In a LinkedIn article published Tuesday, Lauren Swaddell, an Indigenous Chamorro conservation expert and Pacific Remote Islands Coalition member, urges the Biden Administration to take the next steps in meaningful, reciprocal partnerships with Indigenous Pacific Island communities as it sets up a new name, co-management structure and expanded protections for the Pacific Remote Islands.
Swaddell names how the Biden Administration can chart a new path forward and include Indigenous communities at the decision-making table. She describes how the government can set up its management framework for protected areas. “Co-management is a pathway for shared stewardship with Indigenous communities. The Biden administration can follow the call from Indigenous leaders to create a co-management plan for the PRI.”
