VIISAUS has played a pivotal role in climate advocacy by collaborating with global and continental stakeholders. In our latest initiative, we partnered with IDH, an organization committed to transforming landscapes through global collaboration, to launch a collaborative advocacy campaign in the communities surrounding the Okomu Forest Reserve in Edo State, Nigeria. This partnership aimed to foster a community-driven approach to sustainable conservation.
Through a range of activities, including awareness-raising campaigns and strategic meetings, we employed rigorous methods to convey our conservation message. As a result of our efforts, we achieved a 40% increase in awareness and knowledge of forest management among host communities within the Okomu landscape. Additionally, we observed a 25% surge in the willingness of community members to actively participate in conservation initiatives.
Key Facts:
- Okomu is the largest remaining rainforest in southwest Nigeria.
- It is home to a viable population of the rare white-throated guenon (Cercopithecus erythrogaster), an endemic monkey species in southwest Nigeria, and several other species of international concern.
To learn more about the process and outcomes of this collaborative effort, click the link to watch a full documentary on our YouTube channel: [Watch the Documentary Here