BY LYNTON AARON FILIA
SECRETARIAT of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) has established an environment information centre at the Barana community.
The information centre will be used for disseminating information relating to environment while visitors in-country and out-side country access the Barana Community Nature Park.
The centre is also a hub for trainings and awareness for the Banara community.
SPREP Country Manager Mr Fred Siho Patison explained the building is not a SPREP administration block but an environment information centre.
He said it is a central place for Barana community to do trainings, store awareness materials and also making decisions.
He also adds it is a hub for information about environment and one stop-shop for eco-tourism for over sea visitors who need information before doing any expedition or hiking around the nature park.
Patison said such information centre is very important as it will contain crucial information relating to waste management, climate change and environment related issues in Solomon Islands, Pacific and globally.
It will come in a form of pamphlet, booklet, posters, research, reports, photos and videos, he said.
“We want to build the information centre in a long term one, so we want the government to come and support us,” Patison said.
Chairperson for Barana Community Nature Park Mr Willie Besi said the community has appreciated the SPREP’s initiative to establish an Environment Information Centre and the Nature Park.
He said such initiative will educate people more on ecosystem and raise awareness to see importance of environment and forest towards livelihood of the Barana villagers.
SPREP is an intergovernmental agency which Solomon Islands is also a member country.
