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By LYDIA KAIA and DENNIS BADI
IN SOUTH central New Guinea lays a vast, low-lying coastal
region of grasslands, savannas, wetlands and monsoon forest,
covering more than 10 million ha and straddles the borders
of Papua New Guinea and Indonesia.
Some of the largest and healthiest wetlands in Asia-Pacific
are found here, thriving in an area sparsely settled by
humans but actively used by countless species.
This is the TransFly, in the Western Province home such
unique wildlife as marsupial cats, endemic flying possums
and birds of paradise.
Last year, local communities from Aramba, Tonda and Weriaver
areas in region celebrated the declaration of the creation
of three new wildlife management areas in the region in a
bid to protect some of Asia-Pacific’s most expansive and
unique wildlife habitats.
Hundreds of local tribal groups from surrounding villages
celebrated the announcement of the protected areas in a
traditional ceremony. Local community leaders, wildlife
officials took part in the ceremony, as well as
world-renowned conservationist and author Professor Jared
Diamond, and representative from World Wide Fund for
Nature(WWF) representatives, including WWF International’s
Executive Director of Conservation, Guillermo Castilleja.
The declaration of the new Aramba, Tonda extension and
Weriaver areas cover about 710,000 hectares in Papua New
Guinea’s Western Province, and joins with the existing Tonda
wildlife management area of 610,000 hectares. These areas,
ttogether with the adjoining Wasur National Park in Papua,
mean that almost 2 million hectares of the TransFly
Ecoregion will be protected.
However, this declaration is still awaiting gazettal by the
Department Of Environment and Conservation pending the
government suspension on gazettal on all protected areas.
The future of the TransFly hangs in the balance. The riches
of the area are under increasing threat from hunting,
development and invasive species introduced by settlers.
Transmigration, settlement and incoming large-scale
development are perhaps the largest threats facing the
communities, which is nestled in the heart of the TransFly
and depends on the land for subsistence.
WWF is also currently working on a transboundary
conservation and development vision for the TransFly could
assist the region to develop in a sustainable way and
prevent the environment being devastated by logging,
agricultural expansion, poaching, invasive plant
infestations and road and settlement development.”
The TransFly is a unique combination of biodiversity and
cultural values that reflects the
importance of the TransFly for local indigenous people.
“We hope that this region will soon be formally recognized
as a cross-border conservation zone to enable international
action on conservation and livelihood threats,” Said WWF
Transfly’s Ecoregion Manger David Melick .
The TransFly is one of the priority conservation areas that
WWF is currently working in partnership with local
communities, partners such as the government.
WWF is also is embarking on a new initiative through its
Kikori River Programme (KRP), where it will develop an
Integrated Catchment Management programme that over time
will protect the biologically rich Kikori River Basin and
support the development of its human communities.
The Kikori catchment is one of the two in Papua New Guinea
and out of seven river basins in the Asia Pacific region
that WWF is giving priority to due to its significant social
and biological importance. The other is the Sepik River
Basin coordinated by the WWF South Pacific’s Freshwater
Programme.
While, the Kikori River basin contains one of the largest
remaining tracts of undisturbed forest in the Southern
Hemisphere. It stretches from the soaring Doma Peaks in the
Southern Highlands Province to the wet lowlands of Kikori
Delta in Gulf Province.
The WWF Kikori River Programme led by Catchment officer Eric
Manasi is developing a Catchment Management Plan for the
area surrounding Lake Kutubu before venturing out to the
whole of Kikori River Basin. Currently Eric and team are
liaising with Lake communities and identifying threats to
the region and gathering baseline scientific data. They are
hoping to establish a stakeholder steering committee for
Lake Kutubu Catchment by end of 2008.
Lake Kutubu is the highest freshwater lake in Papua New
Guinea, situated at an altitude of 800 metres. The lake was
created after an early volcanic eruption blocked off a
highlands valley, resulting in the isolated evolution of its
fish population.
The lake supports an astonishing diversity of creatures,
including 12 fish species found nowhere else in the world.
The area surrounding the lake’s tranquil and clear blue
waters are smothered in closed-canopy rainforest, humid and
relatively undisturbed due to the low human population,
remoteness from major towns and ruggedness of its limestone
terrain. This forest is home to a large array of unique
species - many endangered and endemic to Papua New Guinea.
Lake Kutubu and much of the immediate surrounding area was
gazetted by the PNG Government as a Wildlife Management Area
in 1992 and is recognised as a RAMSAR Wetland of
International Importance. Wildlife Management Areas are
designed to protect the biodiversity of an area, whilst
safeguarding the culture and lifestyle of traditional
owners.
“The lake is in the middle of a Petroleum Development
Licence area and is an environmentally sensitive area
because of its natural characteristics and the various land
use and community pressures it faces”, noted Manasi. He
compiled socio-economic information and researched potential
environmental threats to the lake.
The health of Lake Kutubu is important as it influences the
health of the plants, terrestrial and aquatic wildlife that
depend on it, as well as water quality and abundance.
February 2 is World Wetlands Day, people all around the
world are celebrating the value of wetlands and making new
commitments to protect this importance source of water.
Wetlands contain more species per area than other habitats
and their effective management is an investment for people
and wildlife.
This year’s theme is “Healthy wetlands, Healthy people.”
with the emphasis placed on better Wetland and Water
Management to minimize the threats it faces and maximize its
positives.
* WWF has been working in Papua New Guinea (PNG) since
1995. Their work
Focuses on linking community action, science and effective
policy to ensure the protection and sustainable use of
forests, freshwater and marine resources across the island
of New Guinea
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