Sharing important community activities, stories, training opportunities and new research on protected areas work occurring in the region, this newsletter is a popular feature of the Pacific Islands Protected Areas Portal (PIPAP).

“Pacific countries have been active in establishing protected areas to keep our biodiversity intact and resilient to a plethora of threats, and while there is always more progress to be made, we have worked diligently in our region to roll out protection measures for both our land and ocean ecosystems,” said Mr Vainuupo Jungblut, Protected Areas Officer at the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).

The PIPAP weekly newsletter, is an integral feature of the PIPAP, which is a dedicated online resource for protected areas information serving SPREP Members.

The PIPAP was developed to provide a stronger connection and exchange between a diverse range of practitioners and experts working with protected and conserved areas across the region, its vision is “to provide a doorway through which protected areas practitioners from the Pacific islands can share expertise and benefit from opportunities.”

Supporting the work of the portal, the PIPAP weekly newsletter is another tool through which important protected areas information can be disseminated and communicated to a growing network of practitioners in the Pacific region. First produced in late 2016, the weekly newsletter now has over 500 subscribers from both within and outside the region.

“Initially the newsletter was very basic, consisting of a  simple mailing list where we sent bulk emails containing links to relevant online content related to protected and conserved areas,” said Mr Jungblut.

“The newsletter has really helped with the number of visits or “hits” on the PIPAP.  Over the period of a year we had close to 20,000 users recorded who have visited the portal.  We are constantly aiming to improve user experience of the newsletter and are frequently receiving constructive feedback which we are continuing to address, including positive reviews from current users.  We are constantly growing our subscribers.”

This newsletter now features specific categories to make it easier for users to find their topic of interest, including National and Regional News, Funding and Training Opportunities, Job Vacancies and Tenders, as well as Tools and Research.  The newsletter links directly to the PIPAP and relevant sources.

“The PIPAP weekly newsletter has been a very popular and reliable means of sharing information and opportunities related to protected areas with all who play a role in managing these areas across the region, from government representatives to community groups and individuals.  Furthermore, I would like to acknowledge the support and assistance of the BIOPAMA programme which has allowed us to continue expanding and refining this service,” said Ms Amanda Wheatley, Biodiversity Advisor at SPREP.

Learn more about work being done across our region to help bring about a resilient Pacific environment, sustaining our livelihoods and natural heritage in harmony with our cultures through protected and conserved areas in our region.  Subscribe to the weekly newsletter!

The PIPAP Weekly newsletter was developed through funding assistance of the BIOPAMA programme, an initiative of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States financed by the European Union’s 11th European Development Fund. The weekly newsletter is compiled and disseminated by SPREP in its capacity as the BIOPAMA regional resource and data hub for the Pacific, fulfilling its role to communicate news and conservation outcomes on regional conservation initiatives and projects.

In the Pacific, BIOPAMA is implemented by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in partnership with SPREP and the European Commission Joint Research Centre (EC-JRC). This partnership has seen significant enhancements of the Pacific Islands Protected Area Portal (PIPAP), the region’s one-stop resource for protected area information.

The latest newsletter can be viewed here and to subscribe to the newsletter, follow the instructions at this link.

For more information on the newsletter, PIPAP and the BIOPAMA regional resource and data hub, please contact Mr. Vainuupo Jungblut, Protected Areas Officer on email: vainuupoj@sprep.org