Papua New Guinea adds 12 new protected areas

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Papua New Guinea adds 12 new protected areas
WWF news release
November 4, 2005

Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea The government of Papua New Guinea announced today that it will gazette 12 new protected areas covering some of the country's most biologically diverse forests, wetlands and coral reefs.

The proposed protected areas are in Madang, the Sepik River, Mount Bosavi (Southern Highlands and Western Provinces), and the TransFly (Western Province), which together will add a further 771,451ha to Papua New Guinea's protected area system — an increase of almost 50 per cent.

"This is the most significant expansion of our protected area system this decade," said Papua New Guinea Environment Minister William Duma.

"We are very proud of the efforts of landholding communities who requested protection of their land and congratulate the non-government organizations and companies who have assisted them."

As all the protected areas are owned by local communities, management practices will be developed and run by the communities themselves. The protected areas will promote the sustainable use of wildlife and its habitats for subsistence and cash income, as well as strengthening land rights and cultural sites.

"We hope these proposed protected areas will help some of the country's least developed communities to improve their livelihoods," added Minister Duma. "They have been established for many reasons, including increasing fish stocks, ensuring sustainable harvest of animals and forest products, clarifying land boundaries, drawing tourists and protecting sacred areas."

Key forest stats for Papua New Guinea:

67.6% of Papua New Guinea's land area is covered with forest according to FAO figures from 2000
Papua New Guinea lost an average of 113,000 hectares of forest per year between 1990 and 2000
Papua New Guinea's average annual deforestation rate was 0.4% between 1990 and 2000

Nominating communities were recognized by WWF with certificates of conservation leadership given by WWF International Director General designate James Leape.

"This is an important step in protecting one of the world's great environmental treasures," said Leape.

"Papua New Guinea has the largest block of tropical rainforest in the Asia Pacific, the largest and healthiest wetlands in the region and some of the richest coral reefs on the planet, but these are under intense pressure from unsustainable fishing and logging."

Papua New Guinea currently has one of the lowest coverage of protected area of any country. Only 2.7 per cent of the country's land area and 0.07 per cent of its territorial waters are included in protected areas.

Papua New Guinea forest profile

The island of New Guinea, the second largest in the world, has one of the last great expanses of tropical rainforest. Although much of this area is still untouched and in some remote regions natives may have never seen a white-skinned person, the rainforest is rapidly being developed. Each year 20,000-30,000 ha are cleared totally and permanently: 50% for agriculture, 25-30% for industrial logging, and the rest for infrastructure. However, up to 100,000 additional ha are affected by selective logging. continued...

The government has committed to protecting 10 per cent of the country's land in protected areas by 2010 and 10 per cent of its marine areas by 2012. The 12 additions will bring the current protect land total to around 4 per cent. The government is also proposing a Protected Area initiative, with support from community organizations, landowners and donors, to ensure that the 10 per cent target is reached.

"A global effort is needed to support the remarkable effort now underway to protect and manage Papua New Guinea's environment and promote sustainable natural resource industries," added Leape.

"WWF will be committing its resources to this and we call on governments and donors in the region and around the world to assist."

This is a modified press release from WWF

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