CCN: Works with Palau

The CCN is a small organization of dedicated conservation practitioners working to help individuals and organizations improve their conservation practice. CCN seeks to become a leading innovator in providing skill-based, capacity-building services to communities, practitioners and organizations wishing to improve their practice of conservation and resource management. They help local groups, individuals, governments and others identify their natural resource issues and suggest ways to overcome them while meeting human livelihood needs.Guilbeaux works directly with Wayne Andrew, the manager of the Helen Reef Management Project – approximately 262 square kilometers of designated conservation area in the southernmost part of Palau – and the community members of the southern states develop a feasible management plan for the project.  Guilbeaux provides assistance to the project in the form of proposal writing, funds identification, training opportunities for project staff, and establishment of collaborative networking with other conservation efforts within the region and worldwide.Guilbeaux originally began his work with Palau as a volunteer in 1992.  He worked with Delegate Noah Idechong – then director of the Bureau of Marine Resources – on a number of projects.  He continued working with Idechong when he became the executive director of the Palau Conservation Society; and since then, has maintained his association with Idechong and Palau in matters of conservation efforts.As a practicing conservationist, Guilbeaux said that he hopes to build the capacity of the communities he works with to be able to manage their conservation areas and to provide them with support to enable their efforts to continue.