The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) celebrated the opening of its new office today in Palmalmal, Pomio, East New Britain, marking an important step forward in community-led conservation efforts in the Pacific region. The new office based in Palmalmal will serve as a base to support conservation initiatives that protect both Pomio’s unique ecosystems and biodiversity and the cultural heritage of its communities.
The opening of the office which is situated in the Pomio District Administration Complex was attended by the Pomio District Administrator, Mr. John Liskia, members of the Pomio District Development Authority, local community leaders, and representatives from WWF-Pacific, WWF-International and WWF-Belgium.
Pomio, known for its ecological richness and deep-rooted traditions, is home to over 11,000 square kilometers of pristine rainforest, unique caves, vibrant coral reefs, and countless unique species, many not formally documented. Recently, WWF and community members working with Fiji-based photographer Tom Vierus photographed for the first time the New Britain Goshawk (Accipiter princeps), locally known as ‘keango’ or ‘kulingapa’. The bird of prey is found only on the island of New Britain in Papua New Guinea. The last documented scientific record of the bird was from 1969.
