WE WORK ON NATURE CONSERVATION WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES

Wildlife & People Suriname (WPS)

We are a organization founded and located in Suriname committed to the conservation of nature. To do so we work together with local communities who live in and from the natural environment.

The Projects we mostly focus on are the protection and monitoring of (threatened) animal species and nature reserves, strengthening local communities in monitoring wild animals and protected areas and also involve them in project activities. This way the communities also benefit from protecting the animal species and nature areas.

Mission

To protect wildlife species to reach beneficial co-existence with indigenous and local communities through research, conservation and sustainable livelihoods

Vision

Wildlife populations are healthy, and the protection of these species is beneficial for humanity and the planet

Projects

Rehabilitation and Maintenance Voltzberg Fieldstation

The Central Suriname Nature Reserve (CSNR) with an area of 1.6 million ha was established in 1998. The CSNR covers a part of the traditional living area of the Kwinti. The Reserve consists of an eco-tourism resort (Raleighvallen) and a field station for research and training purposes in the Voltzberg area.

The goal of this project is to restore the current field station at the foot of the Voltzberg in CSNR, and make it operational.

Giant Otter Conservation in Suriname

The Giant Otter is listed on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and is listed as Endangered by the IUCN. The total global Giant Otter population size is low but, more critically, individual subpopulations are fragmented and small. Because of its conspicuous behavior and social nature, this species is easy to extirpate and is therefore extremely vulnerable.

The main objective of this project is the development of conservation actions and awareness on the importance of the conservation of Giant otters in Suriname.

Objectives

Gather and update existing population status data on species and monitoring of threats by developing research and monitoring programs in different locations in Suriname to support the development and implementation of conservation actions and species action plans .
Actively involve Indigenous and local communities in monitoring species by building their capacity and offering jobs such as local rangers, research assistants and monitoring personnel.
Raise the awareness of the public in Suriname about the biodiversity and the role of species in the different ecosystems in Suriname by awareness programs in schools and communities.
Support the government's Nature Conservation Division (NCD) with collection of data and intel, defining threats of species to formulate species conservation policies and with facilitation of logistics for law enforcement activities.
Build bridges between communities and NCD / Government of Suriname on environmental and wildlife related topics and support communities to become part of nature conservation solutions.
Support of Indigenous and local communities with the development of alternative income sources, such as ecotourism to decrease the need for wildlife trade and other threats to wildlife.
WPS is also in the process of establishing a (primate) research station in the Central Suriname Nature Reserve.
Funds for conservation activities flow directly to communities through collaboration with community-based organizations and employment.