Development of the Pacific Islands

Protected Area Portal (PIPAP)

Prepared by: Lucy Jacob

Email: [email protected]

June 2014
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Acknowledgements
The portal could not have been developed without Billy Chan-Ting, the SPREP Web Applications
Developer Specialist who was responsible for construction of all the primary elements of the site.
He also provided support and training to the consultant throughout the process. The graphics, logos
and website header which make the portal attractive were developed by Carlo Iacovino, the SPREP
Climate Change Communications Officer who carried out multiple iterations of graphics to arrive at
the final products.

The initial concept was advertised and promoted by Dr. Tim Carruthers with unfailing support and
helpful suggestions from other BEM staff members, namely Bruce Jefferies, Easter Galuvao, Pascale
Salaun and Amanda Wheatly who will now take over the development of this project. Pascale also
provided support by reviewing initial concepts and the needs assessment, providing information on
French initiatives and translation of materials. Other SPREP staff who provided assistance with the
concept and linkage with other initiatives include, Paul Anderson, Miraneta Williams-Hazelman, Posa
Skelton, Mike Donoghue, Makalesi Gonelevu and Rodney Lui. Makerita Atigaa also facilitated the
consultants contractual and travel arrangements by carrying out her job efficiently. Funding for this
work has been provided by The Convention for the Protection of Natural Resources and
Environment of the South Pacific Region (the Noumea Convention).

Support with initial concept development, factual information and networking assistance were also
provided by numerous non-SPREP partners including Michael Lameier (PIMPAC), Wendy Tan, Hugh
Govan and Alifereti Tawake (LMMA), Alan White (CTI-CFF), Trina Leberer (TNC and Micronesia
Challenge), Kelley Anderson and Darren Okimoto (University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program),
Sue Taei (Conservation International), Kate Brown and Jessica Robbins (IUCN GLISPA), Greg Sherley
(UNDP), Lyndsay Chapman (SPC), Francis Straub (Biodiversit Conseil), Anne Cailloud (GBRMPA,
ICRI, and GCRMN), and Denis Chang-Seng (UNESCO Office for the Pacific States ).

I would also like to acknowledge all 105 respondents who completed the Needs Assessment Survey
for the Pacific Islands Protected Area Portal which helped enormously with the development of the
portal structure and content.

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Contents
Acknowledgements....................................................................................................................................... 1
1) Background ............................................................................................................................................... 5
1.1 Initial Concept and Current Status ................................................................................................ 5
1.2 Development of Concept .............................................................................................................. 5
1.3 Synergy with Existing Networks and Initiatives in the Region ...................................................... 6
1.4 Fulfilment of Global/Regional Targets .......................................................................................... 7
1.5 Funding and Continuity ................................................................................................................. 7
2) Implementation ....................................................................................................................................... 9
2.1 Initial Scoping ...................................................................................................................................... 9
2.2 Needs Assessment .............................................................................................................................. 9
2.3 Further Portal Development ............................................................................................................. 10
2.4 Kick Start and Debrief Meetings ....................................................................................................... 17
3) Recommendations .................................................................................................................................. 18
3.1 Complete Review Process for the Portal .......................................................................................... 18
3.2 PIPAP Internship................................................................................................................................ 19
3.3 Development of Social Networking .................................................................................................. 19
3.4 Definition of Protected Area and Inclusion of Species Based Protected Areas ................................ 19
3.5 Launch of the Portal .......................................................................................................................... 20
3.6 Sustainability of the Portal ................................................................................................................ 20
4) References .............................................................................................................................................. 21
5) Appendices ............................................................................................................................................. 22
5.1. Regional Experts............................................................................................................................... 22

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1) Background

1.1 Initial Concept and Current Status

In August 2013, a Tender Document was prepared and advertised through the SPREP website to
identify a consultant to assist with the preparation of materials to support the Pacific Island
Roundtable for Nature Conservation & Protected Areas working group and initiate a Pacific network
of networks of protected areas. More specifically, the document called for someone to:

- Identify all relevant [protected area] networks,

- Develop annotated summaries of these networks and key management tools delivered
through these web sites.
- Be primarily responsible for building primary elements of the Pacific Network of Networks
website, within the SPREP website.

Lucy Jacob was successful in her tender application and has since developed the Pacific Islands
Protected Area Portal (PIPAP) in collaboration with SPREP staff members and regional protected
area practitioners. The initial version of the portal has now been completed and is ready for internal
and external review (see section 3.1). The consultants contract is also completed and the review
process (and subsequent development of the portal) will be overseen by the Ecosystem and
Biodiversity Officer at SPREP (Amanda Wheatly).

This is a very important process, as not only should it allow for improvement of the functionality and
utility of the portal to the end users, but it will also give the partners a sense of ownership over the
portal. Ultimately, it would be ideal to establish a steering committee for the portal with robust
mechanisms for ensuring that the views of the portal users are reflected in the content and style of
the portal.

1.2 Development of Concept

Through discussions and research, the following conceptual ideas were developed for PIPAP. It was
decided to develop a portal rather than a network in order to recognise the fact that there are
already effective and long-term networks in the region, which carry out an important role among the
protected area communities. It was decided that the portal should in no way be seen as overlaying
or duplicating the work of these networks. It is the intention of the portal to assist the users and
managers of these networks by providing a one-stop shop for a host of resources and opportunities
that could benefit protected area practitioners in the region.

Vision for the Pacific Islands Protected Area Portal (PIPAP):

To provide a doorway through which Pacific islands protected area practitioners can share expertise
and benefit from opportunities.

Proposed Users (Target Audience): The intended primary users are practitioners based in the Pacific
islands, involved in implementing and/or managing marine or terrestrial protected areas (e.g.
Government/NGO staff, community members, enforcement officers etc.) Secondary Users could
include members of protected area networks from outside the region, donors, academics and
students etc.

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Benefits to Proposed Users
Facilitate knowledge exchange among protected area practitioners in the Pacific islands.
One portal through which to access a wealth of existing information.
Build capacity to plan, implement and manage protected areas in the region.
Save time for practitioners by providing summaries of the most useful tools and resources.
Provide a forum for communication and advertisement of opportunities.
Achieve multiple objectives within international and regional targets.
It was proposed that the annotated catalogue of online resources would be unique in its breadth
and focus on Pacific islands protected area practitioners. Whilst other websites with wide-ranging
and numerous resources exist, these can be a challenge to find and might not all be appropriate for
the region. They also tend to be spread around in various online locations, with no particular site
focusing solely on providing online resources to Pacific islands practitioners. In addition, it was
proposed that the portal would link to the substantial SPREP virtual library catalogue and resources
(e.g. country profiles and best management practise documents) housed within the Pacific
Environment Information Network (PEIN).

Social Networking
Whilst one of the aims of the portal is to create a social network among its users, this is envisaged as
a virtual network for online discussion and sharing of expertise. It will be developed following the
launch of the portal, and in collaboration with regional protected area practitioners in order to
ensure its usefulness and benefit to them.

1.3 Synergy with Existing Networks and Initiatives in the Region

There are in existence several long-running and highly effective networks of protected area
practitioners in the Pacific islands region. These include the Pacific islands Managed and Protected
Areas Community (PIMPAC) which, due to the origin of the majority of their funding sources,
operates mainly in the U.S. Pacific islands and Freely Associated States and the Locally Managed
Marine Area Network (LMMA). The LMMA Network also has sub-regional networks operating (e.g.
Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Pohnpei, of which the Fiji Locally Managed Marine Area
network or FLMMA is the most established and long-running). These networks are extremely
successful in connecting people within their regions and enhancing the functionality of protected
area implementation and management throughout the region. This is done through on-the-ground
capacity and partnership building and technical assistance etc.

There are also other initiatives such as the Micronesia Challenge (MC) and the Coral Triangle
Initiative (CTI) operating in the region which have significant expertise, specific targets for protection
in their locations and are developing numerous tools which could be useful for other practitioners in
the region.

There is no known regional mechanism specifically for linking terrestrial protected area managers,
although there are several successful invasive networks (including the Pacific Invasive Learning
Network or PILN, the Pacific Invasive Initiative or PII and the Pacific Invasive Partnership or PIP).

The Pacific Islands Protected Area Portal (PIPAP) aims to link these existing initiatives in order to
maximize sharing within the region. In this way, it is proposed that the PIPAP will add value to
existing networks by expanding the level of knowledge exchange and partnership that is currently
taking place. In addition, the portal will provide a regional forum for terrestrial practitioners to link-
up and share expertise on topics other than those related to invasive species.

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1.4 Fulfilment of Global/Regional Targets

Convention on Biological Diversitys (CBDs) Programme of Work on Protected Areas (PoWPA)

The portal assists with the fulfilment of the CBDs PoWPA goals, particularly:

1.3 To establish and strengthen regional networks, transboundary protected areas (TBPAs) and
collaboration between neighbouring protected areas across national boundaries.
3.2 To build capacity for the planning, establishment and management of protected areas.

The Pacific Oceanscape Framework

The portal aligns well with the Pacific Oceanscape Framework (endorsed by all Pacific islands
leaders) which calls for Liaising, Listening, Learning and Leading to be strategic Priority. The
concept is particularly well designed to satisfy actions:

4A: Facilitate processes that utilize existing knowledge and results in needs drive information
acquisition and targeted capacity building for achieving policy and management objectives and
4C: Connecting people and places for sharing learning and action.

The Framework for Nature Conservation and Protected Areas in the Pacific Islands Region 2014-
2020
The portal also complements the draft Regional Framework for Nature Conservation and Protected
Areas in the Pacific Islands Region 2014- 2020, particularly:

Objective 6: Build capacity and partnerships that strengthen synergies between science, policy and
local and indigenous knowledge systems and between local and international agreements, and
effectively mobilise resources to achieve Objectives 1 5.

SPREP Strategic Plan and Core Values

Through this support to global and regional initiatives outlined above, the concept fulfils many
elements of the SPREP strategic plan and also complies with the core implementation value of
SPREP to Strengthen Regional Linkages.

1.5 Funding and Continuity

Funding for the consultant to carry out this work has been provided through The Convention for the
Protection of Natural Resources and Environment of the South Pacific Region (the Noumea
Convention).

Proposed funding for the further refinement of the portal has been identified through the "Marine
and Coastal Biodiversity Management in Pacific Island Countries and Atolls" (MACBIO) project. In
addition to carrying out economic assessments of marine and coastal ecosystems in five project
countries, MACBIO also aims to support current efforts to extend national marine protected area
(MPA) networks through seascape-level planning and promoting effective approaches for protected
area management, including the recognition of locally managed marine areas (LMMAs) and
community-based conservation efforts through payments for ecosystem services. It is anticipated
that the funds will be used to hire an Intern to continue the development of the portal materials.

There are also synergies between the PIPAP and The Biodiversity and Protected Areas Management
Programme (BIOPAMA) which is an IUCN project aiming to address threats to biodiversity in African,
Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries, while reducing poverty in communities in and around
7
protected areas. Specifically, the programme will enhance existing institutions and networks by
making the best available science and knowledge available for building capacity to improve policies
and better decision-making on biodiversity conservation, protected areas management and access
and benefit sharing.

In the immediate future, the overall management of the portal development will be carried out by
the newly appointed SPREP Ecosystem and Biodiversity Officer (Amanda Wheatly) whose
responsibilities include working closely with the Pacific Roundtable for Nature Conservation and
Protected Areas, to strengthen SPREPs support to Pacific island members and provide technical
advice and assistance on protected area design, implementing knowledge sharing activities and
developing opportunities for networking in the region.

Figure 1: Portal website header

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2) Implementation

2.1 Initial Scoping (November 2013)

A subset of local experts in the region (see Appendix 5.1) was contacted with details of the PIPAP
concept and a request for feedback to a number of questions. This feedback is summarized below:

Need to establish whether another portal would be of benefit to the region.

Carry out a needs analysis of the target users.
Include an intelligent search engine in the portal.
Choose the name/acronym that identifies the Pacific islands and covers marine and terrestrial
networks. Ensure that the acronym and name will have lasting impact.
Create a quick map of existing networks/portals.
The proposed portal will help to fill gaps in existing networks and is a natural role for SPREP to
play.
The proposed portal should encompass all types of protected area networks (including
international networks and high seas MPAs).
Definition of protected area (for the purposes of the portal) would be useful.
Feedback from the LMMA Network on this initiative will be extremely valuable (and was
received).
Other proposed names include Terrestrial and Marine Protected Area Portal (TaMPAP)
and Pacific Ocean and Land Protected Area portal (POLPAp).

Following the initial scoping email and responses that were received, the materials for a
demonstration website were prepared. A concept flyer (available on PIPAP homepage) was
developed for distribution during the 9th Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation and
Protected Areas and a Needs Assessment survey was developed (see below, section 2.2). In order to
facilitate communication, an email address was set up ([email protected]). This
email address appeared on promotional material and is also now prominent within the portal to
facilitate the provision of feedback and comments on the portal.

Initial discussions relating to the definition of a protected area concluded that the definition should
be as general as possible and encompass the array of types of protected area that exist in the Pacific
region. It is important to ensure that the portal is wholly inclusive for the region. Several
suggestions for a definition of a protected area were received but it was recognised that it is an
ongoing challenge to find a definition that fits all categories of protected area in the region and
satisfies everyone (Govan and Jupiter 2013). It is recommended that the steering committee for the
portal, once created, could raise this issue at the Pacific Island Round Table for Nature Conservation
and Protected Areas in order to achieve consensus on a definition that is representative, inclusive
and adequate for the Pacific islands.

2.2 Needs Assessment

As recommended in the initial scoping for the PIPAP, a short Needs Assessment survey was created
for the proposed portal. The survey was distributed in paper format during the 9th Pacific Nature
Conference for Protected Areas in Fiji (2-6 December 2013). It was also handed out to the attendees
of a workshop session focusing on the portal (held during the joint workshop of the CBD PoWPAs
and Access Benefit Sharing (ABS) Capacity Development Initiative) on Thursday 26th November 2013
9
and subsequently emailed to relevant protected area practitioners and existing networks in the
Pacific region, including the registrants of the 9th Pacific Nature Conference.

A total of 105 respondents completed the survey and a full report of the results is available by
request or via the portal homepage (http://www.sprep.org/pipap/pipap-home), once live. The
results of the Needs Assessment were used to refine the categories of resources and overall
structure of the portal. It was reassuring that 89% of respondents would definitely (48%) or
probably (41%) use a web-based social and linkage mechanism that provides a roadmap to
protected area networks and resources relevant to Pacific Island Countries (Jacob, 2014).

2.3 Further Portal Development

Following the presentation of the demonstration portal during various forums in Fiji in December
2013, the consultants contract was extended in order to complete the needs assessment and build
the first full version of the PIPAP. The work was carried out from January June 2014. The majority
of the work was done remotely from New Zealand on a part-time basis and was finalized during a
trip to Samoa from 18 24th June, during which the consultant worked closely with graphics and ICT
experts as well as the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Management Division at SPREP.

2.3.1 Structure

Table 1 shows the overall structure that was developed for the portal. There are five main sections
of the portal and full descriptions of each of them can be found in section 2.3.3.

Figure 2: Portal homepage graphic (with clickable links)

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Table 1 Outline structure for major categories and sub-categories of the Pacific Islands Protected Area Portal (PIPAP)

Major Portal Category

Protected Area Pacific Protected Resources for Protected Area Opportunities for Protected Talanoa/Meeting House
Partnerships Areas Practitioners Area Practitioners
1 Global 1 Protected Areas by 1 Management 1 Conferences 1 Share and Discuss
Country A Community-based Management
B Management Plan Development
C Monitoring

2 Regional 2 Pacific 2 Conservation Processes 2 Capacity Building and 2 Ask an Expert

Environmental Learning
Information Network A Training Opportunities
B Webinars
(PEIN)
3 Country- 3 BIOPAMA 3 Governance 3 Learning Exchanges
based Observatory Governance & Legislation Guidance
Enforcement & Compliance
4 Designing Protected Areas and 4 Grants, Funding and
Sub-categories

Networks Scholarships
A Scholarships
B Grants and Financial Management
Assistance
5 Sustainable Financing 5 Jobs and Internships
A Sustainable Financing
B Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES)
6 Culture and Communication
A Local Knowledge and Cultural Environments
B Communication, Education and Social Marketing
7 Data Analysis & Interpretation
8 A Changing Climate

9 Integrated Ecosystem-Based
Management
10 Progress Towards Protected Area
Targets

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2.3.2 Graphics

Several graphics and design motifs were created for the Pacific Islands Protected Areas Portal, with
the expert design assistance of the SPREP Climate Change Communications Officer, Carlo Iacovino.
The key graphics that have been developed to promote and brand the PIPAP can be seen in Figures
1-3.

Figure 1 is intended to symbolize the act of looking through a door-way, and thus the vision of the
portal itself (see section 1.2). Figure 2 is designed to create an attractive homepage and facilitate
easy navigation throughout the portal. Each of the five major sections of the portal can be reached
through the homepage graphic including the sub-categories for the Protected Area Partnerships
category. The graphic was designed to represent terrestrial and marine practitioners with emphasis
on the practitioners working together and sharing their knowledge (through the Talanoa/Meeting
House area). Due to the effectiveness of this graphic, it was adapted for use as a logo (see Figure 3).
Whenever the logo is encountered and clicked on the website, it should return the reader to the
home page. It will also be used in promotional and publication material.

Figure 3 Portal logos for use throughout website (to return to the home page) and in publication material etc.

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2.3.3 Content Development

The collation and development of materials to populate the portal were carried out by the
consultant, during the period, March June 2014. Below is a description of the methods and criteria
that were used to develop each section of the portal.

1) Protected Area Partnerships

A protected area partnership is defined as a global, regional or country-based initiative working to
provide support to more than one protected area. A protected area can have different objectives,
ranging from complete protection of biodiversity to climate change resilience, sustainable fisheries
and even recreational purposes. It is the aim of the PIPAP to provide information on the range of
global, regional and country-based initiatives that could provide support to regional practitioners or
that might be a model for practitioners own countries (i.e. a country-based partnerships).

It had been requested in the tender document that the consultant prepare annotated summaries of
all relevant protected area networks. This brief was further refined during the scoping process to
include the whole range of networks, from global, to regional and country-based. There are several
initiatives that are not defined as networks but are still highly relevant for protected area
practitioners (e.g. ProtectedPlanet.net, the online interface for the World Database on Protected
Areas). It was therefore decided to define this category as Protected Area Partnerships which should
only include initiatives that are working on supporting more than one protected area.

Other initiatives that are related to protected areas but not directly focussing on them (e.g.
ReefBase, Pacific Invasives Initiative etc.), are also included in the portal but annotated summaries of
them are not presented. They are included in a list format with the heading other conservation
partnerships. This is also the list where an individual protected area with a useful website (i.e. one
containing useful resources) could be placed (e.g. Phoenix Islands Protected Area). Figure 4 is a
screen snapshot of the Regional Protected Area Partnerships page of the PIPAP demonstrating this.

Figure 4 Screen snapshot from the Regional Protected Area Partnerships section of the Pacific Islands Protected Areas
Portal.

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 2) Pacific Protected Areas
Ideally, SPREP should be able to disseminate up-to-date regional information on protected areas,
including all small-scale and locally-managed areas. However, at present, the most up-to-date
repository of information on protected areas for the region comes from Govan (2009) and has
already been incorporated into the World Database for Protected Areas (WDPA). Therefore, at
present the portal links directly to the WDPA (through the Protectedplanet.net interface). This is
done through an interactive map, housed within the portal which links the user directly to search
results for each country/territory in the Pacific islands (see Figure 5).

Figure 5 Screen snapshot from Pacific Protected Areas page of the Pacific Islands Protected Areas Portal (PIPAP). The
names of countries and territories are clickable and link directly to the search results from the Protectedplanet.net
website (WDPA).

In addition to linking to the data in the WDPA, this section of the portal also provides links to the
PEIN Country Profiles which are managed by SPREP. Each Country Profile has a section on protected
areas which contains links to relevant data sources and resources for the country. Finally, the
Pacific Protected Areas section also plans to link to the Regional Observatory for Protected Areas
and Biodiversity (UNEP BIOPAMA) for the Pacific region, once it has been developed.

3) Resources for Protected Area Practitioners

This category falls under the Practitioners Corner area and is the most populated area of the portal.
The resources included have been categorized into ten major subjects and some are further sub-
divided (see Table 1). These subject areas were refined through the Needs Assessment for the

14
portal. All resources are available online and links are provided along with summaries of the
documents/tools in light of the needs of protected area practitioners in the region.

For each resource/document, the heading is provided (in accordion style), along with the
bibliographic information, a clickable icon of the front page and a summary description. The
summary descriptions range from approximately 80 180 words and summarize the focus of the
document, along with a brief description of the contents and information about the relevance to
Pacific islands (i.e. whether case studies come from the region and whether guidelines are applicable
in the region etc). Figure 6 shows a snapshot of the resource page for the category of Management
of protected Areas. You can see the three sub-categories in this snapshot along with the accordion
style list of references for the 1st category.

Figure 6 Screen snapshot from the PIPAP Resources for Protected Area Practitioners section, showing the category of
Management of Protected Areas.

4) Opportunities for Protected Area Practitioners

This section of the portal provides links to opportunities that can assist Pacific islands protected area
practitioners in their ongoing work and professional development. Opportunities are divided into
five categories (see descriptions below)

a) Conferences. These are all conferences that are relevant to protected area practitioners. A
table with the summary information (date, title, summary, location) is displayed on the
page. The title of the conferences links directly to the conference website. Portal users can
send details of relevant conferences to be added and the future portal manager should

15
 ensure that the table is updated regularly. Regional conferences and meetings should be a
particular focus.

b) Capacity Building and Learning. This section of the portal is divided into: i) training
opportunities and ii) webinars. Information about upcoming training (online and in-situ) is
presented along with links to the website containing information. Portal users are
encouraged to send information about upcoming trainings that the portal manager can
advertise here. Portal users can also email training requests if assistance is needed to locate
a specific training opportunity.

c) Learning Exchanges. Information is provided on some of the ways in which learning

exchanges can be supported for users of the portal. At present, this section is limited but it
is hoped that new opportunities will be added as they arise or become known about. As
with other categories, a description of the opportunity is provided along with a clickable link
for the user to obtain additional information directly from the source.

d) Grants Funding and Scholarships. This category of the portal is divided into two sections: i)
Scholarships, ii) Grants and Financial Management Assistance. As with other categories, a
description of the opportunity is provided along with a clickable link for the user to obtain
additional information directly from the source. Efforts have been made to ensure that
grants are applicable to the region and to find opportunities that could be a challenge for
practitioners to find by themselves.

e) Jobs and Internships. This section of the opportunities category provides links to relevant
jobs search pages for protected area practitioners. Links are provided to the employment
sections of almost 20 sites.

Figure 7 Screen snapshot from the Jobs and Internships section of the Opportunities section of the Pacific Islands
Protected Areas Portal.
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 5) Talanoa/Meeting House
This section of the portal is intended for knowledge and expertise exchange among the users of the
Portal. It is currently still under development, but is proposed to have two sections:

a) Share and Discuss: opportunity for practitioners to discuss their ongoing work, including any
challenges or highlights, with other users of the portal. The exact mechanism has not been
identified yet but the new SPREP Ecosystem and Biodiversity Officer has created a LinkedIn
group called Pacific Islands Protected Area Meeting House as a means to test this method
of interaction for practitioners in the region. One of the benefits of using LinkedIn is that it
draws upon a wealth of existing expertise, i.e. relevant people already registered with
LinkedIn who could choose/be invited to join the discussion group.

b) Ask an Expert: a list of experts in various aspects of protected area implementation and
management, particularly those that work or have worked in the Pacific islands region will
be compiled. Experts will be aligned with resource categories already used in the portal.
Users of the portal are asked to assist in identifying and nominating experts who will be
expected to answer email questions and inquiries from members of the Pacific islands
protected area community. In the interim period, portal users will be offered the
opportunity to contact members of the SPREP Biodiversity and Ecosystem Management
(BEM) Division for assistance.

2.4 Kick Start and Debrief Meetings

The consultant travelled to Samoa to work directly with SPREP staff during the period 11th 17th
June 2014. During this time, all material that had been developed by the consultant in collaboration
with the core PIPAP development team was uploaded to the SPREP website, and embedded into the
portal structure. This structure was built by the Web Applications Developer Specialist (Billy Chan-
Ting) prior to the consultants visit. The consultant worked closely with the Web specialist, the
SPREP BEM Division and the graphics developer (Carlo Iacovino) during the week.

Kick start (11th June) and Debrief (17th June) meetings were held during the week in which a
representative from the: SPREP library (Information Resources Centre & Archives Manager,
Miranetta Williams-Hazelman), SPREP Environmental Monitoring and Planning Division
(Environmental Monitoring Analyst, Paul Anderson and Spatial Planning Officer, Ryan Wright) and
SPREP Climate Change Division (Knowledge Management Officer, Makalesi Gonelevu and Climate
Change Monitoring & Evaluation Officer, Rodney Lui) were present in addition to the core PIPAP
development team (Easter Galuvao, Billy Chan Ting, Carlo Iacovino and Amanda Wheatly) and all
BEM Division staff (Debrief meeting only). Copies of presentations from these meetings can be
obtained by request.

Throughout the week, meetings were held to ensure that the portal would link well to existing
initiatives under SPREPs management (e.g. Climate Change Portal and SPREPs virtual library).
Handover meetings were held with the consultant, Easter Galuvao (Biodiversity Adviser) and
Amanda Wheatly (new Ecosystem and Biodiversity Officer) in order to ensure a smooth transition as
the consultants contract finishes and Amanda takes over the future development of the portal.

The initial version of the PIPAP was presented for the first time during the debrief meeting. Positive
and constructive feedback was received which has either been incorporated into the portal or
included as recommendations in this final report.

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3) Recommendations
Below are a series of recommendations to assist the future portal developers with: the review
process, developing certain portal components, ensuring sustainability and launching the portal.
These recommendations have come from discussions, meetings, research and activities undertaken
during the process of developing the portal.

3.1 Complete Review Process for the Portal

It is recommended that the following review process is undertaken. Deadlines are suggested in
order to ensure sufficient time for making any necessary alterations to the portal prior to its
proposed launch in November 2014 (see section 3.5). It is important to ensure that the reviewers
are able to provide comments on the content and structure of the portal, along with any
recommendations regarding the social networking mechanisms and advertisement to end-users to
promote knowledge of the portal and enhance usage.

It would also be helpful to gain reviewers opinions on the development of a steering committee for
the portal and on the sustainability of the portal as a core activity of the SPREP BEM Division.

SPREP Biodiversity and Ecosystems Management (BEM) Division to review portal

(Proposed deadline: 18th July)
BEM BEM to provide additional resources/opportutnities/suggestions, particulary terrestrial

SPREP Communications team to review portal

(Proposed deadline: 8th August)
Comms This should ensure content and appearance appropriate for external audience
Team
PIPAP partners (from initial scoping) to review portal
(Proposed deadline: 5th September)
Regional
Ensure members of key regional networks are included in the list
Experts

Request review from Pacific Solutions Exchange (PSE)1

(Proposed deadline: 3rd October)
PSE

Figure 8 Proposed process to be undertaken for Internal and External Review of the Pacific Islands Protected Area Portal.

1
The Pacific Solution Exchange (PSE) is a knowledge-sharing forum that supports an email-group of over 1500 members, with
conversations moderated by a Facilitation Team based in Suva, Fiji. Members ask each other queries and share answers, insights,
experiences and lessons learned to help with their work in the Pacific. For each Query, members have about 2-3 weeks to share their
experiences, ideas and recommendations via the email network. At the end of the conversation period, the Facilitation Team
synthesizes the responses into a Consolidated Reply (a synopsis of all responses and additional resources), which is circulated to the
Community.

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3.2 PIPAP Internship

SPREP have indicated that an intern will be hired using funds from the MACBIO Project (see section
1.5). This intern will have responsibilities that are split between the MACBIO project, the Pacific
Roundtable for Conservation and Protected Areas and the Pacific Islands Protected Area Portal
(PIPAP). It is proposed that the intern could undertake the following responsibilities.

Meta data
To date, the meta-data (e.g. tag words to enhance searching capabilities) have not been inserted for
the resources contained within the portal. It is suggested that this would be an ideal job for the
intern to complete. In the future, meta-data should be inserted as resources are uploaded to the
portal.

Terrestrial resources
Due to the fact that the consultant hired had a background in marine protected areas, there is a bias
towards marine resources in the portal at present. It is suggested that the SPREP BEM Division, and
the intern should work to correct this balance.

Search and Update Opportunities

Opportunities such as conferences, training and funding cycles need to be monitored and updated
regularly. There may be current opportunities that have been missed or those that arise in the
future and should be added to the portal. This would be an ideal role for the intern to play.

3.3 Development of Social Networking

As described in section 2.3.3(5), mechanisms for social networking are still being established,
although LinkedIn and a directory of experts are being considered. Initial plans for the portal
proposed a newsletter and newsfeed section within the website. It is recommended that further
consideration is given to these options. It is also recommended that portal managers seek advice
and feedback from members of existing networks regarding what works for them in the region and
what barriers to communication exist.

The Pacific Invasives learning Network (PILN) operates as a successful learning network and they
should have many useful lessons learned that could assist portal managers. The Coral Triangle
Initiatives Knowledge Network (http://www.ctknetwork.org/) and Communities of Practise (CoPs)
should also be investigated for ideas. A fact sheet about CoPs can be found online at
http://www.foodsec.org/DL/course/shortcourseFK/en/pdf/trainerresources/PG_COP.pdf.

3.4 Definition of Protected Area and Inclusion of Species Based Protected Areas

Section 2.1 discusses the challenge of finding a definition of protected area that can fit all situations
in the Pacific adequately. It is recommended that this issue is raised at the Pacific Roundtable for
Nature Conservation and Protected Areas.

One issue that was raised during the PIPAP Debrief Meeting was how species based protected areas
(i.e. areas where capture, removal or fishing of a certain species is not permitted) could fit into the
portal. These could include the Palau Shark Sanctuary and areas under national jurisdiction where
whaling, capture of turtles and endangered species etc. are not permitted etc. The majority of these
areas would not appear within the World Database of Protected Areas but SPREP do have some

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maps of where the marine areas are in the region. It is recommended that the portal managers
decide how best to present this information within the portal.

3.5 Launch of the Portal

It has been proposed that the PIPAP is launched at the IUCN World Parks Congress, Sydney, Australia
in November (12th 19th) 2014. This landmark global forum on protected areas is an ideal venue as
there should be key representatives from the Pacific islands as well as from global protected area
initiatives. This makes it an ideal way to spread the message about the new portal and get valuable
feedback from the potential end users and peer networks/initiatives on the best way to maximise
effectiveness and synergies.

The portal fits well within the cross cutting conference theme of capacity development and a side
event hosted by SPREP will be a suitable location for promotional materials (banners, posters, portal
demonstrations, feedback forms, flyers etc). It is therefore recommended that space and time are
allocated for the portal during the appropriate side-event and that promotional material is
developed in time for it to be approved by the SPREP publications team and professionally printed.

3.6 Sustainability of the Portal

In order for the PIPAP to be sustainable and successful, it is necessary for it to be maintained and
promoted throughout the region. It is therefore proposed that a full-time position could be created
within SPREP to manage the PIPAP in the long-term. This will require sustainable financing that is
not project-based. Project-based funds could be useful in the interim while the functionality of the
portal is maximised and the usefulness to SPREP member countries has been demonstrated. If this is
achieved, it is then recommended that the SPREP BEM Division support the incorporation of the
PIPAP management role into the existing structure of the Division.

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4) References
Govan, H. et al. 2009. Status and potential of locally-managed marine areas in the South Pacific:
meeting nature conservation and sustainable livelihood targets through wide-spread
implementation of LMMAs. SPREP/WWF/WorldFish-Reefbase/CRISP. 95pp + 5 annexes

Govan, H. Jupiter, S. 2013. Can The IUCN 2008 Protected Areas Management Categories Support
Pacific Island Approaches to Conservation? Parks. Vol. 19.1.

Jacob, L. 2014. Needs Assessment Survey for the Pacific Islands Protected Area Portal: A Summary
Report of the Results. Copies available from SPREP Library.

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5) Appendix
5.1. Regional Experts
Group of protected area practitioners included on initial PIPAP scoping email
Paul Anderson (SPREP, Samoa)
James Atherton (Samoa)
Kate Brown (GLISPA, D.C.)
Anne Caillaud (GBRMPA, ICRI, GCRMN)
Dr. Tim Carruthers (SPREP, Samoa)
Lindsay Chapman (SPC, Noumea, New Caledonia)
Mike Donohue (SPREP, Samoa)
Hugh Govan (Sustainable Island Innovations and LMMA, Fiji)
Bruce Jefferies (SPREP, Samoa)
Michael Lameier (PIMPAC, Hawaii)
Jessica Robbins (GLISPA, D.C.)
Pascale Salauan (SPREP, Samoa)
Dr. Greg Sherley (UNEP, Samoa)
Francis Straub (Biodiversite Conseil, UK)
Sue Taei (Conservation International, Samoa)

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