In response to growing concerns over the rapid expansion of mining operations across Indigenous lands, eight villages in the Upper Mazaruni District participated in a major environmental monitoring and mapping training workshop facilitated by the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) and the Upper Mazaruni District Council (UMDC).
The initiative stems from an urgent call made during the UMDC Women and Youth Conference held in Paruima in November 2024, where representatives from Omanaik-Kambaru highlighted severe damage caused by unregulated mining. Community members emphasised the need for practical tools to monitor mining activities, collect evidence, and safeguard their territories.
One key issue raised was the difficulty in identifying legally designated mining zones. Toshao Henfrey Austin of Omanaik-Kambaru had reported that many miners are unable to read maps or operate GPS devices, leading to disputes and encroachments. In light of that, the APA sought to empower local monitors with precise mapping skills to determine where mining should or should not occur.
While Omanaik-Kambaru initially requested the training, UMDC Monitoring Coordinator John Andries noted a wider need across the district. As a result, the training was expanded to include two participants from each of the seven additional villages – Paruima, Waramadong, Kamarang, Kako, Jawalla, Chinoweing, and Phillipai.
Supported under the International Land and Forest Tenure Facility Project, the training forms part of a three-year environmental monitoring programme in the Upper Mazaruni. Participants were exposed to training in digital mapping and GPS coordination using smartphones, drone operation and aerial data collection, coordinate plotting and field data recording, as well as public speaking and reporting techniques.
Beyond environmental protection, the trained monitors will support other community initiatives and provide technical support in boundary disputes and land rights cases. This training represents a major step toward community-led land protection, ensuring that Upper Mazaruni villages possess the technical capacity to defend their territories in the face of mounting external pressures.
In response to growing concerns over the rapid expansion of mining operations across Indigenous lands, eight villages in the Upper Mazaruni District participated in a major environmental monitoring and mapping training workshop facilitated by the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) and the Upper Mazaruni District Council (UMDC).
The initiative stems from an urgent call made during the UMDC Women and Youth Conference held in Paruima in November 2024, where representatives from Omanaik-Kambaru highlighted severe damage caused by unregulated mining. Community members emphasised the need for practical tools to monitor mining activities, collect evidence, and safeguard their territories.
One key issue raised was the difficulty in identifying legally designated mining zones. Toshao Henfrey Austin of Omanaik-Kambaru had reported that many miners are unable to read maps or operate GPS devices, leading to disputes and encroachments. In light of that, the APA sought to empower local monitors with precise mapping skills to determine where mining should or should not occur.
While Omanaik-Kambaru initially requested the training, UMDC Monitoring Coordinator John Andries noted a wider need across the district. As a result, the training was expanded to include two participants from each of the seven additional villages – Paruima, Waramadong, Kamarang, Kako, Jawalla, Chinoweing, and Phillipai.
Supported under the International Land and Forest Tenure Facility Project, the training forms part of a three-year environmental monitoring programme in the Upper Mazaruni. Participants were exposed to training in digital mapping and GPS coordination using smartphones, drone operation and aerial data collection, coordinate plotting and field data recording, as well as public speaking and reporting techniques.
Beyond environmental protection, the trained monitors will support other community initiatives and provide technical support in boundary disputes and land rights cases. This training represents a major step toward community-led land protection, ensuring that Upper Mazaruni villages possess the technical capacity to defend their territories in the face of mounting external pressures.