Guyana's tropical forests are vast storehouses of genetic resources, timber, fibres, medicinal plants, and protectors of vital environmental functions including water and carbon cycles, soil conservation and the evolution of biological diversity. However, loss of customary access rights and traditional forest management prescriptions have displaced rural populations, degraded the resource base, and increased poverty. This report examines the major challenges of confronting Guyana's forests, provides an analysis on how to utilise forests without destroying them, and includes recommendations for action.