Protecting nature to benefit both the people of Suriname and the world
Since its founding in 1992, Conservation International-Suriname has worked to preserve Suriname’s rich biodiversity and ecosystems for the well-being of humanity.
Early successes included expanding the national botanical inventory and helping local Indigenous groups to generate income from medicinal plants; establishing the Central Suriname Nature Reserve, which protects a vast area of tropical forest; and spearheading the design of an ambitious ecotourism plan that has seen Suriname’s ecotourism industry become a significant source of income.
Today, we’re working to protect and restore mangrove habitats in the Weg naar Zee region, using sediment trapping techniques to rebuild mangrove forests and shield coasts from sea-level rise. We’re helping Suriname’s small-scale fisheries become more sustainable through our Community Fisheries Improvement Project, improving food security and livelihoods. And through our Friends of Green Suriname program, we're helping local businesses and entrepreneurs invest in the conservation of critical ecosystems — creating sustainable economic opportunities for the Surinamese people.
1992
YEAR FOUNDED
95K
PEOPLE
dependent on nature in Suriname1
0.9B
METRIC TONS
of irrecoverable carbon in Suriname2
6
VERTEBRATE SPECIES
that are endemic to Suriname3
Areas we work
Keeping forests healthy by protecting wildlife
Suriname boasts the highest forest cover than any nation on Earth — with over 90 percent of its territory covered by rainforests. But to protect its forests, we must also protect the wildlife that lives there. These forest-dwelling species disperse seeds and perform other key functions that sustain forest ecosystems.
That’s where Conservation International-Suriname’s wildlife program comes in. We’ve identified nine priority species — including the jaguar, black spider monkey and endangered giant otter — and are taking steps to protect them from threats like hunting, poaching and wildlife trafficking.
These efforts include collecting baseline data on species populations to better inform conservation efforts, working with the government to influence laws and regulations against wildlife crime, implementing an education program to raise awareness about the value of wildlife and shift consumer behavior, and working closely with the Indigenous Matawai community to develop a sustainable hunting protocol that reduces impact on species populations.
By protecting wildlife, we can protect Suriname’s forests — and ensure the future prosperity of Indigenous People that directly depend on the forest.
References
- Fedele, G., Donatti, C. I., Bornacelly, I., & Hole, D. G. (2021). Nature-dependent people: Mapping human direct use of nature for basic needs across the tropics. ScienceDirect, 71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2021.102368
- Conservation International (2021, November). Irrecoverable Carbon. Retrieved January 2025, from https://www.conservation.org/irrecoverable-carbon
- The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. (2024). Table 8a: Total, threatened, and EX & EW endemic species in each country [Fact sheet]. https://www.iucnredlist.org/resources/summary-statistics#Summary%20Tables