ACT – The last of the wild places
In the northeast Amazon, there thrives a region of more than 30 million hectares of intact pristine rainforest, its ecosystems largely untouched and its vibrant indigenous cultures still active.
In the northeast Amazon, there thrives a region of more than 30 million hectares of intact pristine rainforest, its ecosystems largely untouched and its vibrant indigenous cultures still active.
The northeast Amazon is a region of more than 30 million hectares of still pristine rainforest where indigenous cultures are still living. The area is known as the eastern Guiana Shield and covers the southern parts of Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana and crosses over into the northern part of Brazil. It is still one of the few remaining unspoiled wild places on earth.
The Guiana Shield is home to 4 indigenous tribes: the Trios, Wayanas, Wai-wais and the Wayampis and as many as 24 tribal languages. The biodiversity value of this area is enormous with over 1,500 vertebrate species and 6,500 plant species.
The Guiana Shield is exposed to major threats like mining, especially small-scale gold mining, and illegal logging as well as major infrastructure projects like roads and dams.
ACT was started 20 years ago based on the belief that tropical forests and the local communities living there are interdependent parts of one whole. Also, research has repeatedly shown that areas where indigenous peoples have control over their lands have some of the lowest deforestation rates in the Amazon.
The goal of this programme is to create a 30-million-hectare biocultural corridor across the eastern Guiana Shield managed by indigenous peoples in collaboration with the respective governments
This programme is executed by our partner ACT
| Landscape | Eastern Guiana Shield | |
|---|---|---|
| 30 million hectares of pristine forests | ||
| High carbon sequestration | ||
| As much as 10% of the world’s freshwater | ||
| Home to 4 indigenous groups: Trios, Wayanas, Wai-wais and the Wayampis | ||
| Goals for the next 4 years | Train local indigenous people to become young political leaders | |
| Ensure indigenous people get their land rights | ||
| Create sustainable livelihood options | ||
| Support the Shaman and Apprentices programmes | ||
| Strengthen the Indigenous Park Rangers programme | ||
| Map ancestral lands |