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24 July 2018 Suriname
As part of our Land Use Planning project that started in 2013, Tropenbos Suriname conducted a 1-day seminar: ‘Sustainable land use planning in regions of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples’ for policy makers and representatives from the government, NGO’s, the private sector, and the local population. This seminar is a continuation of the activities in the Upper Suriname River area, where two 3D land use maps were produced with and for the communities. Apart from the 3D maps, an ecosystem service assessment was performed in the area and participative scenarios for the future were developed. A policy document ‘Saamaka Lio as habitat and productive landscape: Lessons for inclusive and sustainable land use planning from the Upper Suriname River area’ has been produced and was presented during this seminar. The ultimate goal is that all information is available as much as possible and is used as a planning tool by communities and policymakers to achieve sustainable development for the benefit of people, nature, and our country.
15 July 2015 Suriname
The Saamaka people live at the Upper Suriname River in the hinterlands of Suriname, an area which provides ecosystem goods and services for their livelihoods. In 2014, a participatory three dimensional mapping (P3DM) project was carried out together with 14 villages (about 5,000 people) in the northern part of the area to identify and map the geographic characteristics of the landscape and the different land uses. On 18 June 2015, a follow up to this project has been launched during an inception workshop at the village of Pikin Slee.
30 June 2015 Suriname
For the first time a trainer manual on REDD+, especially designed for Indigenous and Maroon people has been compiled in Suriname. Tropenbos Suriname and Attune Development developed the manual to provide knowledge, skills and awareness for trainers in Indigenous and Maroon communities.
04 November 2014 Suriname
A three-dimensional map of the upper Suriname River has been developed through participatory mapping by local communities of the Saramaccan ethnic group in Suriname. Children, women, men and elders worked together during 10 days to build the map that represents their territory in 34 aspects relevant for their orientation, livelihoods and culture.
10 December 2013 Suriname
To maintain access to markets in Europe and the USA the timber sector of Suriname needs to verify the legality of its forest products. Participants of the regional seminar ‘Emerging legality requirements in the timber sector of Suriname’ (28-29 November 2013 in Paramaribo) found that the forest sector of Suriname is in a good position to adequately address these legality requirements, because of Suriname’s commitment to sustainable forest management and because it has a good forest control system.
25 November 2013 Suriname
Several initiatives have emerged that put market requirements on the legality verification of timber products, particularly the EU’s Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Action Plan and the US Lacey Act. Suriname is committed to the sustainable management of its forests and to support economic growth in the timber sector, but is currently not engaged in discussions on legal timber trade with the EU. However, its timber export trade will be affected by the emerging legality requirements.