Mahonia Na Dari - Guardian of the Sea
Understanding and conserving the Natural Environment of Kimbe Bay
&
Papua New
Guinea
for the benefit of present and future generations
Mahonia Na Dari (MND) means “Guardian of the Sea” in the local Bakovi language
of the Talasea Peninsula in West New Britain Province (WNBP),
Papua New Guinea.
Mahonia Na Dari started in 1997, through co-operative effort between The Nature
Conservancy, the European Union Islands Regional Environmental Program and
Walindi Plantation Resort. Mahonia Na Dari operates from the Walindi Nature
Centre
(Walindi NC).
The organization was registered as an independent non-government organization in
November 1998, with its own Board of Directors. It was formed to provide Marine
Environment Education Program (MEEP) to the local population in West New Britain
Province and the New Guinea Islands region.
Its mission is to understand and conserve the natural environments of Kimbe Bay
and Papua New Guinea (PNG) for the benefit of present and future generations.
This has been and continues to be achieved by supporting local resource
management initiatives now and during the last 10 years.
Since the inception of the organization in 1998, MND has reached out to more
than 150,000 students and teachers, local communities and other organizations
who are interested in marine education.
In the national arena, MND is a leading advocate for marine conservation with
strengths in marine education and awareness. It facilitates marine research and
an increased understanding of the marine environment.
These programs have promoted the protection of PNG’s abundant biodiversity by
promoting sustainable use of marine resources by the community.
Mahonia Na Dari operates from the
Walindi Nature Centre,
on the shores of
Kimbe Bay,
about twenty minutes drive from Kimbe on the Talasea Highway of
West New Britain
Province, Papua New Guinea.
The Nature Centre land is made
available under a token lease arrangement with Max and Cecilie Benjamin, owners
of the neighbouring Walindi Plantation Resort.
Mahonia believes that one of the best
hopes for preserving Papua New Guinea's marine biodiversity is to build a
grassroots constituency for conservation. Mahonia supports
community-based conservation
and resource management in Kimbe Bay and the Islands Region of PNG. Our highly
successful
marine education program
has already proven to be a powerful tool in building this support by increasing
environmental awareness and inspiring local action to protect coral reefs.
Mahonia is
active in:
·
Marine Education
·
Community-based conservation
·
Supporting Research
·
Supporting Eco-Tourism Initiatives
Contact Information
- POSTAL ADDRESS
- Mahonia Na Dari.
P.O. Box 697, Kimbe, West New Britain, Papua New Guinea
-
- TELEPHONE
- (675) 983 5046, (675) 983
4241
-
- FAX
- (675) 983 4241
-
- EMAIL
- General Information:
mnd_operation@global.net.pg
Webmaster:
mnd_operation@global.net.pg
