Sustainable Kava Cultivation, Pacific BioScapes Programme - Vanuatu

The rapid expansion of kava farms, and the increase in market value for the plant, has resulted in an increased clearing of native forests in key growing zones. Cleared cultivation areas are now penetrating some of the most well preserved native forests of the Pacific region. To what extent this is currently impacting on biodiversity and Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) is not yet fully known, especially in Fiji and Vanuatu.Call Number: [EL]Physical Description: 1 p.

Regional Marine Protection Priorities, Pacific BioScapes Programme - Fiji, Palau and Vanuatu

The Pacific BioScapes Programme aims to identify and strengthen the management of Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA) in the Pacific region. These areas are 'sites contributing significantly to the global persistence of biodiversity’, in terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems. The KBA identification process requires a highly inclusive, consultative, and bottom-up, approach focused on the national level when proposing sites to communities.Call Number: [EL]Physical Description: 1 p.

Perceived Equity in Marine Management and Conservation : Exploring Gender Intersectionality in Fiji.

Understanding perceived equity is key, equity subjective, context-dependent and has implications for legitimacy, cooperation and wellbeing. Since gender in combination with other social characteristics, influence how people benefit or participate in management, examining perceived fairness from an intersectional perspective is crucial. Call Number: [EL]Physical Description: 10 p.

Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures: A Path Towards Equitable Biodiversity Conservation

Many people are familiar with the idea of a protected area—land or water areas set aside and kept as natural as possible, such as national parks and nature reserves. Protected areas are one of the most well-established conservation tools, playing a crucial role in protecting biodiversity. However, they often require significant political will, funding, and enforcement and do not always account for lands and waters that are effectively conserved outside of formal protection.

Enhancing coral bleaching predictive tools through integrating sensitivity to heat exposure

Predicting coral bleaching events has been key to reef conservation management efforts. Current satellite-based bleaching prediction tools offer effective regional-scale alerts of bleaching risk, but lack reliability at the reef-scale. Bleaching models focus on predicted heat exposure during summer, omitting critical factors that influence heat stress responses and the subsequent coral reef community bleaching severity. The IPCC framework however assesses the susceptibility of a system to be harmed by climate change based on exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity.

Coastal wetland resilience through local, regional and global conservation

Coastal wetlands, including tidal marshes, mangrove forests and tidal flats, support the livelihoods of millions of people. Understanding the resilience of coastal wetlands to the increasing number and intensity of anthropogenic threats (such as habitat conversion, pollution, fishing and climate change) can inform what conservation actions will be effective. In this Review, we synthesize anthropogenic threats to coastal wetlands and their resilience through the lens of scale.

Effectiveness of the world network of biosphere reserves in maintaining forest ecosystem functions

UNESCO biosphere reserves serve as learning areas for sustainable development, where preserving ecosystem functionality is an imperative. However, this critical assumption has yet to be thoroughly examined. To address this knowledge gap, we investigated differences in satellite-derived proxies of ecosystem functions in forests between inside and surrounding areas of biosphere reserves, globally.

Traditional Ecological Knowledge and practices associated with the Vanate (Raggiana Bird of Paradise, Paradisaea raggiana) along the Kokoda Track in Central Province, Papua New Guinea

Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) is lost due to the increase of urbanisation, and the lack of transfer of this knowledge to younger generations. Aims. The aim of this study was to examine the TEK of the Koiari Indigenous People of Central Province, Papua New Guinea (PNG) concerning the Vanate (Paradisaea raggiana), which is the national bird of PNG. Methods. We used the mixed methods research methodology, specifically the convergent parallel mixed method design with a questionnaire.

Assessment tool addresses implementation challenges of ecosystem-based management principles in marine spatial planning processes

Ecosystem-based marine spatial planning is an approach to managing maritime activities while ensuring human well-being and biodiversity conservation as key pillars for sustainable development. Here, we use a comprehensive literature review and a co-development process with experts to build an assessment framework and tool that integrates the fundamental principles of an ecosystem approach to management and translates them into specific actions to be undertaken during planning processes.