Balancing Conservation and Development with Indigenous People.

Indigenous people have long histories in the care taking of forests and other ecosystems. Building on their intrinsic relationship with nature, they have been developing an extensive body of knowledge to adapt and sustain in what is now known as the South of Suriname. POF works side by side these indigenous people to better understand their perspective about conservation and what they see as a sustainable development path forward.

In their quest to balance conservation and development, the Suriname indigenous people are facing many challenges. Today, Suriname is the only country in South America in which traditionally-living communities have no legal way of obtaining communal land rights, and this increasingly is leading to conflicts. POF works together with communities to develop innovative ways to transform conflicts related to land and livelihood. Together we believe by using conflict resolution tools and techniques we find more transparent and trustworthy processes in which communities are able to think beyond conflict and more towards sustainable development.