EMC Empowers Conservation Practitioners Through Biodiversity Assessment Training
From May 20 to 23, 2025, representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Protected Areas Commission (PAC), the Iwokrama International Centre and Environmental Management Consultants Inc (EMC) successfully completed a four-day Biodiversity Assessment Training Programme held at the Iwokrama River Lodge and Research Centre.
The training programme was implemented by Environmental Management Consultants Inc. (EMC) in collaboration with the Iwokrama International Centre as part of the Guyana Conservation Initiative (GCI), with funding from the ExxonMobil Foundation.
The programme was designed to strengthen national capacity in biodiversity assessment and monitoring, with a particular focus on field personnel, forest rangers, and wardens. It combined theoretical classroom sessions with practical, field-based exercises aimed at equipping participants with core competencies in biodiversity research and data collection.
Areas of focus included methodological skills such as mapping and establishing transects; taxonomic skills for species identification across various taxa; analytical skills related to ecosystem comparison and data interpretation; and communication skills for preparing evidence-based biodiversity reports.
Throughout the training, participants were engaged in a series of hands-on activities, including the use of butterfly nets and traps, macroinvertebrate sampling, mist net and camera trap deployment, cast net demonstrations, pitfall trap installation, and herpetofauna surveys. During the practical sessions, several species were identified, including Carollia perspicillata (Short-tailed Fruit Bat), Rhinella alata (Forest Toad), and Leptodactylus guianensis (Guiana White-lipped Frog), among others. Participants also learned spotlighting techniques for nocturnal species and applied safety protocols during fieldwork.
A certification ceremony, held on May 23, 2025, marked the official closure of the programme where participants received a backpack stocked with all the essential materials needed to efficiently carry out biodiversity assessments.
During the ceremony, remarks were delivered by Shyam Nokta, Managing Director of EMC; Kemraj Parsram, Executive Director of the EPA; Ronell Lewis, Senior Protected Areas Officer at PAC; and Anne-Marie Ford, Special Projects Officer at Iwokrama. Each speaker congratulated the participants on their successful completion of the training and emphasised the importance of staying connected, applying the knowledge gained, and continuing to build a community of practice in biodiversity conservation.
This training represents another key milestone under the Guyana Conservation Initiative, further reinforcing EMC and Iwokrama’s commitment to environmental stewardship, scientific research, and local capacity building for sustainable development in Guyana.
Representatives Providing Brief Remarks During the Certification Ceremony (From Top Left: Mr. Shyam Nokta; Mr. Kemraj Parsram; Anne-Marie Ford; and Ms. Ronell Lewis)
Participants Receiving their Biodiversity Assessment Training Certificates
Participants Receiving their Biodiversity Assessment Training Certificates
Speakers Receiving Tokens of Appreciation
Day 1 of the Biodiversity Assessment Training
Day 2 of the Biodiversity Assessment Training
Day 3 of the Biodiversity Assessment Training
Day 4 of the Biodiversity Assessment Training
Wildlife Observed During the Biodiversity Assessment Training
Environmental Management Consultants Inc. (EMC) is an environmental service provider and promoter of green growth. EMC works to support efforts aimed at the protection and sustainable management of Guyana’s environment.