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        1. New Guinea Forests

WWF solutions for New Guinea's forests

Cutting through the swamp, Transfly ecoregion, southcentral New Guinea.

A blueprint to save the Forests of New Guinea

As we continue to lose some of Earth's wildest places, New Guinea increasingly looks like the stuff of dreams such places are made of.

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WWF Forests of New Guinea programme sites

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Incredibly rich in glorious-looking birds, swathed in lush forests and steeped in thriving traditions, this is an island that has more than earned its top position as a biodiversity treasure through millions of years of evolution. The world’s second biggest island is more than worthy of protection.

New Guinea’s forests cover some 50 million ha  - an expanse roughly the size of Spain. In this huge area, WWF is on the ground to see that conservation activities deliver long-term results. Our goal? Effective collaborative management of the forests, where biodiversity is protected and local people benefit.

The reality of working in New Guinea

This is no straightforward undertaking. WWF’s activities take place in occasionally unstable areas, where government policies can change rapidly and the political landscape is equally dynamic. But with over 20 years of experience working in New Guinea, we have learned to adapt to such constraints.

What it will take

The Forests of New Guinea Programme is a large initiative, broad in scope, which works from field to policy level  across 3 main targets:
  • Forest, land-use and development planning
    Communities need a voice, especially where they are afflicted by poverty and isolation. To deal with this problem, we are working towards a policy and planning framework at the district, provincial and national levels that is more responsive to community and biodiversity needs.
  • Responsible forest management
    Sound management is the Forests of New Guinea’s best ally. In promoting responsible forestry, WWF is also pushing for more certification and non-timber forest products. We are also tackling the governance issues related to illegal logging and mismanagement of forest concessions.

  • Protected areas
    It is imperative that protected areas, the cornerstone of our conservation efforts, better represent and protect the biodiversity of New Guinea. To achieve this, WWF seeks to improve protected area management, and helps develop supportive policies and implementation guidelines.

Any questions

Want to find out more about our work? Interested in volunteering? Or simply have a question about conservation in New Guinea? Then send us an email.

Contacts

WWF Indonesia,
Jayapura

Genung Panin,
Jalan Percetakan No. 2-4,
Jayapura,
Papua 99110 Indonesia +62 967 533387 +62 967 533480

WWF Western Melanesia Programme Office,
Boroko Main

ADF Haus,
3rd Flr,
Unit 2,
Section 6,
Allotment 14 Musgrave St.,
Port Moresby Papua New Guinea +675 32 00 149 +675 32 00 519

Setting out priorities

Protecting all the forests of New Guinea would be impossible - so WWF has focused on several priority sites where our chances of delivering conservation results are highest.

An international collaboration

The Forests of New Guinea programme calls upon the complementary skills of hundreds of conservation workers scattered across Asia-Pacific.

From the WWF central offices in Jakarta (Indonesia), Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea) and Suva (Fiji), to isolated outposts in the New Guinea montane highlands, WWF staff and partners are pushing ahead to realize the Forests of New Guinea conservation programme.

Want to help us? Find out how

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