1. Forestry Service Skills and Challenges for Tree Species Identification Guyana Forestry Commission Tonka Island, Suriname October 1, 2015 © Pete Oxford

2. Background on Guyana Population -740,000 Land Area -21.6 Million Ha Total Forest -18.3 Million Ha Forested Area- >85% State Forest – 12.6 Million Ha (GFC) Area per Capita- 19.7 ha Ethnically- Indo, Afro, Amerindian, Chinese, Portuguese 9 Amerindian Nations Macushi Wapishana Wai Carib Arawak Patamona Warrau Arecuna Akawaio Agriculture, Mining, Forestry Map © Guyana Forestry Commission

3. Targeted Species Guyana has diverse forests with over 1000 tree species Approximately 50 tree species marketed commercially by GFC Promotion of lesser used species a focal area for GFC © R Thomas

4. SomePopular Species Common Name Latin Name CrabwoodCarapa guinanesis MoraMora excelsa GreenheartChlorocardium rodiei PurpleheartPeltogyne venosa Soft WallabaEperua falcata KabukalliGoupia glabra White SilverballiOcotea canaliculata LocustHymenaea courbaril BulletwoodManilkara bidentata Red CedarCedrela odorata

5. Some Lesser Used Species Common Name Latin Name FutuiJacaranda copaia SuyaPouteria speciosa WadaraCouratari spp LimonballiChrysophyllum pomiferum ItikiboroballiSwartzia spp DalliVirola spp Tonka BeanDipteryx odorata HairiballiAlexa imperatricis ManniSymphonia globulifera MorabukeaMora gonggrijpii

6. Inventories (Tree ID) 3 types of inventory: – Management level ( 10-34 cm DBH commercial and non- commercial, 35 and above commercial) – 100 % Pre-Harvest (35 cm DBH and up- commercial spp) – Post Harvest (35 DBH and up- commercial spp) © Iwokrama

7. Where is the Knowledge GFC – Forest Resources Management Unit – Herbarium Forestry Training Centre Inc Organisations eg Iwokrama, University of Guyana © R Thomas

8. Training Training by GFC (internal) and FTCI (companies and students) 1 week training-crash course focused on commercial species (for new recruits) Not continuous and regular Books- mainly use Tropenbos Major Timber Trees, Checklist © Iwokrama

9. Challenges Limitations in tree id – Insufficient training, – Loss of expertise (older tree spotters dying, or no longer active) – Young tree spotters only familiar with commercial species, and often only knowledge of the common names – Few experts to conduct training No new books currently but promotional work done lesser used species Emphasis has been on new and emerging issues eg Norway Agreement, REDD+ related activities and commitments- additional work( less free time)

10. Needs Continuous training to improve knowledge and also for both commercial and non- commercial species Urgent need for focused exercises to preserve and recognise the knowledge of experts More collaboration and networking between countries of the Guiana Shield

11. THANK YOU! Website www.forestry.gov.gy © R Thomas