World Wide Fund versus aliens at Kutubu
By DENNIS BADI
WORLD Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) scientists predict that invasion of alien species into PNG will, if we are not careful, result in a decline in biodiversity values in forests and wetland areas.
In the past, the country’s vast forests and wetland areas formed natural barriers to invading species. Animals such as poisonous snakes or introduced plants would not have survived in the highlands. Early human migration meant our ancestors introduced alien species such as pigs and sweet potato to satisfy their needs but the magnitude and frequency of these movements were minor compared to today’s global trade, constant movement of people and increased commercial activities in often fragile environments.
Invasive species are introduced plants and animals that can rapidly expand outside their native range due to the lack of natural predators. They are unwelcome guests that pose a threat to many communities. They are also referred to by scientists as biological pollutants. Lowland plants can now be found in the highlands and vice versa. This dilemma is accelerated by global warming and huge forest loss.
Bamboo piper (Piper aduncum), a non-native plant to this country has been found in the coastal provinces of Morobe and Madang since the 1980s is now found as far as Lake Kutubu 800 metres above sea level. The piper tree rapidly invades fallow land, apparently causing almost complete exclusion of native species at some sites.
European carp (Caprinus carpio), a native of China, was introduced into the country as an ornamental and aquaculture species and now found in many rivers. Carp can live in extreme environmental conditions making it a very successful species wherever it is introduced. It is considered a pest because of its abundance and tendency to stir up sediments and reduce water clarity and destroy aquatic vegetation.
Also a danger is the Mosquito fish (Gambusia affinis), which occurs in the Kutubu area. This fish species was introduced to control mosquito larvae in streams and lakes and has now spread nationwide.
According to the list of 100 of the World’s Worst Alien Invasive Species compiled by The Global Invasive Species Database, biological pollutants have a serious impact on native biodiversity & human activities. Many of them are already found in PNG with six confirmed to exist in Kutubu of Southern Highlands.
These include the European Carp, Big leaf rope (Merremia peltata), Western mosquito fish (Gambusia affinis), pigs (Sus scrofa), house rats (Rattus rattus) and cats (Felis catus).
Some of World’s Worst Alien Invasive Species that have entered PNG territory have established their dominance with the help of humans - these species include pigs which have been part of highlands culture, while others, such as domestic cats, are used as pets to control the house rats.
Other known alien species include the breadfruit tree and coconut palm have become food sources for islanders. Such useful species become unwelcome only when they are not managed properly and their impact leads to loss of wildlife.
The increase in temperature as a result of the climate change is weakening the natural barriers to some species in the highlands provinces. Malaria bearing mosquitoes exist now in higher altitude areas, something that was unknown in the past. The range of foreign animals has expanded as they can survive now in most areas and, like invasive plants, they threaten the food security and health of many landowners who rely on their environment for survival.
Papua New Guinea, together with Congo and the Amazon, is one of the few tropical countries on earth, where forests still hold countless number of plants and animals of biological and cultural significance. In this environment of native biodiversity many developers do not have adequate policies to counter the threat of invasive plants and animals or even institute quarantine check points in their project areas.
The Kikori River Basin encompasses 2.3 million hectares from Doma Peaks in the Southern Highlands down to Kikori River delta in Gulf Province. A 1993 Conservation Needs study recommended that the area should be spared from destructive development due its very high biological values. Wildlife in the basin ranks amongst the most spectacular on the planet including the world’s largest orchid and a rich assemblage of Birds of Paradise species.
WWF has focused on working with resource owners, petroleum operator Oil Search Limited and the PNG Government to protect the remaining tracts of forest and wetlands in the Kikori Basin from illegal logging and the imminent threat of invasive species. The intrusion of invasive species will affect such fragile eco-systems.
It is important therefore that landowners are educated about impacts of their actions whilst the State and developers must be stringent in their operational policies to bring sensible development into rural areas.
State permits must be scrutinised before a stringent bidding process so that only developers who possess environmentally responsible practices are invited into the country to operate. Currently, foreign and locally owned companies are possibly more concerned about profits than the welfare of the people.
In the Kikori River Basin, WWF is embarking on an invasive species awareness campaign as part of its communications strategy. This involves a local theatre group visiting schools and villages in Kutubu with the key message that invasive species are a threat to their environment. WWF staffs educate the people and company employees using posters to reinforce the dramatic messages and their roles to help reduce or stop the spread of some of the world’s worst alien invasives.
Sensible development evolves around effective partnerships between NGOs, resource developers and the Government of PNG. In the long run this should lead to net environmental, social and economic benefits.
WWF has been working in Papua New Guinea 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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