Foreword

On the 29th of November 2000 the UNESCO World Heritage Committee decided in Sidney, Australia, to inscribe the Central Suriname Nature Reserve on the World Heritage List of Natural Sites. Thus the Central Suriname Nature Reserve, created in 1998, became one of the most pristine nature reserves on the world heritage list. Suriname has acquired itself a place among the nations in the world who are prepared to protect and manage a part of their national heritage of universal value in such a manner that many generations to come will enjoy and benefit from it.

This is in particular important if we realize that tropical forests - the world's richest and most diverse terrestrial ecosystems - are being lost at an alarming rate. Large tracts of pristine tropical wilderness are today found mainly in the southern Guianas and southern Venezuela, parts of upper Amazonia and the Congo Basin, and much of the island of Papua New Guinea.

With our long tradition of nature conservation and more than 80 per cent of our original forests still intact, Suriname is strategically placed in the most extensive and least disturbed major tropical wilderness area in the Guayana Shield Region of northern South America. Strategically located to be a leader in the protection of these special wilderness areas. Strategically, because the Government of Suriname recognised that the future and the economic welfare of Suriname will be based for an important part on the proper use and the protection of our natural resources.
The government policy for the forestry sector will be aimed at bringing about an actual sustainable use of the forests in our country in the short term to significantly contribute to the socioeconomic development of our country as well as within the framework of pursuing the conservation of the tropical rainforest on our planet. Within this context a modern national forest management authority is being conceived.
Within the general economic and technical development the Government will pay special attention to the protection of the environment and with the relevant international organisations programmes will be carried out to protect our ecology, thus also fulfilling the principle of sustainable development.
With the creation of this nature reserve significant economic benefits will be generated for the country, including the establishment of the Trust Fund financed by foreign and international organisations in the awareness that that Suriname has to be compensated for their gesture towards the world community. It also gives Suriname the international recognition as a world leader in the field of biodiversity conservation. The success of this step will undoubtedly inspire other nations to commit themselves in a similar manner to the protection of vital tropical wilderness areas in the world.

Mr. Franco Demon
Minister of Natural Resources