Sophia Point will help transform research in Guyana and facilitate advances vital in the fight against climate change, biodiversity loss and the spread of zoonotic disease. 

Our aim is to add Guyana to the global community of forestry, anthropology, climate change, genetics and public health experts. We will reduce cost, ease access and provide a partner for external experts to ensure research is as easy and impactful as possible. 

The site is uniquely suited to conduct research in a number of areas of contemporary study. Potential themes of research include:

• Climate and carbon storage | Sophia Point offers a reference point to study carbon storage as well as comparing with disturbed and regenerated areas nearby.

• Biodiversity | High levels of ecosystem integrity and limited past research at Sophia Point provide opportunity to study unexplored diversity of species in the area.

• Water quality | The site sits at the confluence of three rivers. Upstream mining activities offer opportunity to study impacts on water quality as well as sociological studies of the gold mining frontier communities.

• Genetics and disease | The largely undocumented genetic diversity, coupled with a large quantity of typical zoonotic vector animals, such as bats, offer significant opportunity for genetic sequencing and zoonotic research in the field.

• Community conservation | Amerindian and non-Amerindian communities nearby offer insight into resource use and approaches to conservation.