South Pacific Regional Environmental Programme (SPREP), Secretariat

This resource material is designed as a generic guide for planning, implementing and reporting an integrated vulnerability assessment (IVA) that targets atoll communities in the Pacific Islands region.

Dugongs have high cultural value and are a valued source of food, medicine and artifacts and thus are an important species for coastal people. Dugongs also play a significant ecological role in maintaining coastal habitats.

This report assesses the overall state of conservation in the Pacific Islands region of Oceania, that is, the 21 countries and territories covered by SPREP plus Pitcairn Island (see Figure i.1).

SPREP presents these guidelines for undertaking rapid biodiversity assessments in its Pacific island member countries and territories: Micronesia, Melanesia, and Polynesia. These assessments are referred to as BIORAPs.

A guide to help Pacific reporters produce news items on Electronic and Electrical Waste (E-waste) in the Pacific is now available.

Conservation can best be achieved when conservation values are part of the mainstream of society, when they “become part of everyone’s decisions” including government, private enterprise and the community as a whole.