TCA’s Vision is:

The people of PNG and their places are respected, valued, protected and enhanced in the context of their overall well being; including their natural resources, habitats, ecosystems, communities, cultures and local economies.

Our Strategy

Saving Tree Kangaroos:

The Tenkile and Weimang Tree Kangaroos are Critically Endangered because of hunting and limited distribution. Hunting moratoriums have been in place since 1999. Tenkile numbers have increased from 100 – 300 animals as a result.

Saving Biodiversity:

The hunting moratorium has lead to local people taking into consideration all biodiversity. Some frog species and the Victoria’s Crowned Pigeon were considered to be locally extinct. People agreed to no longer hunt any species in designated “no-go” zones to protect all species of fauna and flora. This was in line with the cultural practice of “ples masalai” respecting spiritual and ancestral places.

Saving the Torricelli Mountain Range:

Establishing a legally protected area within the Torricelli Mountain Range is the final tick we need to ensure the long term protection of biodiversity. A legally protected area in PNG means there is no large scale exploitation of the area such as logging and mining activities. Any future development would need to be approved by the local people and the Conservation Environment Protection Authority (CEPA).

Saving People:

TCA currently works with 50 villages comprising 13,000+ people who own the Torricelli Mountain Range Conservation Area (TMRCA). They have the Critically Endangered (CR) Tenkile and Weimang Tree Kangaroos on their land. TCA has implemented a variety of sustainable development projects to assist PNG’s rainforest communities to improve health, increase education and alleviate poverty and hunger. We still have a long way to go …

Saving Cultural Identity:

Part of the reason why PNG is losing its connection to nature is due to external influences such as religion, economics, technology and social aspects. At TCA we believe that at the core of environmental destruction is the loss of cultural identity to species and how natural resources are being undervalued. TCA aims to reconnect PNG people back to their culture and traditional practices, which are inline with sustainable resource management and biodiversity protection.

Saving the Planet:

TCA wants to mitigate climate change. We do not want to see global temperatures rise. We do not want to see economies and ecosystems collapse around the world as a result of climate change. The New Guinea rainforest is the third largest rainforest in the world after the Amazon and Congo which means PNG has a huge role to play in mitigating climate change. TCA has two major projects that could be incorporated into a REDD+ or Payment for Environmental Services scheme that will minimise greenhouse gas emissions in PNG. They both need to be funded.

Saving TCA:

TCA has been established since 2001. It has maintained and improved TCA Base-Lumi into an epicentre for conservation and development within Sandaun Province and Papua New Guinea. It requires on-going funding to keep operating at its present level including the employment of local staff who care for our captive Tree Kangaroos and TCA Base assets.

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CONTRIBUTE

There are many valuable ways in which you can contribute to the Tenkile Conservation Alliance’s vision – which is, the people of PNG value and protect their natural resources, their community and their culture.
Click 'Contribute' button above to learn more.