Papua New Guinea is a cornucopia of ecology. It ranks within the top five most diverse countries in the world with an estimated 21,000 types of higher plants, 242 species of mammals, and 762 species of birds. It also has one of the highest endemic rates of wildlife anywhere in the world due to the isolation of the island from the rest of the Asian and Australian continents. Along with its rugged terrain, which makes transport difficult, PNGs forests have been undesirable until recently because of the traditional land tenure by-which 90% of the land is accounted for. Under the Organic Law of PNG people do not own land, but only lease it from the traditional landowners, who are usually part of a clan or tribe. Therefore, the government must first consult with the local people before entering into a contract on matters concerning the use of traditional land. Laws are in place to stringently regulate the use of traditional land by foreigners and nationals, and to police the various investment practices that directly impinge on PNGs fragile but rich natural environment A statement by the 2004 Embassy of Papua New Guinea to the Americas (Jared Diamond, Paradise and Oil. Discover, March 1999
Posted on: Mon, 04 Aug 2014 03:18:52 +0000