According to Yimnang Golbuu, Palau International Coral Reef Center’s Chief Researcher and chairman of the planning team, the team was put together around late-July of last year; however, most of its members – if not all of them – and a significant numbers of distinguished individuals, whose experiences, skills, and knowledge are relevant and essential to the development of an efficient plan particular to the Northern Reefs, were intricately involved in election campaigns and related activities both at the state level and national level; and work on the plan had to be pushed forth.
In a phone interview with Golbuu, he said that he and fellow researcher, Steven Victor, had recently facilitated a conservation action plan (CAP) process workshop with members of the planning team, Ngarchelong State representatives, and representatives of donor and support agencies and organizations – The Nature Conservancy, Palau Conservation Society, and representatives of non-governmental organizations that have interest in the Northern Reefs.“We conducted a 3-day CAP workshop that covered not only marine areas, but also terrestrial areas of concern,” he said.According to Golbuu, at the end of the workshop, the participants were able to identify preliminary conservation targets – the things within the Northern Reefs that be addressed when the plan is implemented.“The group predominantly identified fish and giant marine clams as the primary conservation targets of the marine component of the management plan,” Golbuu said, “ And watersheds and historical sites for the terrestrial conservation targets.”Further, Golbuu added that it makes appropriate conservation sense to incorporate terrestrial conservation targets into the Northern Reefs management plan.“Ngarchelong State has joined the Babeldaob Watershed Alliance, which works to promote watershed and water resources conservation and management,” Golbuu said. “It is extremely important for people to be aware that whatever happens on land will ultimately affect our marine resources. Land and all the activities that occur on it are intricately part of our marine environments; and designing and implementing a marine conservation management plan for the whole of the Northern Reefs without considering factors based on land is fruitless and not worthwhile.”According to Golbuu, the planning team and relevant others will meet again from February 15 to 17 to develop and set objectives for the preliminary conservation targets.Moreover, he said that the work on the Northern Reefs management plan is an “on-going process” that will continue to develop and evolve – even after it is implemented.“It cannot be done overnight nor will it be ‘set in stone’ once completed,” Golbuu said, “It is and will be a living plan that will serve as a guide through which conservation efforts – modern and traditional – in Ngarchelong States are integrated for efficiency and tangible results.”
