There are many concepts that are integral to PCS’s core value system and to our operations.

BIODIVERSITY
Simply put, biodiversity refers to all of the varieties of species of plants and animals, and types of ecosystems that naturally occur in a geographical location. Biodiversity also refers to all of the genetic, habitat, and species variability that occurs in a location as well, both within and among species and ecosystems. Why is biodiversity important? All species provide some kind of integral function to an ecosystem. For instance, they can capture and store energy, produce organic material, decompose organic material, help cycle water and nutrients through the ecosystem, control erosion or pests, fix atmospheric gases, or help regulate climate. These functions are important to an ecosystem, and to human survival. The natural resources that we depend on a part of Palau’s biodiversity and are tied to the ecosystems in which they are located. In addition, research shows that the more diverse an ecosystem the better it can withstand environmental stress. The loss of a species thus decreases the ability of the system to maintain itself or to recover in case of damage.

COMMUNITY
In Palau, community can mean many things, and there are many types of communities. For PCS, community means any group of people who are stakeholders in a place or time. Local communities are those people living and using the resources in a specific location.

COMMUNITY-BASED MANAGEMENT
Often, people who directly use resources and land are the people who best manage them for the long-term. Communities hvae direct contact with, knowledge of, and reliance upon local resources. Thus community members often see changes in the environment or resource base before anyone else. Community members also have the most to lose if there are negative changes in their resources. When local communities are involved in and direct how local resources are used, it is called Community-based Resource Management.

CONSERVATION
At PCS, we use the term “conservation” to mean using natural resources wisely and sustainably. It is important that people ensure thaty resources are used wisely, so that there will always be resources tomorrow. Conservation is different from “preservation,” which means to keep something or a location exactly the same over time.

CONSERVATION AREA
These are locations, on land or water, that is recognized as managed or protected. In Palau, conservation areas are in a range: they can be fully protected, with restrictions such as no-entry and no-harvest, or they can be sustainably managed areas, allowing for some actions and uses, but restricting others.

ENDANGERED OR THREATENED SPECIES
These are species that are at some level of risk for becoming extinct in the near future. PCS uses several lists, including the Red List, the USFWS Endangered Species List, and lists based on local knowledge in decided what we consider to be an endangered species.

ENDEMIC
Endemic species are those that are found only in the location of occurance. Species that are endemic to Palau are found only in Palau and nowhere else on earth.

ENVIRONMENT
This broad concept relates to everything about where we live: time, space, resources available, and resource quality. The environment contains all resources, but is also impacted by forces such as time and weather. Humans live in an environment, but are also part of an environment.

MANAGEMENT, NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGERS
Management refers to the way that people control the use of land and resources are used, including how they are conserved. Natural Resource Managers are those people who use resources or advise other stakeholders on how to use them. Natural Resource Managers range from scientists to Community Liaisons.

OMENGEREOMEL
A traditional Palauan conservation ethic that means “to use wisely.”

NATURAL RESOURCES
A resource is something that is used. Natural resources are those things that occur naturally, and are not man-made. Natural resources include species of animals and plants, as well as inanimate objects such as soil, water, and land. What does it mean to use a resource? Some uses are clear, such as harvesting a crop or building on a piece of land, which use plant, land, and soil resources. However, just looking and enjoying something is also a way of “using” a resource.

NO-TAKE AND NO-ENTRY
No-take conservation areas have restrictions on harvesting or extraction. This means that nothing can be taken out of or removed from the conservation area. Many conservation areas have restrictions on who can enter them: “no-entry” conservation areas are closed to the general public. In many cases, resource managers with a specific purpose such as monitoring or education can enter a no-entry area, but only with the permission of the governing body.

SUSTAINABLE RESOURCE USE, SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES OR SUSTAINABLE LAND USE
This is the concept that resources can be used in such a way that either the resource or the source of the resource are not destroyed or lost completely. This relates to the concept that wise use of resources ensures that those resources are available in the future, either by leaving them in place, or by allowing for new resources to be created. These terms also refer to human practices of using land: for instance, tilling a farm is a practice. Uphill or downhill tilling is not a sustainable practice, because it allows all of the soil to run off from the farm, causing the loss of the soil. Soil is not easily replaced, and thus this is an unsustainable practice. Contour tilling, however, is a practice that keeps the soil on the farm, allowing it to be used over and over again. This is a sustainable practice.

THREAT
When a resource, species, or habitat faces problems or is stressed, it is considered threatened. Threats are the problems or stresses themselves, as well as the cause of the problem.