Description: The project focused on increasing local awareness about endangered marine life and ecosystems by equipping the community with skills for active involvement in observing and gathering data. It adapted the “Hei Moana” educational kit for various audiences, targeting marine turtles, mammals, and coral reefs, offering tailored training sessions and animations. Activities encompassed turtle recognition, marine mammal data collection, eco-tourism-linked observations, and raising awareness about coral reef threats, culminating in the establishment of a participatory network for reef and sea level rise monitoring. Successfully raising awareness among diverse local groups, the initiative reached thousands in public events and trained 250 eco-sentinels. Notably, it instigated a shift towards eco-responsibility and community engagement, fostering a citizen science approach using the “Hei Moana” kit for species identification among non-experts. Moreover, the project highlighted the effectiveness of group discussions, especially with elderly individuals and fishermen, emphasizing its capacity-building impact and community involvement in marine conservation efforts.
Duration: 12 months
