The partnership between the Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development and ExxonMobil Guyana is delivering measurable results across forest protection, scientific research, and community development in Guyana’s hinterland.
The collaboration, supported by the ExxonMobil Foundation, has strengthened monitoring systems within the 371,000-hectare Iwokrama Forest, located in central Guyana. The Centre has expanded the use of drones for aerial surveillance and increased ground patrols along rivers, roads, and forest boundaries. These systems track wildlife, water quality, and human activity, improving the detection of illegal mining, logging, and other environmental threats.
The partnership has also advanced biodiversity research. Long-term ecological monitoring, biodiversity surveys, and freshwater and forest ecosystem studies have expanded datasets on species and habitats. In its 2024 Annual report, Iwokrama noted that this has reinforced Iwokrama’s role as a national and international research hub supporting environmental management and climate science.
“Iwokrama’s Wilderness Preserve covers approximately 50% of the total forest area, is protected from all development activities and, as such, it serves as Iwokrama’s biodiversity reserve area… Through these collaborations, the Guyana Conservation Initiative (GCI) helps to address critical environmental and socio-economic challenges, creating a balanced approach to development that integrates community empowerment, biodiversity conservation and climate resilience,” the report stated.
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According to the Iwokrama International Centre, at the community level, more than 20 villages, representing about 7,000 people, are now involved in conservation-linked economic activities. These include sustainable forestry, eco-tourism, and environmental monitoring. Programs supported by ExxonMobil have provided training, equipment, and outreach, allowing communities to earn income while reducing reliance on environmentally harmful practices.
The collaboration has also strengthened co-management of natural resources. Communities such as Surama, Apoteri, and Rewa are actively involved in wildlife monitoring, tracking environmental changes, and supporting conservation enforcement. This approach has deepened indigenous participation in environmental governance.
Environmental awareness efforts have expanded alongside these activities. Wildlife clubs, community outreach programs, and radio-based education campaigns are engaging hundreds of participants each year, encouraging more sustainable practices in hinterland communities.The work aligns with Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy by supporting forest conservation, sustainable land use, and carbon storage. It also reflects a broader trend in the country’s oil sector, where private sector funding is being directed toward environmental protection, research, and local capacity building.
