Biodiversity & Island Life in the New Millennium Noah Idechong, Randy Thaman & Andrew Smith Plenary Session - Biodiversity Conservation Issues & 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”