Marine protection in the Asia-Pacific region
The livelihoods of many of the people in Australia's region depend on their continued access to the natural environment.
Rainforest at Marovo Lagoon, Solomon Islands
© WWF-Canon/WWF-Canon/Edward PARKER
We aim to support and strengthen communities, civil society organisations and governments to protect and manage their natural resources. Our work focuses on complementing local knowledge with expert advice, where necessary, for scientific research, conservation management and conservation planning.
WWF-Australia supports WWF offices in the South Pacific and south-east Asia by helping to secure funding, providing technical or strategic advice, monitoring on-ground activities and undertaking project analysis.
Snapshot of our activities
- Bismarck Solomon Seas (BSSE) - an area rich in marine diversity, the Bismarck Solomon Seas (which cover most of Solomon Islands and the northern coasts of Papua New Guinea and the Indonesian province of Papua) are a natural and vibrant ecological mosaic, linking lowland forests and mangroves, tidal estuaries, seagrass meadows and lagoons, coral reefs and barrier islands. We are forging partnerships with a range of government and non-government organisations, universities, local communities and businesses to carry out integrated conservation activities that will benefit the lifestyles and livelihoods of the people of the region.
- Sulu Sulawesi Seas Marine Ecoregion (SSME) - With WWF-Indonesia, WWF-Malaysia and WWF-Philippines, we are working to conserve this area which is a marine biodiversity hotspot and a priority marine ecoregion lying between northern Indonesia, eastern Malaysia and southern Philippines. SSME is one of the over 200 ecoregions in the world that is being given high conservation attention. It is located in the apex of what is known as the coral triangle, an area determined to have the highest marine biodiversity with 400 known species of marine algae, 476 species of corals, 16 species of seagrasses, five of the seven species of sea turtles in the world, 22 species of marine mammals and hundreds of high-value fish used for food and commerce.
