The CEPF strategy recognizes local communities and their organizations as the ultimate custodians of the biodiversity of the East Melanesian Islands Hotspot, with the support of national and international nonprofit organizations, universities and private companies, and within an enabling regulatory and institutional context established by government.
To respond to threats originating outside of local communities, such as commercial logging and plantations, we support the integration of biodiversity conservation into local land-use and development planning.
CEPF's conservation interventions are being developed gradually, giving sufficient time for trust and understanding to be built among partners, for capacity and knowledge to be transferred, and for long-term funding to be secured. We also focus on building the capacity of local and national civil society in the hotspot through partnerships, networks and mentoring.
To allow sufficient time for the development of effective partnerships, enduring capacity and sustained on-the-ground results, the CEPF investment period for this hotspot is eight years rather than the usual five.
