Communities empowered to manage

In this day and age when population is increasing and resources are becoming scarce, there is need to protect endemic, critically endangered and threatened species of plants and animals and conserve what little is
available so stocks can replenish.
In Papua New Guinea the most effective way for environmental protection and conservation is through locally managed conservation areas whether on land or sea. This is where local communities that own these resources and have vast traditional knowledge of conservation and protection put into practice this knowledge alongside scientific knowledge to effectively manage their resources.
The Center for Environmental Law and Community Rights (CELCOR), a public interest legal NGO, is working with rural communities to educate them about their basic human and resource use rights so they can be
empowered to manage their own resources without being bothered by undue foreign influence.
Through its flagship programme, Community Legal Education, CELCOR conducts environmental law and ecological awareness workshops, paralegal training, conflict resolution and management, including environmental monitoring and assessments to develop a team of capable community members who would respond to the needs of environmental defence.
One community that CELCOR is helping to protect and conserve its marine environment is from M’Buke Island in Manus.
In 2004, the people of M’Buke established the Marine Resource Awareness Team (MEART), as a community-based organisation and began carrying out environmental awareness in M’Buke and nearby islands.
The objective of MEART was to make people aware ofenvironmental degradation that was happening around them and for their own people to take ownership, and care for the environment.
As an island community dependent on the rich marine life around them, MEART realised the need for a locally managed marine area (LMMA) in M’Buke
Island where locals would take the lead to protect and conserve their environment and seek help from organisations that could help them achieve their dream.
In October 2017, CELCOR conducted a community legal education workshop at M’Buke
Island where 29 people attended.
The topics covered during the workshop included an introduction to law, Government of PNG, landownership and management, customary landowners, conservation and management of environment, use and management of nonrenewable natural resources, use and management of renewable resources, climate change and practical information on police arrests and need for a legal representation.
The information received from the workshop further strengthened their drive in establishing a LMMMA and MEART in consultation with the chiefs and M’Buke community, has expressed their interest for CELCOR to review their by-lawson the LMMA.
It is anticipated that once CELCOR has reviewed the by lawsthe draft LMMA would be passed through the local level government and that would eventually empower M’Buke people to sustainably manage and conserve their marine environment.