By Jochebed Yandit
Nine local clans from Malas village in ward four of Sumgilbar Local Level Government council area in Sumkar District in Madang Province have signed a conservation deeds to protect their environment from destructive activities.
The agreements covered a total land mass of 18, 500 hectares, 17, 000 of which are Terrestrial and 1, 500 Marine and were developed over time with the help of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) with funding assistance from US- AID’s Lukautim Graun Program.
The clans have formed the Tangguar Resource Owners Development Association and agreed to have their forest and marine resources put under effective management. They developed a Management Plan, which was also launched during the occasion.
The nine clans from three tribes in the area have been working for five years with TNC to develop the Conservation Deed Agreements and their Management Plan.
The Malas community successfully developed the land use and management plan with the assistance of TNC to protect, preserve, and sustainably manage their natural environment and resources to improve their livelihood and for the benefit of both the current and future generations.
This ceremony was staged to facilitate the signing of the conservation deeds in the presence of the Madang Governor Ramsey Pariwa, representatives from US- AID, The Nature Conservancy, and government officers from the Madang Provincial Administration.
