Ecosystems of the Iwokrama rainforest reserve in Guyana have been sold off. A uk -based private equity firm, Canopy Capital, has purchased the rights to environmental services generated by the 371,000-hectare tropical forest. In return, the firm has guaranteed a "meaningful contribution' to the forest's running costs for five years.

Though value of the deal is yet to be disclosed, director of Canopy Capital, Hylton Murray-Philipson, says the funds will be used to provide livelihoods for the 7,000 indigenous people dependent on the reserve and to help support the rainforest's conservation.

Iwokrama, which means