Biodiversity & Island LifeBiodiversity & Island Lifein the New Millenniumin the New Millennium

Noah Idechong, Randy Thaman & Andrew Smith

Plenary Session - Biodiversity ConservationIssues & Opportunities

7th Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation & Protected Areas, Rarotonga, Cook Islands, July 8-12, 2002

Mainstreaming biodiversity conservation: What does it mean? Why mainstream?

Biodiversity Conservation in the Pacific: Definitions Relevance Threats

Challenges for the Working Groups: Issues, opportunities, constraints and linkages Questions, questions and more questions…

Details in paper by Thaman, et al.

Talk will cover:

“Mainstreaming”: What does “mainstreaming” mean? Why mainstream biodiversity

conservation? How do we mainstream biodiversity

conservation?

Omelai lomoachel (“clearing the streams”)

The Changing Face of Biodiversity Conservation in the Pacific:

Since the 1985 Conference: Community & traditional level

e.g. Micronesian Traditional Leaders Conference (July 1999)

National / Provincial / State govt. levels Increased support for protected areas

Regional level SPREP established as a separate organization

Issues more complex - need to get ahead Proactive rather than reactive

Definition of Biodiversity:Term includes:Island & ecosystem diversity

diversity of island types & their ecosystems e.g. high or low, large or small, volcanic or

limestone unique biodiversity inheritance all natural & cultural terrestrial, freshwater

& marine ecosystems e.g. forests, agricultural areas, mangroves, reefs

Definition of Biodiversity:Term includes:Species & taxonomic diversity

all species & “taxa” (biological classifications) of wild & domesticated plants, animals & micro-organisms e.g. mammals, sharks, finfish, grasses, ferns,

fungi, bacteria

Definition of Biodiversity:Term includes:Genetic diversity

all genetic types, breeds, cultivars or varieties

wild, domesticated & cultivated plants & animals e.g. cultivars of yams, breadfruit, chickens,

pigs AND all chemical extracts from them

intellectual property rights

Definition of Biodiversity:Term includes:Ethnobiodiversity

knowledge, uses, beliefs, conservation practices and language a society or culture has for their islands, ecosystems, species, taxa & genetic diversity

central to the definition of biodiversity in the Pacific islands the islands, people & their knowledge,

traditions & spirituality are seen as inseparable from the terrestrial, freshwater & marine ecosystems

Nature of Pacific Island Biodiversity:

Great diversity AND disparity in biological inheritances of different countries at the island, ecosystem & community levels

Paralleled by the diversity & disparity of the users & stakeholders of that biodiversity

Significance of Biodiversity Conservation: Biodiversity ‘hotspots’, endemism,

rarity are the main focus of international biodiversity conservation

often in remote areas, lack local names Coastal areas, near villages/towns

are where species of greatest cultural importance often found

often over-exploited, but of greatest cultural importance

Significance of Biodiversity Conservation: Cultural importance (ethnobiological

diversity) powerful tool for mainstreaming at community levels

catalog ecological services, uses & economic value to communities

“selling point” or incentive for mainstreaming biodiversity conservation=cultural valuable services & products as

foundation for sustainable long-term livelihoods

Significance of Biodiversity Conservation: Biodiversity, including

ethnobiological knowledge, constitutes the “NATURAL & CULTURAL CAPITAL”

needed for development of current & future generations

Biodiversity inheritance = “living bank account”

passed from generation to generation to grow & produce “interest”

Significance of Biodiversity Conservation: “Capital” must not be depleted or

“spent” for short-term benefits at the expense of future generations=“embezzlement” resulting in…

“Biocultural Bankruptcy” for our children & grandchildren

Significance of Biodiversity Conservation:

Language: Need to understand other terms

being used, both across sectors & at different levels

“conservation” “protection” “management” “sustainable use”

e.g. what “conservation” means to communities in Palau

Status of Pacific Biodiversity: Rich biodiversity inheritance

seriously threatened Many ecosystems degraded,

fragmented, or reduced Many species are now rare or

endangered Ethnobiological diversity being lost Impacts proportionally greater on

small islands

Status of Pacific Biodiversity: Natural or ecological threats (direct)

both natural & cultural threats that degrade ecosystems & their biodiversity

Social, institutional or infrastructrual threats (indirect)

indirectly threaten or undermine sustainable use or conservation

Global, regional, national & local threats

Status of Pacific Biodiversity:Examples: Direct threats (examples only):

High frequency of extreme events/natural disasters

Upland & inland deforestation & forest degradation

Coastal & mangrove deforestation & degradation

Degraded freshwater resources & ecosystems

Alien invasive plants & animals

Overuse/overexploitation of marine resources

Status of Pacific Biodiversity:Examples: Indirect threats (examples only):

Uncontrolled population growth

Loss of traditional & contemporary

ethnobiological knowledge

Rapid & uncontrolled urbanization

Poverty & economic deterioration

Political instability & political ignorance or lack

of political will to commit to conservation

Challenge of Mainstreaming Biodiversity Conservation in the Pacific (Summary):To promote the mainstreaming of biodiversity conservation, we must:

Clearly understand what biodiversity includes & what it means in the Pacific context (broader definition)

Recognize = “Natural & Cultural Capital”

See it is seriously & increasingly threatened

Include as an integral & priority component of ALL development initiatives (community & national)

Challenge of Mainstreaming Biodiversity Conservation in the Pacific (Summary):(cont.) Must address threats now (this generation)

Or loose our biological inheritance and become “Bioculturally Bankrupt” - leading to possible economic, cultural & environmental breakdown in our islands

Biodiversity is the living foundation upon which our cultural and economic future depends

Challenge to the Working Groups: What does “mainstreaming” really

mean at the different levels (community, government, regional)?

Identify underlying linkages between levels

How do we make biodiversity relevant to people at all levels within the Pacific?

Expectations; thinking processes How do we get people to re-connect

with their environmental context? How do we trigger the “ah ha” response?

Challenge to the Working Groups: How do we address the issue of

unsustainable commercial & subsistence use through mainstreaming?

Partnerships between various levels & groups

What implications will “globalization” have on mainstreaming at the different levels?

Need for a holistic, not sectoral, approach Mainstreaming is not done in isolation -

partnerships Avoid the “victim mentality”