Palau Conservation Society - Programs: Meeting the Challenges of the Future

One of PCS’s main goals is the protection of natural heritage through the establishment and sustainable management of conservation areas. PCS works with states and local communities to create and manage conservation areas. In 2004 there are 21 conservation areas in Palau. Activities are often targeted at improving management of existing and new conservation areas, and PCS works with communities to implement community-based management and monitoring protocols. Palau has at least 21 conservation areas. PCS has been active with the management of many of these areas, while others have been created and managed by state or traditional authority. While traditionally focused on marine conservation areas, PCS has recently expanded its focus to include new terrestrial conservation areas. The passage of the Protected Areas Network Act of 2003 was also a critical step towards comprehensive protection of all of Palau’s critical sites.

Terrestrial Resource Management
Formed by volcanic activity 70 million years ago, Babeldaob is the largest island in Palau and the second largest in Micronesia. Fifty-five percent of Palau’s one thousand historical and cultural sites are located in Babeldaob. The island is also home to one of Micronesia’s largest undisturbed forests.

Until recently, Babeldaob has been isolated from the encroachment of modern development. However, construction of a major roadway (the “Compact Road”) is nearly finished and has opened up Babeldaob to increased development and potential associated degrading activities such as soil erosion and sedimentation. In response, PCS and its partners are working to minimize the potential impacts from future development projects and destructive activities and is helping communities identify priority sites for conservation.

PCS’s 2004-2007 Terrestrial Strategy

PCS is promoting the development and implementation of local Land Use Planning to ensure that development occurs in a sustainable manner. Top-down, government centered Land Use Planning is difficult in Palau where local communities own most of the resources. Thus, PCS has initiated the Community Visioning Project to create community support for land use planning efforts. Community-based Facilitators are being trained in leading their communities through the process of drafting and adopting a Vision Statement and Strategic Plan for their states. PCS is also working to ensure that there is national and developer-level support for these Community Vision Statements.

Melekeok State, with the technical assistance of PCS and other partners, established the Ngardok Nature Reserve, containing Lake Ngardok and its watershed. Lake Ngardok is the largest natural freshwater lake in all of Micronesia. Lake Ngardok was named a Ramsar Site in 2002 for being a Wetland of International Importance. The reserve’s lake, wetlands, and upland forest provide habitat for plants, wildlife, and birds some of which are found only in Palau. The reserve is also home to the endangered saltwater crocodile and Grey Duck.

PCS has established the Important Bird Area Project, in partnership with BirdLife International, as a way of identifying areas of high biodiversity. The Project uses birds as indicator species. As part of PCS’s bird work, PCS is conducting field work to identify bird habitats and to quantify the populations of Palau’s endangered, endemic, and resident birds.

PCS has found that all of its efforts from land use to conservation area planning are more effective when conducted on an ecosystem or watershed scale, rather than according to political boundaries. The Ngerikiil Watershed is the water source for Koror and Airai, and thus serves 75% of Palau’s population. PCS is working with the Airai State Working Group and other partners to protect and restore the Ngerikiil River watershed.

Marine Resource Management
Palau is famous for its underwater splendor, which forms the basis for both Palau’s culture and economy. Protection and sustainable management of marine resources is critical for Palau’s future.

PCS’s 2004-2007 Marine Strategy

Palau’s northern reef systems have always flourished with an amazing diversity of fish, sea turtles, and other marine life. The abundant resources of the northern reefs have fed the people of Kayangel and Ngarchelong States for centuries. Kayangel’s Ngeruangel Reserve has been designated as a no-take and no-entry conservation area. PCS assists with monitoring. The Northern Reef Channels contain eight reefs between Ngarchelong and Kayangel States. National and traditional leaders of Ngarchelong and Kayangel States have declared a joint fishing moratorium, restricting all fishing activities in the Northern Reef Channels during spawning season. With the help of PCS, Ngarchelong State established the Ebiil Conservation Area to protect Ebiil Channel, one of the most important grouper aggregation sites in Palau.

Recognizing the importance of the Northern Reef System as a whole, PCS has also targeted its activities in the upcoming years to building community support and capacity to develop a comprehensive management system for the entire reef complex from Velasco to Ngarchelong.

Palau is famous for its Rock Islands, which are managed by Koror State under a management plan. Click here to learn more.

Marine tourism remains one of Palau’s largest industries, and PCS has been involved in a number of projects designed to reduce the impacts of tourists. One project is the development of a Tour Guide Training Program, complete with manuals and training videos. Another project, with the partner organization CORAL Reef Alliance, encouraged the tour industry to implement sustainable use of resources through self-governance.

The endangered Green Sea Turtle and the threatened Hawksbill Sea Turtle both nest and live in Palau. Sea Turtles are an important part of Palau’s culture and diet, and have traditionally been used in a sustainable manner. However, the advent of modern power engines and fishing gear along with changes in the traditional value system has led to an increase in turtle harvesting, threatening their populations. PCS is working with partners to implement a research program to track turtle populations movements, and has an ongoing education program designed to encourage a moratorium on turtle takings.

PCS conducts community-based marine and terrestrial scientific research to contribute to a greater understanding of Palau’s ecosystems, social perceptions, and to determine appropriate techniques of ecological management. Current and recent research has focused on identifying inshore fishing practices, needs, and concerns; quantifying local perceptions of conservation; and identifying bird habitats and populations. PCS also participates in resource assessments and resource management needs assessments.

All of PCS’s actions have a specific goal of raising the capacity of communities to manage their own resources. Many skills are transferred through working side by side in the field. PCS also sponsors targeted training events. Recent programs have focused on training for Community Visioning Facilitators, methods of bird surveys, and dive certification for residents of the Northern Reef States.

PCS develops and presents factual and timely public awareness programs that include community events, school visits, field trips, television and radio programs, and a variety of print materials.

PCS, with support from the RARE Center for Tropical Conservation, created an educational and entertaining campaign to raise awareness of sea turtles and turtle conservation. This award-winning campaign (winner of the 2002 PATA Gold Award for Environmental Education) featured interactive school visits complete with music and costumes and targeted lobbying of traditional groups.

In order to lay the foundation for watershed based resource management, PCS is implementing a watershed education program. PCS has seen a marked increase in the basic understanding of watershed management, a fairly new concept in Palau, where management has often followed political rather than ecological boundaries.

PCS is well known for its close relationships with Palau’s states and communities. Much of this is accomplished through community visits. PCS staff travel to other states and often stay for days at a time, meeting with community members in order to achieve real understanding and communication between the two.

Recognizing that youth are Palau’s greatest asset, PCS targets an outreach program to Elementary and High Schools. In 2003 and 2004 school visits focused on watersheds and birds. As part of these programs, PCS provides printed materials and multi-media teacher resources.