Papua New Guinea is rich in globally significant natural ecosystems and diverse cultures.
Islanders and highlanders share a unique bounty of up to ten percent of all plant and animal species on the planet.
Owned mostly by customary landowners, Papua New Guineans are working with UNDP to support environmental conservation.
On the eve of the 2022 National Protected Areas Forum, community members of the Patanga Locally Managed Marine Area (LMMA) welcomed UNDP to Kimbe Bay for an exciting test pilot of newly developed digital tools.
Together with the Conservation, Environment Protection Authority (CEPA), and members of the West New Britain Provincial Administration, the Lukim Gather mobile app was unveiled in this remote protected area.
Lukim Gather mobile application targets Protected Area community leaders and members to collect environmental information, which can benefit conservation monitoring and management plans.
The data collected from the app will provide an annual baseline about the condition of values and threats in the protected area, as perceived at the community level, which will help CEPA verify detailed assessments which take place every three years.
This innovative mobile technology is helping to overcome many of the geographical, infrastructural and technological challenges that prevent the effective tracking and management of natural resources within the region.
Lukim Gather app is free, open-source and able to function offline and out of range of phone signal, to enable communities in remote areas to collect and share social and environmental information about protected areas.
Automatic data uploads will save time and reduce errors in data collection.
The app also empowers communities to quickly - and anonymously - report on local environmental incidents, including illicit activities such as illegal logging.
The app bridges the divide between remote communities and provincial and national level planning. This test pilot in Patanga LMMA, on the shores of Kimbe Bay, included a community consultation with 15 men and women of different ages using the questionnaire in the app.
The enthusiastic locals shared insights about the condition of plants and animals within this protected area, threats, customary law and their perceptions about the benefits of living close to a locally-managed marine area rich in biodiversity and natural resources.
Lukim Gather Beta is now available in Google Play stores for testing, with a final version expected in August 2022. Learn more at: www.lukimgather.org