The Child Project under the GEF-8 Amazon Sustainable Landscapes Program Phase 3 (ASL3) was signed in august 2025. The project aims to strengthen integrated landscape conservation and sustainable management in West Suriname’s intact forest landscape, which is one of the most ecologically significant areas of the Amazon.

The five-year initiative conserve intact forest ecosystems while promoting a sustainable and inclusive nature-based economy for communities living in and around the landscape. The project is implemented by the Ministry of Oil, Gas and Environment with support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with funding provided by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

The project will be implemented through four components that together support effective conservation and management of West Suriname’s Amazon forests, strengthen inclusive and sustainable livelihood opportunities, enhance governance and integrated landscape planning for conservation and development, and improve knowledge management and regional collaboration. Through this approach, the project will work closely with the regional Coordination Platform and collaborate with Brazil, which shares the same forest ecosystem.

Key barriers currently limiting effective forest conservation will be addressed, including weak institutional frameworks, limited co-management arrangements, and insufficient financing across areas under different protection regimes. The project will also respond to gaps in fund allocation, technical assistance, and incentives for sustainable livelihoods and production systems. In addition, it will strengthen governance and legal frameworks related to integrated landscape planning, protected area management, and wildlife and forest conservation, while promoting the meaningful integration of scientific and traditional knowledge in decision-making, knowledge sharing, and awareness-raising.

As part of the project’s preparatory phase, the Ministry of Oil, Gas and Environment, together with representatives of UNDP, recently conducted a visit to the West Suriname area to inform local communities of the current status of the project. The delegation included Minister Patrick Brunings, Permanent Secretary Environment Mr. Ritesh Sardjoe, and Acting Director of the National Environmental Authority (Nationale Milieu Autoriteit) Ms. Vanuessa Gefferie, as well as the Deputy Director of the Directorate for Sustainable Indigenous Development of the Ministry of Regional Development and representatives of the Association of Indigenous Village Leaders in Suriname (VIDS). The visit focused on early community engagement, transparency, strengthening collaboration, and aligning project activities with local priorities and traditional knowledge systems. It is worthwhile to mention that during the project writing phase early 2024, the community was also consulted.