RIYADH, 26 April 2004 — The National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development (NCWCD) has launched an awareness campaign for protected areas in cooperation with the Ministry of Education.
The commission is carrying out programs for students and teachers after a request by Education Minister Dr. Muhammad Al-Rasheed.
The program was held at Harrat Al-Harrah protected area. “Students are the future of wildlife conservation and development,” NCWCD Secretary-General Dr. Abdul Aziz Abu Zinada told Arab News.
The commission has chosen secondary students from leading schools in the region for the project. Programs will include lectures, competitions among the students and field visits to the protected areas.
The students also met the rangers in the protected areas and the pilots of the aerial patrol teams.
The secretary-general said the campaign would advocate the cause of conservation and sustainable development among children.
The commission continues to face problems like illegal hunting, overgrazing, illegal logging and pollution. “We feel that this type of program will help reduce these problems and pave the way for better management of protected areas,” he said.
