Bolo’s Journey” was launched by GIZ director, Dr. Wulf Killman, at the International Year of the Forest closing ceremony held by the Department of Forestry.
Our young people’s booklet “Bolo’s Journey” was launched at the International Year of the Forest closing ceremony, held by the Department of Forestry in Colo-I-Suva on the 20th of April.
The event, which was held within the forest park, was officiated by the Departments head staff and the chief guest was Dr. Wulf Killman from the GIZ programme at the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC).
It marked the final activity in the Department of Forestry calendar for the 2011 International Year of the Forest programme.
A new forest park trail was officially opened by the chief guest and booths by the department, South Pacific Regional Herbarium (SPRH) from the University of the South Pacific highlighted the importance of forest research and conservation.
Student representatives from primary, secondary, and tertiary schools were invited to tour the booths and listen to the talks by invited guests. Oratory contestants from these schools gave resounding speeches hearkening those present to the need to protect Fiji’s forests.
The final programme item was the launching of Bolo’s Journey, the booklet written for young people in Fiji’s primary and secondary schools from 10-19 years in age.
Production of Bolo’s Journey was funded by the Aage V. Jensen foundation under our “Creating Permanent Forest Estates” project, in collaboration with Birdlife International (BI).
The 44-page booklet describes plants and animals and habitats found in Fiji’s unique forest ecosystems. It also introduces students to information on forest dynamics and the ecology of some of Fiji’s forest species.
In his launch speech, Dr. Wulf Killman described the booklet as a first of its kind and “well illustrated”.
He went on to say that he hopes that “the booklet reaches as many members of its target audience” and that it will encourage young people to “join local conservationists in learning more about Fiji’s forests”.
Bolo’s Journey has already been distributed to many of our target audience as part of our PFE advocacy campaigns on Viti Levu, as well as during membership drives at events such as the Agricultural Show held annually by the Ministry of Primary Industries.
As fitting its purpose, five books were handed out to each of the schools present at the IYOF closing ceremony.