The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has embarked on a countrywide awareness campaign aimed at making biodiversity a household name.

The EPA has planned a series of workshops to sensitise the various biodiversity-rich regions of Guyana as to the true meaning and value of the environment.

For those who are still a little hazy on the subject, biodiversity is pretty much everything around you. The grass, the trees, the birds, the fish, the animals, the people, the rivers, the soil, waterfalls, you name it - it's probably biodiversity. It's living things and the places in which living things do their business. All the more important, then, that we look after it otherwise we won't be able to do our business.

The first of the workshops opened at the Ocean View Hotel, Liliendaal on Friday. In attendance were Executive Director of the EPA, Per Bertilsson; Minister of Agriculture, Navin Chandarpal; and several representatives from regional democratic councils, Iwokrama, the National Agricultural Research Institute and the Natural Resource Agency.

The EPA Biodiversity Development Specialist, Ramesh Lilwah, enthused about the recent drive towards educating the public on the invaluable importance of Guyana's biodiversity.

"It's been great so far," he said. "Today we have had some very good presentations - particularly concerning the issue of EIAs [Environmental Impact Assessments]."

One of the EPA's main drives on the coastal region has been to ensure proper and safe practice in establishing, constructing and operating any business that may affect the environment. An EIA is a necessary tool for examining such issues.

"EIAs are more relevant on the coast than in other regions as most of the development takes place here," Lilwah continued, "and agriculture is very important also.

"But the overall idea is to increase awareness as to the uses of biodiversity, its importance in context and its value.

"We will be taking these workshops around the country so that people can recognise the value of biodiversity," he concluded.

Presentations on topics such as Legislation and Biodiversity (Jeanenime Munroe-Forde), Agricultural Biodiversity and Conservation (Dr Indjarit Ramdass, EPA), and Biodiversity and Environmental Impact Assessment (Paulette Bynoe, UG) were given throughout the workshop which concluded in a working group session.

This session highlighted incompatible land use, lack of awareness, the social value of biodiversity and a lack of due attention to environmental issues by adults.

The EPA awareness campaign has also included programmes on solid waste and coastal zone management.