Page 42 - IB December 2023

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People People

Dr Watling with a Kadavu Shining Parrot. Photo: Joerg Kretzschmar Netting cave bats, Sigatoka Valley, 1974
FIJI’S NATIONAL LIVING

TREASURE: DR DICK WATLING

By George Rubine and Sangeeta Rubine who live Fiji’s conservation on a daily basis.
Today, Nunia Moko, Director of NatureFiji-MareqetiViti, says
Dr Dick Watling believes that for conservation programmes that Dr Watling should be recognised as “a national treasure”
to be successful, they must “place resource owners and their for his more than 50 years of leadership and shared knowledge
needs and aspirations at their centre and train people to in Fiji and the wider Pacific region.
implement them.” She said that his contribution “reads like a conservation
Dr Watling makes his home in Fiji, but his contribution handbook - wildlife, protected area management, forest
to conservation goes far beyond the borders of this small, and mangrove ecology, invasive species management,
environmentally aware Pacific Island nation. environmental education, EIA, as well as environmental
His conviction that the best results would be obtained governance.”
from those on the ground and that conservation should be As well as founding NatureFiji-MareqetiViti, Watling
locally based was a point proved when he created NatureFiji- launched Environmental Consultants Fiji Ltd., the Pacific’s
MareqetiViti in 2006. Dr Watling served as Managing Director first Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) consultancy.
until January 2013 and currently is the Executive Trustee. It has had a significant influence in ensuring that major
NatureFiji is the most active terrestrial biodiversity developments in the country are environmentally sustainable.
conservation organisation in Fiji. It is operated entirely by He has produced illustrated nature books for children, and
local staff and compliments the country’s major international guides and scholarly works on Pacific Islands’ birds, palms and
conservation NGO agencies through its activities. other flora and fauna.
Dr Watling uses the acronym BINGOS (Big International Non- Dr Watling’s work has been recognised in the international
Government Organizations) and said that while he is grateful arena, most notably with the award of the 2020 Honorary
for the funding, he believes that their best contribution to Fiji Membership by IUCN at its ICUN Congress, an honour
is their continued work with local operators like NatureFiji, shared in that year by only three other conservationists

42 Islands Business, December 2023