WWF manages people rather than nature: Betts<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The idea that conservation efforts are
\nmeaningful if the \"stakeholders\", the people directly affected,
\nare involved is an underlining principle of the activities of the
\nWorld Wide Fund for Nature in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Conservation is not really about \"managing nature\" as is
\nwidely believed, it is about \"managing people's interaction with
\nnature\", said Russel Betts, who stepped down as chief executive
\nofficer of the Indonesian Program of the World Wide Fund for
\nNature (WWF-IP) this month after seven years of dedication.<\/p>\n
Conservation, after all, is not a \"top down\" issue, he told
\nThe Jakarta Post. \"Conservation requires cooperation by the
\ngovernment, people, and all other stakeholders.\"<\/p>\n
One of the programs now being carried out by the WWF-IP
\npromotes what is called the \"conservation culture\" among
\nIndonesians. It is designed to raise public awareness to the
\npoint that conservation-related issues will be just as important
\nas development issues in determining the future of Indonesia.<\/p>\n
WWF is also helping to develop an effectively managed
\nIndonesian Protected Areas System which will assure the
\nprotection of the most important elements of Indonesia's vastly
\nrich biological heritage.<\/p>\n
Its targets include assisting the government to place 10
\npercent of Indonesia's land area and 30 million hectares of sea
\narea under effective conservation management by the year 2000.<\/p>\n
WWF is also helping Indonesia comply with the terms of the
\nglobal Biodiversity Convention Jakarta signed.<\/p>\n
WWF, which was founded in 1962, has been in Indonesia since as
\nfar back as 1963.<\/p>\n
The current phase of its program, which was begun by Betts in
\n1989, focuses on the integration of conservation and development,
\nand people's participation in conservation and nature protection.<\/p>\n
WWF-IP currently has 15 field projects in Bali, Irian Jaya,
\nJava, Kalimantan, Nusa Tenggara, Sulawesi and Sumatra, run by
\nprofessional staff with relevant expertise.<\/p>\n
Betts said WWF-IP has established respectful rapport with the
\nIndonesian government and has also gained popularity among the
\npublic because of its wide range of activities.<\/p>\n
\"It is also because the importance of conservation and
\nprotection of Indonesia's natural resources and of a clean and
\nhealthy environment is increasingly recognized and accepted by
\nthe public,\" Betts said.<\/p>\n
Betts said WWF-IP is not free of problems.<\/p>\n
\"WWF-IP works within the Indonesian bureaucracy and socio-
\neconomic system, and sometimes it is difficult to obtain needed
\npermits and authorization, especially when dealing with officials
\nor special interests who do not understand the goals and
\nobjectives of WWF or who, for their own reasons, are more
\ninterested in exploiting natural resources than in protecting and
\nconserving them,\" Betts said.<\/p>\n
Many development and business activities are carried out in
\nways which are extremely damaging to the environment, he said.<\/p>\n
\"Often, this does not need to be the case, but an
\nunderstanding of environmentally-friendly development is not yet
\nunderstood well enough by many people,\" Betts said.<\/p>\n
Another problem is that much of the work of WWF-IP is carried
\nout in remote and difficult areas where traveling, living and
\nworking can be difficult, he added.<\/p>\n
The current WWF-IP program is more than 15 times larger than
\nit was seven years ago, Betts said, and less than 10 percent of
\nthe costs are covered by the WWF International Secretariat.<\/p>\n
Most of WWF-IP's funds are received as grants to specific
\nprojects or program activities from the development assistance
\nagencies of donor countries. (31)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/wwf-manages-people-rather-than-nature-betts-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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