The Kanashen Amerindian Protected Area is the first community owned and one of the largest protected areas in Guyana.
Situated in the South, it covers a land area of nearly 700,000 ha of mostly undisturbed forests that is part of the High Biodiversity Wilderness Area of Amazonia and a key part of Guyana Shield corridor, it is also home to the indigenous Wai Wai people. Kanashen houses the headwaters of the Essequibo River which contributes to twenty percent of the total fresh water produced in the country. Further, located within the protected area is the Acari Mountains which reaches a maximum height of approximately 1,200m above mean sea level. The Kabashen protected area has highlighted strong community stewardship as the main success component throughout its development and establishment as a protected area.
