Annual Report 2016
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ANNUAL REPORT 2016 ANNUAL REPORT 2016 www.treekangaroo.org Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program Annual Report 2016 Seattle, Washington, USA • 2017 Contents 3 20 About Us STRATEGY TWO: Applying Our Research 4 Celebrating 20 Years of TKCP’s Work 24 With the YUS Community STRATEGY THREE: Planning for a Sustainable Future 6 Milestones and Achievements 30 STRATEGY FOUR: Supporting the Communities 8 Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program Team Members 42 STRATEGY FIVE: Operating TKCP 11 Best Wishes for Our Outgoing Staff 46 Publications and Media 12 Highlighting TKCP’s Strategic Partnerships 52 Partnerships and Friends 14 TKCP’s Accomplishments in 2016 54 Support 15 Communities Uniting 56 for Conservation Thanks 16 58 STRATEGY ONE: Maps Managing the YUS Conservation Area Front cover: YUS Junior Rangers at TKCP’s 20th Anniversary celebration. Photo by Ryan Hawk. Back cover: Matschie’s tree kangaroo in YUS. Photo by Daniel Solomon Okena, TKCP. Title page: Waterfall in YUS. Photo by Daniel Solomon Okena, TKCP. Left, top: A Matschie’s tree kangaroo at TKCP’s 20th Anniversary celebrations. Photo by Ryan Hawk. Left, bottom: Yawan village in YUS. Photo by Ryan Hawk. Dense rain forest in YUS. Photo by Lisa Dabek, TKCP. Common Acronyms AZA – Association of Zoos & Aquariums (USA) NGO – Non-governmental Organization AZA TK-SSP – Association of Zoos & Aquariums Tree Kangaroo PHE – Population Health Environment Species Survival Plan PNG – Papua New Guinea CA – Conservation Area TKCP – Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program CAMC – Conservation Area Management Committee TKCP-PNG – Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program – Papua New CBO – Community-based Organization Guinea (local NGO) CEPA – Conservation and Environment Protection Authority (formerly UNDP - United Nations Development Program the Department of Environment and Conservation) UNDP GEF-SGP – United Nations Development Programme Global GEF – Global Environment Facility Environment Facility Small Grant Programme IUCN – International Union for the Conservation of Nature WPZ – Woodland Park Zoo LLG – Local Level Government YUS – Yopno-Uruwa-Som LUP – Land-use Planning YUS CO – YUS Conservation Organization (landowner association and community-based organization) 2 About Us Vision Mission The Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program The Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program envisions a sustainable, healthy, and resilient fosters wildlife and habitat conservation and Huon Peninsula landscape which supports the supports local community livelihoods in Papua area’s unique biodiversity, human communities, New Guinea through global partnerships, land and culture. protection, and scientific research. Three Organizations, One Common Vision The Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program (TKCP) is the umbrella name for the partnership between Woodland Park Zoo’s TKCP and TKCP-PNG. TREE KANGAROO WOODLAND PARK ZOO’S CONSERVATION PROGRAM TREE KANGAROO – PAPUA NEW GUINEA CONSERVATION (TKCP-PNG) PROGRAM (TKCP) An independent non-governmental Woodland Park Zoo’s TKCP serves organization registered in PNG. as a model for the “living landscape” TKCP-PNG is the implementing approach to conservation among partner of TKCP. Based in Lae, PNG. the zoo’s Partners for Wildlife field conservation program. Based in Seattle, Washington, USA. Seattle, Washington USA Lae, Papua New Guinea (PNG) YUS CONSERVATION ORGANIZATION (YUS CO) To ensure local ownership and continued community support of our work, TKCP partners with the community-based YUS Conservation Organization which represents the interests of local landowners and their communities. Based in YUS, PNG. 3 Celebrating 20 Years of TKCP’s Work With the YUS Community The Tree Kangaroo Conservation within the Yopno, Uruwa, and Som Program (TKCP) is Woodland Park (YUS) watershed areas on the Huon Zoo’s flagship international conservation Peninsula. Under PNG’s customary land program, focused on conserving the tenure system in which local people endangered Matschie’s tree kangaroo own and control over 90% of the land, (Dendrolagus matschiei) and the habitat in long-term habitat protection relies on which it lives. From its beginnings in 1996 the commitment and participation of the to determine the status of the Matschie’s local communities who depend on the tree kangaroo in the wild, TKCP has environment’s products and services. evolved into a holistic program supporting Beginning with the first tract of land habitat protection for a wide range of pledged for conservation by customary threatened species, as well as initiatives landowner Mambawe Manaono and his to support local stewards and enhance clan in 1996, TKCP helped to establish local community livelihoods and access to the country’s first nationally-protected government services. Conservation Area under the PNG Over the course of two decades, Conservation Areas Act on customary the program has grown from its land pledged by local clans. The 187,000- mountainous roots to embrace a broad acre YUS Conservation Area is managed landscape encompassing marine and together with the YUS communities and coastal reef ecosystems, lowland and PNG government, protecting a wide montane rain forests, alpine grasslands, range of species and habitats and serving and agricultural areas and settlements as a national model for conservation in belonging to more than 50 villages Papua New Guinea. 4 To strengthen grassroots capacity and reinforce local commitment to environmental stewardship, TKCP’s community- focused initiatives have empowered sustainable resource management at the local level, increased access to education through teacher training and placement, trained community health workers, and facilitated market access to improve local livelihoods and economic resilience. To safeguard the beauty of YUS for its future landowners and stewards, TKCP’s Junior Ranger Program engages youth in local conservation efforts and instills an appreciation for their environment and place-based cultural heritage. In another 20 years, the continued stewardship and protection of YUS will be in their hands. In 2016, TKCP I really admire the people who live marked 20 years with a major celebration in YUS. here, and I really admire the work that Clockwise from top right: Lisa Dabek and the staff of the Tree Attendees watch sing-sings in Weskokop village during TKCP’s 20th Anniversary celebration. Photo by Ryan Hawk. TKCP’s Karau Kuna and Danny Samandingke. Photo by Emily Transue. Kangaroo Conservation Program have YUS Elder presenting TKCP Founder & Director Lisa Dabek with bilum at the 20th Anniversary celebration. Photo by Ryan Hawk. been able to accomplish. Women playing music during TKCP’s 20th Anniversary celebration. Photo by Ryan Hawk. Woodland Park Zoo Board Member Dr. Rob Liddell and Vice President of Field Conservation Fred Dr. Rob Liddell – Radiologist and TKCP Koontz present a commemorative plaque to TKCP’s Danny Samandingke at the 20th Anniversary celebration. Photo by Ryan Hawk. Health Team Volunteer A village elder presents CEPA’s James Sabi and Benside Thomas with bilums at Weskokop village. Photo by Ryan Hawk. The Teptep community welcomes visitors for TKCP’s 20th Anniversary celebration. Photo by Ryan Hawk. TKCP Director Lisa Dabek and visitors arrive in YUS for TKCP’s 20th Anniversary celebration. Photo by Ryan Hawk. YUS CO President Timmy Sowang at TKCP’s 20th Anniversary celebration. Photo by Ryan Hawk. 5 Milestones and Achievements 1996 1999 2005 First land pledged for TKCP’s education Landmark YUS landowner workshop conservation by YUS project starts with the Department of Environment and Landowner Mambawe Conservation (now CEPA), Conservation Manaono and his clan International, and TKCP to apply for 2004 Conservation Area status Tree kangaroo conservation First YUS Teacher’s Scholarship TKCP’s health project starts with the visit research begins students graduate from Balob of its volunteer team of physicians Teacher’s College and return to teach in YUS primary schools 2008 TKCP receives five-year grants from Conservation International and from the Lifeweb Initiative of the German Federal Ministry of Environment (BMU) and German Development Bank (KfW) 2009 The YUS Conservation Area is formally gazetted by PNG’s national government, protecting 187,000 acres of wildlife habitat 2010 TKCP’s livelihood project starts with a focus on coffee It is really fantastic to see the way in which As a local YUS man, I think conservation people’s aspirations have increased, the way in is very important, because the ground which education is transforming lives, the way in that belongs to me – I look out for the which people are committed to conservation. soil, I look out for the water, I look out 20 years ago, it was a struggle to achieve that. for the forest. And I feel that for the long Today, everybody wants to be part of it. run, it will contribute to the health of Roy Trivedy – UNDP Resident my family. Namo Yaoro – TKCP Conservation Representative to PNG Officer and YUS landowner 6 2011 The YUS Conservation Endowment is established at Woodland Park Zoo to provide sustainable funding for conservation efforts in YUS YUS Conservation Coffee farmers’ first bags of coffee are exported to Caffe Vita in Seattle 2012 Team of 12 YUS Conservation Area Rangers is established to patrol and monitor the YUS Conservation Area 2013 2015 TKCP-PNG is registered YUS Conservation Area expands as a local nongovernmental its protection and management organization in Papua New to include coastal and marine Guinea ecosystems with the launch of a community-based marine 2014 monitoring