October 2007 SPREP Monthly Highlights

8th Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas Highlights special with SPREP

Conference Closing and Opening Highlights

Opening the Conference Doors

The 8th Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas opened, showcasing the heart of Papua New Guinea (PNG) culture and its people. Alotau, Milne Bay Province was the host.

It was in 1975 that participants first gathered to consider the regions conservation issues. In his opening speech SPREP Director Asterio Takesy celebrated the huge achievements that have been made since then.

“In terms of general awareness and political commitment to the interlinked concepts of conservation, environmental management and sustainable development we have achieved a great deal, both regionally and globally.”

The Government of PNG committed 1 million kina towards hosting a successful conference in a country rich in biodiversity. The total landmass of the host nation is 46 million hectares with a total forest cover of 39 million hectares (85%) of the total land mass.

Sir Paulias Matane officially opened the 8th Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas, he mentioned the special relationship between SPREP and PNG, with this year marking the 20th anniversary of his nation’s membership.

“PNG has received considerable technical and financial assistance from international donors through SPREP, and the United Nations Agencies, for activities in biodiversity conservation, research and development.”

Vibrant PNG Culture: The arrival of the Governor General Sir Paulius Matane
Photo credit: PNG Information Officer Vali Ole

Closing the Conference Doors
The Republic of Marshall Islands will be hosting the 9th Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas. Fiji is the secondary choice in the event that the Marshall Islands will not be able to host the conference in 5-years time. This was confirmed during the closing ceremony of the 8th Conference.

Prime Minister, Sir Michael Somare officially closed the meeting with words of encouragement and a challenge to appreciate the real value of oceans.

“Pacific Islands Nations have worked well together in the past and our cooperation on environmental issues has been critical for the sustenance of our communities. We can, together again, take a bold step in changing the ways in which we use and manage our oceans and its natural resources to grow our economies,” said Sir Michael.

SPREP Director welcoming PNG Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare
Photo credit: PNG Information Officer Vali Ole

Closing Ceremony Performance by the United Church of PNG
Photo credit: Jill Key

5 minutes with the Chairperson of the Roundtable for Nature Conservation

The 8th Pacific Islands Conference for Nature Conservation and Protected Areas has carved a way forward through 4 main objectives in the 2008 – 2012 action strategy. These are to identify, conserve and sustainably manage priority sites, habitats and ecosystems; to protect and recover threatened species or species of ecological, cultural and economic significance; to manage threats to biodiversity, especially climate change impacts and invasive species; to recognise that livelihoods and community development are ecologically and economically sustainable and achieves community needs and aspirations.

The Chairperson for the Roundtable of Nature Conservation, Taholo Kami said that that one of the most important things that has come from the conference is the need for more to be done with communities in the Pacific.

“If we did nothing new, just what we’re going now, there will be conservation activities happening anyway but the hope now is that there will be synergy for the basic things. There are new efforts to be made on partnerships, in getting the private sector, churches and others involved in the effective development and implementation of conservation projects. I think the best thing from this is the hope that you have inspired enough people in this conference that they want to do things to help our conservation efforts.”

The drafting committee of the conference is continuing to refine the Action strategy before circulating a final draft to stakeholders early next year. Once their comments have been taken into account the final draft will be presented to the 19th SPREP Meeting in September 2008.

SPREP Director speaks at Pacific journalist’s roundtable talks

Over a dozen regional journalists came together at the 8th Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas in Alotau. SeaWeb an environmental NGO held a reporters workshop alongside the conference, which enabled the reporters to provide regional coverage on the Pacific’s biggest biodiversity conference.

Part of the SeaWeb Pacific Journalists Fellowship Programme saw the reporters equipped with the factual information on a number of different environmental issues. Having a better understanding of how critical these concerns are to the Pacific will encourage more environmental and informed reporting.

SPREP Director Asterio Takesy was part of a ‘roundtable’ discussion of the SeaWeb fellows, along with SPREP’s Coral Reef Management Officer Caroline Vieux, and other experts. The topic of the discussion was Climate change, for which Takesy challenged reporters to write more and to spread awareness of how we can prepare, adapt and bring about positive change.

“We acknowledge the important role of the reporters, you have the responsibility to inform the community and the region of climate change and its impact. It is no longer about ‘if’ climate change is going to happen because it is here and it is happening.”

Over 40 media stories on the 8th Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected areas were filed from the SeaWeb Journalist Fellows during the conference.

SPREP Director Asterio Takesy facing the media
during the SeaWeb roundtable talks

Side events at the Conference

Over 30 side meetings were held at 2 different venues during the 8th Pacific Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas. The Pacific’s biggest biodiversity conference provided organisations the opportunity to share information on their projects and fields of expertise to over 400 participants at the meeting.

The side meetings began on Thursday the 18th of October and continued right throughout the Conference, taking place during lunch breaks and in the afternoons. All side events contained information that helped generate awareness and contributed to the discussion of the main Conference and its theme ‘Conservation serving communities in a rapidly changing world’.

SPREP Officer Vainuupo Jungblut was responsible for coordinating the logistics of the side events in Alotau, a number of which are being facilitated by SPREP staff and covered topics such as Invasive Species and the launch of the 2008 Pacific Year of the Reef.

“It was a great turn out for most of them and they were good as they created a timely opportunity for networking, the sharing of information, experiences, lessons learnt and for the promotion of projects and programmes that had a direct link to the conference. I’m happy with their success.”

For more information on these contact SPREP’s Associate Ramsar Officer, Vainuupo Jungblut.

2008 Pacific year of the Reef information session

‘ Strong reefs, strong islands’ is the slogan that will encompass the 2008 Pacific Year of the Reef. The year will see SPREP launch a number of different activities, several of which include school competitions, posters, stickers, fact sheets, DVD, postcards, information booklets as well as World Environment Day activities. SPREP understands the importance of working in partnership with Pacific people at all levels: regional, national and communities for a successful campaign.

SPREP’s Coral Reef Management Officer, made public these 2008 campaign plans during the 8th Pacific Islands conference in PNG. She also made a presentation of the PYOTR Campaign plan to the students of Education Milne Bay.

“Reefs are important as protectors of the islands and community against storm surges and providers of food and income for the communities. We’re really hoping that the communities will get behind us in this and work with us in saving our coral reefs, as it will take a regional effort to save our reefs.”

For more information on the Pacific Year of the Reef contact Caroline Vieux.

Biodiversity talks held during 8th Pacific Islands Nature Conservation Conference

SPREP and the CBD Secretariat called a 1-day meeting before the start of the 8th Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas. 7 Pacific islands countries were represented at the meeting that was designed to find themes to further progress National Biodiversity Strategy Action Plans (NBSAP’s), which will be addressed at a future regional NBSAP workshop to be held next year.

“NBSAPs provide direction for all stakeholders to address biodiversity conservation issues collectively. Biodiversity and livelihoods are very closely linked, it’s the NBSAP gives the direction for everybody to look after their biodiversity and in turn, maintain their livelihood.” Said Ana Tiraa, SPREP’s Island Biodiversity Officer.

The National Biodiversity Strategy Action Plan (NBSAP) has been developed in all, but 3 of the SPREP member countries. However 2 countries are in the process of developing theirs. An NBSAP is a National Plan to guide the biodiversity initiatives within each country that has signed the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD). Tuvalu, Nauru and the Solomon Islands are currently completing their NBSAP’s with assistance from SPREP.

For more details contact Ana Tiraa.

Eleanor Carter making a presentation at the side event

The launch of GEO4

Environment for development’ is the theme of the Global Environment Outlook (GEO4) that was launched during the 8th Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas.
SPREP is a partner to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and has helped prepare pacific information for the Global Environment Outlooks in 1999 and 2005.

The GEO4 outlook contains a wealth of global information, all of which leads to one main message for the human population: ‘Our common future depends on our actions today, not tomorrow, or some time in the future.’

SPREP’s Environmental Officer Tepa Suaesi would like to see the report be taken seriously by everyone including those in the community level he has labelled the GEO4 as a ‘wake up call’.

“It’s important that people at the grass roots level try to link their understanding of what is happening in the global environment to what they do at home, because its global knowledge that largely now defines what we use, and how we live our lives in our homes. We must all educate our children, as it is that generation that will be deeply effected by the environmental trends shown in GEO4.” You can access the Global Environment Outlook 4 online.

For further information please contact SPREP’s Environmental Officer Tepa Suaesi.

Marine Managed Areas in the Pacific

A side meeting organised by the SPREP’s Coastal Management Adviser Dominique Benzaken during the 8th Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas, saw 9 Pacific nations share experiences, challenges and identify priority actions to progress establishing Marine Managed Area’s (MMA’s)

SPREP is currently developing a regional framework to support the national implementation of MMAs in Pacific countries. This will help protect the marine biodiversity and ensure sustainable use of marine resources.

There were a number of different challenges raised at the meeting which ranged from a lack of recognition by government and the community of the contribution of marine conservation networks to national and local well being and economy; to the limited understanding of value of traditional knowledge and practices to support MMA development and implementation.

“One thing countries said should happen is to encourage the setting of National targets for Marine Protected Areas as some countries have already done such as the Micronesia Challenge and the Phoenix Islands Protected Areas,” explained Benzaken. “Other countries now realise that this is important, to set a policy framework and move these issues”

For more information contact SPREP’s Coastal Management Adviser Dominique Benzaken.

Marine Managed Areas Side event

Climate Change and Biodiversity study for Melanesia

Melanesia is at the center of a 2-year study that looks at climate change and biodiversity. The project is 1 of 7, worldwide, to develop a picture of the vulnerability of important biodiversity hotspots.

SPREP in partnership with the Bishop Museum is carrying out the project in Melanesia, funded by the MacArthur Foundation.

The study has 3 components, which combined, looks at the ecological impacts, the socio economic impacts and the institutional capacity that the countries have to address the issues over a long-term period. The information from the project will inform the development of long-term adaptation strategies for Melanesia.

The 8th Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas was the 1st opportunity to receive feedback from an expert workshop on the known information on ecological impacts of climate change in Melanesia held by the Bishop Museum in September 2007.

A side meeting convened by Bishop Museum Dr Allen Allison and his team and SPREP’s Coastal Management Adviser Dominique Benzaken, also presented the participants with the next step of the study.

“What struck us as important is the current information that is out there is quite scattered and it really needs to be put together so that we can know what the impacts of climate change will be for Melanesia.” Said Benzaken

For more information on this study please contact Dominique Benzaken.

Island Life Image Competition

The winners of the Island Life Image Competition launched by SPREP to encourage people to send in pictures of how biodiversity supports livelihoods, identities, culture and economy, come from the same school in the Cook Islands.

Marino Evans (1st placing) and Chelsea Bullivant (2nd placing) come from Te Uki Ou School on Rarotonga. The school was also awarded a prize for their effort in the competition, which sent in over 25 entries.

“We’re really pleased by the efforts of this school, as they really pulled together to send pictures and explanations of how biodiversity works in their lives.” Said Kate Brown Vitolio, SPREP’s Action Strategy Adviser. “We thought it fitting that we award the school prize money for their resources and hope that this will encourage other schools to enter in similar competition initiatives that spread awareness on our environment.”

Brown Vitolio would like to acknowledge all those who submitted entries for the competition, saying the judges found their role difficult due to the high standard of image content. Marino wins 200USD, Chelsea won 100 USD and the School was awarded 300 USD for resources.

The competition was to celebrate the 8th Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas – Congratulations to the winners and all those who entered!

The Lifestyle of the Cooks
Marine Evans Aged 10
1st Placing

The Tree of Life
Chelsea Bullivant Aged 11
2nd Placing

Fa’fetai Lava for reading this E-Newsletter

Please send your comments to Nannette Woonton or contact SPREP

by phone: (685) 21929, fax: (685) 20231 or mail: PO Box 240, Apia, Samoa.