Building local support for a coastal protected area : Collaborative governance in the Bigi Pan Multiple Use Management Area of Suriname

Bigi Pan Multiple Use Management Area (MUMA, IUCN category VI) is a coastal protected area situated in the Northwest Suriname between the Atlantic Ocean and the Nickerie River. The area is characterized by wetlands with mangrove forests, contains high biodiversity, and is of socio-economic, ecological and ornithological importance. However, the MUMA is overexploited and subject to competition between various income generating activities, including uncontrolled fisheries and unregulated tourism combined. Insufficient capacity of government agencies for enforcement and policy implementation and lack of communication between relevant government agencies has further contributed to unsustainable practices that diverge from ‘wise use’ and conservation. This article analyses the case of Bigi Pan MUMA from the perspective of collaborative governance. It explores how local communities address the conflicts, user pressure, and implementation gaps that lead to unsustainable practices in Bigi Pan MUMA. In addition, it explores the potential of stakeholder engagement with the local community and key user groups to provide meaningful and regular opportunities to actively participate in decision-making structures and to deliberate on management actions. The conclusion finally presents arguments on how collaborative governance can become more effective by including local communities and by strengthening local decision-making and management.</p

Results of the Alcoa Foundation-Suriname Expeditions. XIV. Mammals of Brownsberg Nature Park, Suriname

An inventory of mammals in the vicinity of Brownsberg Nature Park, Suriname, incorporated a number of different sampling methods including examining museum voucher specimens, an animal-rescue operation, transect surveys, camera photo-traps, and interviews with local inhabitants. We document a total of 125 mammal species present in the Park. These include ten opossums, five pilosans, four armadillos, 58 bats, eight monkeys, 13 carnivores, one tapir, four artiodactyls, and 22 rodents. Nine of these species are reported for the first time from Suriname: one mouse opossum (Marmosops pinheiroi); one naked-backed moustached bat (Pteronotus gymnonotus); four fruit-eating bats (Artibeus bogotensis, A. gnomus, A. obscurus, and A. planirostris); two evening bats (Eptesicus chiriquinus and Myotis riparius); and one arboreal rice rat (Oecomys auyantepui). There are 191 indigenous non-marine mammals presently known from Suriname