Overview of the KBA Process : A report card for Melanesia Insert representative image or map here Outcome definition for CI Melanesia through Moore- funded CBC Supported by CSIRO through CI-CSIRO partnership for scientific support to Melanesia CBC Prepared by Roger James, Kristen Williams, Naamal de Silva Key Biodiversity Areas: review and lessons learned workshop Conservation International, th July 2006, The Churchill Hotel Washington DC Melanesia Centre for Biodiversity Conservation

Melanesian Region: the Hot & Wild bits

Previous site prioritization initiatives in Melanesia CountryProcessOutcome Vanuatu NBSAPNo site outcomes defined Solomon Is Protected Forest Network for Solomon Is, 1990 Country-wide sites for forest protection, threat-based PNG Conservation Needs Assessment, 1995? BioRAP, 1998 Country-wide regions, knowledge & representation-based Papua (Indonesia) Priority Setting Workshop, 2000? Province-wide regions, knowledge & representation-based Oranges in an apple basket?

KBA definition: progress CRENVUTOTAL Mammals Birds32124 Reptiles246 Amphibians167 Fish Invertebrates549 Plants TOTAL Species Outcomes: New Guinea Wilderness

KBA definition: progress CRENVUTOTAL Mammals Birds Reptiles112 Invertebrates257 Plants TOTAL Species Outcomes: East Melanesian Islands Hotspot

KBA definition: progress CRENVUTOTAL Mammals224 Birds 3 47 Invertebrates Plants TOTAL Species Outcomes: New Caledonia Hotspot

KBA definition: progress Major accomplishment: simple habitat delineation method & tools developed: –Point data & contextual data driven –Ecological logic and GIS processing

KBA definition: progress 16 KBA’s identified for New Guinea so far on vulnerability criteria (5 more identified on irreplaceability criteria alone) 2 in Indonesian Papua, 14 in PNG (ratio influenced by Milne Bay pilot project) 7 of the 16 delineated Major objective for FY07 is completion of New Guinea Wilderness KBA’s, and first cut for East Melanesian Islands Hotspot

KBA definition: progress Site Outcomes: New Guinea Wilderness

Use of irreplaceability criteria Current work priority = vulnerability criteria Have tested irreplaceability and found it complements vulnerability and is valuable in Wilderness But vulnerability still maps the frontline of biodiversity loss, so our habitat delineation and therefore KBA definition, priority is CR>EN>Single Site Species>VU>RR

Issues & challenges Acknowledge this is a KBA workshop – not a corridor planning or species planning or implementation planning workshop Ratify as an organisational strategy the science-based, data-driven process for identifying KBAs – give regions confidence effort is well spent Identify best practice and minimum practice for identifying KBAs – to get credible KBA’s Common problems and solutions to data accessibility issues Transparency & accuracy come at a cost – time and effort intensive – when to stop?

Issues & challenges Internal and external partner coordination – different levels (data collation, habitat delineation, KBA identification, KBA delineation) Defining sites along continua of species range and habitat overlaps in Wilderness Formal delineation of KBAs in consultation with field implementation programs/partners – lot of work and perhaps not necessary where no implementation capacity in place? Best stage for participatory process to build ownership/engagement? Integrating results into strategies, workplans, grants when still at preliminary stages - acknowledging KBAs as compelling evidence for site based conservation action