Sustainable livelihoods in Milne Bay: Eco-tourism versus logging

James Butler, Erin BohenskyCSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems

The Holy Grail: livelihoods from conservation

• Livelihoods strategies which alleviate poverty and conserve high value biodiversity

• Livelihoods-biodiversity linkage model for conservation (Salafsky & Wollenberg, 2000)

• Link economic activity to biodiversity protection • Eco-tourism provides stronger linkages than consumptive uses

Develop viable linked

enterprise

Enhanced value of

biodiversity

Enhanced capacity to

reduce threats

Protected biodiversity

New approaches to measuring ‘success’

• Resilience and linked social-ecological systems (Berkes, 2007)

• Social-ecological networks (Janssen et al., 2006)

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+

Reachability

Density

Milne Bay, PNG

Milne Bay Population Growth and Projection

0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

1960 1980 2000 2020 2040 2060

yearN

o. p

erso

ns

The logging story

• 2001 Sewa Bay Timbers, foreign-owned company• 10 km2 selective logging of hardwood on one clan area• Skilled labour and royalties offered to 9 village men• After 12 months supervisor hospitalised• Enterprise disintegrated in acrimony• K80,000 export timber sale, no royalties paid

The eco-tourism story

• 2004 village guesthouse established at Saidowai• Network of village stays and tourism activities• Locally-owned• Fees paid to villages for diving, Bird of Paradise guided walks• 31 visitors in 2008

Sewa Bay

Cash income (2007 prices)

Logging (Leiwoya) Eco-tourism (Saidowai)

Cash balance (p.a.) - K653 K2,928

Per capita income (p.a.) K104 K1,333

Total income for service all providers (p.a.)

K5,564 K9,890

Sewa Bay village

Mainland village

Posiyai Island

Kasawedobu

Niudadi

Welala

Oilage

Wakuyuyuna

SaidowaiTaumidimidi

Sibonai Mission Station

Magetuwa

Sibwatoleya

Samowau

East Cape Mission

Ecosystem service

Guest house

Ferry

Guide

Dive fees

Church donation

Food

Skilled logging labour

Key

Natural capital

Coral reefs Bird of Paradise

Leiwoya

Imwaulesina

Popondetta

Raba Raba

Logging forest

Conclusions

• Eco-tourism provided greater cash benefits• Higher density and reachability• Logging incited local friction• Eco-tourism builds social capital• Eco-tourism creates more biodiversity linkages• Eco-tourism based on wide range of un-skilled labour

BUT DID NOT CONSIDER

• Ecological costs/benefits• Feedback loops to natural capital• Cross-scale networks beyond villages• System dynamics over time

Escape to E(s)cape- Migration to mainland- Ecotourism marginalised as focus shifts to law and order- Revival of traditional sailing canoes

Down but not Out- High awareness, “crisis” stimulates action - Need to rebuild infrastructure allows a rethink of technology adoption

Future scenarios for eco-tourism in Milne Bay

CSIRO Sustainable Regional Development

Climate crisis

Gradual climate change

Technologyavailable

Technologyunavailable

Kula Connections-Time to prepare for climate impacts- Traditional Kula ring reinvented as modern information network - Risk of losing cultural uniqueness

Save our Forests- Activity shifts from coastal to inland areas- Grassroots environmental activism and education- Traditional gardens promoted- Planting trees for carbon

THANK YOU