Final Yap Report2
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The Integration of Traditional and Modern Systems of Environmental Management and the Use of Public-Private Partnerships in Natural Resource Management and Tourism Development in the State of Yap, Federated States of Micronesia A Field Study with Observations and Recommendations Asian Development Bank TA No. 6039 – REG Formulating a Pacific Region Environmental Strategy (PRES) Contract No. COCS/03-139 Richard S. Stevenson Mantaray Management LLC 15 April 2003 The views expressed in this book are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Asian development Bank, or its Board of Governors or the governments they represent. The Asian Development Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this publication and accepts no responsibility for any consequences of their use. Use of the term “country” does not imply any judgment by the authors or the Asian Development Bank as to the legal or other status of any territorial entity. Acknowledgements Many gracious and knowledgeable people of Yap contributed generously of their time and their thoughts to the research for this paper. They welcomed enquiry into sometimes-difficult subjects and were patient and candid in their responses to endless questions. Busy leaders from the state and FSM government, the traditional leadership system, the private sector and the non- governmental organizations were always able and willing to find time to talk. Without them the study would not have been possible. Their names are listed in Appendix 1 of the paper. Special thanks are offered to John Wayaan, owner and manager of the Pathways Hotel who provided critical assistance in suggesting whom to interview and in making the needed introductions. John’s encyclopedic knowledge of both the traditional and the modern systems and his willingness to explain them patiently also served as an important starting point of the study and a frequent point of reference to which to return. The study team includes three reviewers with different areas of relevant expertise. Each has responded to the draft report with important suggestions and contributions. They are: · Perelini S. Perelini, PE, Chief Operations Officer of American Samoa Power Authority, a long-time advocate of sustainable management of the environment with personal experience in many different Pacific island cultures; · Howard A. Schirmer, Jr. PE, President of Transnational Associates, Inc., an environmental engineering and management specialist and a veteran of many infrastructure and tourism development projects throughout the Pacific island countries; and · Paul W. Bierman-Lytle, President of SEAS Corporation, a master planner and the architect and implementer of the SINBAD methodology for sustainable development of island nations. Each of the reviewers has contributed from his special experience and perspective to the conclusions and recommendations offered in this report. Comments on the content of the report are always welcome at [email protected]. ii Table of Contents 1 Executive Summary ............................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Objective ........................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 Background .................................................................................................................... 1 Government .................................................................................................................... 1 Traditional Leadership ................................................................................................... 1 Land Tenure ................................................................................................................... 2 1.3 Findings.......................................................................................................................... 2 Natural Resource Management ...................................................................................... 2 Tourism.......................................................................................................................... 4 Public-private Partnerships ............................................................................................ 4 1.4 Recommendations .......................................................................................................... 5 Identify Shared Goals and Plan Strategically................................................................. 5 Build Government to Community Communications ..................................................... 5 Strengthen Community Cohesion and Action................................................................ 6 Promote Public-private Partnerships.............................................................................. 6 2 Introduction............................................................................................................................ 7 3 Background and Rational of the Study ............................................................................... 8 4 The Study.............................................................................................................................. 10 4.1 Objective and Scope..................................................................................................... 10 4.2 Methodology and Implementation............................................................................... 11 4.3 Issues ............................................................................................................................ 11 Vision........................................................................................................................... 11 Resource Management Approaches............................................................................. 11 Resource and Development Policies............................................................................ 12 Tourism Development Process..................................................................................... 12 Conflicts and Synergy.................................................................................................. 12 Recommendations ........................................................................................................ 12 5 Findings and Analysis.......................................................................................................... 13 5.1 Background and Observations ..................................................................................... 13 Federated States of Micronesia .................................................................................... 13 State of Yap.................................................................................................................. 14 Government .................................................................................................................. 14 Legal and Justice System............................................................................................. 15 Economic Development ............................................................................................... 16 Traditional Culture ....................................................................................................... 18 Traditional Leadership ................................................................................................. 18 Land Tenure ................................................................................................................. 20 Education...................................................................................................................... 21 5.2 Natural Resource Management .................................................................................... 22 iii Traditional Systems of Resource Management............................................................ 22 Management of Marine Resources............................................................................... 24 Management of Terrestrial Resources.......................................................................... 26 Modern Systems of Resource Management................................................................. 27 Integration of Traditional and Modern Management of Resources ............................. 31 Weather Variability...................................................................................................... 32 5.3 Tourism Development .................................................................................................. 33 Traders’ Ridge Resort .................................................................................................. 34 Manta Ray Bay Hotel................................................................................................... 35 The Pathways Hotel ..................................................................................................... 36 Village View Resort..................................................................................................... 37 Tourism and Natural Resource Management ............................................................... 37 5.4 Public-Private Partnerships.......................................................................................... 39 Tourism........................................................................................................................ 39 Natural Resource