Finally some good rainforest news that involves empowering local peoples to benefit from standing ancient rainforests, rather than logging them a bit more carefully. The Wai Wai of Guyana have chosen to benefit from intact, standing rainforests. Their massive region covering some 625,000-hectares (1.54-million-acres) on the northern border of BrazilÂ’s Pará state has been declared Guyana’s first Community Owned Conservation Area. With the assistance of Conservation International, the Wai Wai are “building a ‘conservation economy’ based on the sustainable use of their natural resources. The plan will create jobs from conservation activities, such as newly trained para-biologists working with researchers to assess the territoryÂ’s flora and fauna, and local rangers patrolling the area. Other economic activities include ecotourism and expanding the traditional Wai Wai craft business.” And a heck of a lot of carbon is going to stay right where it is.