Vatu-i-Ra Conservation Park has been dubbed as Fiji’s biggest conservation park covering an area of 110 square kilo­metres.

This was confirmed by the Wild­life Conservation Society Director Sangeeta Mangubhai during an interview at the launching of the park yesterday at the Ra Provincial House in Nanukuloa village, Ra.

“The tourism sector had come to­gether with the local communities and what they have done was set up a large conservation park and now it is the largest conservation park in Fiji,” Ms Mangubhai said.

Speaking to the people of Nakoro­tubu, Ms Mangubhai said the Vatu-i-Ra Conservation Park together with the Namena Marine Reserve in Vanua Levu make up 21,000 hec­tares of the total 26,000 hectares of Fiji Conservation Parks.

Permanent Secretary for iTaukei Affairs Naipote Katonitabua urged the local communities and share­holders from the 28 villages in the Nakorotubu District in the Province of Ra to be mindful of the impor­tance of safeguarding their natural asset.

“The Government, through the Na­tional Green Growth Framework for Fiji and the five years and 20 year National Development Plan is committed to this vision,” Mr Katonitabua said.

He said the Fijian Government acknowledged that this could only be achieved through the fundamen­tal principle of partnerships, also mindful that sustainable develop­ment, dictated an inclusive ap­proach.

“I urge you all to continue to work together and to respect the manage­ment decisions of the Conservation Park,” he said.

He thanked all the stakeholders and investors and encouraged them in working together in safeguarding Fiji’s biggest conservation Park.

Edited by Mohammed Zulfikar

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