S epik W etlands M anagement I nitiative COMMUNITY-DRIVEN BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION & RURAL DEVELOPMENT in the

1. SepikWetlands ManagementInitiative COMMUNITY-DRIVEN BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION & RURAL DEVELOPMENT in the Sepik River region Papua New Guinea Presented by: Benny Gowep © SWMIP. O. Box 81, Ambunti, East Sepik, Papua New Guinea ph: 675 8585 132 email: <swmi@datec.net.pg>

2. Background of SWMI • formed in 1998 as a CBO in Ambunti, PNG. • members are local people concerned with sustainable use of Sepik wetlands resources • funded by a UNDP-GEF Small Grant 2001- 2003; since then minor funding from the PNG crocodile industry and WWF-PNG

3. SWMI’s Goal: Establish and link community-led conservation of wetlands in the Sepik River region with Improvements inthe social and economic welfare of local communities

4. SWMI’s Objectives: • Develop a community-oriented, self-help approach to conserve wetlands, especially dense floating mats of herbaceous vegetation. • Stop degradation of locally important wetland habitats, especially crocodile nesting areas, and restore sites where feasible. • Use crocodile egg harvests to improve income generating incentives for sustainable utilization of wetland resources, and link earned income to conservation of crocodile nests, breeding crocodiles and biologically distinct nesting habitat (floating mats). • Prevent invasive species such as introduced fish (Pacu and Java Carp), Water Hyacinth and Bush Morning Glory from reducing local biodiversity, and threatening the economic benefits gained from sustainable use of crocodiles and other wetland resources.

5. SWMI’s Main Activities • Coordinateannual crocodile egg harvests • Monitor habitat and crocodile populations • Strengthen conservation awareness • Help control introduced & damaging species • Assist community development activities

6. SWMI’s Achievements • Efficient crocodile egg harvests conducted mainly by local landowners/communities. • ‘Spot checks’ conducted of unharvested nests; night counts of crocodiles and nest counts. • Upriver spread of water hyacinth stopped. • Conservation of wetlands biodiversity established in many upper and middle Sepik village domains.

14. Middle Sepik: ‘Very High Priority’ biodiversity value 1.5 million ha Population: 50,000people

16. AERIAL SURVEYS AND NIGHT COUNTS

18. Aerial Survey

19. Night Counts

21. How Commercial Egg Harvest links toConservation of Crocodilesand Wetlands Biodiversity

31. Saltwater Crocodile Egg Harvest Data and Analyses

32. 18,000 16,000 INFERTILE / DEAD EGGS 14,000 VIABLE EGGS 3515 4439 12,000 2444 2495 2540 10,000 NUMBER OF EGGS 1691 START OF CANOE HARVESTS BY MHL AND SWMI 8,000 13491 6,000 11790 10946 10261 9787 AERIAL HARVESTS BY DEC 4,000 916 7817 577 410 181 392 289 2,000 3465 131 202 134 146 2145 1324 1591 1545 1656 1198 859 661 647 0 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 YEAR Crocodylus porosus egg harvests in the middle & upper Sepik, 1985-2008

33. 200 180 N = 12 sites 160 N = 29 p=0.0001 140 120 Number of nests 100 80 60 p=0.000007 40 20 0 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 Year C. porosus nesting trend 1982-2008

34. 200 180 N=28 SECURE sites 160 N=13 DISPUTED p= 0.000016 140 120 Number of nests 100 80 p= 0.43 60 40 20 0 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 Year C. porosus nesting trend by landownership

35. 200 180 N=21 sites N=33 160 p= 0.14 140 Number of nests 120 100 p= 0.32 80 60 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 Year C. novaeguineae nesting trend 1981-2008

36. 200 180 N=24 SECURE sites 160 N=9 DISPUTED sites P= 0.025 140 120 Number of nests 100 80 60 P= 0.01 40 20 0 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 Year C. novaeguineae nesting trend by landownership

37. Introduced Species of Fish are destroying large areas of floating mats: Primary sites of Saltwater Crocodile Nesting Habitat

38. Pacu Piaractus brachypomum

39. Java carp Puntius gonionotus

40. Impact of Fish on Nesting Habitat

41. Water Hyacinth

42. Bush Morning Glory

43. Burning of Nesting Sites

44. Impact of burning on nesting habitatat 41 survey sites by 1998: • >50% reduction at 11out of21 sites • >80% reduction at 5 out of 13 sites

48. Challenges facing SWMI • Lack of substantial funding since 2003 • (lack of basic equipment, lack of fuel for regular travel to villages and key wetlands). • No solution in sight for introduced fish which are increasingly destroying floating mats that saltwater crocodiles depend on for nesting. • Resolving land ownership disputes at some key wetlands sites in the middle Sepik.

49. Acknowledgements • Participating local people • Mainland Holdings Ltd. • PNG Department of Environment & Conservation • UNDP-GEF Small Grants Programme • Worldwide Fund for Nature –PNG Programme

50. Thank you !