KSNP for Ramsar – Developing a CEPA Outreach Programme for MNS members and local communities

14/10/2014

“The GEF Small Grants Programme(GEF SGP), implemented by UNDP”

Kuala Selangor Nature Park (KSNP) will function as a Wetlands Education, Resource and Training Centre for Communities to train MNS members and targeted local communities along the coast and interior wetlands of North Central Selangor. This would hopefully lead to ways to improve the protection and conservation of wetlands in the area. Post project, it is envisaged that the renewed interest, outreach, training, promote CEPA activities and facilities will result in follow up activities that will lead to a national facility focusing on wetlands conservation and education. This Centre will complement MNS’s role as NGO-CEPA focal point in accordance to the proposed elevation of KSNP as a Ramsar Site (target date: 2015).

The relevance of this project to the GEF SGP Country Programme Strategy is to build up capacity of communities, strategically position civil-society participation and leadership, and strengthen the sustainability and replicability of the project. The project is in line with the national programme of coastal mangrove restoration, peat swamp conservation and riverine biodiversity conservation supporting the National Policies on Biodiversity (1998 currently revising) and Wetlands (2004). The project promotes activities related to wetlands of global importance and regional waterbird migratory routes of which Malaysia is a signatory to the Ramsar Convention and a partner to the East Asian-Australasian Flyway respectively. Locally, the project supports the Selangor Water Board’s (or LUAS) efforts in Integrated Coastal Management and Integrated River Basin Management by generating awareness and involving the local communities in-situ. At a district level, the project supports the Kuala Selangor district local plan as an important agricultural cum fisheries and ecotourism district. It supports the empowerment of other CBOs, local agro- and ecotourism cooperatives, and links with private sectors initiatives like the HSBC’s project on ‘water and mangrove restoration’ and Ricoh’s project on ‘bringing back the birds’ currently conducted at KSNP.

The objective of the 18 month project:

1.0 Development of a Wetlands Training and  Education Center for communities promoting CEPA activities

2.0  To create a nursery for wetlands restoration

3.0  To establish a wetlands training programme for communities

Please go to www.mnswetland.weebly.com for more details and updates on this programme.

For further enquiries: please contact hod.conservation@mns.org.my or conservation2@mns.org.my