Social-marketing – what you need to know in 20 minutes!

SAMOA CONSERVATION SOCIETY members are invited to attend a short seminar by Steve Menzies on social-marketing.

Social marketing has been used in successful campaigns such as getting people to buckle up in their cars, reduce litter and increase recycling in some communities. The conservation world is embracing social marketing as a way to find solutions to on-going challenges. If we can identify what makes people act or react positively – then we can build solutions to encourage this behaviour. Steve will be able to tell us more and an opportunity to ask questions…such as will it work for us?

Something about Steve:

Former SPREPPIE, Steve, spent five years (2007-12) working for the UK’s National Social Marketing Centre, a world-leader in the development and promotion of evidence-based behaviour change programmes. He has now designed social marketing campaigns and training pro­grammes in more than 30 countries including China, Vietnam and Jordan. Now an independent consult­ant based in New Zealand, Steve’s clients currently include: the World Health Organisation; the World Bank; the World Meteorological Organisation; the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, SPC and USAID. Steve is also a member the organizing committee for the bi-annual international social market­ing conference hosted by the University of South Florida.

Join us at the SPREP Compound from 12.00pm this Thursday 29th January, 2015. Contact your SCS Secretary for more information – posas@sprep.org or tel. 66276

 

 

Planning for the future of Samoa’s biodiversity

MEMBERS OF THE SAMOA CONSERVATION SOCIETY participated at the national consultation on Samoa’s national biodiversity strategy and action plan (NBSAP).

The NBSAP stakeholder consultation was held at the Tanoa Tusitala Hotel, Apia yesterday, 22 January 2015 and was attended by government departments, civil society and non-governmental organisations, private sector and other interested groups.

The consultation aimed to engage relevant stakeholders in providing their views and contributions on biodiversity targets for Samoa over the next five years. Five overall goals were agreed to for the NBSAP, which are aligned closely with the Aichi Targets, as agreed to by countries party to the Convention of Biological Diversity.
Participants worked on the goals such as addressing the underlying causes of biodiversity loss and mainstreaming biodiversity across government and society. Other goals include promoting sustainable use, safeguarding species, genetic diversity and ecosystems and building capacity.

Building of capacity, especially of village chiefs and other community leaders was seen as important to allow them to fully participate, engage and oversee projects that take place in their villages.

Participants worked in five working groups to refine some of the actions, indicators and identify key partners that will spearhead the implementation of the NBSAP.

The Samoa Conservation Society members participated in all of the five working groups and were able to make a pledge for SCS to be a key partner to the Government in the implementation of this strategy and action plan.

The current work by SCS on Saving the Manumea and other threatened species makes it a key and active stakeholder in this national consultation.

Samoa to review NBSAP

JOIN US this coming Thursday 22nd January 2015 at the  Tanoa Tusitala Hotel in Sogi, Apia from 9.30am to review Samoa’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP). The NBSAP is the overall guiding document or plan to chart an environmentally sound and socially just direction for development in Samoa.

Samoa’s NBSAP is our response to the global call following the Earth Summit held in Rio in 1992 for all nations to seriously consider the environment (and the people) in all development initiatives. Samoa’s first NBSAP was developed in the late 1990s and was endorsed by the Government in 2001. The Government is current updating the NBSAP and is encouraging all interested stakeholders to provide comments and inputs toward this process.

Despite efforts by governments, communities and partners, global biodiversity continues to decline and degrade at an alarming rate. Samoa’s biological diversity faces the same scenario with many of our species declining and becoming locally extinct (e.g. one species of giant clam – faisua – and our swallow-tail butterfly – pepe ‘ae).

This Thursday 22nd January, 2015 is an opportunity to work together with the Government, communities and many of our partners toward a sustainable future for our species and our islands.

If you wish to attend this – please contact Juney Ward as soon as possible. If you are interested in any of the documents relating to Samoa’s NBSAP – please contact the Samoa Conservation Society Secretary (conservesamoa@gmail.com).