Coastal villagers in East New Britain province have been encouraged to look after their beach fronts and refrain from throwing rubbish into the sea.
Provincial Climate Change Program Officer Maryanne Wariga said on Wednesday 16th August 2023 a clean-up program was underway in Ialakua ward, Raluana LLG in Kokopo. Malia Foundation led the program.
Wariga said under the Natural Resource Management and Development (NRDM) unit they have two programs; Climate Change and Environment management, and Conservation.
“Such initiatives are good and Malia Foundation has set an example for all coastal villagers to take part also,” she said.
Malia Foundation founder Emma Oliver said she started the program in 2020 by utilising students from the University of Natural Resources and Environment (UNRE) to visit communities and make them aware of marine conservation.
UNRE Fisheries and Climate Change students, youths and children from Ialakua participated in the clean- up. They collected used plastics, bottles and other man-made rubbish from Barovon ward beach to Ialakua ward.
