Improving livelihoods through biodiversity conservation and sustainable climate systems

Simbu Province is a smaller province by land area located in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. The northern most part of the province is renowned for its steep mountainous terrain. This area borders three other provinces : Jiwaka, Madang, and Eastern Highlands Provinces. Montane forests are predominant at this altitude and provide a home to a variety of wildlife like tree kangaroos and birds of paradise that are integral to the biodiversity and cultural identity of Papua New Guinea.

The immediate environmental threats identified in this area are deforestation and land degradation caused by environmental and human activities. Local communities have always depended on forests for food, firewood, medicine, traditional attire, shelter, etc.

The specific goal of the project is to educate, empower and facilitate rural communities of the Inaugl Tribe to participate in natural resource management for livelihood improvement projects that are self-reliance-oriented, technologically appropriate, ecologically sound, and economically viable which address the impacts of climate change.

High average annual rainfall remains somewhat consistent, although patterns and intensity may have changed over time. This combined with steep mountain slopes and reduced forest areas has resulted in landslips, landslides, mudslides, flooding, etc. threatening human lives and infrastructure and causing loss and disturbances to plant & animal ecosystems.

The demand for the Nothofagus tree for community use for its strength and durability has caused the deforestation of the Nothafagus forest of 50 hectares deforested to 20 hectares. It is continuing which needs immediate attention as it is the threatened species identified by IUCN through the red list Nothofagus in 2018.

In April 2020, a major landslide occurred in the neighboring Kegesuglo area causing widespread damage to houses, food gardens, etc., and claimed ten 10 lives after prolonged heavy rains.

Over this time, about 1,000 hectares of forest have been replanted through activities like the reintroduction of native tree species and the introduction of agricultural techniques to maximize crop production on minimal garden plots, however, more work is needed to increase the adaptive capacity of the local communities and their natural environment to build resilience against the negative impact of climate change.

Objectives of the project

The objectives of the project are :

1. To ensure sustainable forest management is carried out in 20 000 hectares of montane forest in the Inaugl Tribe as well as reforestation in degradation and deforestation areas to combat the impacts of climate change.
2. To ensure more than 1500 community livelihood is improved through producing climate smart food crops to end hunger as well as improving socio-economic and financial resilience.
3. To improve biodiversity conservation of the threatened nothofagus species (grandis, fagaraea) in montane forest of the Inaugl Tribe.

Key activities by areas

Climate change adaptation:

• Carry out Community consultation and awareness on sustainable natural resource management
• Distribution of tree seedlings (native & introduced) to communities and schools during world environment day.
• Conduct workshop on disaster risk reduction

Sustainable livelihoods:

• Empower target community with farming materials to do farming with climate smart food crops.
• Encourage target community into farming with appropriate farming tools
• Ensure target farmers gained pre and post-harvest skills and knowledge in farming.
• Encourage target community into farming with appropriate farming tools
• Ensure target farmers gained pre and post-harvest skills and knowledge in farming.

Sustainable resources management:

• Maintenance, upgrade and extension done to the existing nursery yard.
• 10 000 introduced tree seedlings readily available in yard.
• 4000 native tree species readily available in yard.
• 4 hectares of degraded land area being planted with introduced tree species.
• 2 hectares of deforested area being replanted with native tree species.
• Encourage community to build permanent houses using portable ecological sawmill from reforestation and woodlot sites.

Biodiversity:

• Ensure appropriate tools and equipment are available to carry out nursery at the existing yard.
• Ensure nursery is operational throughout the project period.
• Ensure the remaining 20 hectares of nothafagus is buffered and protected.
• Ensure 2 hectares planted with nothafagus species adjoining from the current site.
• Ensure appropriate skills and knowledge imparted to locals as part of capacity building.
• Ensure awareness done throughout the project period as it is the threatened species.

Social inclusion and gender equity

At least 1500 target local communities are educated in awareness of sustainable natural resource management. About 40% will be women. At least 3 primary schools and 7 elementary schools conduct environmental awareness. A proportion of women and men in communities participate and are involved in mainstreaming biodiversity conservation and forest management practices.

We already have a gender program that involves women in various activities that are inclusive. One of the programs that this project will benefit is the savings that women will produce climate-smart food crops to earn income to do their savings. This project will involve more communities participating in and benefiting from it.