RCE Minna - 2019

BRIDGET AISHA LEMU CONSERVATORY AND CHILDREN’S PARK (BAL-CCP) : DESIGN AND CONCEPT
CSV
Basic Information
Title of project : 
BRIDGET AISHA LEMU CONSERVATORY AND CHILDREN’S PARK (BAL-CCP) : DESIGN AND CONCEPT
Submitting RCE: 
RCE Minna
Contributing organization(s) : 
RCE MINNA

NIGERIAN ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIETY (NES) NIGER STATE CHAPTER
Focal point(s) and affiliation(s)
Name: 
Mal. Nuruddeen Lemu
Organizational Affiliation: 
RCE MINNA
E-mail: 
nurulemu@gmail.com
Name: 
DR. ABDUL HUSAINI
Organizational Affiliation: 
NES NIGER
E-mail: 
abdulhusaini@yahoo.com
Format of project: 
PowerPoint
Language of project: 
English
Date of submission:
Wednesday, May 8, 2019
Web link: 
www.rceminna.com.ng
Additional resources: 
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BzoJ2Q76LvY_NTJ1UHVRV2d0NFdPMUp4ck1qdTVWTld5bjZz

Does this project link to any education and/or sustainable development policy or policies?: 
Yes
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
At what level is the policy operating?: 
International
Geographical & Education Information
Region: 
Africa and Middle East
Country: 
Nigeria
Location(s): 
Minna, Nigeria
Address of focal point institution for project: 
SUITE 02, IICO BUILDING, OPP. NIGER STATE SUPPLY COMPANY, MINNA, NIGER STATE, NIGERIA
Ecosystem(s):
Agricultural, Dryland, Grassland, Urban/Peri-urban
Target Audience:
Community, Higher, Primary, Secondary, Youth (Informal)
Socioeconomic and environmental characteristics of the area : 
Minna is a city (estimated population 304,113 in 2007) in west-central Nigeria. It is the capital of Niger State, one of Nigeria's 36 federal states. It consists of 2 major ethnic groups: the Nupe and the Gbagyi. The major activities of the local people is farming and hunting. Minna is about 150km to the capital city of Nigeria.
Description of sustainable development challenge(s) in the area the project addresses: 
Minna use to be a very environmentally friendly area with trees planted across streets, residential neighborhood, public and private institutions, all these was done by people that has no education and urban planning skills. More so, the traditional communities used to be well planned with access roads, drainages and adequate waste management efforts. However, these have eroded with time. The culture has disappeared now that we have better skills and manpower to deal with environmental and urban development issues to achieve sustainability. Therefore, the community tree planting project seeks to address these challenges from both environmental and urban development angle.
Contents
Status: 
Ongoing
Period: 
June, 2016 to June, 2021
Rationale: 
The concept of the BAL-CCP, initiated and promoted by Regional Center of Expertise (RCE) Minna and Nigeria Environmental Society (NES), is to provide a befitting outfit for conservatory education and promoting learning opportunities for people of all ages with emphasis on natural and traditional knowledge of plants. The park is proposed to house the major trees/plant species endemic to our region with the ultimate aim of providing a systematic compilation of the entire flora common to northern Nigeria with their local names, economic and medicinal values. Already over 200 trees have been planted of 6 different species with about 70% survival rate. The site is name after Late Bridget Aisha Lemu. B. Aisha Lemu, as she was popularly known, was an educationist and outstanding environmentalist that planted and facilitated the planting of thousands of trees during her life time. She has written many books on Islamic Education, peaceful co-existence and Moral uprightness. Hajiya, as she was fondly called by her children and close associates, would be remembered for the establishment of New Horizon College Minna. For more on Hajiya and her legacies follow this link www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aisha_Lemu.
Objectives: 
The Specific objectives of the BAL-CCP are:
1. To serve as learning hub for environmental education at both basic and advance level.
2. To serve as recreational area for both children and adults.
3. To provide avenue for connecting people with nature and enhancing the concept of sustainability.
4. To enhance community participation and raise awareness on the importance of biodiversity.
Activities and/or practices employed: 
The activities includes:
1. Planting and nurturing of 1000 fruits and shade trees and encouraging policy makers to participate in the planting by 2020.
2. Commemoration of the Annual World Environment Day (WED) Annually.
3. Communicating and interacting with local communities to own the project.
4. RCE School Clubs visiting the park occasionally
Size of academic audience: 
The site has for over 2 years attracted interests of approximately 200 students’ and lecturers.
Results: 
1. So far over 250 seedlings (both fruit and shade trees) have been successfully planted.
2. The site has been officially pronounced by the state Governor to be known as BAL-CCP.
3. The landscape design of the site has been concluded.
4. The date for the Ceremonial Opening has been schedule for this year’s World Environment Day, 2019
Lessons learned: 
Some of the lesson learned and we are still learning include:
1. There is need to always lobby policy makers and engage communities in carrying out any project within their scope of operation and localities respectively. Initially RCE Minna did not employ this tactics and most of the trees planted were loss.
2. Partnership is vital in executing such project. Because RCE Minna could not afford to cover site clearing, seedlings and the token for the maintenance and sustaining the trees alone.
Key messages: 
It is instructive to note that, the site is completely under the care of RCE Minna and NES Niger because of our continuous engagement with the area. RCE Minna has succeeded is lobbying the State government to devlare the place a conservatory park and name it after Bridget Aisha Lemu.
Relationship to other RCE activities: 
The BAL-CCP idea is a replica of the Sejahtra Forest, Tongyeong. We have enjoyed good partnership with RCE Tongyeong and one of our RCE Minna Youth Volunter in person of Ummulkhair Hussaini was sponsored by RCE Tongyeong to attend the Youth Camp. Some of her experiences was use in developing the BAL-CCP
Funding: 
The funding for this project is majorly by:
1. RCE Minna
2. NES Niger State Chapter
3. The Family of Late B. Aisha Lemu through Development Initiative of West Africa (DIWA)
4. Association of Female Appointees and Wives of Niger State Official (AFAWNSO)

Pictures:

File Name Caption for picture Photo Credit
Image icon Hon_Comm.JPG (130.13 KB) Former Niger State Hon. Commissioner of Lands and Housing Flagging up the Exercise RCE MINNA
Image icon Planting.JPG (118.94 KB) Cross Section of Participants during the planting exercise RCE MINNA
Image icon Group.JPG (126.06 KB) Group Photograph at the flag up of the project at the last WED 2017 RCE MINNA
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
(https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs) and other themes of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
SDG 2 - End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture 
Indirect
SDG 4 - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 
Direct
SDG 9 - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation, and foster innovation 
Indirect
SDG 11 - Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable 
Direct
SDG 13 - Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts 
Direct
SDG 15 - Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification and halt and reverse land degradation, and halt biodiversity loss 
Indirect
Theme
Traditional Knowledge  
Direct
Agriculture 
Direct
Ecotourism 
Direct
Forests/Trees 
Direct
Plants & Animals 
Direct
Global Action Programme (GAP) on Education for Sustainable Development – Priority Action Areas
Priority Action Area 1 - Advancing policy 
Indirect
Priority Action Area 2 - Transforming learning and training environments 
Direct
Priority Action Area 3 - Building capacities of educators and trainers 
Direct
Priority Action Area 4 - Empowering and mobilizing youth 
Direct
Priority Action Area 5 - Accelerating sustainable solutions at local level 
Indirect
Update: 
No