|
Goals of the BEATRA Program for Environmental Communication
 |
| Dan Brinkmeier and Prince Kaleme present communications approaches at a December, 2001 workshop. (© 2001 J. Bates) |
Training and outreach is focused on three important groups that are critical for the development of successful conservation programs in eastern DRC. These groups are the local community (including villages and secondary schools), the technical staffs of CRSN, CRH, and Kahuzi-Biega, and undergraduates from the region’s colleges. Through financing from the German agency GTZ, a number of successful programs already exist for elementary schools and local communities. Radar Nishuli, coordinator of public outreach for Kahuzi-Biega National Park, has directed these programs. Our work will augment these existing projects to involve the stations and their staff.
The specific goals are:
A. Improving appreciation and conservation of biodiversity at the local community level.
 |
| Examples of environmental communication material created by Dan Brinkmeier. (© 2001 J. Bates) |
The success of any research station or national park lies to a large extent with the support of the local community. The regions around CRSN and CRH are densely populated rural areas, including the borders of Kahuzi-Biega National Park and the Itombwe Massif. CRSN and CRH are accessible to the public, and the CRSN library may be one of the best in all of central Africa; however, the stations have had no funding during the long political conflict. A goal of this part of the project is to strengthen the public outreach activities at both stations through training and capacity building with institutional staff and to work with existing biology programs at local universities.
Continue to more Environmental Outreach
|
|
|
|
