Our vision for the future is that
the Karanambu wetlands and savanna persist as a unique and diverse habitat.
Our mission
is to ensure the sustainable use of Karanambu wetlands and savanna through
wildlife and habitat conservation, research, and education in
partnership with local communities.
Our five goals are to
1) Conserve the rare and biologically important wildlife of the
Karanambu Wetlands;
2) Conduct and support research and apply the results to the
conservation and sustainable development;
3) Share our mission locally, nationally, and internationally
through educational and outreach programs;
4) Support the sustainable use of Karanambu through ecotourism and
other activities consistent with conservation;
5) Establish the Karanambu Trust as a world-class organization.
Our Action Plan for 2011
1) Conservation
The top priority of the Trustees is to ensure Karanambu continues to be managed with minimal disruption to the flora and fauna, the river system and riparian flood forest, ponds, swamps, and the savanna.
We will do so by participating in the ongoing efforts to conserve the North Rupununi ecosystem in partnership with local communities, as well as with the Government of Guyana, primarily through the new Low Carbon Development Strategy. Trustee/Chairman Joe Singh and Trustee Sydney Allicock, both members of the Multi Stakeholder Steering Committee of the Guyana government's Low Carbon Development Strategy, will lead this effort. As needed, the Trust will continue to support the rehabilitation of orphaned giant otters and other orphaned wildlife under the guidance of Executive Director Diane McTurk and Trustee/Secretary Dr. Lucy Spelman.
2) Research
Though Karanambu is well known for its biodiversity, its specific flora and fauna have not been studied. Sadly, development along the Rupununi River poses a threat to the health of this stunningly beautiful ecosystem. Thus our top research priority is to determine the biological qualities of the Karanambu wetlands and savanna. Only then can we study changes over time, and develop strategies to conserve and manage the area for all who live there.
Toward this end, the Trustees are seeking research partners interested in studying the conservation status of rare species such as the giant otter, jaguar, arapaima, and black caiman at Karanambu, as well as those interested in surveying plant, fish, reptile, amphibian, bird, mammal, and aquatic invertebrate diversity.
Trust staff are already participating in two regional conservation projects: the North Rupununi giant otter census, in association with Iwokrama, the North Rupununi District Development Board (NRDDB), and the new jaguar monitoring program led by the US-based conservation group, Panthera. Trustee/Secretary Dr. Lucy Spelman is also working with a team from the Shedd Aquarium (Chicago, USA) to begin studies of aquatic invertebrate and fish biodiversity, fish health, and water quality at Karanambu. Former Trustee/Lead Scientist Dr. Graham Watkins recently published a book about the Rupununi region, which was published in the fall of 2010 (see links.) Our new Trustee/Lead Scientist Dr. Godfrey Bourne is an expert on has a long-running ecology study near the capital city of Georgetown where he studies butterflies and other pollinators; he is very interested in bringing students to Karanambu.
3) Outreach
The Trustees are working to encourage conservation in the North Rupununi region by demonstrating that at Karanambu it is possible to live in balance with nature. Our outreach plans for 2011 include the production of educational materials about the Karanambu Trust and an increasing number of training programs run by our Peace Corps Respond volunteers.
Trustee/Community Outreach Coordinator Sydney Allicock will establish a means of regular communication with local leaders and their communities. The Trustees will also continue to support the educational mission of local schools by providing school uniforms for the children living in the Makushi villages adjacent to Karanambu. Trust staff at Karanambu will work to establish a number of new partnerships with Caiman House and Iwokrama (Bina Hill/Surama) that will foster the further development of Wildlife Clubs as well as hold workshops and training courses about conservation, research, ecotourism, and sustainable development.
4) Sustainable Development
In order to ensure that ecotourism is sustainable at Karanambu, the Trustees and Karanambu Trust staff will work closely with the staff of Karanambu Lodge, Inc. to establish environmentally friendly “Best Practices for the Sustainable Use and Management of the Karanambu Wetlands.” In addition, we will monitor the impacts of ecotourism and other conservation activities by creating a dashboard of indicators (e.g. noise, air, water, soil pollution, animal health, human health) and offer this information to the Lodge staff so they can take appropriate steps for compliance.
5) World-class organization
The Karanambu Trust began in 1997 with a committed group of family members led by Diane McTurk. In 2010, the Board of Trustees was expanded to include family as well as non-family members with the goal of significantly expanding conservation, research, education, and sustainable development at Karanambu.
To support this increased effort, a new organizational structure for the Trust was established, along with three volunteer staff positions. These are: Karanambu Trust Project Coordinator, Orphan Otter Keeper, and Conservation Biologist. One of our top priorities in 2011 to raise the funds needed to support their activities, as well as those related to goals 1-4.
About the North Rupununi
Biodiversity in the North Rupununi The North Rupununi of southern Guyana is an extraordinary natural area. The landscape is an integration of four ecosystem types: wetlands, savannas, rivers, and forests. The number of species found here is
much higher than expected given its size. There are at least
600 species of fish, along with 600 species of bird, and over 200
species of mammals. Karanambu is located roughly in the middle of this beautiful and fascinating biological hotspt. Endangered species like the Giant Otter, Black
Caiman, Jaguar, Giant Anteater, and Arapaima—all apex predators—are
abundant. The seasonally flooded savannas and forests also draw
substantial fish migrations.
This region is rich in history, too. The North Rupununi is the homeland
of the Makushi and earlier peoples dating back almost 7,000 years ago.
Several prominent explorers and naturalists have written about their
experiences there, including Robert and Richard Schomburgk, Charles Waterton,
Evelyn Waugh, Gerald Durrell, and David Attenborough. Lake Amuku, not
far from Karanambu, was once considered by Sir Walter Raleigh, and later
by Alexander von Humboldt, and others to be the location
of Lake Parime or “El Dorado.”
Conservation and Sustainable Development in the North Rupununi
The effective management of the North Rupununi is of vital interest to
local communities, as well as to the national Government and
international community. At present, there are a number of conservation
organizations and eco-tour companies based in the North Rupununi.
These include Karanambu Lodge/Trust, Caiman House at Yupukari, the
Iwokrama Field Station at Kurupukari, the Bina Hill Institute for
Research, Development and Training at Annai, the North Rupununi District Development
Board at Annai, and the Conservation International field stations at
Apoteri and Lethem. Clearly, there is substantial potential for
expanded research and conservation in this area, as well as for
eco-tourism and other sustainable development projects. These
activities have not yet taken hold, however. One reason is that neither the North Rupununi, nor Guyana as a whole, are
internationally known. This situation may soon change. Guyana’s
President is leading the way in rethinking national approaches to
address global warming via the development of a Low Carbon Development
Strategy for the entire country (For more, see this link.) A second is that Guyana lacks a national protected area system.
Other threatened North Rupununi species include the following:
Greenheart (Chlorocardium rodiei), Virola surinamensis, Rosewood (Aniba
rosaeodara), Guyana Manicole palm (Syagrus stratincola), Couratari
calycina, Eschweilera fanshawei, Eschweilera potaroensis, Graffenrieda
caudata, Pouteria penicillata, Guianan Cock-of-the Rock (Rupicola
rupicola), Seed finches (Oryzoborus crassirostris and O. angolensis),
Bonneted bat (Eumops maurus), Bearded tachuri (Polystictus pectoralis),
Hoary spintetail (Synallaxis kollari), Harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja),
Guianan crested eagle (Morphnus guianensis), Blue-cheeked Amazon parrot
(Amazona dufresniana), Spix’s and Marail guan (Penelope jacquacu and
Penelope marail), Black curassow (Crax alector), Crestless Curassow
(Mitu tomentosa), Bush dog (Speothos venaticus), Jaguar (Panthera onca),
Tapir (Tapirus terrestris), Cotingidae: all species of genera Cotinga,
Xipholena, Iodopleura, Querula, Pyroderus, Perissocephalus, Gymnoderus,
Procnias, Phoenicircus, Black spider monkey (Ateles paniscus),
Neotropical Otter (Lontra longicaudis), Beddard’s Olingo (Bassaricyon
beddardi), and the Giant Armadillo (Priodontes maximus). For more about
the North Rupununi, see www.rupununi.org.
