Biodiversity and Natural Resources Management Project, Technical Support for Preparing a National Strategy and Public Awareness Action Plan

Agrin provided co-management of this study, as well as expertise on public relations, stakeholder analysis, communication, environmental education, environmental awareness and biodiversity. Key activities, which the firm has contributed are;

• Building awareness and support at the national level among selected key stakeholder groups and the general public of the needs and opportunities for biodiversity conservation in Turkey through making a design of an implementable targeted public awareness and communication strategy and action plan
• Capacity building of designing and preparing awareness raising activities on the national level
• Sharing know-how with stakeholders on the local level through visits to three pilot areas.
• Building on present knowledge and strategies
• Identify key constraints for conservation and sustainable management of biodiversity resources caused by lack of awareness
• Identify the need of information on biodiversity conservation of each national stakeholder group
• Identify the present and potential role of specific stakeholders (in particular multipliers) in raising environmental awareness
• Integrating formal and adult education into the public awareness and communication strategy
• Identify cost-efficient mechanisms of educating the general public about the value of biodiversity conservation.
• Identifying international partners for the implementation and financing of the Public Awareness Strategy.
• Ensure that the Biodiversity Awareness National Strategy and Action Plan is integrated into relevant programmes.
• Provide the best internationally available know-how that fits the institutional, cultural and socio-economic context of Turkey.

To achieve above activities Agrin has participated meetings with more than 50 stakeholders including the ones in the three pilot project areas; organized 4 workshops and 7 focus group meetings with the participation of representatives from a wide range of public organizations, media, universities, business sector and NGOs.

4 Workshop ( each with 40-60 participants )

• 1^st workshop on participatory approach
• 2^nd workshop on interactive, practical environmental education
• 3^rd  workshop on using the media for biodiversity awareness raising
• 4^th  workshop on designing environmental awareness raising campaigns and fund raising

7 Focus Group Meetings (each with 15-20 participants) with the participation of following sectors;

• Education
• Media
• NGOs
• Business
• Tourism
• Governmental Institutions
• Academia

and

1 Conference for identification of national and international donors.

Agrin has also arranged a survey with limited number of stakeholders, to observe the public knowledge on importance of biodiversity and natural resources conservation. Finally, the firm has organized a Donor’s conference, seeking for the interest of potential national and international donor organizations, which may provide assistance for the implementation of the Action Plan.