Southern Leyte Coral Reef Conservation Project Open Day
Added to website: 27 July 2003
On the 20th July 2003, sixty children, aged six to fourteen, and teachers of the Bontoc Central School participated in an Open Day organized and run by Coral Cay Conservation (CCC), the award-winning premier British coral reef and tropical forest conservation organization. The event was held at the Southern Leyte Coral Reef Conservation Project (LRCP) base in Malitbog and was attended by the Mayor of Bontoc, the Honourable Peter Fustanes, and by members of the local and regional media.
CCC is a UK-based, not-for-profit, Non-Government Organization whose mission is to provide resources to help sustain livelihoods and alleviate poverty through the protection, restoration and management of coral reefs and tropical forests. Since 1995, CCC has worked with the Philippine Reef and Rainforest Conservation Foundation Inc (PRRCFI) and local communities to survey and safeguard reef and rainforest areas in the Philippines. To date these have included coastal regions of the Southern Negros Occidental, Anilao, Palawan, Danjugan Island and the forests of North Negros. CCC relies on International Volunteers to assist in the collection of scientific information that is used to produce habitat maps and provide management recommendations to local project partners.
At the invitation of the Provincial Government of Southern Leyte CCC begun its survey work in Sogod Bay in September 2002. CCC is conducting a 3-year collaborative programme to survey the region’s coral reefs and provide training and conservation education opportunities for project counterparts. The aim is to develop local capacity and ensure the long-term protection and sustainable use of marine resources throughout Southern Leyte.
The Philippines is renowned for its rich marine environment but with as much as 97% of its reefs at risk, immediate conservation action is needed. Children living in coastal areas are recognised as the future stewards of their marine resources and CCC is working closely with this local stakeholder group to raise awareness and increase understanding of the need for greater conservation efforts in the Philippines.
The event was a daylong affair, which began with the children being divided into four groups and rotating between various activities. These included; ‘Understanding Coral Reef Ecology’ lessons, a fish drawing session and a video that exemplified the negative impacts destructive fishing practices (like dynamite and hookah fishing) have on to the visual and ecological viability of the coral reefs in the Philippines. In the afternoon, various marine science displays allowed the children to learn about the fauna and flora found in their own ‘backyard’. CCC Volunteers and staff also demonstrated the use of SCUBA equipment used by CCC in their survey dives and the children were supervised on a practical snorkelling exercise to observe fish and invertebrates in their natural reef environment. To end the highly enjoyable event, CCC Volunteers performed a puppet show entitled “Fred - the fish”, which told the story of how the careless actions of humans can destroy corals (and the marine species they support) and how we each have a responsibility towards these environments to ensure their long-term survival.
Given the great success of the Open Day, Coral Cay Conservation plans to host monthly Open Days for other schools in Southern Leyte, at the Happy Dove base in Malitbog.
Stephan Becker
Expedition Leader
Southern Leyte Coral Reef Conservation Project
