SPREP and the Roundtable for Nature Conservation have announced that the 8th Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas will take place on 22-26 October 2007, in Alotau, Papua New Guinea.

The Conference is a key regional meeting of government agencies, NGOs, community based organisations, and donor bodies to discuss and develop a joint vision for conservation in the Pacific Islands.

The theme of the Conference is 'Conservation serving communities, in a rapidly changing world' highlighting the inseparable link between Pacific Islanders and the natural environment; people and the sustainable use of their natural resources, to ensure that the unique Pacific environment is protected.

Globally, there is a growing acknowledgement of the role of communities in driving conservation efforts. In the Pacific, there is a renewed understanding that successful conservation of biodiversity in the Pacific is ultimately about community participation and leadership.

A key outcome of this important conference is the development of a regional framework to guide nature conservation in the Pacific Islands. This Conference will review the successes of the Action Strategy for Nature Conservation (2003-2007), the Pacific's overarching framework for biodiversity conservation. The Strategy was developed in 2002 by more than 300 environment practitioners, government officials, and NGO representatives.

The year 2007 marks a significant milestone for nature conservation in the Pacific, with the Roundtable for Nature Conservation celebrating a decade of successes.

The Roundtable is the Pacific's largest cross-sectoral network for nature conservation comprising more than 30 groups working to protect the Pacific's rich and unique biodiversity. SPREP, 09/05/07.