NACOMA addresses biodiversity challenges

The Namibian Coast Conservation and Management (NACOMA) Project, together with other  stakeholders in the Erongo region, will address the biodiversity challenges in Africa with a Coastal Biodiversity Weekend on 30 and 31 July 2010.
According to an article on biodiversity and development challenges in Africa (www.eoearth.org), one of the most important challenges is how to establish and maintain institutions that are able to regulate natural resource use within the limits without placing undue constraints on their legitimate use.
Not only is Africa facing these challenges, but the status of biodiversity is progressively declining in African protected areas according to BirdLife International.
This was clear from a report (http://afrotropical.posterous.com/birdlife-biodiversity-in-africa-is-declining) focusing on an event hosted by BirdLife in May 2010 at the CBD SBTTA 14 meeting attended by Government delegates from all over the world at UNEP Gigiri, Kenya.
According to Dr Muhtari Aminu Kano, BirdLife International’s Global Policy and Advocacy Advisor, the results of their monitoring indicated that pressure on biodiversity has increased and at the same time there had been a general increase in threats facing protected areas.
However, according to Achilles Byaruhanga, executive director of Nature Uganda (BirdLife Partner), the results has also shown that if proper management responses are put in place it is possible to improve  the state of biodiversity.
In this regard NACOMA is ahead of its time, continuously raising awareness and educating the public on the conservation as well as sustainable utilisation of the coast’s natural resources and environment.
“In line with the celebration of the International Year of Biodiversity this year, Namibia would like to contribute to raising global awareness on the appropriate conservation and utilisation of the natural resources, especially regarding our unique coastline,” says Rod Braby, coordinator of NACOMA.
The Coastal Biodiversity Weekend will be celebrated with a number of activities in the coastal towns, but mainly Swakopmund, to solicit the participation and involvement of companies, organisations and individuals to celebrate the coast’s natural biodiversity.
The biggest event is the gala evening on 30 July at the Swakopmund Hotel and Entertainment Centre which aims to draw together corporate, private companies and organisations that are serious about the coast’s biodiversity. 
With the theme: “We support the conservation and sustainable utilisation of Namibia’s coastal biodiversity”, this evening will be dedicated to the acknowledgement of people who contributed tremendously to the conservation of coastal biodiversity and who will be honoured as “Coastodians.”
The Deputy Minister of Environment and Tourism, Hon Uahekua Herunga, will be the keynote speaker at the gala evening.
Winners of the recent Schools Essay Competition for Grade 10 and 11 learners will also receive their prices.
An auction of valuable items will also take place to raise the first contributions towards the establishment of a fund for scholarships in Environmental Management and Sciences.
On Saturday the awareness campaign will be strengthened by a street procession with approximately 10 floats with learners between 11:00 and 12:00 in the main street of Swakopmund accompanied by the Namibian Navy band.
The theme of the float procession will be: “We support the conservation and sustainable utilization of Namibia’s coastal biodiversity.”
Other activities supporting the gala evening and the street procession include amongst others:  Two films of the Planet Earth Series of BBC to be screened in the Atlanta Cinema, a tidal pool tour for children between the age of three and six, a bird identification trip for interested people and a Living Desert Tour for students who are environmentally active. Public lectures by Dr Neville Sweijd on the Effects of Climate Change, Elias Nyakunu, senior lecturer: Travel and Tourism Management at Polytechnic on Biodiversity and Tourism and by John Irish on the Importance of Coastal Biodiversity, will further emphasise the importance of biodiversity and citizens’ involvement and commitment.
All are invited to attend the lectures between 14:00 and 16:00 at the Auditorium of the Fisheries Institute, Strand Street.

The Namibian Coast Conservation and Management (NACOMA) Project, together with other  stakeholders in the Erongo region, will address the biodiversity challenges in Africa with a Coastal Biodiversity Weekend on 30 and 31 July 2010.
According to an article on biodiversity and development challenges in Africa (www.eoearth.org), one of the most important challenges is how to establish and maintain institutions that are able to regulate natural resource use within the limits without placing undue constraints on their legitimate use.
Not only is Africa facing these challenges, but the status of biodiversity is progressively declining in African protected areas according to BirdLife International.
This was clear from a report (http://afrotropical.posterous.com/birdlife-biodiversity-in-africa-is-declining) focusing on an event hosted by BirdLife in May 2010 at the CBD SBTTA 14 meeting attended by Government delegates from all over the world at UNEP Gigiri, Kenya.
According to Dr Muhtari Aminu Kano, BirdLife International’s Global Policy and Advocacy Advisor, the results of their monitoring indicated that pressure on biodiversity has increased and at the same time there had been a general increase in threats facing protected areas.
However, according to Achilles Byaruhanga, executive director of Nature Uganda (BirdLife Partner), the results has also shown that if proper management responses are put in place it is possible to improve  the state of biodiversity.
In this regard NACOMA is ahead of its time, continuously raising awareness and educating the public on the conservation as well as sustainable utilisation of the coast’s natural resources and environment.
“In line with the celebration of the International Year of Biodiversity this year, Namibia would like to contribute to raising global awareness on the appropriate conservation and utilisation of the natural resources, especially regarding our unique coastline,” says Rod Braby, coordinator of NACOMA.
The Coastal Biodiversity Weekend will be celebrated with a number of activities in the coastal towns, but mainly Swakopmund, to solicit the participation and involvement of companies, organisations and individuals to celebrate the coast’s natural biodiversity.
The biggest event is the gala evening on 30 July at the Swakopmund Hotel and Entertainment Centre which aims to draw together corporate, private companies and organisations that are serious about the coast’s biodiversity. 
With the theme: “We support the conservation and sustainable utilisation of Namibia’s coastal biodiversity”, this evening will be dedicated to the acknowledgement of people who contributed tremendously to the conservation of coastal biodiversity and who will be honoured as “Coastodians.”
The Deputy Minister of Environment and Tourism, Hon Uahekua Herunga, will be the keynote speaker at the gala evening.
Winners of the recent Schools Essay Competition for Grade 10 and 11 learners will also receive their prices.
An auction of valuable items will also take place to raise the first contributions towards the establishment of a fund for scholarships in Environmental Management and Sciences.
On Saturday the awareness campaign will be strengthened by a street procession with approximately 10 floats with learners between 11:00 and 12:00 in the main street of Swakopmund accompanied by the Namibian Navy band.
The theme of the float procession will be: “We support the conservation and sustainable utilization of Namibia’s coastal biodiversity.”
Other activities supporting the gala evening and the street procession include amongst others:  Two films of the Planet Earth Series of BBC to be screened in the Atlanta Cinema, a tidal pool tour for children between the age of three and six, a bird identification trip for interested people and a Living Desert Tour for students who are environmentally active. Public lectures by Dr Neville Sweijd on the Effects of Climate Change, Elias Nyakunu, senior lecturer: Travel and Tourism Management at Polytechnic on Biodiversity and Tourism and by John Irish on the Importance of Coastal Biodiversity, will further emphasise the importance of biodiversity and citizens’ involvement and commitment.
All are invited to attend the lectures between 14:00 and 16:00 at the Auditorium of the Fisheries Institute, Strand Street.

The Namibian Coast Conservation and Management (NACOMA) Project, together with other  stakeholders in the Erongo region, will address the biodiversity challenges in Africa with a Coastal Biodiversity Weekend on 30 and 31 July 2010.
According to an article on biodiversity and development challenges in Africa (www.eoearth.org), one of the most important challenges is how to establish and maintain institutions that are able to regulate natural resource use within the limits without placing undue constraints on their legitimate use.
Not only is Africa facing these challenges, but the status of biodiversity is progressively declining in African protected areas according to BirdLife International.
This was clear from a report (http://afrotropical.posterous.com/birdlife-biodiversity-in-africa-is-declining) focusing on an event hosted by BirdLife in May 2010 at the CBD SBTTA 14 meeting attended by Government delegates from all over the world at UNEP Gigiri, Kenya.
According to Dr Muhtari Aminu Kano, BirdLife International’s Global Policy and Advocacy Advisor, the results of their monitoring indicated that pressure on biodiversity has increased and at the same time there had been a general increase in threats facing protected areas.
However, according to Achilles Byaruhanga, executive director of Nature Uganda (BirdLife Partner), the results has also shown that if proper management responses are put in place it is possible to improve  the state of biodiversity.
In this regard NACOMA is ahead of its time, continuously raising awareness and educating the public on the conservation as well as sustainable utilisation of the coast’s natural resources and environment.
“In line with the celebration of the International Year of Biodiversity this year, Namibia would like to contribute to raising global awareness on the appropriate conservation and utilisation of the natural resources, especially regarding our unique coastline,” says Rod Braby, coordinator of NACOMA.
The Coastal Biodiversity Weekend will be celebrated with a number of activities in the coastal towns, but mainly Swakopmund, to solicit the participation and involvement of companies, organisations and individuals to celebrate the coast’s natural biodiversity.
The biggest event is the gala evening on 30 July at the Swakopmund Hotel and Entertainment Centre which aims to draw together corporate, private companies and organisations that are serious about the coast’s biodiversity. 
With the theme: “We support the conservation and sustainable utilisation of Namibia’s coastal biodiversity”, this evening will be dedicated to the acknowledgement of people who contributed tremendously to the conservation of coastal biodiversity and who will be honoured as “Coastodians.”
The Deputy Minister of Environment and Tourism, Hon Uahekua Herunga, will be the keynote speaker at the gala evening.
Winners of the recent Schools Essay Competition for Grade 10 and 11 learners will also receive their prices.
An auction of valuable items will also take place to raise the first contributions towards the establishment of a fund for scholarships in Environmental Management and Sciences.
On Saturday the awareness campaign will be strengthened by a street procession with approximately 10 floats with learners between 11:00 and 12:00 in the main street of Swakopmund accompanied by the Namibian Navy band.
The theme of the float procession will be: “We support the conservation and sustainable utilization of Namibia’s coastal biodiversity.”
Other activities supporting the gala evening and the street procession include amongst others:  Two films of the Planet Earth Series of BBC to be screened in the Atlanta Cinema, a tidal pool tour for children between the age of three and six, a bird identification trip for interested people and a Living Desert Tour for students who are environmentally active. Public lectures by Dr Neville Sweijd on the Effects of Climate Change, Elias Nyakunu, senior lecturer: Travel and Tourism Management at Polytechnic on Biodiversity and Tourism and by John Irish on the Importance of Coastal Biodiversity, will further emphasise the importance of biodiversity and citizens’ involvement and commitment.
All are invited to attend the lectures between 14:00 and 16:00 at the Auditorium of the Fisheries Institute, Strand Street.