An introduction to the natural history, societies, conservation and sustainable development of the New Guinea region prepared by CSIRO Australia for the Moore Foundation, 2003
This pictorial review will show:
•how Earth history has given these islands immense biological and mineral riches;
•why the plants and animals are of outstanding value for science and natural history;
•the enormous diversity of human cultures developed over the last30,000 years;
•the footprints of human society and infrastructure that lie over the entire landscape;
•agricultural land industrial developments that impact on many ecosystems; and
•the combined footprints of the widespread developing human societies and conservation areas (both existing and proposed) forming a complex mosaic of residential, development and conservation interests, even at a broad scale.
Any successful strategy to maintain viable communities of the fascinating and valuable plants and animals of the New Guinea region will require
(1)the best scientifically-based landscape management plans for both conservation
and production, and (2)feasible plans for economic and social developments that
meet the needs and aspirations of local landowners and residents.
