Conservation International New Caledonia

Conservation International New Caledonia

Conservation International Nouvelle-Calédonie
Abbreviation	CI New Caledonia
Formation	2002 (local office established)
Type	Country programme
Headquarters	Nouméa, New Caledonia
Region served	New Caledonia
Fields	Biodiversity conservation; marine conservation; protected areas; sustainable fisheries; invasive species management
Parent organization	Conservation International
Website	www.conservation.org

Conservation International New Caledonia (French: Conservation International Nouvelle-Calédonie) is the New Caledonia programme of Conservation International (CI). Conservation International established a local office in 2002 and works on terrestrial and marine conservation in New Caledonia, including partnerships in the North Province around the Mont Panié massif (including co-management arrangements involving the Dayu Biik association) and initiatives linked to the Natural Park of the Coral Sea and sustainable fisheries management.^[1][2][3]

The programme has carried out biodiversity assessments in Province Nord, including a Rapid Assessment Program expedition in the Mont Panié / Roches de la Ouaième region and Marine Rapid Assessment Program surveys of coral reefs in the north-west lagoon between Koumac and Yandé.^[4][5] In the 2020s, CI supported wildfire-risk mitigation plantings, trialled nature-based sediment management in Morari Bay, and joined a jurisdictional approach initiative for longline tuna fisheries.^{[6][7][8][9][10][11]}

Conservation International began partnerships with the North Province in 1996 and established a local office in 2002.^[1][2] Work around Mont Panié included a co-management project initiated in 2003 and early invasive-mammal control trials in 2004, followed by Marine Rapid Assessment Program surveys of the north-west lagoon in 2007.^[1][12][5] The Rapid Assessment Program expedition for the Mont Panié / Roches de la Ouaième region was published in 2013, and the Natural Park of the Coral Sea was created in 2014.^[4][13] In February 2019, the Government of New Caledonia and Conservation International Foundation renewed a five-year framework agreement first signed in 2012, with objectives linked to the Natural Park, sustainable fisheries, research and innovation partnerships, and regional and international outreach.^[1][2] Jurisdictional initiatives linked to longline tuna fisheries were launched in 2021, and a second phase launched in 2024.^[10][11]

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Selected programme locations in New Caledonia (1 Nouméa; 2 Mont Panié-Thönyë (Province Nord); 3 Koumac-Yandé lagoon (Province Nord); 4 Mont-Dore (Morari Bay) (Province Sud); 5 Ouvéa (Loyalty Islands); 6 Coral Sea (Natural Park of the Coral Sea))

In February 2019, Conservation International Foundation and the Government of New Caledonia renewed their partnership for five years. The framework agreement set out cooperation objectives that included support for the Natural Park of the Coral Sea (including technical and strategic support for park actors), work on sustainable fishing and tourism, and links with partner universities for applied research, innovation, and training.^[1][2] In 2023, CI supported plantings of sea hibiscus (Hibiscus tiliaceus) as living firebreaks on parts of Grande Terre, intended to slow wildfire spread in some conditions.^[6]

In Province Nord, CI has focused terrestrial conservation work on the Mont Panié massif through a co-management programme implemented with provincial authorities and local partners, including the Dayu Biik association. Activities include biodiversity inventories and other field assessments, invasive-species management, and local involvement linked to ecotourism and site stewardship.^{[1][2][3][4][12]} Early invasive-mammal control trials included intensive trapping of rats and feral cats in a trial area, alongside actions intended to reduce feral pig impacts on gardens on the flanks of Mont Panié.^[12] CI carried out a Rapid Assessment Program expedition in the Mont Panié / Roches de la Ouaième region as part of its biodiversity assessment work in Province Nord.^[4]

In the north-west lagoon of Grande Terre between Koumac and Yandé, CI's Marine Rapid Assessment Program conducted surveys from 24 November to 15 December 2007, including assessments of coral and reef-fish diversity, selected macro-invertebrates, targeted fish stocks, and reef condition. CI also assessed socioeconomic issues related to marine resource use and outlined applications for marine management decisions.^[5]

In Mont-Dore (Morari Bay), CI has trialled nature-based sediment management using bamboo fascines and branchwood intended to retain sediments and support mangrove advance.^[7][8]

The Natural Park of the Coral Sea was created in 2014 and covers about 1.3 million km² across the exclusive economic zone of New Caledonia.^[13] In October 2023, the Government of New Caledonia created 105,000 km² of new marine reserves within the park and announced restrictions on industrial activities in parts of the marine protected area; CI worked with government and local stakeholders on identifying priority areas and corridors between reserves.^{[14][15][16][17]}

CI has taken part in jurisdictional initiatives linked to longline tuna fisheries in New Caledonia and Fiji, including memoranda of understanding with tuna-industry organisations. A second phase of the initiatives launched in 2024.^[9][10][11]

The 2019 framework agreement between the Government of New Caledonia and Conservation International Foundation included objectives that covered work on sustainable practices for the exploitation of sandalwood in the Loyalty Islands.^[2][1] CI contributed a participatory management plan for the Ouvéa and Beautemps-Beaupré atolls to the province of the Loyalty Islands.^[18]