Empowering Communities, Strengthening Reefs: Uniting voices for coral conservation in Fiji

WCS recently hosted a three-day workshop in Labasa, bringing together community leaders, government officials, and NGOs to strengthen coral reef conservation efforts. Participants explored current policies, shared Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), and collaboratively developed strategies to enhance reef resilience. The workshop emphasized community-driven solutions and the integration of local voices into national conservation strategies.

14 Sep 2024

Author: Neelam Bhan

WCS recently led a three-day workshop in Labasa from the 3rd to the 5th of September, aimed at strengthening community voices for coral reef conservation.

This workshop brought together community representatives from seven provinces, along with government officials from the Department of Environment (Ministry of Environment and Climate Change), the Ministry of Fisheries and Forestry, and the Ministry of Itaukei Affairs, as well as representatives from NGO WWF Pacific.

An understanding of current coral reef conservation policies was provided through presentations, highlighting existing policies and community responsibilities.

The workshop enabled participants to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats related to coral reef conservation within their communities. Local strengths and areas for improvement were recognized, empowering participants to explore potential opportunities for enhancing reef resilience.

The integration of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) was emphasized in a session led by Professor Joeli Veitayaki. Discussions focused on the importance of TEK and its role in informing national governance and conservation strategies. Communities shared their own TEK, showcasing traditional practices and knowledge that have been passed down through generations.

The workshop concluded with a collaborative visioning exercise, allowing participants to define and strategize a shared vision for healthy and thriving reef ecosystems. Through group activities, aspirations for coral reef conservation were articulated, and actionable strategies to achieve these visions were developed.

This workshop was funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Coral Reef Rescue (CRR): Resilient Coral Reefs, Resilient Communities Project, implemented by WWF-US, with the University of Queensland as the Lead Executing Agency and WCS as the National Technical Facilitator in Fiji.

The insights from these discussions will significantly contribute to the ongoing efforts of the GEF CRR Project, ensuring that community voices are heard and integrated into the development of the national action plan for coral reef conservation.