Feedback from Indigenous leader on Latin American REDD Workshop

Presenting Peru's only paper on avoiding deforestation last June at a Latin American workshop organised by Swiss Inter Cooperation on 'Environmental Services and Forest Governance', Javier Bustamante of the Ashaninka tribe met with other indigenous leaders from Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras and Peru.

Javier's presentation focussed on the innovative and community-led Cool Earth - Ashaninka avoided deforestation project, a partnership between UK NGO and Peruvian indigenous communities. The presentation was received with interest and stimulated a range of questions and comments. As President of TSIMI (the Ashaninka Bioclimatic Association), Javier shared information on Cool Earth's pioneering project with the Ashaninka at Cutivireni in Peru.

"The experience was interesting", claimed Javier, "with 40 participants both indigenous and non-indigenous, with the latter mainly facilitators from other Latin American countries."

"The importance of assuring solid land rights for indigenous communities participating in REDD projects was a major theme," added Javier, reporting on the workshop. "Many of the leaders also emphasised the difficulties that can sometimes occur if individual communities negotiate with big companies or NGO's."

"One of the best projects presented came from Brazil," said Javier. "The Surui project has several years experience of managing payments for environmental services with indigenous Brazilians and has good support from the Brazilian government as well as international cooperation."

"The main lesson learnt at the workshop was to negotiate well and always bear in mind that our forest resources are for the benefit of all our people, " Javier concluded.

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