On December 17th and 18th, the first training workshop for “Custodians of the Nation’s Forest and Wildlife Heritage” was carried out in the town of Santa Cleotilde. The course was organised by the technical team of Green Gold Forestry (GGF) and the Functional Unit of Community Forest Management (UF MFC) of the Regional Management of Forest Development and Wildlife (GERFOR), with the aim of training participants in the monitoring, control and surveillance of Amazonian forests. This training was attended by 28 natives belonging to twelve (12) communities[1] and a village centre[2], and a brigade of forest custodians from the company, who after the 8-module[3] training received accreditation from GERFOR as Forest and Wildlife Custodians.
The event included basic concepts to be used by a future custodian of forest and wildlife heritage, as well as the functions to be carried out within the framework of his or her competences. It also detailed who are the authorities that exercise competence and functions in forest management in native and rural communities, and the procedures to be followed in case of an environmental crime, focusing on the legal process. Through this training, the organisers seek to strengthen the technical capacities of the native communities of Napo for the control and surveillance of their natural resources, ecosystem services and biodiversity, training villagers of the communities to safeguard the forest and its resources in the fight against illegal trafficking of flora and fauna in the Peruvian Amazon.
The activity was carried out in the framework of the joint work being developed by GGF and the Forestry Authority – GERFOR to ensure the social, environmental, and economic sustainability of forestry concessions in the department of Loreto.
[1] CN Copal Urco, CN Patria Nueva, CN Huirima, CN Sargento Lores, CN Huitotos de Fortaleza, CN Berlín, CN Santa María de Loreto, CN Santa Rosa – Río Napo, CN Chambira-río Napo, CN Vencedores de Vista Alegre, CN Bellavista – Río Napo, CN San Felipe – Río Napo
[2] CP San Luis de Tacsha Curaray
[3] Training modules: 1. General, 2. Competent authorities in forest management, 3. Competencies of the Community Forest Management Functional Unit, 4. Functions and Competence of Custodians, 5. Forestry and Wildlife Infractions, 6. Procedure for environmental offences, 7. Record of occurrence and casuistry and 8. Identification and cubing of timber.
