The Micronesia / Polynesia Region
The initial focus of Living Archipelagos will be the Pacific islands of Polynesia and Micronesia. Tropical Polynesia and Micronesia occupy 24 million square kilometers of the Pacific Ocean, including 29,634 square kilometers of terrestrial land area. The region includes 11 countries, eight territories and one U.S. state, Hawaii. This ecological hotspot includes thousands of islands with an extraordinary high percentage of plant and animal endemism. Unfortunately, the region is subject to high human population growth and development, making many of the animals and plants in this region among the most endangered in the world. Less than a fifth of the original vegetation remains in natural condition.
The greatest threats to species diversity of the Pacific islands include invasive species, habitat loss, and destructive resource extraction, which are exacerbated by episodic natural occurrences such as cyclones. Yet, because there is a strong cultural and economic dependence in the region on biotic resources, biodiversity conservation is critical to the stability and security of most Pacific island nations.
LA is being developed under the Bishop Museum's Pacific Biological Survey Program. The Bishop Museum is the leading source of biological diversity and cultural diversity information in the region. Drs. Allen Allison and Lu Eldredge of the Museum, principles of Living Archipelagos, are internationally recognized experts on the fauna of Polynesia and Micronesia. Living Archipelagos will also benefit from other ongoing conservation initiatives in the region, such as the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF), Central Pacific World Heritage Project, and The Nature Conservancy.
Current regional politics, financial opportunities, and focus on conservation make the island ecosystems of Polynesia and Micronesia prime candidates for immediate action.
However, many of the countries of the region lack the legal and administrative regimes for natural resource management, as well as the financial resources needed for conservation. Yet there exists a substantial history of collaboration between non-government organizations and government agencies for conservation. Numerous protected areas in the region are managed with support of community involvement. Living Archipelagos will partner with local NGOs and community leaders in the implementation of its conservation initiatives at priority LA sites.