This is the workshop report from the meeting held with the TCA community on 1st - 2nd November 2023, to introduce OECM concept to the community, free prior and informed consent, and the OECM assessment tool that NES had populated and requested feedback on.
The TCA Management Plan 2020-2030 was also launched at this workshop.
This is a collated report of the discussions and outcomes held at each Working Group meeting session, to review and finalise the OECM assessment of the Takitumu Conservation Area. The latter WG sessions also discussed the new TCA storyboard signs that were being designed to unveil on Biodiversity Day 2024 (22 May), coinciding with the official launch ceremony of the TCA being internationally recognized as an OECM
Video on NES Youtube to commemorate the Launch of Takitumu Conservation Area as an OECM.
For Biodiversity Day 2024, the Cook Islands celebrated Ngai Taporoporo o Takitumu / Takitumu Conservation Area (TCA) as an Other Effective area-based Conservation Measure (OECM). This is the first OECM for the Cook Islands and for the Pacific. Congratulations, TCA on leading the way for the Pacific!
There is a short case study on the Cook Islands OECM submission process for the Takitumu Conservation Area.
See "Box 2.1. Oceania's first designated OECM" on page 12. Refer to the online version of the report https://digitalreport.protectedplanet.net/ to see more TCA images.
Note re chosen images - some images are of wetlands, these were chosen to show the types of ecosystems and biodiversity that exists in areas around the TCA
Cook Islands NEWS story
Takitumu Conservation Area set to become first OECM in Pacific
Tuesday 19 March 2024 | Written by Melina Etches | Published in Environment, Local, National
A report on the TCA community meeting held on 12 March 2024, to present the findings of the TCA OECM Working Group and obtain formal consent for the NES to submit the TCA as an OECM to the World Database on Protected Areas.
Refer to Case Study 6 on page 22 on a case study about the Takitumu Conservation Area becoming an OECM
On the 6th March 2024, the National Environment Service and Te Ipukarea Society held a multi-stakeholder consultation workshop at the Rarotongan Resort in Rarotonga. The workshop was intended to inform stakeholders from the tourism operators, retailers and wholesalers, government stakeholders and community organisations of the RESPONSE project and gain stakeholder perspective and insight for the project development.
A summary note of the RESPONSE project concept for a broad understanding of the project objective and outcomes