< Previous“It is the first time we will have clean water. We do really appreciate it. I don’t know how to express it. Tell them we do really appreciate them. Throughout the years encountering water borne diseases. Now these tanks will relieve the diseases. I really don’t know how to express it.” Frazer Halaba, Treasurer, Wabumari Community AssociationLast year, droughts devastated rainforest communities in Papua New Guinea. HEALTHCrops failed, and fresh water had to be shipped in by boat. Thanks to our supporters, we could respond quickly with emergency supplies for partner villages in Orangerie Bay. However, we’ve made sure the community is prepared for the future by installing eight 9,000 litre water tanks. 32“The children are beginning to understand now what’s so important about the forest. That’s where the birds and animals live. In the future they will raise awareness and keep the forest just as it is.” Thomas Kayoke, Silosilo Community, PNGThe richer a forest is, the more carbon it stores. That’s why we use forest health as an indicator of the success in our partnerships. BIODIVERSITY MONITORINGEvidence of threatened species thriving is a reason to celebrate. The Forest Watch teams are in their second year of placing cameras across the community forest area to monitor wildlife. Biodiversity officers Isaac Dauge (Gadaisu) and Nicky Roma (Wabumari) are now training the next generation in camera-trap placement and biodiversity monitoring techniques. In Orangerie Bay, there’s a thriving population of the elusive Southern Crowned Pigeon – the largest pigeon on earth. The camera traps have also found multiple photos of the Southern Cassowary, a large flightless helmeted bird, classed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Biodiversity workshops with the whole community encourage everyone to share ideas on the links between the forest animals, the plants, the villages and the whole planet. This keeps dialogue open about why it’s so important to keep the forest healthy. It also provides the opportunity for the biodiversity team to keep everyone up-to-date with the monitoring results from the forest.Next >