MCT Past Projects: US Department of State
Ocean Environment Science Initiative (2007-2009, $250,000)
The Project, "Scientific and Policy Support for the Development of Marine Protected Areas in Kosrae, Pohnpei, Chuuk and Yap States" involved a range of technical and support activities designed to implement and support MPAs within State environments. A project officer was contracted to implement specific components of the project dealing with enforcement capabilities and evaluation within the States in support of MPAs. The project officer adopted a participative approach to implementation, investing 10 weeks within each State to promote the operational utility and context sensitivity of the project and its products. The inclusion of these components recognizes the critical importance of enforcement activities within States to environmental conservation.
This project has demonstrated clear operational benefits for practitioners at the State level, provided a strong direction for future effort and identified clear lessons learned about managing multi-jurisdictional projects in which direction setting and implementation are divided by levels of government. The design and implementation of this project represents a sound approach to undertaking any project of this magnitude in the future.
Scientific and Policy Support for MPAs in Action
(Photos coming soon...)
Funded Projects
Promoting the Effectiveness of MPAs Through an Awareness Program in Kosrae, FSM, Kosrae Conservation and Safety Organization (KCSO)
The overall objective of the Kosrae project focused on strengthening community buy-in and support for and understanding of protected areas. In their efforts to promote MPAs and their effectiveness in Kosrae, KCSO and partners launched the "Kosrae Pride- Promoting Conservation through Youth to Youth Sport" project. The 2008 activities involved a basketball tournament for age 10-14 from all over Kosrae. Environmental Conservation and other related topics were presented during the one-week youth to youth basketball tournament. The tournament brought kids together to play and have fun while learning about the environment. The summer event was the first of its kind to take place in Kosrae, where conservation and environmental awareness were promoted through sports. Because of the success of the 2008 summer tournament and because of the participants' great excitement and enthusiasm for it, KCSO plans to host another tournament during the summer of 2009 and will share its success with its local partners and report on this integrated approach to other members of the Micronesians in Conservation Network for replication across Micronesia and beyond.
Towards the accomplishment of the second major component, KCSO also coordinated the preparation and introduction to the Kosrae State Legislature of the Kosrae Protected Areas System Law. Since the completion of project, the bill has been introduced for consideration and has received a positive reception by the legislature thus far. Public hearings have begun and the project team has been invited to play an active role in the process. The progress made to date on the Kosrae protected areas legislation to date represents another example of how community initiatives and needs and government resources and processes can complement each other to result in positive conservation outcomes.
Other Funded Projects
- Support for the Chuuk Rapid Ecological Assessment, FSM, Chuuk Conservation Society (CCS)
- Developing Community- based Marine Protected Area on Yap Main Island, Yap Community Action Program (YapCAP)
