NES hosts OECM workshop 24 - 25 January
NES will be hosting an OECM workshop on Tuesday 24th & Wednesday 25th January, alongside UNEP-WCMC, SPREP and IUCN Oceania.
The National Environment Service signed a Letter of Agreement with the World Conservation Monitoring Centre to formalize the proposed work to present the potential of recognizing and reporting Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) in the Cook Islands.
What are OECMs? OECMs are any areas that are not recognized as an official Protected Area but still achieve positive and sustained long-term conservation. These areas may be managed primarily for other reasons, e.g economic gains or food source, but still complement the conservation efforts of officially recognized Protected Areas.
Although it is anticipated that many areas within the Pacific could be designated as an OECM, there are currently no OECMs reported in the region. As part of the EU-OACPS Biodiversity & Protected Areas Management programme (BIOPAMA), IUCN Oceania, SPREP, and UNEP-WCMC would like to provide the Cook Islands with a snapshot of potential OECMs in the country, and facts about the possible benefits and drawbacks of recognizing and reporting these areas. In addition to supporting the Cook Islands, it is anticipated that this work would provide valuable lessons for other countries in the region interested in OECM identification, recognition, and support.
Those interested in attending the workshop can contact siana.whatarau@cookislands.gov.ck
