Planning/Workshop on Developing a National Wetland CEPA Action Plan
The Philippine focal points for the Ramsar CEPA Programme: the Society for the Conservation of Philippine Wetlands, Inc. (SCPW) (for non-government concerns) and the Protected and Wildlife Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Environment (for the government), had been holding CEPA (communication, education, participation and awareness) activities directed at promoting the conservation and wise use of wetlands.
This year, in time for the celebration of World Wetlands Day on 02 February 2005 at the Visitors’ Center of Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Nature Center, a National Workshop was conducted to craft the first draft of the National Wetlands CEPA Action Plan. Key stakeholders nationwide was invited to the workshop.
The need to have a National Wetlands CEPA Action Plan is recognized so that all CEPA activities will be done in a more strategic manner in order to be more effective in catalyzing change towards promoting the conservation and wise use of wetlands on a nationwide scale. The formulation and implementation of National Wetlands CEPA Action Plan is viewed as an intervention that would not only reduce conflicts over wetland resources, but also increase the number of advocates, actors and networks involved in the issues, and build an informed decision-making and public constituency.
The product of the workshop will then be subjected to consultation and will be put online (this site) for comments and discussion. The final version is aimed to be completed in November 2005.
Poster Exhibit
At the lobby of the Visitors’ Center, an Exhibit of Entries to the Design Competition on Developing Lumban Delta as an Eco-Tourism Site was set up. This was in support of the design competition organized by the Architectural Students Association of the Philippines – University of the Philippines – Diliman Chapter, in partnership with SCPW. The competition was participated by 35 groups of architecture students from various architecture schools in Luzon. The winning entries will be part of the exhibit in the coming 10th Living Lakes Conference in May 2005 at Tagaytay City, and will later be donated to the Municipal government of Lumban.
more on the Design Competition >>
