The Society for the Conservation of Philippine Wetlands, Inc. (SCPW) was panelist at the WWT Global Wetland School Session of the 11th INTECOL – International Wetlands Conference on 14 October 2021. The session was aimed to gather a group of individuals that can help WWT in defining what a Global Wetland School could look like, and clarify its main aims, objectives and outcomes. Ms. Amy Lecciones, Executive Director of the SCPW shared its current project funded by the WLI-Asia Small Grants that intends to come up with a local Wetland School in the Philippines.
The SCPW is currently developing the configuration of this Wetland School including its purpose, format, content, and sustainability (business model). The SCPW Wetland School, among others, aims to provide support for people who need to build their skills and capacity in delivering wetland conservation.
Mr. Chris Rostron of WWT, who also heads the Wetlands Link International (WLI), facilitated the discussion. Other guests were: Dr James Robinson, Director of Conservation, WWT, UK (presenter); Dr Matt Simpson, Director, 35percent, UK (presenter); Melike Hemmami, Wageningen University (panel member); Mr Suh Seung-Oh, Ramsar Regional Centre East Asia (panel member); Dr. Jerker Tamelander, Director of Science and Policy, Ramsar Secretariat (panel member); Dr. Jamie Copsey, Director of Training, IUCNSSC Conservation Planning Specialist Group (panel member) and Mr. Triet Tran from the Mekong University in Vietnam.
Earlier, on 12 October 2021, the SCPW was also one of the panelists at a session organized by the Wetlands Link International. The session was titled “How on earth do we get people to wetlands?” Ms. Amy Lecciones, who represented the SCPW in the panel, shared a case study on the CLEAR Youth Ecological Camps as an effective strategy in engaging the youth in wetland conservation. She also announced that the CLEAR Youth Ecological Camp for this year will be conducted virtually for Kalayaan, Laguna, Philippines in partnership with Laguna Lake Development Authority, Unilever Philippines and the Local Government of Kalayaan.
– Caloy Quintos
