17 May 2006 - Madang,
Papua New Guinea – A conservation "vision"
to protect one of the Asia-Pacific region's largest,
richest and most pristine wetlands on the island
of New Guinea has been officially launched today,
with governments, community leaders, scientists
and conservation organizations declaring their
commitment to support it.
“The vision highlights and strengthens
the need to conserve this globally significant
environment and its biodiversity,” said Terry
Warra, Acting Managing Director of the Papua New
Guinea Forest Authority
“It will not only assist the
communities that live in the TransFly, but also
provides a powerful symbol of the cooperation
and friendship between our two countries.”
Straddling the border of Papua
New Guinea and Indonesia, this unique coastal
landscape of grasslands, savannas, wetlands and
monsoon forest habitats spans 10 million hectares.
The TransFly is home to over half of New Guinea’s
bird species, including 80 that are endemic to
the island, as well as numerous species of birds
of paradise. There are also endemic marsupial
cats, flying possums and a rich diversity of reptiles.
However, the protected habitats
and species that help identify the TransFly as
an outstanding area of biodiversity are increasingly
under threat from logging, agricultural expansion,
and road and settlement development.
“Until now, there has been no
attempt to prioritise conservation efforts in
the region, properly document its biodiversity
values or identify how conservation efforts can
proceed hand in hand with development,” said Michele
Bowe, WWF Papua New Guinea's TransFly Coordinator.
“The vision is a blueprint for conservation and
development in the TransFly over the next 50 years.”
The launch of the TransFly Biodiversity
Vision represents the culmination of three years
of consultation, data collection, mapping and
analysis by WWF to identify and prioritise the
habitats and species, and document the importance
of the region's traditional cultures, local landowner
groups and their livelihoods. The lives, customs,
beliefs, languages and knowledge of over 60 cultural
groups are linked inextricably with the geography
of the TransFly.
“Our culture is precious to
future generations,” said Abia Bai, a community
leader from Papua New Guinea.
"Commitment to the vision
will stop the destruction of our land. We have
many sacred places that mark the route of our
ancestors’ spirits, the preservation of which
has now been recognised.”
Today’s announcement coincides
with the launch of a new WWF publication Beyond
Belief – Linking Faiths and protected areas to
support biodiversity conservation, which explores
the relationship between sacred areas, spiritual
beliefs and protected areas, like the TransFly.
