Guardians of the Haut-Maroni

The “Guardians of the Haut-Maroni” project is an initiative of the WWF office in French Guyana, co-constructed with the customary authorities of the villages of Haut-Maroni. The aim of the project is to set up a participatory observatory to monitor the state of the river environment in this isolated territory, which is under heavy pressure from illegal gold mining. The project will train local residents in the use of tools for monitoring and collecting key data on the ecological status of aquatic ecosystems and riparian zones. In concrete terms, a network of “guardians” recruited from the local community will regularly collect field data (satellite or drone detection of deforestation, water quality measurements, photo-trapping of large fauna, etc.). These key data, complementing more ad hoc monitoring carried out by other institutions (Guiana Amazon Park, Water Board, OFB, etc.), will enhance ecological knowledge of this territory. In addition, and at the request of local residents, a feasibility study for a community fish farm will be carried out. The customary authorities wish to limit their dependence on wild fish for their diet (due to very high mercury contamination) and enable better planning of available protein resources.