Protecting the natural heritage of Palau

The beautiful small island nation of Palau is located in the Pacific Ocean approximately 500 miles east of the Philippines. Managing the natural heritage of Palau is proving to be a balancing act between protecting the islands' natural heritage while allowing development to meet the growing number of tourists. Staff from the Integration and Application Network recently visited Palau to host a series of workshops aimed a synthesizing key features, current knowledge and management priorities into a series of conceptual diagrams. The workshops were attended by receptive and engaged staff of the Palau Conservation Society, Palauan government agencies and other members of the conservation community. Conceptual diagrams will become an integral component in the process of developing ecosystem based management plans for the islands. This IAN project was funded by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.

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