Government of the Federated States of Micronesia

FSM is Hosting SPREP’s 6th Conference

PALIKIR, Pohnpei (FSM Information Service): September 24,
1997 – The South Pacific Regional Environmental Program (SPREP)
based in Apia, Western Samoa, is holding its 6th Conference on Nature
Conservation and Protected Areas from September 29th to October 3rd,
at the FSM Capital in Palikir, according to SPREP and FSM officials
who are making arrangements for the conference.

In an interview conducted on September 16, 1997 which was recorded
and broadcasted over the radio station V6AH and Island Cable TV,
SPREP’s Biodiversity Officer Sue Miller, Wetland and Mangrove Officer
Lucille Apis Overhoff, Senior Administrative Officer Ruda Cuper, and
FSM Administrator for the Division of Maritime Resources Moses Nelson
estimated that more than 160 participants representing SPREP member
countries, territories, regional and international non-governmental
organizations in the Pacific Region, International Funding
Organizations, donor countries and non-governmental organizations
dealing with Nature Conservation activities will be in Pohnpei for
the conference.

SPREP’s Biodiversity Officer Sue Miller said that during the
conference participants and local officials and people will find time
to exchange information and views on the modern and scientific as
well as the traditional ways of conservation. Here in the FSM several
programs are on-going including the watershed catchment conservation,
reef and coral conservation efforts and programs restraining logging
and clearing of the remaining forest. Miller stated that the
landslides in Pohnpei were partly results of random clearing
especially of the hills and mountain slopes which became prone to
landslide during rainy and stormy weather.

Some participants, Miller said, are planning to take the
opportunity of being in the FSM, to visit other FSM States and to see
for themselves such community based conservation projects as the one
in Utwa-Walung, Kosrae.

The conference’s Micronesian Celebration will be open to the
public on Friday, October 10, 1997, from 1 p.m.

SPREP holds this conference every four years, the last one was
held in the Kingdom of Tonga in 1993. In each conference, SPREP
reviews its accomplishments and recommends new programs and
strategies.