This week is the 2011 National Trust Annual Workshop. The idea of this workshop is to bring together the many branches of the National Trust across Fiji for a week to present their achievements and challenges for 2011. This is important for a bigger picture understanding of how the National Trust is organized and the links that exist between the different projects. It is also a chance to share ideas so it is quite an exciting and enthusiastic atmosphere. In relation to our work project, it is useful for myself and Hannah to see what educational programs there are in, for example the Levuka Heritage Site, which could be utilized at the Sigatoka Sand Dunes in their new education centre. Our role for this week is to take minutes and prepare a report on the presentations by the end of this week to determine the key gaps in each site using the NT Strategic Plan for 2008- 2012 as a yardstick. It is quite a time- consuming task; however it is giving us a very comprehensive introduction to the NT.
Doing fire emergency planning Learning how to use a fire extinguisher
NT Staff relaxing at lunch time Park Manager (Jason) and Ranger (Salome) with the Sigatoka Sand Dunes Display
I found the article by Hau'ofa to be very insight with his assertion that development should occur from a grass- roots approach as 'only when we focus on what ordinary people are actually doing, rather than on what they should be doing, [that] we can see the broader picture of reality.' I found this particularly important when learning how the NT heritage sites are initially established. Often the NT sites are government imposed with little community involvement. This is the case for the Sigatoka Sand Dunes, which is only now, several years after its establishment, moving towards incorporating community input in initiatives such as school outreach, community workshops (on waste management and fire control) and community safety patrols. Another three NT sites Bouma, Koroyanitu and Waisali rainforests offer an alternative approach. These are 4yr long projects designed to be eventually run completely by local communities thus from the beginning the NT attempts to convey a sense of ownership upon the local landowners. The problem with the imposition of heritage sites is that whilst the conservation is aimed to preserve the unique Fijian environments for future generations this long- term planning is often not a priority for those who use the natural environment as a source of income and livelihood. The tension between conservation principles and traditional land use is most evident at the Fijian Creseted Iguana Sanctuary. The presentation by the site managers identified that the introduction of goats has become a significant threat to the iguana population, however they are also a source of livelihood for the goat- owners. The solution was very tricky! Essentially financial compensation was provided with each goat owner given $150 for each goat that was eradicated. Whilst this was the solution preferred by the goat owners I find it hard to believe that this is the most sustainable solution. I think that more research should be undertaken in maybe providing initial financial compensation, but also skills workshop to ensure that the goat- owners have alternative avenues of income.
From my experiences this week I can see myself supporting Langi Kavaliku assertion (which is supported by Anthony Hooper) that the “conceptually flawed contrast between culture and development” (pg 11) should be cast aside. The fundamental problem is when ‘development’ is reduced to only economic growth, measured by indicators such as gross national product. Instead 'development' should be incorporated by integrating culture with the economic. Joeli Veitayaki in a later chapter of the book "Culture & Sustainable Development in the Pacific" uses Fiji’s fish management as a positive example where the government has endeavoured to take culture into account in its fisheries management, marrying it with research and grass- roots participation.
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