Save PNG

The Sir Rabbie Namaliu Orchid Show

2007-08-09T22:34:00.000-07:00

Here are a few photographs from the Orchid Show, August 4 . Spectacular!!!

"1000 Tree's in 1 Day", World Environment Day, June 2007

2007-07-22T09:53:00.000-07:00

Thomas from Motopure Island Research Institute

Talking with Pati Potts Doi, a well recognised PNG music artist

Interview with EM TV
The Crowd

Pati with his beautiful fans
Zola (WWF) and Nina (Greenpeace)
The future

Media Release

PNG Eco-Forestry Forum launched "1000 in 1 Day" mass tree planting campaign in
Commemoration of the 35th World Environment on June 5.

June 5, 2007. ENVIRONMENTAL and Conservation NGOs under the PNG Eco-Forestry Forum umbrella launched the "1000 in 1 Day" mass tree planting campaign in Port Moresby yesterday in commemoration of the 35th World Environment Day.
The group distributed 500 tree seedlings for planting to 22 selected schools in the city and planted 1000 mangrove seedlings during a re-vegetation exercise at Gabagaba village headed by the Motupore Island Research Institute on World Environment Day.

This year’s international theme is "Melting Ice, A hot topic?" focusing on the effects of climate change. The theme motivated the NGO group to raise awareness and educate Papua New Guineans on the threats posed by continued carbon emissions and the importance to protect and replant trees and forests as one solution to the problem of global climate change.

Although, the topic may not be familiar to the PNG setting, melting ice cap lead to the rise in sea level placing PNG and other islands in the South Pacific region at risk.

The group’s campaign to get Port Moresby residents to commit to this year’s event by planting 1000 trees in 1 day. Growing trees is the simplest way to store carbon and remove it from the atmosphere (carbon sequestration) through the involvement of youths and communities in NCD.

Schools, sporting organizations, corporate entities and environmental NGOs have cooperated to raise community awareness on the importance of planting trees to absorb carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

"The campaign is a bid to give a human face to this important environmental issue and empower young people to become an active agent of sustainable development and to be advocates for a prosperous future." said PNGEFF chairman Damien Ase.

Papua New Guinea boasts of some of world’s most spectacular animals and plant life and landmarks that may not be found anywhere in the world. However, their ecosystems and sustainability is threatened by climate change.

Mr Ase thanked Corporate Companies who are supporting this initiative. These companies include, Peter Allan Lowing Lawyers, Coral Sea Hotels, Barrick PNG Ltd, Rural Development Bank, Steamships Trading Ltd, Brian Bell and Co, Telikom PNG, Boroko Motors, Theodist Stationary, Trukai Industries, Super Value Stores and NCDC Parks and Gardens.

The wider public is invited to a mass tree planting to reach the target of 1000 trees on June 9 at Don Bosco Technical Institute starting at 7am. The Celebration will feature renowned musician and passionate environmentalist Patti Potts Doi. Plants, organic fruits and vegetables will be sold on the day to promote the green theme.

Earth Day, Sunday 22nd of April

2007-04-30T20:15:00.000-07:00

More Art work from the kids

The tents provided by Trukai for the NGOs to showcase their work in PNG

Some of the contestants work displayed for the Art comp held by the US embassy

Kone Sharks

Before the wall was painted by the Koki Art group, sponsred by, Alliance Francais and Akzon Nobel

Koki Art Group, painting the fence at Ela Beach

The basketball wall in the centre of the beach, after is was painted

The Governer General, Sir Paulus Matane and the US Ambassador, Lesley Rowe

Taubmans Volunteers

Trukai Volunteers

People helping to keep the beach clean

Some of the children from Koki

This was a day to remember, we were all so proud to see the community effort put in on the day to help clean up the beach.

Well over 500 people turned up to the beach at 8:00 on Sunday morning. I was practically mobbed for gloves and garbage bags.

So many different groups came down to the beach. We had, Trukai, Protec Ssecurity, Ela Motors, Taubmans Westpac, Easiloan, BSP, Deloittes from the business houses and Kone Sharks and the Kanu Klub come down to show their support and appreciation for the environment.

You were all such an inspiration!!!!! Congratulations and thank you for coming down and helping.

This is only the beginning. An event such as this was worthwhile for more than 500 people would have left the beach happy that it was clean but also realizing that the next day the rubbish would be back again. This is a commitment we are making to the environment to clean it up. We are taking responsibility for our home.

What is World Earth Day?

April 22nd signifies World Earth Day. It is a day in which the world collectively recognizes the necessity to create a sustainable society by educating and encouraging people globally to protect the environment.

What is the Significance of this event?

It aims at inspiring individuals and communities on a local, national and international level to care about our earth by thinking globally and acting locally.
We hope that this event highlights the importance of environmental protection, brings community focus back to Ela Beach as the heart of Port Moresby and encourages the community to work together with respective stakeholders to protect and respect each other and the environment..

How can you help keep Ela Beach clean?

1. Always throw your rubbish in the bins.

2. Don’t throw plastics into the rivers or the sea.

3. If you only have a few items carry them, instead of using plastic bags

4. Take bilums, ask for boxes or recyclable bags to the shops with you for your shopping.

5. Buy less food packaged in plastic

6. Buy more market food as there is no plastic required for packaging.

Bomana War Cemetry

2007-04-27T01:28:00.000-07:00

Lying on the grass looking up at the trees

Just a stunning place to be, so peaceful.

World Forestry Day 20th of March

2007-04-16T23:45:00.000-07:00

On the way out to the beach

Robert Yen (WWF), Port Moresby National Student and Jen Baing (WWF, Save PNG)

Muere a landscaper from Koki

Burnt volunteers

Sylvia Pascoe and Alana Auo working together with the community

Potting the mangroves

One of the trial nurseries

World Forestry Day has been celebrated the world over for the past 30 years to remind communities of the importance of forests and the benefits gained from them.

We are celebrated World Forestry Day by launching a low cost mangrove revegetation program at Tutu Beach, Avakeikei Beach and the Royal Papua Yacht Club .
We began the day with speakers from Rotary, WWF, and a Community representative. Volunteers were be split into two groups then organised into teams to plant mangrove seedlings food and refreshments were served after the planting. All were welcome to join.

This was a great day, we all got burnt in the hot sun, but it was well worth it. Port Moresby used to have great mangrove forests surrouning our coastal shores, but over time people have depleted the forests. The sea was not visible from the shore in some places.

POM General Visit

2007-04-15T18:21:00.000-07:00

The Obstetrics and Gynecology Division

A comparison, Susu Mamas to the left and the gynecology and obstetrics division on the right

Lack of maintenance

The Ward hallway

Recording the absolute essentials for donation

We visited the Division of Obstetrics & Gynecology with one of our friends Beatrice who was handing out a few necessities that the hospital needed on behalf of the company she works for. The hospital was not ideal and looked like it needed a little work, nothing that if the community worked together could not fix. A bit of a paint job, some new fly screen and a few helping hands.

Susu Mamas is a good example of what some good will and volunteers can do. We hope to work together with the community later on this year to give this division a little helping hand.

AIDS and Marine Awareness at Surfing National Titles

2007-04-06T00:26:00.000-07:00

Presentation on the Threats to the marine Environment

Giving out information

Helen Samilo from Anglicare Aids

Saundaun Provincial HIV Aids workers and Bao Waiko from Anglicare Aids

During the PNG National Surfing Titles some of the club members and competitors thought it would be the perfect opportunity to do some AIDs Awareness thanks to Anglicare’s Bao Waiko, Helen Samilo and the Sandaun Provincial Aids Workers. The marine awareness “Birua bilong sol wara na rip” translated “Threats to the Marine Environment” was done by myself thanks to the National Fisheries Authority, The Nature Conservancy, WWF and CELCOR who supplied the educational materials to give to the audiences.

Anglicare most nights during the titles played videos on AIDs and the effects up in Pogera Mine and during the day Save PNG and Anglicare set up a canvas with Aids and marine awareness posters so that the surf audience was exposed to the material.

HIV AIDs information was also handed out to relevant crowd members during the day when the surf heats were on.

PNG SURFING NATIONAL TITLES 2007

2007-04-04T22:09:00.000-07:00

Judging tower, left hander

The Judges in the left hand tower

Glen Elliot, Head Judge for Australia and one of the surf champs from Kavieng

Some of the top female shortboarder (champ in the red on the right) and the organisers

Some of the womens longboard competitors, Rachael and Sandra James and Jennifer Baing

Some of the crowd

Some competitiors

David Moihe, carving it up on the left hander

More Gifts for Official guests

The Trophy

PNG Surf Association, President, Andy Abel

Carvings

This was an event like no other. What an awsome week. PNG national titles, where SERO, TAURAMA, KAVIENG, VANIMO, SUNSET and WEWAK surf clubs all came together to compete.

Beautiful people, good music (thanks to Blue 7 Team), and awsome waves

Here are a few photos of the times we had while we were there.

Batas, Indonesia (Over the border)

2007-03-19T06:07:00.000-07:00

Kundu sculptures in no mans land

Me and Johnny at the border

Wutung

Me, Bao and Shane

During the PNG Surfing National titles held in Lido, Vanimo, I had the opportunity to go across the border with some friends to see how our brothers and sisters connected to us by one land live. It was an overwhelming experience for me. We began by leaving the village, Lido by bus into Vanimo. We then caught a bus from Vanimo that took us to the border. We left in a mini bus, packed full of passengers for the border. One thing that you will notice about the Sundaun province is the sounds. The waves crashing on the shore contrasted against the thick sound of the forest. A unique sound arises from the forest, from a mysterious insect which I am yet to identify. The senses you feel are full, the landscape is stunning, the smell of the ocean mixed with the moist forest floor, the perfume of secret blooms of forest flowers, float out of the intense green entanglement... wow absolute wonderment. With the crashing waves to the right and the green entanglement to the left, a perfect combination, the ride to Batas was a privilege.

On the way rock pools dotted the coast, the reefs merely 20 metres away from some villages the only protection between them and the crashing waves. The turrets the waves had carved towards the shore, a gushing torrent of movement, seething and breathing. The mesmerising, throb of the mysterious insects in the background.

Forty- Five minutes later we had reached the border crossing, where we were confronted with the spectacular view of Wutung village and the bay below. An 'Indonesian"family rushed towards me and handed their baby to hold and we took photographs together. I was speaking pidgin to them, as visually we looked like one people but we could not understand each other. I felt sad at the thought that we could not communicate through language, there were smiles all around though.

After taking in the view we walked through the border gates into 100m of no mans land. On reaching the other side we simply signed our names and indicated our sex on the sign in sheet and proceeded to walk across the border. Johnny, my bro and guide told me not to take any photos. When walking past the Indonesian guards, I knew why. There was a machine gun pointed towards the road?? Border control.

Batas the little town was interesting, but it was just filled with junk. We had a look around bought a few things and left.

On leaving I couldn't help but think of how blessed PNG was to be an independent country. You could feel the oppression. We are a free and independent state... that's special. Lets look after this place, its ours.

Madang, Diving Mililat Passage

2007-03-11T07:25:00.000-07:00

Livin n Lovin the water

Just a small part of the reef wall

Madang, this place has a vibe like no other. I am diving on Mililat Reef. Aquaventures the diving operators took me here to check out Mililat passage. This is currenly in the running to be bombed so that a Marine Wharf can be put in at Vidar to unload Tuna captured off shore. Yet another example of lack of long term planning. Are we going to continue to destroy our natural resources for short term benefits?

15 minutes out of Port Moresby

2007-03-11T06:30:00.001-07:00

The peak on the left of Sero Beach

Back towards Bootless Bay

Looking down to Sero from the peak

Taurama Beach, view on the left of the peak

Port Moresby, the place which has been demonised by those that pretend to know it. If you step out of the box into the real world, there is much beauty to be found. This is just one example of how unique and wonderful this place is.

Lido, Vanimo, Jan 07

2007-03-05T22:34:00.000-08:00

A nice cool spot to rinse off in after a surf, paradise

Left hander, infamous board breaker, this wave is a machine do not be deceived, when its 10ft and raging, no mercy for the faint hearted

Right hander on a really small day

Vanimo surf Club, pandanus trail through the village and a fish net hammock

New Years Day my brother and I flew to Lido, Vanimo a surf village on the North Coast of PNG.This place is seriously the bomb, we stayed with the Moihe family, who are absolutey some of the best people that I have ever met, wan bel i stap. The people on the North Coast are truly, so friendly and caring. We were there to go surfing where I was confronted with 10ft waves on my introductory surf in Lido. I only started surfing in August where I spent 4 weeks at some friends place, Tierra de Milagros (the Land of Miracles) in the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica. With only a few weekends of follow up surf sessions out at Sero ending in November and no waves around i thought, hhhmmm Christmas break... why not go surfing over in Vanimo...bara..Lewa blo mi sut ya (severe adrenaline rush). I got rolled a couple of times and these blue walls would just come popping out of nowhere on the right hander, it takes some serious guts to tackle these waves. There was even the resident dugong bobbing around out there. The sisters and brothers in Lido carve up these waves and make surfing look easy. Out on the water you could have been anywhere in the world with about 20 tourists from Germany,France Austallia, England and the America. I remember lying out on my brand new Walden 9ft, Wahine and seeing a whole bunch of surfers paddling towards me, I looked to my left and saw this towering wave. I am struggling to swim away from it and these guys are all heading for the peak. It was awesome being out there in the surf and just watching these people just absolutely pumped on these waves.

I remember feeling like sonic the hedgehog with my fro out being tossed around in the surf like a little piece of loose debris. Respect...those waves have some serious power, not to be taken lightly.

World Wetlands Day 2nd Feb 07

2007-03-04T21:37:00.000-08:00

David Peter(WWF) being interviewed by Scott Waide (EMTV)

Me trying to get rid of more plastic

Phillip, Lydia and Robert

Sylvia Pascoe

Through WWF and Save PNG we organised a clean up on Ela Beach on World Wetlands Day. We had Scott Waide from EMTV (our National television channel) down there interviewing David Peter the Freshwater Programme Manager on the effects of climate change on the Wetlands of Papua New Guinea

Wetlands are as the word describes, Wet, Lands and include habitats such as swamps, marshes, billabongs, lakes, salt marshes, mudflats, mangroves, coral, reefs, ferns, peat lands, or bodies of water whether artificial or man made.

South PNG in fact has the highest diversity of mangroves in the world (Duke 1992, in Ellison 1997). These areas are transition zones, its where the land becomes the sea. This is one of the most important ecological zones in the world... why? Mangroves act as a buffer zone, filtering out sediments from entering into the ocean and decreasing the amount of sunlight available for coral reefs, they protect the coasts from erosion and help to dissipate the impact of tsunamis, they are also home to all the little baby fish the term used is a nursery. All the juvenile fish shelter here from larger predators until they are strong enough to venture out into the deeper seas.

This day was great. Before work we all headed down and had yet another clean up of the beach.
The place is improving, day by day week by week. Its a little like pantene, it won't happen overnight but it will happen.

Hope to see some of you down there some time, you are more than welcome.

The pictures are of some of my colleagues Lydia the communications officer, Phillip one of our accountants and Robert our Bismarck Solomon Seas Project Officer, David on his interview with Scott, Sylvia from Westpac and myself on the day.

Koki

2007-03-04T04:21:00.000-08:00

It so happened that one day we took ourselves down to Koki where we were introduced to Muere and Anton. Muere is the President of the Port Moresby District Youth Council and Anton is a volunteer from Greenfingers and has done some really great landscaping work outside Dame Kidu's Library.

The first area we were shown was the playing field on the edge of a major road in POM. However due to the lack of toilets in the area our journey took skill to dodge a few unsightly piles on the way. Disgusting as this may sound it is a reality. People drive past Koki everyday without truly realising what is past the stilt housing there. What does it look like under those houses?Well let me show you and you can tell me whether it is acceptable to have Papua New Guineans living like this. I have heard arguments such as, its their problem they need to take ownership. Yes! Very true because no one caused this problem but the people that live there but lets offer an alternative of awareness, that this is not only unhealthy for the marine ecosystem but also very unhealthy for the people that live there. The first boardwalk that we went over was a shock as we saw children playing amongst piles of rubbish as though it was grass. Walking around barefoot with sharp rusty old car parts as if they were just rock or sand. I came to realise that this was their life. This was their back yard and this is what they had to play in. I was at first angry and thought, how did these people allow their children to play down there, they could get really sick. But over time people become accustomed to their surrounds and it becomes normal and the smell that you may have first noticed when you walked in there must fade over time, the senses numbed.

When you are away from the city for long periods of time your senses reawaken. You can smell the grass, feel the wind taste the air but this added sensitivity when brought into a place like Koki is like a serious slap in the face. My stomach was in a knot after spending an hour there. I felt disillusioned, sad, helpless, enraged, enlightened, despair and a feeling of overwhelming hopelessness.

From picking up the rubbish on Ela Beach thinking that was helping to clean our beaches to a feeling of why even bother. How are you ever going to fix that situation? It was not just the rubbish that we were faced but a major social issue. We had reports from our guides that people got sick all the time due to the conditions that they were living in. People would cut their feet then have to get a limb amputated due to the heavy infection.

How did this happen? If this situation had been dealt with when it had first arisen then we would not have a major social issue to deal with. This is not easy to ignore. However, the old saying goes "Ignorance is Bliss". Sometimes it can become a burden to know, it is easier to go on in your life living in your own manifested bliss. Seeing is believing. Here it is see it, believe it, this is your country, these are your people, this is your sea. What are you going to do about it? Are you going to just count your lucky stars that you don't have to wake up to that reality everyday? Many of you will, but that's OK.

Each to their own as they say. Who are we to judge the way other people choose to live their lives, but is it a choice that these children made?

Look at what can be done, if given the tools of empowerment, the landscaping done by Anton and the youth from Greenfingers gives me hope that things can change.

Hanuabada ( Big village)

2007-03-01T21:43:00.000-08:00

Back in the 1930's

No plastics

After plastics were introduced

Charlie, took us into his village. Hanuabada is the name used for the area to the right of the Andersons. Hanuabada, however is only one village in this area.

We were lucky enough, to have our eyes opened up, we were enlightend on this day. I had lived my life knowing that, yes the rubbish situation was bad at Hanuabada but I had never experienced it myself. I was living in a bubble, going about my life not realising what was happening less than 10km away from my home.

Papua New Guineans are blessed. We come from a bountiful country, but how did we allow a situation like this arise in the capital. The capital!!! The place where it all happens, where we have all the International Aid Agencies where we have all our top politicians. How did we let this one slip under the carpet??

One answer, Greed!!! Self consumed, ego orientated and self obsessed, do they all say the same thing? I really feel for the Motu Koitabu people. All other provinces have come here and are guests here. What would we do if a whole city decided to land in our back yard. Take away the land we used to grow our food on and our hunting grounds. I don't think that we would be very happy. Just a thought.

Over time, plastics have accumulated in this area, the worst case senario that we found in here was Elevala. A beach where the sand was not visible.

How do we help in this situation? We found one rubbish bin on our travels through. No where to throw rubbish, no one to collect it.

The systems have some crashing down in this country. Not many of us care anymore, that has to change. We are a country in a stage of renewal. Lets shed the past and welcome a positive future.

Cleaning Ela Beach

2007-03-01T21:04:00.000-08:00

Beginning in October, a few of us ladies decided that we would just head down there and at least start on helping to clean up the beach. NCD employs a few boy and girls to go down there and clean up too but they need help too.

The first day was the hardest. Alana and I sat in the car contemplating actually getting out of the car, but we took the first step, we did get out of the car. We put on some gloves and headed down to check out the situation. Our first day was successful a group of young kids came down and helped us to pick up the rubbish. What a great feeling it is to turn around and see sand without glistening, rustling bits of plastic, el natural...beautiful. For all the things that humans made plastic has to be one of the most annoying. Don't get me wrong it has its uses but when its just lying around on the beach, it looks untidy and gathers algae, it begins to smell.

We still go down and pick up rubbish but there is a much bigger picture than removing the rubbish, where does it come from?

Let us take you on a journey. First to Hanuabada then on to Koki, you will begin to see the magnitude of the effects of marine pollution.

This job is relentless. Every day a new bit of debris washes up on shore.

Ela Beach (Era Koni)

2007-03-01T20:05:00.000-08:00

Nesting Green Sea Turtle, Chelonia Mydas

Ela Beach otherwise known to the traditional landowners as Era Koni. Ela derived from Era means turtle, hence Ela Beach is "Turtle Beach". Ela Beach was a nesting beach for turtles. I would say that they would have been both Hawksbills and Green Turtles due to the seagrass beds that stretch out to where the sun can no longer reach the sandy bottom. Dugongs could also be found out from Ela Beach. What has happened to these fantastic, charismatic mega fauna? Wiped out!! These populations no longer exist. In the space of 30 years we have wiped out this particular population of marine turtle from our beaches. What a tourist attraction that could have been. Come down to Ela Beach and watch the turtles nesting, right in the heart of Port Moresby. Take a simple drive down after dinner at Ela Beach Hotel or Crown Plaza and there you have it. The ability to witness an act of nature which has continued since the time of the dinosaurs.

To see a turtle laying is a very humbling experience. These animals spend their whole life time out at sea and return to the sand in which they were born to lay eggs. Watching this happen is magic, respect! Respect for mother nature and the intricate web of inter relationships she weaves, everything connected to everything. A thread loose could cause the whole thing to unravel.

As previously stated , a turtle always goes back to the same beach to lay its eggs, when it hatches and walks into the water it imprints... this means that, that exact beach on which it hatched will be forever etched into their instinct and they will return only to the beach that they were hatched on. So, we no longer have the turtles of Era koni. This is sad but a reality.

Survival rate for these little cuties is 1/1000. Staggering.

Sometimes I like to imagine that I could go back 200 years and peer under water. What would I see. The wonders of a healthy ecosystem, functioning, well balanced, beautiful, enchanting, mysterious, breath taking. Schools of barracuda encircling you, whales sharks, coral trout, manta rays, turtles, dugongs, dolphins. The horizon a buzz with birds circling, telling you that a massive school of migrating tuna is passing through. All these sights are of a rare occurrence today.

What do we do? We work with what we have got. We cant bring back those lost turtles or dugongs but we can try to improve what we have now. That is a beach in the middle of our capital. Its not far from your home. How great would it be to be able to go swimming there without worrying about how dirty the water is.

My first experiences with the ocean were on Ela Beach in the 80's.

About Us

2007-01-15T16:52:00.000-08:00

Martin Benny, one of PNGs top boxers

The concept of saving PNG is to save our culture, biodiversity and people. Today the country is faced with many challenges, loss of cultural identity and beliefs, loss of environment through destructive resource extraction, loss of life through the spread of AIDS and loss of pride as an independent nation due to its dependency on international aid and inequality faced in the workplace due to sexual and racial discrimination. Our culture and biodiversity like a savings account should be saved so that interest can be made on it. PNG is blessed, so rich in every way possible. I believe it is time for people to take a step back and really see what is happening in their country. We are a truly a unique and amazing nation its time that we took an interest and promoted our own people to the world.

The need to save the country means to save our natural resources such resources are being depleted at an alarming rate overseas and we need to take care of ours. We are rich beyond many countries wildest dreams. Bountiful amounts of water, nutrient rich soils, rich endemic flora and fauna, plentiful marine resources and trees that stretch far beyond the horizon. These are all resources that need to be conserved and used thoughtfully, taking into full account what we do today and how it affects the people tomorrow. We are a people that can survive off the land and live subsistence life styles, a method of living that has been lost to many other countries. We are unique in every way possible a land of many contradictions, full of talented people who can help this country to move forward in a positive manner. We are young and rich a country which is small enough to make small ripples felt.

PNG, has tried to move forward by using a method of governance which is not suited to our culture. We have adopted capitalistic thought processes which directly conflict with community orientated backgrounds. We are a culture of the wantok system and the Westminster democratic based government is not a direct representation of how our culture operates. We are a land of clans and tribes. We as a people have come to accept what we are given when we should be working with what we have got. Collectively, the acceptance that our leaders and protectors (police and defence) are corrupt, the acceptance that expatriates should be paid more than Papua New Guineans, the acceptance that our roads are barely there. Our leaders today have been led astray and have forgotten about the people that put them where they are, no longer walking amongst the each other to see the concerns of others. We are an independent nation and have the ability to make our own laws, to make a difference, so let’s wipe a clean slate and start again from scratch. Everybody should have the opportunity of education, to be paid equally in the workplace, to travel if they feel, and be able to fulfill their dreams and aspirations.