GUYANA and Suriname-two nations on the way to becoming major off-shore oil producers-share the characteristics of hav-ing close to 90% of their land masses covered by virgin rainforest and unusually low population densities.Both are valued carbon sink nations, and both face similar environmental challenges with illegal gold mining and logging.Oil revenues and increased access to financing have the potential to play a major part in what happens next.In Guyana's case, for example, paving the jungle track to the border town of Lethem could open up a corridor for agricultural produce from Brazil.Such improved links will bring many benefits, but they could also make it easier for illegal loggers and miners to go about their business-and increase land-use pressure on Guyana's unique Rupununi savannah.
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