Illegal gold mining: main land-based source of destructive impacts in the French Guiana amazonian Park (PAG) Sludge pollution at the confluence of the Inini and Maroni rivers (border of Suriname)- PAG 2014 Third Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Protocol Concerning Pollution from Land- Based Sources and Activities in the Wider Caribbean Region (LBS), 14 March 2017
Created in 2007 On the Guiana Shield, inside the Latin America 3,4 millions Ha PAG: an innovating tool for conservation and local development in a specific context Neighborhood of the National Park of the Tumucumaque (Brazil)
2 zones, 5 municipalities, >18,000 inhabitants 6 languages spoken, diversity of cultures and traditional livehoods depending on natural environments Core zone (2 millions ha): environmental protection- respect of the traditional livelihoods Buffer zone (1.4 millions ha): local development (cultural, social and economic) -> New generation National Park framed by a charter : Ecologic solidarity Sustainable development Enhancing cultural identities Inhabitants in the park s governance Buffer zone Core zone
Rivers used for hundred years: By local inhabitants (Amerindians: Wayana, Apalaï, Teko, Wayapi, Bushinengue: Aluku/Boni ) For fishing, potable water, transportation, health using, history, toponymy Washing and dishing in the Maroni river- PAG
Fishing in the Camopi river- PAG
Crossing rapids on the Maroni river- PAG
The situation nowadays in the PAG: A ten years old french national park, suffering from the destructive impacts of illegal gold mining over a few percent of its territory (mostly northern part of the buffer zone) Illegal gold mining exists since the 90 s in French Guiana Pressures on living areas- 2016 Main impacts in the PAG are: - 4600 ha of tropical forest deforested- 150h/year - 626 km of rivers destroyed - 1765 km of rivers polluted (sludge, mercury, fuel and waste ) (ONF- 1990-2014)
Impacts of illegal gold mining Illegal gold mining still remains the most harmful impact : - on biodiversity and natural environments, particularlly rivers - causing environmental and healthy risks - threatening livehoods, well-being of inhabitants and social balance - preventing sustainable economic development Sludge causes asphyxia of natural environments and habitats, changing in the long term fish species, increasing pollution downstream Destruction and sludge pollution of the Alicorne river (Saül- Core zone)- PAG 2016 Mercury mixed to extract gold, is relevied to the rivers, causing bioaccumulation in living organisms. For 1kg of gold extracted: 1.3kg of mercury reliefed in rivers- 13T per year (WWF)
Camopi- Frontière France Brésil Municipality of Camopi- Confluence of the Oyapock and Camopi rivers- Border of Brazil- PAG 9
Monitoring and surveillance Bilan surveillance PAG 2016 Important part of the PAG s work: - 20 staff members commissioned and sworn environmental inspectors - Authorized to enforce fauna/flora and protected areas regulations as well as destroy illegal mining equipment
Environmental diagnosis activities : - 3 air operations/year - operations as well as by river and on land, in order to alert the armed forces leading the fight - monitoring turbidity Network monitoring- Oyapock area- 2015
Contribution to the struggle against illegal gold mining: helping armed forces (joint ground operations)- 36 missions/78 in 2016
Monitoring illegal gold mining- 2016
Evolution of illegal gold mining in the French amazonian park 150 140 130 124 132 126 120 128 139 120 110 100 99 110 103 105 96 103 109 95 112 113 111 90 80 70 60 50 63 67 52 56 55 67 77 40 30 20 10 0
Barges on rivers in the west area (Maroni)- 2016
Illegal gold mining : a common stake for the Guyana shield New Albina- In front of Maripa- Soula on the Maroni river 16
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Ilha Bela, Vila Brazil- In front of Camopi on Oyapock river Illegal gold mining : a common stake for the Guyana shield 18
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Impact of illegal gold mining- Suriname/French Guiana/ Brasil WWF 2008 20
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