NFMV releases Fijian version of the Sustainable Resource Management DVD

The SPC/GTZ DVD of the Drawa Sustainable Resource Management Model has been reproduced in the Fijian language for NFMV’s Permanent Forest Estates Project.

In 1994, The German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) established a regional Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) and Sustainable Land Management (SLM) project.

In collaboration with the Fiji Department of Forests, the SPC/GTZ Pacific German Regional Forestry Project established a model site in Drawa in Vanua Levu.

The Drawa Sustainable Resource Management Model documentary
The Drawa Sustainable Resource Management Model documentary

From 1994 to 2008, the SPC/GTZ project team worked with government stakeholders and landowners of the Drawa block on building their capacity to sustainably manage their forests and agricultural land.

This project demonstrated that landowners can be trained and inspired to conduct sustainable forest management and sustainable agricultural practices; and is an inspirational case study to other landowners who were not aware that they could attain this capacity.

The results and lessons learnt from the project on the Drawa block have since been incorporated into the new Fiji Forest Policy (2007) by the Fiji Department of Forests; and a documentary on the project has been produced by SPC and GTZ.

Through the Aage V. Jensen Charity Foundation funded project, on ‘Creating Permanent Forest Estates for Fiji’s biodiversity and people, NatureFiji-MareqetiViti and BirdLife International have facilitated the translation of the documentary into the Fijian language.

The documentary is part of the awareness materials package that NFMV distributes to mataqali who have been selected for the Permanent Forest Estates awareness campaign.

Other materials that have been translated into the fijian language for this project include the Fiji Forest Policy Statement Summary, the Department of Environment’s booklet on biodiversity; and an information booklet and five posters produced by NFMV and project stakeholders.

One of the five posters produced in the Fijian language and distributed during the awareness campaigns
One of the five posters produced in the Fijian language and distributed during the awareness campaigns

NFMV and the Fiji Department of Forests completed the first round of awareness campaigns in Vanua Levu from August to September this year. The project will continue the awareness campaign on Viti Levu in 2011.

NFMV and BirdLife International sincerely thank SPC and GTZ for approving the reproduction of their documentary and technical support; Aage V. Jensen Charity Foundation for funding the project; the Fiji Department of Forests, Fiji Department of Environment, The University of the South Pacific (South Pacific Regional Herbarium), Native Lands Trust Board, Fijian Affairs Board, National Trust of the Fiji Islands, Tomaniivi Nature Club and other project stakeholders for their technical and logistic support.

Reports on the project progress can be obtained from the NFMV Secretariat.