Guyana Shorebird Workshop Success

At the end of June, Manomet hosted a shorebird workshop in Guyana that brought together researchers, technical experts, conservationists and relevant authorities to delve into Guyana’s shorebird ecology and conservation strategies. The workshop, titled “Building Multidisciplinary Networks of Collaboration,” was held at the historic Cara Lodge in Georgetown. Participants included representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Mangrove Restoration and Management Department, the South Rupununi Conservation Society, and the Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission. The event included a host of lively sessions focused on raising awareness about the critical roles shorebirds play in Guyana’s ecosystems.

Manomet’s Arne Lesterhuis and Vianey Ramirez (Senior Shorebird Conservation Specialist and Community Engagement and Communications Specialist, WHSRN Executive Office, respectively) ran the workshop, which was made possible through a Manomet-sponsored internal award affectionately called the “Leddy Award.” The Linda E. Leddy Award for Sustainability honors Manomet’s second President, and is given each year to a program staff member at Manomet who is supporting action on sustainability within a community or sector. Two local future conservation leaders, Hanan Lachmansingh and Elion Beaton, led the organization of the very successful and productive workshop. The workshop provided an excellent opportunity for stakeholders to exchange experiences and brainstorm collaborative ways to preserve shorebirds and their habitats in the country.

The Guyana workshop is part of Manomet’s wider shorebird coalitions work: recognizing the urgent need to safeguard shorebird populations, we understand that effective conservation requires a strategic and collaborative effort. That’s why in early 2020, Manomet started the ‘Coalitions for Shorebird Conservation’ initiative. This collaborative approach brings together diverse stakeholders to reduce threats to shorebirds at priority sites throughout the Western Hemisphere. In an interview, Arne told the press outlet Newsroom of Manomet’s work in Guyana, “We’re trying to establish work and collaborations in Guyana because it’s one of the most important wintering sites for millions of shorebirds who are present here for most of the time.” The two-day workshop, which was also supported in part by Dutch foundation DOB Ecology,  was capped off with a field trip to a lookout platform along Georgetown’s seawall and a networking social.