Iwokrama is a forest in central Guyana, some 300 km south of Georgetown, the capital of Guyana. It encompasses 3,600 square kilometres of lush, pristine tropical rainforest. It is also the home for forest conservation and research and development at the Iwokrama International Centre.

 In 1989, the government of Guyana offered to set aside the Iwokrama Forest to the international community to be used as a demonstration area where the ecological, social, and economic nature and potential of tropical rain forests could be studied and tested in a hands on way.  The resulting knowledge is used to show how forest ecosystems can be used to increase social and economic benefits to forest user groups everywhere, without destroying the forest.

The overall concept, including the identification of the forest site, was developed jointly by a Guyanese inter-agency team headed by the Guyana Natural Resources Agency, and by a Commonwealth Group of Experts headed by the eminent Indian Scientist, Dr. Swaminathan. The Report was presented on June 5th, 1990 to mark World Environment Day.

 Over the next few years, guidelines for the management of the site were outlined by Guyanese and international consultants. In 1993, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) through the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) signed an agreement to grant US$3 million as seed funding to assist with the development of the Programme. By 1994, a functional field station was established in the Iwokrama Forest to enable research and training.

At the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in November 1995, President Cheddi Jagan, and Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Secretariat, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, signed the Agreement which defines the objectives, functions, and organisation of Iwokrama. This Agreement forms part of the enabling legislation tabled in Parliament in late December 1995.

On March 14, 1996 the National Assembly (Parliament) of Guyana passed the Iwokrama International Centre for Rain Forest Conservation and Development Act with the unanimous approval of both sides of the house. The Act was signed into law on May 12, 1996 by President Cheddi Jagan.

The Iwokrama Forest encompasses about almost one million acres (3,700 sq. km / 370,000 hectares / 1,429 sq. miles) with a boundary of 442km (274 mi.). At its widest, the area is 85 km (53 mi.), and the greatest extent in a north-south direction is 80km (50 mi.). The Georgetown-Lethem Road dissects the Forest, traversing about 72km (45 mi.) between the northeastern and southern boundaries. The Forest lies between 4 and 5 degrees north latitude and 58.5 and 59.5 degrees west longitude.

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Last modified: 06/30/05