The Cook Islands, on the cusp of making conservation history for the Pacific Islands region

Dedicated towards conserving Cook Islands biodiversity, the island nation is applying for the Takitumu Conservation Area to be recognised as an ‘Other Effective area-based Conservation Measure’.  If successful, this will be the first internationally acknowledged OECM in the Pacific Islands region. OECMs are not formally Protected Areas but are geographically defined areas that are governed and managed in ways that sustain positive and long-term conservation outcomes. Their purpose is to achieve long term and effective in-situ conservation of biodiversity outside of protected areas. 

Read More