Culture And Communication

During the planning phase the efficacy of different strategies to manage marine resources should ultimately be assessed by their potential impact, or ability to make a difference to ecological and social outcomes. While community-based and systematic approaches to establishing marine protected areas have their strengths and weaknesses, comparisons of their effectiveness often fail to explicitly address potential impact.

In this article, I explore the knowledge and values that allowed the people of Oceania to develop sustainable use of their marine resources, followed by the demise of these systems after western colonization and the breakdown of traditional societies. The current renaissance of customary stewardship has resulted in not only more effective management, but also a cultural reawakening in many of these island nations. The integration of customary and contemporary management regimes holds great promise for reducing reliance on foreign goods and services, while also improving social cohesion.

This research focuses on coral reef health in the South Pacific region, an area of high global coral diversity. Coral reef health surrounding two study sites in Rarotonga, Cook Islands, has been assessed in areas that have not been previously surveyed. Each study site has distinct differences based upon marine management practices. Marine management practices are identified and described and some historical rea- sons as why they exist are discussed.

Though I had heard the word ra’ui, until I started working in the environment field I was not sure of its meaning. As a consequence of my work, I started to learn more about ra’ui through reading and talking to other conservationists and elderly people. Only then did I begin to understand more about this traditional practice.

Global Databases to Support ICCAs: a Manual for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities

The first ICCA Data Manual 1.0, which is a guide to those  providing data to the WDPA and ICCA Registry, aimed at local communities, Indigenous Peoples and those who work with them: http://wcmc.io/iccadatamanual

Traditional Knowledge for Adapting to Climate Change: Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage

Meeting social goals is widely considered essential for effective biodiversity conservation. The dominant approach to meeting social goals has focused mainly on support for local livelihoods, but this has often proved inadequate for achieving either social goals or conservation effectiveness. A priority for the global conservation community now is to rethink its approach to social goals. This will require a shift in framing from livelihoods to equity, where equity integrates issues of protected area costs and benefits with protected area governance.

Socio-ecological production landscapes and seascapes (SEPLS) in Africa

Mapping Traditional Knowledge Related to the Identification of Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas in the Beaufort Sea 

Pacific Islands Forum Countries Traditional Knowledge Implementation Action Plan