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Highlights of key Activities, Achievements and Plans
People and governments of the Albertine Rift are faced with many external pressures and needs, often driven by short-term benefits. Low awareness at all levels and understanding of stakeholders' Knowledge, Attitudes and Perception (KAP) is a major challenge. Awareness and Best Practices (ABP) Programme aims to inform governments, communities private sector and civil society about the importance and status of natural resources in the region, to promote and demonstrate sustainable actions for natural resources and to monitor threats and factors driving changes in order to guide decision making and future efforts. It is important to use environmental education in concert with other strategies and interventions that may more directly address some of the key identified barriers to behavior change. This is why ARCOS links awareness to its capacity building activities, conservation action and promoting alternatives for local communities.
Promoting sound decision-making and awareness raising for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and natural resources is one of the key objectives of ARCOS. Governments and relevant authorities, community and civil society need to take specific actions to protect critical sites and to adopt appropriate national policies and legislation. To implement this, ARCOS has produced and widely disseminated materials targeting different audience in the region: bilingual -English and French- newsletter (Backbone and "Le Pilier") and bilingual Fact Sheets.
Through funding from the Tropical Rainforest Programme of the Netherlands Committee for IUCN and WWF Forest for Life Campaign, ARCOS has compiled a status report on "Albertine Rift Montane Forests Site Profiles" describing the conservation status, challenges and opportunities of montane forest conservation in the region. Regular update of this information constitutes an important source for the production of policy-targeted documents for decision-makers and the general public so as to raise awareness on the conservation and sustainable use of Albertine Rift Montane Forests.
Future plans on awareness raising and promoting best practices during the period 2006-2010 will focus on the following:
 Develop a communications strategy for effective dissemination of conservation information to
the general public (including media),
Sustain regular production of ARCOS Newsletter ("Backbone" in English, "Le Pilier" in French) and website
Produce and disseminate effectively awareness materials (video documentaries, etc.) and
organise seminars and workshops for awareness raising in the region,
Promote and support model activities and best practices and facilitate experience sharing
within the region.
Enormous efforts will be needed over the next years to develop a range of creative strategies and new methods for sharing lessons learnt from diverse sites across the region. This will require capacity development at all levels, from local to national and regional level and across all stands of society. Promoting community-based programmes and integration of socio-economic and human needs in the conservation and sustainable use of key ecosystems in the region mainly forests and freshwater, and sharing best practices are key areas that ARCOS plans to concentrate on more in the future.
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