Maluku Conservation and Natural Resources Management

The project is located on and around four biologically-rich islands in the province of Maluku in eastern Indonesia. Home to a rich mixture of flora, fauna and marine species, Maluku has just one terrestrial and one marine protected area, which are poorly managed and under threat. The project will address the threats by: (a) strengthening management of the existing terrestrial protected area (Manusela National Park) and establishing a second area (Lolabata-Akitajawe National Park); (b) expanding and managing a system of marine protected areas around the Aru and Banda islands; (c) encouraging local communities to support conservation and adopt more sustainable use practices by (i) providing development grants in return for pro-environmental actions, and (ii) reviving traditional natural resource management systems; and (d) promoting community, NGO and private sector involvement in ecotourism development and protected area planning and management. It also includes biodiversity monitoring and environmental awareness components.