CONSERVATION IN TROPICAL PACIFIC ISLAND COUNTRIES: CASE STUDIES OF SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMMES

Biodiversity in the tropical Pacific is seriously threatened as a result of decades of habitat destruction and degradation. Intensive conservation efforts and considerable financial investment have failed to stem this crisis. To understand better how to achieve conservation success, this paper examines six case studies of conservation area programmes in five independent Pacific Island nations: Sovi Basin Conservation Area (Fiji), Tetepare Island and Bauro Highlands Conservation Area (both Solomon Islands), Takitumu Conservation Area (Cook Islands), Pohnpei Island (Federated States of Micronesia), and Adelbert Ranges (Papua New Guinea). Four common themes emerge from these case studies: active participation of landowning communities; involvement of all relevant stakeholders; the generation of tangible benefits for landowning communities, and external support for the project over long (five years or more years) time periods. Although the socio-cultural situation differs among locations, these themes should be considered when conservation projects in the Pacific are initiated.