.0 isaprojectthat focusesonpopula�onsthat“live intheforestandoftheforest”, ina“bo�om-up”work,that strengthenslocalcapaci�esto createtheirmanagement modelstoprevent,addressand mi�gatedamage,safeguarding naturalheritage.
Theprojectwasbirthedasa strategicalterna�vetoconfront andreducethethreatsand pressuresinducedby deforesta�on,exertedon Amazonianforeststhrough indiscriminateuse,andseeksto mi�gatetheseimpactsby buildingcapaci�esofIndigenous andCampesinocommuni�esto par�cipatedirectlyinthe sustainablemanagementof theirterritories.
Itisfundedbythe European Union,coordinatedbyIUCNSouthAmericanandexecuted bypartnersinsixcountries; Brazil,Colombia,Peru,Ecuador, GuyanaandSuriname inasetof territoriesthatcovermorethan 1.5millionofhectaresintotal.
Amazonia2.0hasthreemain objec�ves: organiza�onal strengtheningand empowerment,strengthening organiza�onstoiden�fyand par�cipateinadvocacyspaces andinter-regionallearning exchanges.
Ideally,theAmazonia2.0 interven�onmodelhasasits fundamentaltool,localoversight ormonitoringwhichengages indigenouscommuni�esina par�cipatoryroletoensuretheir directinvolvementinthe sustainablemanagementof theirnaturalresources.Itis expectedthattheworkofthe localmonitorswillresonatein theircommuni�esandextend beyondtoimpactondecision makingbylocal,regionaland na�onalandinterna�onal authori�es.
MuchofGuyana’sforestedlands arelocatedwithintradi�onal indigenousterritoriesand alreadymanagedthrough customaryrules.However,as indigenouscommuni�esface increasingexternalthreatsto theirlandsandecosystems,they arealsomovingtowards monitoringthesethreatsand developingmanagementplans toprotecttheirterritories.
Thefive-yearAmazonia2.0 projectbeganin2015and endedinDecember2020. However,Guyanaonlyentered theprojectinFebruary2020 withtheAmerindianPeoples Associa�on(APA),in collabora�onwiththeNorth PakaraimasDistrictCouncil
(NPDC),workingtowardsthe implementa�onoftheprojectin sevenIndigenouscommuni�es inWesternGuyanathathave beenimpactedbyminingand forestryissues.
Thepar�cipa�ngcommuni�es, whicharepredominatelyhome topeoplesfromthePatamona andMacushina�ons,are Campbelltown,Micobie, Moruwa,Karisaparu, Chenapou,Kopinangand MonkeyMountain.
Themajorityofindigenous villagesandcommuni�esin Region8,includingfiveofthe sevenpar�cipa�nginthis project,aremembersofthe NorthPakaraimasDistrict Council(NPDC),makingthem naturalalliesinthisevidencedbasedmonitoringac�vity.
Aspartoftheproject, environmentalmonitorswereto beiden�fiedandtrainedto conductenvironmental monitoringac�vi�esinthe iden�fiedareas.Addi�onally, twodatamanagerswouldhave beentaskedwithcollec�ng
storing,processingandanalyzing thedatatopresentasreportsto theNPDC.
Attheendoftheproject, technicalreportsweretobe developedforusebytheNPDC andothersintheirmee�ngsand otherengagementswithstate officialsandaspartofother advocacycampaigns.
Unfortunately,theCOVID-19 pandemichascauseda significantinterrup�onofthese ac�vi�esundertheprojectand whilesomeenvironmental monitoringac�vi�esdidtake place,itwasdonebyin-house technicalpersonswhowere previouslytrainedunder differentprojects.
ProfilesofVillages
CAMPBELLTOWN
Campbelltown isavillage locatedadjacenttotheMahdia township,Sub-Region2,Region 8,Potaro-Siparuniandishome toaround1200residentswho aremostlyofthePatamona Na�on.
Themainthreatstolandand naturalresourcesin Campbelltownincludemining andlogging.Villagersreportthat therearemanyloggingand miningconcessionsonthe village’s�tledandun�tledlands, andthatthevillagewasnot consultedpriortothegran�ng oftheseconcessions.Thevillage
S-BendinCampbelltown -siteoftherecentgoldrush
hasagreementswithabout50 small-scaleminers,manyofwho areresidentsofthevillage; theseminersworkwiththe permissionofthevillageandpay royal�estothevillagecouncil.
However,althoughsomeofthe mininghappenswiththevillage leadership’spermission,that doesnotmeanthatallresidents
arehappywiththemining ac�vity.
Importantly,residentsnotethat mininghasdestroyedlandsand forestsandpollutedwatersused fordrinkingandfishing.They believefishhavebeenpoisoned bymercury,andinfact,report thatmanyfishhavelargely disappearedfromthelarger rivers,whichhavebecome muddy.Residentsnowhaveto fishinsmallcreeksandthey dependuponrainwaterand springsfordrinkingwater. Residentsareworriedthattheir soilqualityisbecomingpoorer forfarming,andthattheir hun�nggroundsarebeing destroyed.Loggingac�vi�es compoundthesefears.
MICOBIE
Environmentaldestruction ByIllegalminers
Micobie islocatedontheright andle�banksofthePotaro River,Sub-region2,Region8and ishometoanes�mated500 residentswhoaremostlyofthe PatamonaNa�on.Themain threatstolandandnatural resourcesinMicobieinclude rivermining,whichaccordingto residents,hasresultedin pollu�onoftheirwaterswhich hasaffectedfishing.Addi�onally, mininghascausedsignificant destruc�ontothebanksofthe PotaroRiver.Miningac�vi�es havealsoaffectedthehealthof farminggrounds,especiallyin SugarHill,aswellasaccessto gameandcleaningdrinking water.Miningac�vi�esare reportedtooccurinboth�tled and�tledlands.
preparingthedronetofly overthesiteofillegalmining
MORUWA
Moruwa islocatedalongthe MoruwaRiver,sub-region2, Region8andisacommunityof about75residentswhoareof thePatamonaNa�on.Unlikeits Region8counterpartsinthe Amazonia2.0project,Moruwa doesnothaveofficial�tlefor theirlands.However,thepeople seethemselvesaspartofa largerPatamonaterritoryand theareatheyoccupyanduseis infactacri�calresourceareafor mostoftheNPDCvillagesas wellasCampbelltownand Micobie.ResidentsofMoruwa areconcernedaboutloggingand mininginterestswhichcurrently overlapmorethanhalfoftheir
customarylands.The communityhasneverbeen consultedoreveninformed priortothegran�ngofthese concessions.Residentsare deeplyconcernedaboutthese outsideinterestsintrudingupon theirhun�ngandfishing grounds.Theyhavealready no�cedpollu�onfromminingin theheadofNorthMoruwaRiver.
Environmentaldegradation Bymining
KOPINANG KARISPARU CHENAPAU MONKEYMOUNTAIN
Kopinang islocatedonboth banksoftheKopinangRiver, NorthPakaraimas,sub-region1, Region8andishometoan es�mated1000residents (includingthesatellite communi�es)whoareprimarily Patamona.
Intermsofthreats,villagers haveexpressedconcernabout conflictswithminers,the overuseofresources,aswellas pollu�oninthePotaroRiverand thestretchofKuribrongRiver downstreamfromAmailaFalls.
Inaddi�ontoproblemscaused byminingac�vity,somevillagers haveno�cedthatoverhun�ng, overfishing,andoveruseare causingadeple�onofavailable gameandforestproducts,such asmukru,hiariandresins,near thevillage.
Karisparu islocatedalongthe EcherakandPotaroRivers,North Pakaraimas,sub-region1,Region 8.Thisvillageishometoover 400residentswhoareprimarily Patamona.Threatsfacedby Karisparuincludemining, loggingandroadconstruc�on ac�vi�es.Ithasbeenreported thatalthoughtheKarisparu VillageCouncilhasgranted permissionfortwominersto operatewithinthevillage’s�tled lands,thevillagefaces significantconflictswithother minerswhoareopera�ng withoutpermission.Mining ac�vi�esinKarisparuhavenot onlycreatedsignificanthuman rightsabuses,buthavecaused environmentalharm,including pollu�onoftheriverbytailings whichisthewastematerialle� a�errawgoldisrefinedthrough theuseofmercuryanddumped directlyintotheriverattheend oftheprocess.Residentsalso reportthatloggingac�vi�esand roadbuildingac�vi�esinthe TipuruandMoruwaareahave madehun�ngmoredifficult.
Chenapau islocatedinthe UpperPotaroRiver,North Pakaraimassub-region1,Region 8andispopulatedbyover500 residentswhoareprimarily Patamona.Residentsreportthat miningaroundthevillagehas causedenvironmentaldamage. Forexample,miningac�vi�esin theAyangannaMountains appeartobeaffec�ngwater qualityinthePotaroRiver. Residentshavealsoreported pollu�onaroundtheEcherak River,anotherareaexposedto outsidemininginterests,andthe pollu�onappearstobekilling fishwhichthenflowintothe PotaroRiver.
MonkeyMountain islocatedon thele�bankIrengRiver,North Pakaraimas,sub-region1,Region 8.MonkeyMountainisavillage ofover800residents,whoare primarilyPatamona.Themain threatstolandandnatural resourcesinMonkeyMountain includemining,loggingand ca�leranching.Thereare concernsinthevillageabout miningac�vi�es,especiallyin andaroundtheEchilebar, Siparuni,andMariaparuRivers, whereminingisthreatening game,fish,waterways,and forest.Residentsarepar�cularly concernedaboutwatersecurity indryseason,whenwaterlevels arelowandpollu�onislikely concentrated.
Residentsalsoreportthatthere areloggingac�vi�estakingplace intheEchilebarandSiparuni areas,aswellasca�leranching inthevillage’sun�tled customarylandstowardsthe Tarukaside,whichcon�nueto causeresourceconflictswith villagers
TheMamaiLucilleWilliamsStory
MamaiLucilleWilliams isan elderlyPatamonawoman,who overayearagowasforcibly removedfromthelandshehas livedonformorethan 70years byminerswhoweregranted miningpermitsbythe Guyana GeologyandMinesCommission (GGMC).Asreportedbythe NorthPakaraimasDistrict Council(NPDC),theminershad cruellydemolishedMamai's housepost,throwingouther belongingsfromherhomeand destroyingherfarm.
Thoughtherehadbeensome interven�onbythe former MinisterofNaturalResources, Mr.RaphaelTrotman a�er Mamai’ssitua�onwas highlightedbythe APA andlocal mediaoutlets,hersitua�onhas remainedthesame.
Atthe�meoftheMinister’s interven�on,theminerswere
instructedtorebuildahousefor Mamai.Mamaihasnow rese�ledinanotherareawhere shehasreplantedhercassava andothercrops.However,the structurewhichwasseenby APA’steamduringthevisitto Karisaparu,canonlybe consideredashed,whichleaves herexposedtotheelements.
“WegotthebigPotaroRiver withpollutedwater;TigerCreek, ourboundarylineisalso polluted…Itisaffec�ngus becausewearenotge�ngour fishanymore.Evenifyou�ea seinenowyoucan’tcatch anything,sheermosscomingup ontheseine,”Mr.Williams shared.“Itishard,especiallyfor mebecauseIusetogofishing, butIcan’tdothatanymore,”he added. Rivermining-talesfrommicobie
Mamaialsocomplainedtothe teamthatshehasheardthatthe minersareagainthreateningto removeherfromthenew loca�on.However,shemadeit clearthatshehasnointen�onof beingpushedoutbythemagain.
IsaacWilliams,aresidentof Micobie saysthathehasbeen livinginthecommunityforover 60yearsandhaswitnessedthe pollu�onoftherivercausedby con�nuousrivermining.He notedthatthoughreportshave beenmadetotherelevant authori�es,thecommunityhas seenli�lechange.Mr.Williams explainedthatthe PotaroRiver wasoncehometoanabundance offishwhichsustainedthe communityandfishermenlike himself.However,thishas changedasfishisnowscarce, somethinghea�ributestothe riverminingtakingplaceinthe PotaroRiver.
Reviewingaerialfootage ofMicobieVillage
IsaacWilliams
mamai’shouse
Amazonia2.0Experiences
“Itisunfortunatethatatthe verystartoftheproject,we werehitwiththeCOVID pandemicwhichstoppedour workfromtakingplaceaswe hadplanned.Withanalready very�ght�meline,wewere unabletoaccomplishthe expectedoutputswehad desired.
Thelackoftechnologyandlack ofcommunica�onwouldhave alsocausedtheworktosufferto alargeextent.However,ithas beenagoodlearningexperience forusasitrevealedtheneedfor improvedcommunica�onand theuseoftechnologyto completeourworkmore efficiently.
Althoughitcannotreplacethe face-to-faceinterac�ons,itis somethingthatwewillhaveto con�nuetoexploretoseehow wewilladapt,consideringCOVID iss�llherewithus.
Onadifferentnote,the consultanciesdoneaspartof thisprojectwillallowusto strategize,usingtheinforma�on gatheredonvarioustopics.They wouldalsoprovideuswithboth broadandvery,specificinsights intodifferentsitua�onsandhow wecanapproachthem concerningREDD+,community monitoring,andadvocacyin theseareas.
-Ms.JeanLaRose,Execu�ve Director,AmerindianPeoples Associa�on.
Kemalrobinson
EnvironmentalMonitorandMapper -KatoVillage,Region8.
“Ithinkenvironmental monitoringprojectslikethe Amazonia2.0project would benefitushereintheNorth Pakaraimasbecauseitwillhelp ourpeoplebeawareofwhatis reallyhappeningpresentlyinthe Region.Iwouldverymuchliketo seeouryouthsbetrainedso thattheycanbedispersedinto thedifferentareasandmonitor ourenvironmentsothatthat whentheydoso,theywouldbe abletobringtheinforma�onto thedifferentvillagesandthe differentvillagecouncilssothat theycanbeawareofwhatis happeningandputsystemsin placetorec�fyorcurbthese things.”
-Mrs.SherryAnnBalkaran, Secretary,NorthPakaraima DistrictCouncil.
Fromtheageof16somefour yearsago, KemalRobinson beganworkingwiththe AmerindianPeoplesAssocia�on asamappingappren�ce.Today, hes�llworksonprojectswith theAPAbutheisnolongeran appren�ceasheiswellversedin thingsrelatedtomapping.He hasalsoreceivedsometraining inIndigenousrightsissues.
AsaPatamonayouthfrom Kato VillageintheRegion8–PotaroSiparuniRegion,hisintroduc�on tothisfieldofworkcame throughanopportunitytowork alongsideotherresource personscollec�ngcri�cal informa�onfortheRegion8 LandTenureAssessment(LTA).
TheRegion8LTApublica�onis thesecondinaseriesofAPA researchpublica�ons�tled,
SherryAnnBalkaran
JeanLaRose
“OurLand,OurLife-A Par�cipatoryAssessmentof LandTenure,” whichhighlights thelandtenuresitua�onof IndigenousPeoplesindifferent regionsofGuyana.Itis supportedbytheForestPeoples ProgrammeandtheRainforest Founda�onUSthroughfunding fromNORADandtheRainforest Fund.
Fromthere,Kemalmovedonto workingonotherprojectswith the APA thatallowedhimto expandhisknowledgeofthe workrequiredandthe importanceofmapping Indigenouslandsaswellas be�erunderstandinghisown hometerritory.Over�me, Kemalalsobecameoneof severalIndigenousyouths trainedinvideoproduc�on undertheAPA’sNORADfunded Youth-LedMediaProgramme, applyingtheknowledgehe gainedasamapper.
Atpresent,Kemalisskilledin usingGPSac�vatedso�wareto collectdataandplotmapsthat canbeusedbycommuni�esor DistrictCouncilsinadvocacybasedcampaigns.
“Whenwegointhefield,we
takepictures,videosandGPS pointsandplotthemonamap. Whensomeoneisaskingwhat’s goingonthere,wecanshow themthis.Andwealsotake namessothatwecaniden�fy personswhoarelivingand workinginspecificareas.
Kemalbelievesthatissues affec�ngIndigenousPeoplesin Guyanaareo�en�mesnota priorityforthoseinauthority. However,thisonlymo�vates himtocon�nueraising awarenessontheseissues throughevidence-based advocacy.
“Theenvironmentalmonitoring programmewouldbeavery goodthingsincethiswould allowustogatherevidenceto showthosewhodonotbelieve what’sgoingontheground. Withtheenvironmental monitoringyoutakeGPSpoints, youtakevideosandphotosthat youcangivebacktothe communityandshowonawider scaleforthemtoseewhatis goingon,”Kemalshared.
“TheysayGuyanaisoneofthe mostbeau�fulcountriesinthe worldbut,it’sbeingdestroyed, slowlybutsurely,”headded.
Orlandoandrews
EnvironmentalMonitor -Campbelltown
The Amazonia2.0project is Orlando’sfirstopportunityto workintheareaof environmentalmonitoring.At age18,hehasshown enthusiasminusingmodern technologytoassistIndigenous communi�esbygathering cri�caldataonthegroundwhich canthenbeusedinevidencebasedadvocacy.
“Iamreallyexcitedtobeapart ofthisprojectandlearnmore aboutenvironmental monitoring.Wearegathering informa�onusingmodern technologylikedronesand smartphonessothatwecan helpvillageslikeMicobieshow thatillegalminingisbeingdone ontheirlands.Iamreallyexcited tobeanassistantonthisproject andIlookforwardtohelping othercommuni�es.
Lucioustorres
EnvironmentalMonitor&Mapper -WaipaVillage
20-year-old LuciousTorresof WaipaVillage beganworking withtheAmerindianPeoples Associa�on(APA)in2018asa mappingappren�cewithateam thatwastaskedwithmapping tradi�onalIndigenouslandsin RegionEightthroughaproject fundedbyNORADandthe RainforestFounda�on(USA). Heisalsooneofseveral Indigenousyouthstrainedin videoproduc�onunderthe APA’sNORADfunndedYouthLedMediaProgramme,applying theknowledgehegainedasa mapper.“IworkwiththeAPAas amapperandIthinkthat communi�escanbenefitfrom thisprojectbecausetheycan taketheinforma�ongathered andcreatemapsandvideosthat canbeusedasevidencetoshow whattherealityofIndigenous Peoplesis,”Luciousshared.
HowdoIndigenouscommunitiesbenefit fromenvironmentalmonitoringprojects likeAmazonia2.0?
Althoughoveralllevelsof deforesta�onremainlowin Guyana,satellitedatasuggest increasingratesofdeforesta�on inRegion8overthepast decade.Communityreportsof landandresourceconflictsand environmentalconcernssuggest thatthedeforesta�onislinked tothesameac�vi�escausing theseconflicts,most importantly,miningandlogging. Theuseofsatellitedataoftree coverlosscombinedwithonthe-groundevidenceof deforesta�onandotherimpacts
ontheenvironment canbeapowerfultool forunderstandingthe impactsofdifferent ac�vi�esonforest coverandforestloss.
Thecommuni�esin Region8donotyet haveexis�ngterritorial managementandmonitoring programmesbutthereare importantexis�nggovernance structuresandresourcesinthe region.Thevillageshave increasinglybegunto collaborateonterritorialand landissues.Somehaveprevious experiencepar�cipa�ngin mappingprojectsandcandraw upontheexperiencesofthose whohadbeenpreviouslytrained tousesmartphones,GPS,and computertechnologies,aswell asthosewhohaveundergone legalempowermenttraining.
Engagingincapacitybuilding andempowermenttrainingand workshops,inaddi�onto communitydiscussions,would helpthepar�cipa�ngvillagesin thisprojectachievetheirgoals ofdevelopingandimplemen�ng arobustterritorialmonitoring andmanagementsystem.
Duringthisshort�me,theAPA hasbeenabletocompletea situa�onalanalysisofthe currentstateofRegion8, focusingspecificallyonthe sevenpar�cipa�ng communi�es.Thiswasdoneby consultantLanMei.Twoshort videoswereproduced,which capturednotonlytheessenceof theAmazonia2.0projectbut alsoAPA’sextensiveexperience
inimplemen�ngenvironmental monitoringprojectsinGuyana. Anenvironmentalmonitoring tripwasalsoconductedinearly Novemberwhenateamfrom theAPAandthree environmentalmonitorsvisited thesevencommuni�estogather evidenceofnewandexis�ng threatstheyface.Thisspecific ac�vityalsobroughtmuchneededvisibilitytothereali�es ofthesecommuni�esasinthe caseofMamaiLucilleWilliams andillegalminingonMicobie's land.
Addi�onally,undertheproject, twoconsultants, MsVanda RadzikandMrJoshLichtenstein werecontractedtodocument andadaptForestGovernance IndicatorsattheLocal CommunityLevelwithSpecial A�en�ontoFLEGTcriteriaand REDD+safeguardsaswellas provideananalysisofthe contribu�onthatAmazonia2.0 couldprovidetoREDD+,RIAand theNa�onalMRVSystem.
ABOUTTHEN.P.D.C
The AmerindianPeoples Associa�on(APA) isanongovernmentalIndigenous peoplesorganiza�onwhichwas formedin1991ataconference forIndigenousleadersin Georgetown.Theseleadershad mettodiscussvariousproblems affec�ngtheircommuni�esand feltthattherewastheneedfor anindependentorganiza�onto representtheirinterests especiallyasthesewerenot beingaddressedbythe government. ThemissionoftheAPAisto promotethesocial,economic, poli�calandcultural developmentofAmerindian communi�esinsolidaritywith eachotherandtopromoteand defendtheirrights.TheAPA workswithindigenous communi�esthroughout Guyanaandlargelyfocuseson policyandlegisla�vereformand implementa�on.
The NorthPakaraimasDistrict Council(N.P.D.C) wasformedat amee�ngin2016bythe majorityofIndigenousvillages andcommuni�esinRegion8in hopesofrevivingthehistorical modesofcollabora�onacross villages.Sinceitsfirstmee�ngin September2016,theNPDChas metquarterlytodiscussissues ofcommonconcerntothe district.Themaintopicof concernhasbeenthatofland–theNPDCvillagesagreedto con�nuetheworkoftheirfore parentsandseekjointlegal tenureovercollec�vecustomary lands.TheNPDCvillageshave mappedoutthecollec�ve customaryuseareasandare nowseekingofficialgovernment recogni�onoftheDistrict Council(throughpublica�onin theOfficialGaze�e).
ABOUTTHEA.P.A