Nature Park marks World Environment Day

Weekender

Over 2,500 people descended into Port Moresby Nature Park on Saturday, June 2 to celebrate World Environment Day in a new event partnership with UNDP and the Conservation and Environment Protection Authority (Cepa).
More than 20 organisations from government, corporate and charitable sectors held colourful, interactive and informative displays aimed at providing valuable tools to visitors on simple ways we can improve and support the environment.
The UN-declared theme for this year’s World Environment Day ‘Beat plastic pollution’, which was evident throughout the day with many stalls emphasising the need for people to say no to plastic.
The Nature Park recently banned plastic bags from all its shops in a bid to support the Environment Minister’s calls for businesses to start taking responsibility for plastic waste in PNG.
This is the sixth year that Port Moresby Nature Park has hosted World Environment Day but the first year that UNDP and Cepa have come on board as partners, with both commenting on the day that the public turnout had been great and that celebrating World Environment Day amongst the Park’s beautiful gardens was the perfect choice.
A number of activities were also on show throughout the day including fashion show called “Waste to Art” by exciting new design label Budu Bawe, and movie screening of ‘Into the Jungle’ a film highlighting the success of protected areas in the Torricelli Mountain Range in preserving Weimang and Tenkile tree kangaroos via the Tenkile Conservation Alliance.
The Nature Park pleased the crowd with a number of animal talks in addition to face painting, colouring activities, Facebook selfie competitions and giant insects constructed Kreative Kanaka studios using by recycled materials.
Multiple prize draws and giveaways were awarded throughout the course of the day by participants which included: Tenkile Conservation Alliance, Brian Bell Group, Help PNG, Eco Services, PNG Forest Authority, KK Kingston, Kreative Kanaka, Love Your Coast, PNG Environmental Solutions, RSPCA of PNG, Solar Solutions, Sustainable Coastlines, Tru Gas PNG, UPNG Environmental Science Students, The Nature Conservancy, PNG Biomass, Climate Change Development Authority and PNG Red Cross.
Michelle McGeorge, general manager for Port Moresby Nature Park, summed the day up nicely by saying, “World Environment Day is about us taking time to get back to nature, to remember that we are the custodians and must support a healthy environment by making positive choices.”