USAID LGP supports Marine Protected Areas Regional Exchange Workshop
News Highlights October 19, 2023
The United States Agency for International Development’s Lukautim Graun Program (USAID LGP) works to preserve, save and protect Papua New Guinea’s rich terrestrial and marine resources whilst promoting gender equity and sustainable livelihood programs.
With funding support from USAID LGP, Conservation and Environment Protection Authority of PNG successfully hosted the 9th Marine Protected Areas Regional Exchange workshop in Port Moresby on the 11th-12th, October 2023. The regional workshop was attended virtually by Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Solomon Islands and Timor -Leste who are member countries of Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reef and Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF). The workshop provided the platform for participants from six member countries to share ideas and discuss challenges faced in their efforts to preserve and protect marine resources in their respective countries.
USAID LGP Chief of Party, Tom Pringel officially opened the workshop. Mr Pringel said despite PNG not having more human resources in the marine conservation sector, the few the country has produced, continues with the marine conservation efforts.
“Marine activities in the country is supported by very few. Human Resource is lacking there, we don’t have that much marine biologist unfortunately, so our marine protected areas don’t really amplify that much but I’m so thankful that although we have small group here, we have very highly knowledgeable, qualified people who have been through the process of biodiversity conservation,” said Mr Pringel.
Representatives from community-based organisations and marine conservationists from Autonomous Region of Bougainville, Milne Bay, Manus, New Ireland flew in, to attend the workshop. Julie Hulama, Program Management Specialist for USAID said “one of our (USAID) project activity under LGP is to strengthen community based natural resource management at the clan level so that we can reduce biodiversity threats. We give recognition to the CBOs and the local people as it is important to seek nature-based solutions to address climate change and biodiversity threats. So your discussions, your learning here are important to us, you may not see us directly on the filed with you, you many not receive funding directly from us but your discussions at this forum are very important for the region as these are local solutions,” she said.
The two-day workshop ended with a field activity at Tutu beach, Taurama just outside the city. It was a coral restoration activity in which participants were involved in making coral nurseries. Coral fragments were tied onto the frames and ropes and deployed into selected spots underwater.
