SEVERAL environmental activities have been organised by the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) and a number of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to mark National Environmental Awareness Week which began yesterday and ends on Saturday, June 9.

Under the theme “Connect with the World Wide Web of Life”, the week also coincides with World Environment Day, tomorrow and World Oceans Day on June 8 — which is celebrated each year by United Nations member countries.

NEPA is urging the public to support and participate in the various activities taking place during the week.

According to NEPA, the objective of the week is to focus public attention on environmental issues in order to increase awareness and stimulate action at the local level.

The Negril Area Environmental Protection Trust (NEPT) has scheduled a series of community meetings in the parish of Westmoreland during the week. The first meeting will be held at the Sheffield New Testament Church, Sheffield, Westmoreland today starting at 7:00 pm. The second will be held at Geneva, Grange Hill on Wednesday, June 6 and the third at West End, Negril on Thursday, June 7 also at 7:00 pm.

The annual conference of the Association for Natural Resources Enforcement Trainers (ANRET) which began yesterday, will continue through to June 6 at the Trelawny Beach Hotel.

Tomorrow, World Environment Day, the Ridge to Reef Watershed Project will convent a Strategic Planning Workshop targeting stakeholders in the Great River Watershed at the Knockalva Agricultural School, Hanover. A newspaper supplement will be published in the Gleaner and the launch of the Convention on International Trade In Endangered Species (CITES) website will take place on the same day. In addition, the Portland Environmental Protection Association (PEPA) has organised a Beach Clean-up of East Harbour Portland from 12:00 noon to 5:00 pm while the Environmental Health Unit of the Ministry of Health will be engaged in a community interaction in Majestic Gardens.

The fourth Annual Coastal Conference opens at the Jamaica Conference Centre on Thursday, June 7 under the theme “From Policy to Implementation — A Programme of Action for Effective Ocean and Coastal Resources Management”. The conference will run for two days culminating on Friday, June 8, World Oceans Day. An environmental fair will be held at the Retrieve All-Age School, from June 7 – 8 at 10:00 am.

A tour of the Blue & John Crow Mountains National Park (BJMNP) and a presentation on birds will take place at Hollywell Park on June 8 starting at 8:30 am, while a bird-watch has been scheduled for Saturday, June 9 at 6:00 am.

Other activities for the week include environmental displays in parish libraries islandwide and at the Ministry of Health. Environmental videos will be shown on Coal Seas Cable Network.