Clan leaders sign deal to protect their land

ABOUT 4,000 people from seven major clans in Eastern Highlands’ Miruma community are working together to preserve and protect more than 2,600 hectares of their land for future generation, following an agreement signing on Wednesday.
According to United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Society, the community signed a conservation deed to enforce their rights to protect Mt Waugareame area and preserve its biodiversity for current and future generations.
In a statement, USAID said it was working with Wildlife Conservation Society and other organisations and partnered with Miruma community-based organisation Wamiufa U5 to help protect the forest, reforest degraded lands, understand wildlife dynamics and develop conservation livelihood projects in the area.
“The conservation deed ratifies the Miruma community’s land rights to conserve and protect Mt Waugareame Conservation Area, an area of about 2603 hectares,” the statement reads.
“Through this agreement, the Miruma clan leaders have set a benchmark for similar communities to use their land rights to preserve their unique biodiversity for future generations.”
USAID deputy mission director for the Pacific Islands Betty Chung, who joined the community to witness the signing during her first official trip to PNG, said: “We at USAID want to help communities in PNG manage their customary land and sea in a more sustainable way.
“We know these natural resources are important to not only your livelihoods, but also to your cultural identity and your future,” Chung said.