Students mark biodiversity day
New Hope Academy School Students in Honiara had a rare opportunity in marking the International Biodiversity day this year, an annual event commemorated globally
on 22nd May.
The students participated in tree planting, learning seed nursery, and other social activities involving local timber type identifying, ball throwing and sliding games using
varieties of local domestic timber species.
Japanese International Corporation Agency (JICA) volunteers at the Ministry of Forestry and Research together with staff of the Botanical Garden Section jointly organized the one-day event.
The International Day for Biological Diversity is a United Nations–sanctioned international day for the promotion of biodiversity issues. It is commemorated annually on May 22. The International Day for Biological Diversity falls within the scope of the UN Post-2015 Development Agenda’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Chief Forester Botanical Garden Section, Christina Gabuvai says whilst the biodiversity day covers a broader aspect of the environment, forests is one part of it and that is the very essence why their division together with the JICA volunteers mark this year’s commemoration.
1. Ms. Christina Gabuvai demonstrating tree planting to New Hope Academy students in marking the 2024 Biological Diversity Day.
She says what they have tried and intend to do is educate the younger generation to understand the importance of biodiversity, forest conservation and preservation through simple practical education that fits their understanding.
“It is indeed vital that we start teaching our young generations of these importance, inserting local knowledge like that at such young age basically we are shaping and nurturing them their understanding of the surrounding biodiversity and of course their country’s forests,” she adds.
Ms. Gabuvai says she hopes this sets the basis for any other schools in the country willing to integrate such out of class learning to work closely with them going forward not only on such events.
3. JICA volunteer Ms. Kaori Kimura engaged New Hope Academy students on local timber species identification.
Ms. Kaori Kimura, a JICA Volunteer with the Utilization Division has helped in this year’s marking of the international biodiversity day stresses the importance of understanding local knowledge on timber species as very important.
She says she is happy to be part of this year’s commemoration, especially in engaging the young students of New Hope Academy.
ENDS//
– MoFR PRESS