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Environment and development in coastal regions and in small islands |
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Environment and development in coastal regions and in small islands |
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CSI info 7
SUSTAINABLE COASTAL DEVELOPMENT:
COMMUNICATION AND EDUCATION IN NAMIBIA
Augustinus
Ucham, Ministry of
Environment and Tourism, Namibia
INTRODUCTION
I am an Information Warden employed by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism in Namibia, stationed at Swakopmund in the Erongo Region.
My main duty as Information Warden is to provide a link between my Ministry and the various communities in the Erongo Region. This is done in order to fulfill and achieve the Ministry’s objectives as stated in its mission statement.
The following methods are used:
In the Namib-Erongo Region, the Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project is funded by the Danish Cooperation for Environment and Development (DANCED). It concentrates on the management of the area, giving support to the Ministry of Environment and Tourism.
As part of this DANCED has funded an environmental awareness project to address the major conservation issues related to the coastal zone.
The major conservation problem along the west coast is the threat to various endangered species and to the ecology, caused by an increase in recreational activities, especially off-road driving. A desert environment is fragile and once it is destroyed it may never recover. People think they can drive where they like; quad bikes and 4x4 vehicles are a major problem in the area. It is difficult to enforce legislation.
The following draft copy of the pilot project awareness report from the Coastal Zone Management Project provides more information.
PUBLIC AWARENESS
Introduction
A public awareness programme was conducted over a 2-month period with the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) as the principal stakeholder organization responsible for the protection of the environment, together with other major stakeholder institutions involved in the integrated coastal zone profile.
The principal objective of the programme is to make an analysis of awareness needs related to the coastal zone profile, and in response to this, produce an awareness campaign central to the coastal zone profile.
Definition
Public awareness in this instance is understood in its broadest sense to encompass any means through which information is disseminated to a given public. This includes talks, speeches, meetings, workshops, newsletters, press releases, information displays, pamphlets, posters, fliers, magazines, booklets, books, the use or production of radio, television, video, newspapers, the use of the Internet, as well as theatre, dance, art and public performances.
Overview
In the project area, the stakeholders consulted have expressed enthusiastic support for the concept of integrated coastal zone management and have agreed that public awareness is an important ingredient to its success. They also support the need for better communication and co-operation between institutions in order to address issues that are common to all.
The public in general and particularly the increasing number of tourist and recreational users on the coast remain relatively unaffected and ill informed about the need for protection of the natural environment and unaware of the damage that they are causing to the fragile desert environment with their quad bikes, four wheel drives, dune skiing, jet skiing etc.
The lack of information is not simply an awareness problem. Part of the problem stems from the fact that there is a good deal of ambiguity as to what people should or should not do and what kinds of messages ought to be disseminated to the public.
However, very few stakeholder institutions have taken the responsibility to educate the public about these matters. There are no media departments and few information or awareness personnel amongst stakeholder institutions. Similarly, these institutions are poorly equipped to mount awareness campaigns or to produce the kinds of technical resources (pamphlets, information signs, videos etc.) needed to tackle major public issues.
Recommendation
As coastal zone development increases, so does the need for better public information and better communications. Awareness must be seen as an important tool in the management of the coastal zone.
Awareness and the ministry of environment and tourism
MET has been active in providing consistent and effective environmental awareness and educational programmes in the Erongo Region. Public awareness is seen and practiced as an essential and important part of the work done in the region.
However, the Ministry has few trained staff, limited access to funds and few resources.
Education programme
Tertiary education slide talks
MET conducts occasional classes with slides, talks and outdoor visits with trainee student teachers from the local college. They also provide similar sessions for a tour operators’ course.
Schools programme
Officers give talks including slides and videos in coastal and bush schools. They also provide half-day excursions to places of interest, e.g. lichen fields, salt works, dunes and the Swakop River.
During the last four months an information officer has visited up to 30 schools in the region. (Some of these bush schools are up to 500 km away.) Usually he gives a talk to the whole school followed by more specialized work with student environmental groups. Similarly, he has conducted clean-up campaigns on the coast.
Public lectures
Most nights over the Christmas period, from 15/12/97 to 2/2/98, an information officer conducted a series of public lectures and video screenings along the coast at Jakkalsputiz, Mile 72 and Mile 108. Usually there are about 30 to 50 people, filling the tent to capacity. There is a need for new programmes.
These kinds of awareness programmes require considerable time and dedication especially since most of the work is done outside normal working hours.
In the past, MET has used a large and heavy video projector. The acquisition of a light portable video projector for use in schools and for public meetings would be a great help.
Signs, flyers and pamphlets
Although some very effective informational materials are produced by MET, there is need for more.
National parks
There is a tourist drive in the Namib section of the Namib Naukluft Park with numbered attractions and an accompanying pamphlet. The pamphlet works well.
The natural stone and timber signs in the park work well and fit with the natural environment.
