Biodiversity Protection Efforts in Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea together with the West Papua Province of Indonesia (New_Guinea)make up a major tropical wilderness area that still contains 5% of the original and untouched tropical high-biodiversity terrestrial ecosystems "^[1]. However, PNG in itself contains over 5% of the world's biodiversity in less than 1% of the world's total land area "^[2]. PNG boasts some 15-21,000 higher plants, 3,000 species of orchids, 800 species of coral, 600 species of fish , 250 species of mammals and 760 species of birds and 8 species of tree-kangaroos "^[3], out of which 84 genera of animals are endemic. Ecosystems range from lowland forests, montane forests, and alpine flora and coastal areas which contains some of the most extensive pristine mangrove areas in the world. New Guinea, located just north of Australia, is the worlds second largest island, having become separated from the Australian mainland when the area now known as the Torres Strait flooded around 5000 BC. The name Papua has also been long-associated with the island: this is discussed further under... Broadly, a wilderness area is a region where the land is left in a state where human modifications are minimal; that is, as a wilderness. ... New Guinea, located just north of Australia, is the worlds second largest island, having become separated from the Australian mainland when the area now known as the Torres Strait flooded around 5000 BC. The name Papua has also been long-associated with the island: this is discussed further under... Lesser Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea minor) The fauna of New Guinea comprises a large number of species of mammals, reptiles, birds, fish, invertebrates and amphibians. ... Lesser Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea minor) The fauna of New Guinea comprises a large number of species of mammals, reptiles, birds, fish, invertebrates and amphibians. ... Lesser Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea minor) The fauna of New Guinea comprises a large number of species of mammals, reptiles, birds, fish, invertebrates and amphibians. ... Species About 9; see text. ... The Independent State of Papua New Guinea, often referred to by just the initials, PNG, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea (the other half is the Papua province of Indonesia). ...

Biodiversity Value

Even though this biodiversity is on just 1% of the world land mass, it has both global and local value. Within the country, about 79% "^[4] of the PNG population depend on the biological resource to sustain their physical, spiritual and social livelihoods"^[5] "^[6]. The value of biodiversity is the main revenue raiser that is sustaining the modern PNG economy. Children dressed up for sing sing in Yengisa, Papua New Guinea The culture of Papua New Guinea (PNG) is many-sided and complex. ... Overview Papua New Guinea is richly endowed with natural resources, but exploitation has been hampered by the rugged terrain and the high cost of developing infrastructure. ...

Legal Frame Work for Conservation

The PNG government recognized the relationship between the people and nature and at independence, provision was made in the constitution for “…all necessary steps to be taken to give adequate protection to all our valued birds, animals, fish, insects, plants and trees”"^[7]. . Currently, biodiversity is explicitly protected by the following legislation: Fauna Act/1982 , Conservation areas Act/1980, 1992, the Crocodile Trade Act/1982 and the International Trade Act/1982 "^[8]. The Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) is the government agency responsible for biodiversity conservation. Papua New Guinea (PNG) is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy. ... DEC, dec or Dec may refer to: December - a month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar Department of Environment and Conservation Digital Equipment Corporation - a computer and technology company, now part of HP Declination - a term from astronomy Diethylcarbamazine - a drug commonly used to treat infections by filarial parasites...

The PNG government’s effort to conserve biodiversity is supported by international environment conservation Non Government Organizations(NGO's) . The government research organizations tend to place emphasis on species with economical value to PNG. The NGOs, on the other hand are the driving force for biodiversity conservation for the sake of conservation. The major international NGO's assistng in biodiversity conservation include; Conservation International[1]; The Binatang reseach centre [2], Wildlife Conservation Society [3], WWF [4]and nature Conservancy [5]. NGO is an abbreviation or code for: Non-governmental organization Nagoya Airport (IATA code) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

Status of Biodiversity Protection

The effort by the PNG government to protect biodiversity has resulted in 44 existing terrestrial protected areas using the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) categories"^[9]. . These protected areas occupy 1.6% of the total land area. A study of biodiversity "^[10], identified a further 398 areas as candidates for conservation. This would increase the total protected areas to 16.8% of the total country area. PNG also has two RAMSAR sites. The World Conservation Union or International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) is an international organization dedicated to natural resource conservation. ... Ramsar (in Persian: رامسر) is a town in Mazandaran province of Iran, at the Caspian Sea. ...

Included in the PNG protected area list, but not formally recognized by IUCN is the terrestrial wildlife management area(WMA)"^[11]. WMA is an Integrated Conservation and Development Project (ICAD)"^[12], which seeks to conserve biological diversity by involving landowners. The idea behind the project is that income generating activities, from the biological diversity would encourage people living in these areas to conserve, because such projects would link the value of these resources to living standard and also access to markets. The progress of WMA’s is yet to be evaluated.

Apart from local conservation efforts, PNG is also a signatory to international conventions and treaties. These international treaties include "^[13]. The International Plant protection Convention (1951),The Convention on the prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and other matter (1972); The convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES); The RAMSAR Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (1992); Convention on Biological Diversity (1992) and the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals. PNG is also in partnership with other nations in the Oceania region and is a signatory to the regional convention, The Convention on Conservation of Nature in the South Pacific (APIA Convention). The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, popularly known as the International Seed Treaty, is a comprehensive international agreement in harmony with Convention on Biological Diversity, which aims at guaranteeing food security through the conservation, exchange and sustainable use of the worlds plant genetic resources... Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping Wastes and Other Matter (London Convention) note - abbreviated as Marine Dumping opened for signature - 29 December 1972 entered into force - 30 August 1975 objective - to control pollution of the sea by dumping and to encourage regional agreements supplementary to the Convention... The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is an international agreement between Governments, drafted as a result of a resolution adopted in 1963 at a meeting of members of the World Conservation Union (IUCN). ... Ramsar (in Persian: رامسر) is a town in Mazandaran province of Iran, at the Caspian Sea. ... The Convention on Biological Diversity is an international treaty that was adopted at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. ...

Threats to the Conservation Efforts

Despite the provision for conservation in the legal framework, conservation efforts are threatened by two factors. Firstly, PNG raises all her revenue from the extraction of natural resources, as such economic development projects have always taken precedence over environmental protection. Secondly, the increase in human population (3.2 % children per child bearing female)"^[14] has increased the per capita consumption of the biological resources. These two processes threaten biodiversity with overexploitation, habitat degradation and pollution "^[15]. But the good thing is that, the legal framework for conservation is already in the constitution, and this should empower responsible agencies to carry out enforcement and regulation activities to ensure that PNG does not compromise her natural resources for environmental degrading development projects. Furthermore, there is a countrywide need for information distribution so that the local people are aware of the detrimental effects of activities that will reduce the resources for future use. Habitat destruction is a process of land use change in which one habitat-type is removed and replaced with some other habitat-type. ... Water pollution Pollution is the release of environmental contaminants. ...

References Used

1. ^ Mittermeier, R. A., N. Myers, J. B. Thomsen, G. da Fonseca, A,B, and S. Olivieri. 1998. Biodiversity hotspots and major tropical wilderness areas: Approaches to setting conservation priorities. Conservation Biology 12:516-520. http://www.jstor.org/cgi-bin/jstor/printpage/08888892/di995184/99p0314x/0.pdf?backcontext=page&dowhat=Acrobat&config=jstor&userID=96cb0255@anu.edu.au/01cc99332300501b1bfc6&0.pdf
2. ^ AUSAID, 2005, Australian Government Overseas Aid Available at http://www.ausaid.gov.au/country/png/png_intro.cfm
3. ^ Newell G.R., 1999. Australia's tree-kangaroos: current issues in their conservation. Biological Conservation, Elsevier Science 87, (1), pp: 1-12. Available at http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/els/00063207/1999/00000087/00000001/art00052
4. ^ Papua New Guinea Development Report, 1998, Office of national Planning, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea http://www.undp.org.in/hdrc/APRI/NHDR_Rgn/Papua%20New%20Guinea/
5. ^ Sillitoe P., 2001, Hunting for Conservation in the Papua New Guinea Highlands. Routledge 66, (3)365 –393 http://taylorandfrancis.metapress.com/media/mgljqklxtkvm6334gt7r/contributions/y/f/r/g/yfrg153q210t7f08.pdf
6. ^ Kwapena, N. 1984. Traditional conservation and utilization of wildlife in Papua New Guinea. Environmentalist 4, supplement 7:22–26.
7. ^ Ericho J.1998. Lessons from Crater Mountain ICAD Project and Some Suggestions. (Eds Saulei M.A and Elis J). The Reports of Matupore Conference: ICAD Practitioners’ views from the field. DEC and UNDP Rome: 168-173.
8. ^ JICA, 2002. Country Profile on Environment in Papua New Guinea Planning and Evaluation Department Japan International Development Cooperation Agency. Available at http://www.jica.go.jp/english/global/env/profiles/pdf/02.pdf)
9. ^ http://earthtrends.wri.org/pdf_library/data_tables/Bio2_2003.pdf
10. ^ Nix, H.A., D.P. Faith, M.F. Hutchinson, C.R. Margules, J. West, A. Allison, J.L. Kesteven, G. Natera, W. Slater, J.L. Stein, and P. Walker, 2000. ‘The BioRap Toolbox: A National Study of Biodiversity Assessment and Planning for Papua New Guinea.’ Canberra: CSIRO Press.
11. ^ http://earthtrends.wri.org/pdf_library/country_profiles/bio_cou_598.pdf
12. ^ West, P. 2006. Environmental conservation and mining: Between experience and expectations in the Eastern highlands province. The Contemporary Pacific 18:295-313.
13. ^ http://www.ciesin.org/docs/008-127/008-127.html
14. ^ http://www.nso.gov.pg/Pop_Soc_%20Stats/popsoc.htm
15. ^ Forester, D. J., and G. E. Machlis. 1996. Modeling human factors that affect the loss of biodiversity. Conservation Biology 10:1253-1263.