Building a Sustainable Future: Insights from the Concordia and Sophia Point Rainforest Research Centre Partnership

The Guiana Shield, an essential biodiversity hotspot spanning six countries in Latin America, plays a pivotal role in our planet’s ecological framework. This region is home to approximately 18% of the world’s freshwater resources and hosts an extraordinary variety of flora and fauna. It encompasses 13,000 vascular plant species, 1,000 species of birds and freshwater fish, 250 endemic amphibians, and 280 mammal species. Despite Guyana being almost entirely part of the shield, the country’s biodiversity remains severely under-researched, with the last national study conducted over 30 years ago.

The urgency to research and protect these rainforests has never been greater. With the recent discovery of more than 11 billion oil-equivalent barrels, defining the necessary commitments that must be made by the private sector to preserve the biome has become a top priority. Against this backdrop, the 2024 Concordia Amazonas Summit in Guyana arrives at a pivotal moment, emphasizing the importance of sustainable practices and conservation efforts in safeguarding this vital ecological treasure. 

We recently interviewed Matthew Swift, Co-Founder, President & CEO of Concordia, Nicola Green, Co-Founder & Chair of Trustees at Sophia Point, Ailsa Henderson, Centre Director at Sophia Point, and Dr Gyanpriya Maharaj, Director of Centre for Studies of Biological Diversity at the University of Guyana and Trustee of Sophia Point on the significance of Guyana as the host country of the 2024 Amazonas Summit and to explore Concordia’s partnership with Sophia Point Research Centre.

The new center is ready to host up to 24 students who will use the wet and dry labs to conduct science, eat locally-produced food in the dining hall, engage in learning in the numerous break-out and classroom spaces, and discover nature on the trails that connect the Centre to the rainforest. Image courtesy of Sophia Point Rainforest Research Centre.

Matthew, how did Concordia’s partnership with Sophia Point come about?

We are incredibly grateful to Rachel Biderman, Senior Vice President at Conservation International, for introducing us to Curtis Bernard, Executive Director at Conservation International Guyana, who has been extremely helpful and facilitated the introduction with Sophia Point. Beyond initiatives, this is a joint effort and commitment to making a real impact on education and research in this vital ecosystem and a moment in history where we can merge market-based projects with conservation efforts. Working with the Research Centre ensures accurate and effective capacity building, in addition to a truly immersive summit experience in the rainforest, which was a fundamental principle of the initiative.

Nicola, what motivated Sophia Point to partner with Concordia? 

The opportunity to host part of the 2024 Concordia Amazonas Summit was not to be missed as the Summit aligns so well with our mission as a research and education Centre to protect and learn from the unique and vital ecosystems across Guyana. Partnering with Concordia for the Amazonas Summit gives us an opportunity to engage with global leaders, key stakeholders, and world-leading experts in action-oriented conversations both locally and globally that work to further our mission of transforming conservation and education in one of the last biodiversity hotspots.

Nicola, let’s dive deeper into Sophia Point’s story. What inspired its founding and how did it go from an idea to the Centre it is today? 

My family has Guyanese heritage and we have spent a lot of time in the country. We realized some years ago that there was both a need and an opportunity to support access to education, science, and conservation in Guyana’s unique rainforest. Through partnering with the University of Guyana, local Amerindian communities, and scientists and philanthropists globally, we collaborated to raise the funds to build and establish the Sophia Point Rainforest Research Centre. The building was completed in March 2024 and we’re delighted to be hosting students and researchers already. 

And, to that last point, how have the Centre’s goals evolved since its inception in 2019 considering the changes in our world? 

Guyana is undergoing rapid change and the goals of Sophia Point have evolved too, from the initial concept of a bush camp to a fully-fledged Research Centre. The need for accessible scientific research facilities to help conserve and learn from the rainforests became more urgent with the recent discovery of oil in Guyana, and the risk of losing these crucial rainforests to make way for the development of infrastructure and mining. Sophia Point exists to protect and learn from nature, so a better studied, better understood, and better protected rainforest is crucial to Guyana and to protecting our planet.

Regarding the projects and work executed at the Centre, Ailsa, as its Director, what are the primary responsibilities and initiatives you oversee? 

I oversee the operational running of the Centre, working closely with our dedicated team of local Amerindians from River’s View Community. No two days are the same! I oversee multiple initiatives here at Sophia Point, such as stakeholder engagement at the local, national, and international levels, community capacity building, and working with individual students on their research projects. I am particularly excited about the initiative that has just begun to scale up our ecological monitoring of the rainforest and its fauna and flora. This will be vital in the understanding of this precious ecosystem and contribute to national conservation decisions.

Dr. Maharaj, what motivated you to work with Sophia Point and participate in environmental conservation efforts? What actions can individuals and organizations interested in supporting the Research Centre take?

Sophia Point presented a unique opportunity to teach beyond the classroom. After spending more than a decade teaching biological sciences, I have observed that using the natural world around us gives students incredible insight into their learning. Using the forest, in short, makes learning real and creates memories that often last a lifetime. Sophia Point represents the University’s first dedicated field site, where students and educators alike can learn together and have opportunities to expand their skill set in the long term, whether that looks like class trips and training for specific courses, research projects, or collecting long-term data from a study area dedicated to furthering science and building capacity.

Nicola, what are you most looking forward to from the Concordia Amazonas Summit?

I’m looking forward to welcoming global delegates to Sophia Point, and having them meet our students, Guyanese partners, and Amerindian neighbors to share our progress in establishing this Research Centre. We will discuss how each of us can play a role in protecting and learning from the unique biodiversity of Guyana’s critical rainforests.

Ailsa, looking ahead, what are Sophia Point’s strategic priorities and next steps in advancing its mission and initiatives?

Sophia Point is entering an exciting new phase, and a clear strategic priority is developing our program with the University of Guyana, supporting Guyanese scientists, researchers, and students in their studies of the Guiana Shield and the wider world of Guyana’s ecology and biodiversity. We’ll be collaborating on using scientific information and data gathered to inform decisions that will contribute to the conservation of Guyana’s unique biodiversity.

Sophia Point has, from the start, worked closely with the Amerindian community and now that the Centre is complete we will continue to work closely with the River’s View community to benefit the wider landscape and the community. We plan to strengthen and deepen the connection between people and nature, using Sophia Point as a center to convene people at a local, regional, and global level to support training and knowledge sharing on relevant issue areas. We’ll also be setting up long-term monitoring projects on the fauna and flora of the rainforest and the Essequibo River. These initiatives will be open and accessible to University of Guyana students and scientists to support their research, whilst helping us understand the health of the ecosystem and impacts of climate change.

The Amazonas Initiative strives to address today’s escalating environmental challenges, harnessing the private sector as a tool rather than an adversary. Our Summit aims to explore the ways in which we can protect the region’s biodiversity, promote indigenous entrepreneurship, mobilize climate finance, establish a credible carbon market, and foster partnerships for innovative and scalable solutions to preserve and rejuvenate this irreplaceable ecosystem. To learn more about how you can support our efforts and engage with Concordia, contact us at partnerships@concordia.net.