PNG PDA: Designing a Catchment Management Plan for Lake Kutubu (Final Report)

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Lake Kutubu Catchment

Management Plan

30 November 2008

Prepared by

Ms. Rebecca D’Cruz, Aonyx Environmental, Malaysia

WWF Contact Point Mr Eric Manasi, Catchment Management Officer

WWF Kikori River Programme

c/o WWF Western Melanesia Programme, PNG Country Office

PO Box 8280, Boroko NCD 111

Papua New Guinea

Tel: +675 320 0149

Fax: +675 320 0519

email: (1) [email protected]

(2) [email protected]

The views expressed in this paper are the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Asian Development

Bank (ADB), or its Board of Directors, or the governments they represent. ADB does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this

paper and accepts no responsibility for any consequences of their use. Terminology used may not necessarily be consistent with ADB official

terms.

mailto:[email protected]






Map of the Lake Kutubu Catchment

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Map of the Kikori River Basin

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .........................................................................................6

Structure of

this

Report...........................................................................................12

1. INTRODUCTION............................................................................................13

1.1. The Special Qualities of the Lake Kutubu Catchment ...........................13

1.2. Why a Catchment Management Plan? .....................................................14

1.2.1 Critical success factors for CMPs .............................................................14

1.3. Why manage the Lake Kutubu catchment? ............................................16

1.3.1 External drivers of change that could potentially affect the integrity of

the Lake Kutubu Catchment..............................................................................17

1.3.2 The WWF Kikori Integrated Conservation and Development Project (ICDP) ...................................................................................................................18

1.4. The policy and planning context...............................................................20

1.5. Status of the Catchment Management Plan ............................................22

1.6. How the CMP was developed...................................................................22

1.6.1 Stakeholder consultations .........................................................................22

2. STRATEGY, VISION, GOALS AND OVERALL OBJECTIVES FOR THE

LAKE KUTUBU CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN...............................26

2.1. Strategy for the Lake Kutubu CMP ..........................................................262.2. Implementation of the Lake Kutubu CMP ..............................................27

2.3. Vision for the Lake Kutubu Catchment ...................................................28

2.4. Goal for the Lake Kutubu Catchment Management Plan .....................28

2.5. Operations and Field Management: Annual Operating Plans and

Budgets ..................................................................................................................... 29

3. CATCHMENT REVIEW .................................................................................32

3.1. Geomorphology and Topography............................................................33

Soils .......................................................................................................................34

Shorelines .............................................................................................................34

3.2. Precipitation and Climate ..........................................................................34

3.3. Hydrology of the Lake Kutubu basin ......................................................35

3.3.1 Hydrological behaviour of the Lake Kutubu Catchment.....................36

3.3.2 Sediment chemistry ...................................................................................37

3.3.3 The major hydrological role of the swamp forests................................38

3.3.4 Water Quality ............................................................................................. 39

3.4. The Lake Kutubu Fishery...........................................................................40

3.5. Biological resources of the Lake Kutubu catchment ..............................42

3.5.1 Biodiversity value of the Kikori basin.....................................................42

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3.5.2 Flora..............................................................................................................43

3.5.3 Aquatic fauna.............................................................................................. 45

3.5.4 Terrestrial fauna .........................................................................................45

3.5.5 Noteworthy Areas of Terrestrial Biodiversity .......................................47

3.6. Land ownership...........................................................................................483.6.1 Land ownership..........................................................................................48

3.6.2 Sites of cultural significance .....................................................................48

3.7. Land use .......................................................................................................48

3.7.1 Traditional uses of the natural resources................................................ 49

3.7.2 Petroleum and Gas Projects ...................................................................... 49

3.7.3 Economic Development ............................................................................56

Eco‐tourism ..........................................................................................................57

3.7.4 Protected areas within the Lake Kutubu catchment .............................57

3.8. The Legal Framework within which the CMP will operate .................603.8.1 Roles and responsibilities of key organizations working on

environment and development‐related aspects in the Lake Kutubu

Catchment ............................................................................................................61

4. INSTITUTIONAL ISSUES AND ACTIONS .............................................64

5. AWARENESS AND CAPACITY ISSUES AND ACTIONS........................68

6. WATER QUALITY AND QUANTITY ISSUES, AND ACTIONS.............70

7. FISHERIES ISSUES.............................................................................................72

8. BIODIVERSITY ISSUES ....................................................................................74

ANNEXES

Annex 1: Source documents used to develop the Lake Kutubu Catchment

Management Plan ....................................................................................................78

Annex 2: Goals and Objectives adopted by the Integrated Catchment

Management (ICM)

Forum

(March

2007) ............................................................80

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Located in the Southern Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea, Lake Kutubu is

PNG’s highest freshwater lake. Its waters are exceptionally clear, which allows for

high levels of primary production which, in turn, supports the most unique lacustrine fish community in the entire New Guinea ‐ Australia region; the lake harbours 11

known endemic species of fish. The humid closed rainforest, which comprises much of

the lake’s catchment, is relatively undisturbed due to low human population,

remoteness from major towns, and ruggedness of the karst landscape. The rich

resources of the lake (water and fish) provide for the livelihood and well‐ being of the

2000‐3000 people who live along its margin.

What are the key ecological, development and institutional concerns in the

Lake Kutubu Catchment?

Lake Kutubu is situated in a very vulnerable location where oil and gas operations are currently underway and set to expand in the future. Oil and gas activity has already

resulted in a rise in the number of local people participating in the cash economy and

an influx of settlers seeking employment and the peripheral benefits from these

operations. Land development activities associated with the increasing influx of

people into the area imposes an additional burden on the existing natural resources

and brings with it an increased risk of the degradation of the natural environment e.g.

from pollution, and the accidental or intentional introduction of invasive species. The

development of the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) project, which is set to start with the

Front End Engineering and Design (FEED) stage by early 2009, could potentially

increase the deleterious impacts on the ecology and the biodiversity of the Lake Kutubu catchment through the opening up new areas of forest, and a further influx of

settlers from other areas of PNG.

Within the Lake Kutubu Catchment, the demands on the water resource are likely to

increase in the future with increasing population and land development. In order to

meet these demands without prejudicing what we have, or indeed to improve things,

we need to start thinking now in a more integrated way about how the waters of the

catchment are managed.

Lake Kutubu lies in the upper catchment of the Kikori River, which has been described as one of the most intact and thus biologically rich environments in PNG, and in the

Asia/Pacific region. Logging is a major economic activity within the Kikori Basin,

downstream of Lake Kutubu. New access roads are being built within the Lake

Kutubu Catchment, such as the road being constructed to link Samberigi to the Kikori

road; several other roads are in the pipeline, including one to connect the Southern

Highlands to Kikori in the Gulf Province. Another major proposal in the works is the

construction of a wharf facility at the Kikori station. The increased road access could

also lead to the unregulated development of other small‐scale activities such as

extraction of timber for local construction, harvesting (including hunting) of natural

forest products, and clearing of forest land for homesteads and gardens.

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Catchment management planning is a relatively new concept in Papua New Guinea

(PNG). Although the government through the Department of Environment and

Conservation (DEC) has a concept in place for TCEMP, its implementation is yet to be

realized and currently steps are being taken by the government to make this concept a

reality.

How can the Lake Kutubu Catchment Management Plan (CMP) assist in

addressing these concerns?

By identifying actions to stem the deterioration of the Lake Kutubu catchment,

which could potentially have serious, long‐term impacts on the habitat and

activities in the downstream areas. The Lake Kutubu CMP provides direction for all

stakeholder groups on the future management of the natural resources of the Lake

Kutubu catchment. It identifies the major issues affecting the catchment and outlines

strategic management actions to address each of the issues. The CMP also identifies

responsibilities for undertaking actions, and proposes implementation arrangements

and coordination mechanisms.

By providing a framework within which all relevant stakeholders can work together

to resolve conflicts and manage the natural resources in the Lake Kutubu catchment

in a sustainable manner. The CMP proposes a mechanism (the Lake Kutubu

Catchment Management Forum, and Steering Committee) through which all

stakeholders will be able to address conflicts and seek resolution especially in relation

to issues that impact on more than an individual stakeholder group’s interest. The net

result is a more coordinated approach to the wise and sustainable use of the water

resource of the Lake Kutubu catchment, based on the consensus and co‐operation of

all those with an interest in the resource.

By supporting the further development and implementation of PNG’s “Total

Catchment Environment Management Policy (TCEMP)”. The development and

implementation of this CMP will serve as a pilot project for catchment management in

PNG and as a source of ‘lessons learnt’ to enhance the development of the TCEMP.

Outline Structure of the Catchment Management Plan (CMP)

The Lake Kutubu Catchment Management Plan contains four main sections:

1. Introduction to catchment management planning (Chapter 1), which includes

details about the policy and planning context within which this CMP would be

implemented and describes the process by which this Plan was developed.

2. Strategy, Vision, Goals, and Overall Objectives of the CMP (Chapter 2).

3. Catchment review (Chapter 3), which provides a snapshot of the physical and

biological make‐up of the catchment, as well as the socio‐economic and legal

context within which the CMP will operate.

4. Key issues, with corresponding management objectives and actions

(Chapters 4 to 8), which describes the issues that have been identified, through

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the consultation process and the review of available information, as being of

immediate priority in the catchment.

Vision, Goals and Overall Objectives for the Lake Kutubu Catchment

Management Plan

Vision: “To manage the river and its catchment in an integrated manner to achieve

stakeholder objectives and community outcomes through a common vision of:

• Secure communities

• Healthy and stable catchment and river system

• Environmental and conservation values enhanced

• Recreational and amenity values enhanced

• Land productivity and value improved

• Cultural values relating to river system, floodplains and the Lake protected.”

Goal: “Ecologically sustainable multiple‐use of the Lake Kutubu catchment.”

This Goal will be achieved through the:

• maintenance or enhancement of soil, vegetation and water quality;

• maintenance of biodiversity;

• maintenance of resource productivity; and

• optimisation of net financial and social benefits.

Overall objectives:

1. By prudent land use to enhance economic productivity while avoiding

environmental degradation or damage to other values; 2. In using natural renewable resources, to ensure their continuing

availability and to maintain their quality.

3. To maintain and conserve wildlife communities and necessary ecological

processes through the retention, protection and rehabilitation of natural

terrestrial and aquatic habitats both through a protected area system and

through private landholder cooperation.

4. To maintain the functional integrity and unique character of the Kikori

River system while fostering a diversity of land use and economic activity

within the catchment.

5. To encourage co‐operation and complementary activity among stakeholders both government and private, to achieve the above overall

objectives.

Opportunities and challenges to achieving the overall objectives of the CMP

In addition to the global biodiversity value of the area, several other factors exist

which provide an enabling environment for achieving the objectives of the CMP.

These are described briefly below:

The Lake Kutubu WMA was gazetted on 25 June 1992, and comprises an area of

24,057ha in the Nipa Kutubu district, where land is under Customary Tenure. The

purpose of the Lake Kutubu WMA is “to conserve the outstanding and internationally significant scenic, geophysical and biodiversity values of the Lake Kutubu WMA, and

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safeguard the interests and maintain the cultural integrity of its traditional owners”.

The rules of the Lake Kutubu WMA, which were defined by the community, were

gazetted in February 2002.

On 22 September 1998, Lake Kutubu was designated by the Government of PNG as a

‘Wetland of International Importance’ under the (Ramsar) Convention on Wetlands. The boundaries of the area registered as a Ramsar site corresponds to the Lake Kutubu

WMA boundary. Ramsar Site designation obligates the member country to manage

the site according to the Convention’s principle of the wise use of wetlands, and brings

with it access to technical and financial support from the Convention’s sources.

The Government of Papua New Guinea, through the Department of Environment and

Conservation (DEC), has developed the “Total Catchment Environment Management

Policy (TCEMP)”. Although this policy has yet to be implemented, it indicates

recognition on the part of the national government of the importance of catchment

level management planning.

All the major stakeholders in the area, and particularly the local and national

authorities, local community representatives, WWF, and Oil Search Limited have

voiced their commitment to support the implementation of the CMP.

Challenges remain however. Among these is the lack of a functioning institutional and

regulatory framework at the local, provincial and national levels to support catchment

management planning. The CMP currently has no statutory status in PNG and there is

currently no guidance to indicate that developments or other activities must comply

with this Plan. However, a number of measures that are recommended in this CMP will most effectively be delivered through incorporation into the current and future

Southern Highlands Provincial Government (SHPG), Local Level Government (LLG)

and protected area planning processes. It is therefore hoped that the SHPG, LLG and

protected area authorities within the Lake Kutubu Catchment will take the provisions

of the CMP into account in the preparation and implementation of Local Plans. This

also applies to other organizations and agencies, who are encouraged to incorporate

the aims and objectives of the Plan into their decision‐making processes and into the

development of any plans and projects.

The greatest challenge to achieving the objectives of the CMP is perhaps the lack of technical and financial capacity to implement the CMP. Therefore, it is envisaged that

WWF will remain willing and able to take the lead in implementing the actions

outlined in the CMP for the first five years, working closely with the Lake Kutubu

Catchment Management Forum, and Steering Committee, and in doing so, help build

capacity among the key representatives of the stakeholder groups in the area. This will

require a significant injection of financial resources.

The general lack of awareness about catchment management planning among policy

and decision‐makers, as well as the local community is another major challenge.

Attempts will be made to address this through general awareness‐raising activities proposed to be undertaken as part of the implementation of the CMP. However, it

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should be recognized that awareness‐raising activities are often slow‐acting, and is

best understood as a series of investments for significant future returns. As such, they

have to be carried out in a sustained and sustainable manner over a period of time,

and be sufficiently resourced.

External drivers of change – such as new developments which could lead to an

increased influx of people into the area, and increased access through the opening of

new roads – also constitute a major challenge in terms of the management of the

natural environment and resources in the area.

Strategy for the implementation of the Lake Kutubu CMP

The Lake Kutubu CMP is not a one‐off plan for managing water resources in the

catchment but rather a phased implementation of a dynamic, participative, integrated

process that serves, in the first 5 to 7 years of implementation, to address the

immediate priority concerns identified by the stakeholders. Subsequently, the outcomes will need to be reviewed and the CMP revised accordingly.

The baseline technical studies and stakeholder consultations undertaken over the last

few years in the Lake Kutubu area identified five major areas of concern which need to

be addressed as a matter of priority, within the catchment.

1. The lack of a functioning institutional and regulatory framework at the local,

provincial and national levels to support catchment management planning;

2. The lack of awareness about catchment management planning among policy

and decision‐makers, coupled with a lack of technical and financial capacity to

implement a catchment management plan;

3. Declining water quality in the Lake Kutubu area;

4. Threats to the existing fish populations and fisheries in the Lake Kutubu area;

and

5. Threats to the biological diversity in the Lake Kutubu area (including the threat

of invasive species).

The first two areas of concern will be addressed by actions taken at the local,

provincial, and national level, working primarily with policy and planning authorities,

to enhance the institutional and regulatory framework for catchment management

planning in PNG. The lessons learnt from these actions can provide the impetus to

refine the Total Catchment Environmental Management Policy championed by the

DEC, and aid in advocacy efforts for its eventual adoption and application.

The remaining three areas of concern can best be addressed, in the first instance, at the

local community level. The added‐value of a focus at the community level is that it

provides an opportunity for the local communities to be actively involved in the

implementation of the CMP and in this way, builds their support for the CMP process;

allows them the opportunity to establish, review and refine mechanisms for

cooperation; contributes to increasing their awareness and understanding of the

importance of adopting a catchment‐level approach to conservation and sustainable

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development; and builds their capacity so that they are able to eventually serve as full

partners in the implementation of the CMP.

Summary of the CMP’s Management Objectives for the first 5 to 7 years of

implementation

4. Institutional issues

4.1 Empower the Lake Kutubu Catchment Management Forum and the Steering

Committee to enable them to function effectively and efficiently as a platform for all

stakeholders to be involved in the implementation of the CMP.

4.2 Ensure that National, Provincial and Local Level Government policy and planning

processes take into account the provisions of the CMP.

5.

Awareness

and

Capacity

issues

5.1 Increase awareness and understanding about the benefits of catchment

management planning at the local, provincial and national levels

5.2 Increase the capacity of key stakeholders to enable them to be active participants in

the implementation of the CMP

6. Water Quality issues

6.1 Improve the management of water resources in the Lake Kutubu Catchment

7. Fisheries issues

7.1 Promote catchment‐wide application of the sustainable fish catch strategies

7.2 Protect and enhance existing fish populations.

8. Biodiversity issues

8.1 Enhance the management and protection of the forest habitats in the Lake Kutubu

catchment.

8.2 Halt the spread of invasive fauna and flora in the Lake Kutubu catchment 8.3 Enhance the conservation and protection of the biodiversity resources in the Lake

Kutubu Catchment

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Structure of this Report

This Lake Kutubu Catchment Management Plan contains four main sections.

Chapter 1 serves as an introduction to catchment management planning, provides the

background to the policy and planning context within which this CMP would be

implemented and describes the process by which this Plan was developed.

Chapter 2 elaborates the strategy, vision, goals, and overall objectives of the CMP.

These were developed from an assessment of the technical baseline studies, the

outcomes of the two consultative workshops involving stakeholders from around the

Lake Kutubu catchment, as well as representatives from the Department of

Environment and Conservation, and from discussions held with the key stakeholders

during the CMP formulation mission in August 2007.

Chapter 3 provides general information about the catchment, but for more detailed

background information, reference should be made to the source documents listed in

Annex 1 of this CMP, and to the “State of the Lake Kutubu Catchment” report, which

has been prepared as part of this study. Copies of all these documents are available, on

request, from the WWF‐Kikori River Programme.

Chapters 4 to 8 describe the key issues and these are set out in a number of sections. It

is important to note that not each and every issue that could be of any relevance to the

Lake Kutubu catchment, or to the water resources of the catchment, has been included

in this Plan. This Plan deals with those issues that have been identified, through the consultative process and the review of available information, as being the immediate

key issues for the catchment. Each section begins with a summary of the issue,

followed by key management objectives and a table of management actions to

address that issue. The table of management actions identifies a ‘lead’ agency or

organisation and a list of ‘others’ who might be involved or could contribute towards

delivery of that action. A proposed timescale is also given as a target for any given

action. This is not a precise deadline, rather it is an approximation of expected

commencement (or completion) and is presented as short, medium and long‐term,

corresponding to 1 to 2 years, 3 to 5 years and 5 years plus, respectively. The

management actions themselves are not listed in any order of priority; rather the timescale for delivery reflects the fact that although some actions are clearly of

priority, implementation may take some time because of the nature or complexity of

the issue, or both.

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1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. The Special Qualities of the Lake Kutubu Catchment

Located in the Southern Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea, Lake Kutubu is

PNG’s highest freshwater lake. Its waters are exceptionally clear, which allows for high levels of primary production which, in turn, supports the most unique lacustrine

fish community in the entire New Guinea ‐ Australia region; the lake harbours 11

known endemic species of fish.

The entire catchment of Lake Kutubu, apart from a small area at Moro and its

immediate surroundings, is under humid closed rainforest. This forest is relatively

undisturbed due to low human population, remoteness from major towns, and

ruggedness of the karst landscape.

There are seven main villages and a large number of smaller satellite settlements around the lake (see Figure 1.1). The rich resources of the lake (water and fish) provide

for the well‐ being of the approximately 2000‐3000 people who live on its margin.

Figure 1.1: Topographic map of Lake Kutubu, indicating the main settlements

In 1992, the lake and much of its catchment was formally gazetted as a Wildlife

Management Area (WMA) in recognition of its rich biodiversity resources.

International recognition followed in 1998 with the listing of Lake Kutubu as a

Wetland of International Importance under the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar

Convention).

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1.2. Why a Catchment Management Plan?

The demands that we place on the water resource create a unique set of management

issues and environmental pressures that need to be considered together. Catchment

Management recognises that the resources and components of the environment (soil,

water, vegetation, fauna and other natural resources) within a catchment are

inextricably linked. Pressure affecting one element can also impact directly or

indirectly on the others, with potential consequences for conservation and sustainable

economic productivity. The process of preparing a Catchment Management Plan

(CMP) assists in identifying the various natural resource issues affecting the

catchment.

A Catchment Management Plan assists land use and development to be undertaken in

a manner which minimises the degradation of natural resources on which the

productivity of the catchment depends. It seeks the long term integration of land

development and resource conservation. While the surface water catchment provides

a convenient boundary, it is recognised that many social and ecological processes are

not confined within this boundary. Fauna, fires and invasive species move across the

catchment boundary, land tenure can extend into adjacent catchments and boundaries

of groundwater systems seldom match surface water catchments precisely.

An integrated approach promotes greater awareness and understanding of

environmental issues and encourages a more open and cooperative approach to

decision‐making. An integrated approach may also help to reduce the risk of future

conflict, or, for some of the more potentially contentious issues, at least identify at an

early stage all the key interests. By planning together stakeholders and interested

parties can decide what can be done to address problems and how they should go

about implementing the Plan.

In summary, the development of a CMP:

• provides an overview of the catchment and helps the stakeholders understand

issues within a catchment context;

• identifies and clarifies issues and problems, including those for which more

detailed, specialised plans are appropriate (e.g. invasive species, fisheries, fire);

• sets appropriate and achievable goals for natural resource management;

• identifies the costs and benefits of improved natural resource management;

• considers management options and alternative strategies;

• sets priority actions;

• minimises conflict and duplication of effort by coordinating and integrating

actions of the community and government authorities;

• stimulates community awareness and government commitment; and

• identifies and prioritises projects for which funding may be sought.

1.2.1 Critical success factors for CMPs

Below is an outline of the critical success factors for CMPs, based on lessons

learnt from case studies on catchment management planning.

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Essential Characteristics

of CMPs

Comments

A documented plan for

change management –

not a static document.

• Catchment management is a process; plans must

change with priorities, achievements, and losses. The

process of the plan’s preparation should reflect this

dynamic characteristic.

• Plan must specify objectives and outcomes, and ways

of measuring protection and management.

• Specific targets for the fact that protection will change,

standards will change, and management priorities will

change over time.

Vision‐ based,

awareness focused,

Community‐driven

• People’s livelihoods and lifestyles occur in catchments;

their views together with those of government

providers of services form the basis of the vision.

• The vision should be water cycle based ‐ Catchment

and creek protection is part of the overall health of the

river, its waterways and the downstream coastal and

marine system; the vision should be inclusive of all key

stakeholders.

Sound technical

studies

• Data is essential for establishing priorities for

catchment problem solving, and for setting targets for

protection through management.

Strategic matters for ecological sustainability of any

catchment can be defined as:

• Protection of water quality – of both the waters into

which the river flows (termed ‘the receiving waters’),

and the water in the actual river or waterway.

• Protection of the stream or creek quality including its

bed and banks, aquatic environment, flood plain, and

riparian vegetation. Planning for this protection means

planning for low flow times as well as for bankfull and

flood events.

• Protection of land and water processes within the

catchment itself including the condition of the land,

soils and vegetation cover, and the habitats for flora

and fauna across the catchment.

People are part of the protection process as well. While all

of the strategic matters above relate to people, one aspect in

particular needs to be dealt with as part of the catchment

plan – protection of access and amenity uses of the

waterways.

15



Providing a master

plan focused on

outcomes

• Options for the levels of protection desired and

potentially achievable have to be evaluated. A master

plan based on outcomes for overall catchment

protection is then prepared.

• Multiple plans and projects proceeding in a catchment

at any one point in time need to refer to catchment /

waterways protection.

• Details for site specific or sub‐catchment specific work

is important for more local activities and projects.

Target‐ based

planning

• A plan of action means a commitment to measurement.

• A Plan should set specific aims and tight targets and

timeframes for their achievement. The catchment

management plan is a form of environmental

management system – proceeding with set targets and

steps for achieving specific aims or outcomes.

Strengthening

coordination ‐

institutional

arrangements

• Papua New Guinea has no formal catchment

legislation. To ensure implementation of key actions,

the plan’s emphasis must be placed on strengthening

the channels and structures (and requirements) for

agency coordination.

• Catchment management plans are an opportunity for

agency agreement to the sustainability planning of an

area. It is also a means of assessing decisions made by

private and public sector agencies.

Informative and

accessible

documents

• The Plan is to be a communication and community

learning tool, as well as a technical master plan.

Addressing the main points of this outline will provide stakeholders with an

achievable, sustainable and balanced use of the land, water and related biological

resources within the Lake Kutubu catchment.

1.3. Why manage the Lake Kutubu catchment?

Catchment management planning is a relatively new concept in Papua New Guinea

(PNG). Although the government through the Department of Environment and

Conservation (DEC) has a concept in place for ‘Total Catchment Environment

Management Policy’ (TCEMP), its implementation is yet to be realized and currently

steps are being taken by the government to make this concept a reality. It is hoped that

the development and implementation of this CMP will serve as a pilot project for

catchment management in PNG and serve as a source of ‘lessons learnt’ to enhance the

government’s TCEMP.

16



In PNG, there is an abundance of natural resources, but their use has become rapid

and unsustainable. Forest degradation as a result of industrial logging is prevalent

throughout the country. River basins and their ecosystems are being threatened due to

human induced actions. Lake Kutubu is situated in a very vulnerable location where

oil and gas operations are currently underway and set to expand in the future. Its

global biodiversity value and the vital ecosystem services it provides to the local

communities, warrants attention in terms of sustainable management.

Within the Lake Kutubu Catchment, the demands on the water resource are likely to

increase in the future with increasing population and land development. In order to

meet these demands without prejudicing what we have, or indeed to improve things,

we need to start thinking now in a more integrated way about how the waters of the

catchment are managed.

This Lake Kutubu CMP provides direction for all stakeholder groups on the future

management of the natural resources of the Lake Kutubu catchment as well as the

larger Kikori River catchment, including multiple use of lands where appropriate. It

identifies the major issues affecting the Lake Kutubu catchment and outlines strategic

management actions to address each of the issues. Identification of these as priority

issues in no way detracts from other issues which impact across the entire Kikori River

catchment.

The CMP also identifies responsibilities for undertaking actions, and proposes

implementation arrangements and coordination mechanisms. This plan identifies a

mechanism to address conflicts and seek resolution especially in relation to issues that

impact on more than an individual stakeholder group’s interest.

The net result is a more coordinated approach to the wise and sustainable use of the

water resource of the Lake Kutubu catchment, based on the consensus and co‐

operation of all those with an interest in the resource.

It is important to note that the CMP does not purport to solve all problems

immediately but rather provides a framework for resolving current and future issues.

In some cases, the Plan contains solutions but there are current problems for which

there are no easy answers, and further technical work and consultations need to be

carried out to arrive at appropriate solutions for these.

1.3.1 External drivers of change that could potentially affect the integrity of the Lake

Kutubu Catchment

In May 2008, a formal agreement was signed between ExxonMobil and the

Government of PNG on the PNG LNG Project. The PNG LNG Project proposes to

commercialize the Hides, Angore and Juha fields and the associated gas resources in

the currently operating oil fields of Kutubu, Agogo, Gobe and Moran in the Southern

Highlands and Western Provinces of PNG. The gas will be treated at a gas

conditioning plant at Hides then transported via pipeline to a 6.3 million tonne per

17



annum LNG liquefaction and storage facility proposed to be located 20km north‐west

of Port Moresby on the Gulf of Papua. The project is set to begin its Front End

Engineering and Design (FEED) stage in early 2009. The location of the project sites

within the Lake Kutubu Catchment is cause for concern in terms of the potential

negative impacts that could arise during the pre‐ and post‐construction stages.

However, until more detailed information becomes available, it is difficult to predict

what these impacts might be and to determine specific management actions to be

taken under the CMP. One expected impact is an increase in the influx of people from

other parts of PNG; an appropriate management action for this would be to control the

movement of outsiders into the catchment area by establishing strict policies on illegal

migration and the establishment of new settlements. This should be done as a

collaborative effort by the project developer, the relevant government agencies, and

the local communities.

The expansion of the road network in the Lake Kutubu catchment area is another

cause for concern. The development of the oil project saw the opening up of roads

linking Mendi, the provincial capital of Southern Highlands Province with other sub‐

districts such as Kutubu, Nipa, Tari as well as the other highlands provinces. Since

then, there has been a noticeable increase in the influx of people into the Lake Kutubu

area. Inter‐marriages have also been on the rise, with many women from other areas

marrying men from the Kutubu area. These inter‐marriages have contributed to the

influx of people in search of opportunities for employment or to engage in small

business activities. With growing population has come an increase in the exploitation

of natural resources.

A road linking Samberigi to the Kikori road is currently under construction and

expected to be completed soon. There is a proposal to connect the Southern Highlands

to Kikori in the Gulf Province by road. The project is still under review and is subject

to funding availability, but if it does come to pass, will be yet another major

development in the area. Another major proposal is for the construction of a wharf

facility at the Kikori station. Increased road access is likely to bring even more people

into the area.

The expansion of the road network can also act as a catalyst for accelerating other

resource extraction activities, the major one being logging. Currently, logging is a

major activity in the Kikori area, downstream of Lake Kutubu. The expansion of the

road network in the Lake Kutubu catchment area is likely to open up new access for

logging companies to expand their operations and pose a further threat to the

catchment.

1.3.2 The WWF Kikori Integrated Conservation and Development Project (ICDP)

The WWF Kikori ICDP establishes a model integrated conservation and development

area in the Kikori River Basin, which covers an area of 2.3 million hectares in the

Southern Highlands and Gulf Provinces of PNG. The Kikori ICDP came into being

following the approval of the PNG National Executive Council in 1993.

18



More than 20,000 people, from twelve different ethnic groups, live in the project area

and rely on the natural resources of its forests and streams for their subsistence

livelihood. The Kikori ICDP is assisting these local communities with the long‐term

protection of their region’s considerable biological diversity by promoting

ecologically‐sustainable development.

The Kikori River catchment represents one of the most intact and thus biologically rich

environments in PNG, and for that matter in the Asia/Pacific region. The catchment

cuts through five ecoregions: sub‐alpine grasslands, montane rainforests, lowland

rainforests, freshwater swamp forests, and mangrove forests. Moreover, the Kikori

Delta contains one of the largest mangrove forests in the Pacific. The catchment is also

one of the last areas in New Guinea that contains an array of different forest types and

iconic wildlife such as birds of paradise, cassowaries, and tree kangaroos. Lake

Kutubu lies in the heart of the WWF Kikori ICDP project area.

The project is also globally important because it is the first model of a major oil

consortium and an environmental organization working in partnership to protect an

environmentally sensitive area. Likewise, the project is to improve conservation

science in that it is testing several cutting‐edge conservation methodologies including

community‐driven conservation enterprises, and international liaison to create an

enabling policy environment supportive of conservation.

Ultimately, the success of this project will be measured by the ability of the local

people to manage the various activities on their own. Top priority is being given to the

involvement, endorsement, and participation of local people, and landowners in all

stages of the project because of the customary land tenure system in the catchment

area which affords outright ownership to the clan. Local community and business

development organizations, provincial governments, and national governments are

also key partners in the project because their support and contributions are critical to

complement those of the local landowners, and contribute to achieving the objectives

of the CMP.

The WWF Kikori ICDP has four objectives:

• To strengthen community capacity for human and natural resources management

such that it contributes to biodiversity conservation.

• To assist community groups to establish or strengthen sustainably managed areas

or resource management strategies for biodiversity conservation.

• To assist community groups to establish, manage, and benefit from sustainable

enterprises that use natural resources and contribute to biodiversity conservation.

• To contribute to the creation of an enabling environment for biodiversity

conservation in the Kikori catchment.

Since 1994, the WWF Kikori ICDP has worked to conserve the sensitive ecosystem of

the Kikori River Basin by assisting people from this area in conserving their resources

under threat from logging companies and large‐scale development projects. It has

been working with the local communities to devise and implement a science‐ based

conservation strategy for the area which emphasizes local needs. The project has

19



worked to promote rural development activities which aim to reduce pressure on the

natural resources of the area: it has facilitated and promoted eco‐forestry, eco‐tourism

and other eco‐enterprise ventures by which communities can enjoy cash income

benefits.

Following the project’s initial field survey of biodiversity conducted in 1995, WWF has

to date undertaken a series biodiversity surveys. These surveys continue to confirm

the extraordinary flora and fauna which exists in the area and their conservation

status. The project has used the findings to raise communities’ awareness and build

their capacity to make well‐informed, ecologically sound decisions. The project also

realizes the importance of education with respect to its conservation science work.

Different approaches used for awareness‐raising and education include posters, radio,

theatre, and in‐service teacher training.

The project is being implemented in collaboration with the DEC and the Community

Development Initiative (CDI) Foundation.

1.4. The policy and planning context

Lake Kutubu is situated within a highly contested social, political and economic

landscape. The increase in oil and gas development activity has resulted in a rise in

decision making tension both amongst clan groups and individuals, and between

landowners, government and external agencies. Oil and gas activity has also brought a

corresponding rise in the number of local people participating in the cash economy

and an influx of settlers seeking employment and the peripheral benefits from these

operations.

There is general concern that the expansion of oil and gas activities and the

accompanying opening up of new areas through greater road access will lead to a

further influx of settlers from other areas of PNG. The increased road access could also

lead to the unregulated development of other small‐scale activities such as extraction

of timber for local construction, harvesting (including hunting) of natural forest

products, and clearing of forest land for homesteads and gardens.

Consequently, the increasing level of development in the Lake Kutubu catchment is an

issue of national significance to PNG. Three levels of planning and policy context were

identified during the consultations with stakeholders:

1. Local level: contested customary land tenure

2. National level: arbitrary and unreliable

3. International: coherent but lacks the legislative power to compel

20



Figure 1.2: The policy and planning context in PNG

Policy and planning instruments already exist at the national and international levels

which provide the regulatory or obligatory framework within which conservation and

environmental management can operate in PNG:

National level

• The PNG constitution 1975

• Conservation Areas Act 1978

• Fauna (Protection and Control) Act (Chapter 154)

• Fauna (Protection and Control) Regulation (Chapter 154)

• National Parks Act 1992

• PNG Land Act 1996

• PNG Oil and Gas Act 1998

• PNG Total Catchment Environment Management (concept) 1996

• PNG Environment Act 2000 (the legal framework for regulating the environmental

effects of the PNG Gas Project, administered by DEC)

• Fauna (Protection and Control) Act, Lake Kutubu Wildlife Management Area

Rules (Chapter 154) 2002

Regional/International level

• ADB / SPAC Pacific Region Action Plan on Sustainable Water Management 2002

• Activities on rural water and sanitation programmed in the ADB PNG Country

Strategy and Program Update 2004

21



• Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) 1971 (PNG

became a signatory in 1975)

• The Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar Convention) 1971 (PNG became a signatory

in 1994)

• Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) (PNG became a signatory in 1993)

• Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change (PNG became a signatory in 1993)

• The International Trade (Fauna and Flora) Act

• UN Millennium Development Goal 7: ensuring environmental sustainability

If the integrated catchment management approach enshrined in this CMP is to

succeed, policy and planning must have a coordinated and strategic approach across

the three realms ‐ international, national and local – and must be in line with the policy

and planning context within PNG.

1.5. Status of the Catchment Management Plan

The CMP currently has no statutory status in PNG and should be considered as

supplementary guidance for the various organisations, agencies and individuals with

responsibilities for the well‐ being of the Lake Kutubu catchment and Kikori River and

its associated environment and communities.

There is currently no guidance to indicate that developments or other activities must

comply with this Plan. However, a number of measures that are recommended in this

CMP will most effectively be delivered through incorporation into the current and

future Southern Highlands Provincial Government (SHPG), Local Level Government

(LLG) and protected area planning processes. It is therefore hoped that the SHPG, LLG

and protected area authorities within the Lake Kutubu Catchment will take the

provisions of the CMP into account in the preparation and implementation of Local

Plans. This also applies to other organizations and agencies, who are encouraged to

incorporate the aims and objectives of the Plan into their decision‐making processes

and into the development of any plans and projects.

The more that other plans, strategies and programmes make reference to the CMP, the

greater the links will become and the more effective the CMP will be.

1.6.

How

the

CMP

was

developed

1.6.1 Stakeholder consultations

Two consultative workshops were held in 2007 involving stakeholders from around

the Lake Kutubu catchment, as well as those representing the Department of

Environment and Conservation.

The first of these was a two day workshop held at Tubo Lodge, Lake Kutubu in March

2007. Twenty‐eight (28) participants attended the workshop, both men and women,

drawn from the communities living in the catchment. The purpose of this workshop

was to get the community’s view on the issues in the catchment area, and how best to

22



address them. The table below provides names of key participants and organizations

and their role in the catchment.

Table 1.1: Names of village participants who attended the community workshop

# Name Sex Village Region

1 Buamo Hasigi M Kantobo Lower Foi

2 Benedict Hunapi M Kantobo Lower Foi

3 Wakson Hoki M Kantobo Lower Foi

4 Alice Kage F Tugiri Upper Foi

5 Martin Feramena M Wasemi Upper Foi

6 Paul Karogi M Wasemi Upper Foi

7 Nadi Fairi M Tugiri Upper Foi

8 Herman Kone M Tugiri Upper Foi

9 Daniel Kage M Tugiri Upper Foi 10 James Irimari M Yo’obo Upper Foi

11 Moses Kaipu Konefapu M Tubage Upper Foi

12 Stanley Wapi M Tugiri Upper Foi

13 Moses Daima M Yo’obo Upper Foi

14 Jack Obea M Tubage Upper Foi

15 Lawrence Kage M Tugiri Upper Foi

16 Jenny Mora F Gesege Upper Foi

17 Ruth Peter F Gesege Upper Foi

18 Elisabeth Kusa F Yo’obo Upper Foi

19 Martha Francis F Tugiri Upper Foi 20 Richard Ba’abi M Yo’obo Upper Foi

21 Nelson Alina M Paua Huli

22 Timothy Giwi M Paua Huli

23 Moses Henry M Paua Huli

24 Thomcy Mai M Gesege Lower Foi

25 Yuru Yeya M Gesege Upper Foi

26 Penny Yarogi M Tugiri Upper Foi

27 Paua councillor M Paua Huli

28 Morris Awa M Tamadigi Faso

A Catchment Management Forum was established and six people were nominated

onto the forum: two representatives from upper catchment, two from the lower and

four from villages around the lake. It was envisaged at that time that the forum would

meet every three months (quarterly) and include senior representatives from the

Department of Environment and Conservation, local level government, OSL and

NGOs such as WWF and CDI. Participants developed a set of 10 principles as a

framework for all land use planning decisions within the Lake Kutubu catchment and

established a set of four overarching goals with their respective objectives:

Lake Kutubu Catchment Management Forum: Decision Making Principles

23



1. Our landscape, our culture and society are interconnected: damage to our landscape

is damage to our culture and society.

2. Maintain ground and surface water quality because our water is our life

3. Any use of water must be with landowner’s consent

4. No road construction without landowner consent

5. Maintain air quality

6. All sacred sites will be protected through closure

7. All fishing will be based on sustainable fishing practices

8. All waste from the oil and gas development must be managed to international

standards

9. Ensure protection of our biodiversity

10. No use of guns in protected areas

Once the decision making principles were established, a set of 4 goals were developed from the issues and aspirations raised at the workshop:

Goal 1: Protect and maintain existing fish populations with the aim of returning

them to past abundance

Goal 2: Maintain and protect the integrity of existing forests and biodiversity

Goal 3: Monitor and maintain air quality and prevent further pollution

Goal 4: Maintain and monitor water quality and prevent further pollution

Each of these goals has a corresponding set of objectives as detailed in Annex 2 of this

Plan.

In August 2007, a 2‐day consultative workshop was held to inform stakeholders about

the catchment management planning process and to solicit additional input on issues

of priority concern for inclusion in the CMP. This was attended by 17 people,

representing the local communities, and other major stakeholders in the catchment

area:

Table 1.2: Names of participants of the workshop and their organization

#

Name

Designation

Organization

1 Sarah Ekali Environment .Advisor OSL (HSE)

24



2 Peter John Sust. Livelihoods Manager CDI Foundation

3 Dennis Badi Conservation Edu. Officer WWF KRP

4 Felix Kinginapi Species Officer WWF KRP

5

Amos Ona

Kikori River Programme

Manager WWF KRP

6 Eric Manasi Catchment Man. Officer WWF KRP

7 Tony Kuman Liaison Officer DEC

8 Enoch Council officer (rep) Kutubu LLG

9 Nixon Mira Manager KSPA

10 Herman Kone Committee Tugiri village

11 James Irimaru Committee Yoʹobo village

12 Thomcy Mai Committee Gesege village

13 Martin Feramena Committee Wasemi village

14 Lawrence Kage Committee LK WMA

15 Moses Konefabu Committee PNF (CBO) 16 Benedict Hunapi Representative Kantobo village

17

Morris Awa Representative

Tamadigi village

(Faso)

Abbreviation note:

DEC – Department of Environment and Conservation

KSPA – Kutubu Special Purpose Authority – established under the local level government to

manage all funds from the oil project to undertake infrastructure development in the Kutubu

area

LKWMA – Lake Kutubu Wildlife Management Area

OSL (HSE) – Oil Search Limited (Health Safety & Environment)

WWF KRP – World Wide Fund for Nature Kikori River Programme

CDI – Community Development Initiative Foundation Trust Fund

LLG – Local Level Government

PNF – Protect Nature for Future – a community based organization (CBO).

Following the mission in August 2007, a review was undertaken of existing reports

and technical documents, as well as the outputs from the two stakeholder discussions,

to determine the strategy, vision, goal, overall objectives, management objectives and

associated management actions for the Lake Kutubu CMP.

25



2. STRATEGY, VISION, GOALS AND OVERALL

OBJECTIVES FOR THE LAKE KUTUBU CATCHMENT

MANAGEMENT PLAN

2.1.

Strategy for

the

Lake

Kutubu

CMP

A necessary prerequisite for the success of any CMP is the existence of an effective

institutional and regulatory framework to support its implementation. In order for a

CMP to be effective, different institutions involved in planning land use and resource

utilization need to share a common framework. Moving towards a more integrative

catchment management approach requires coordination of a range of management

entities and key stakeholders. Such coordination, in turn, requires specific

arrangements for resolving conflicts and making joint decisions.

The Lake Kutubu CMP is not a one‐off plan for managing water resources in the

catchment but rather a phased implementation of a dynamic, participative, integrated

process that serves, in the first 5 years of implementation, to address the immediate

priority concerns identified by the stakeholders. The process consists broadly of the

following steps: data collection, investigation, information assimilation, planning,

implementation, monitoring and control, auditing and review. These components

need to be integrated and implemented through an institutional framework that is yet

to be developed in PNG. At the end of the first 5 year period, the outcomes will need

to be reviewed and the CMP revised accordingly for the subsequent 5 years.

The baseline technical studies and stakeholder consultations identified a number of

issues which need to be addressed within the Lake Kutubu catchment. In developing

this CMP, five major areas of concern were identified, as detailed below, in no order of

priority:

6. The lack of a functioning institutional and regulatory framework at the local,

provincial and national levels to support catchment management planning;

7. The lack of awareness about catchment management planning among policy

and decision‐makers, coupled with a lack of technical and financial capacity to

implement a catchment management plan;

8. Declining water quality in the Lake Kutubu area;

9. Threats to the existing fish populations and fisheries in the Lake Kutubu area;

and

10. Threats to the biological diversity in the Lake Kutubu area (including the threat

of invasive species).

The first two areas of concern can be addressed by actions taken at the local,

provincial, and national level, working primarily with policy and planning authorities,

to enhance the institutional and regulatory framework for catchment management

planning in PNG. The lessons learnt from these actions can provide the impetus to

refine the Total Catchment Environmental Management Policy championed by the

DEC, and aid in advocacy efforts for its eventual adoption and application.

26



The remaining three areas of concern can best be addressed, in the first instance, at the

local community level. The added‐value of a focus at the community level is that it

provides an opportunity for the local communities to be actively involved in the

implementation of the CMP and in this way, builds their support for the CMP process;

allows them the opportunity to establish, review and refine mechanisms for

cooperation; contributes to increasing their awareness and understanding of the

importance of adopting a catchment‐level approach to conservation and sustainable

development; and builds their capacity so that they are able to serve as full partners in

the implementation of the CMP.

At the international level, given the fact that the entire Lake Kutubu catchment has

been designated as a Wetland of International Importance (Ramsar Site), opportunities

exist within the framework of the Ramsar Convention to access guidance and support

for the implementation of the CMP. Catchment‐level management planning is an

emerging area of work under the Ramsar Convention and other conventions e.g. the

ecosystem approach adopted by CBD, and lessons learnt from the development and

implementation of the Lake Kutubu CMP will go a long way in helping to refine the

suite of tools currently available.

2.2. Implementation of the Lake Kutubu CMP

It is envisaged that the CMP will be ‘adopted’ by the Lake Kutubu Catchment

Management Forum as a working document, and that other organisations named in

the CMP will be encouraged to sign up to complete, or contribute to, the achievement

of its objectives. The CMP covers a wide range of issues relating to the water resource

of the Lake Kutubu catchment for which a number of management objectives have

been defined. The CMP also contains a large number of recommended management

actions which, if implemented, will contribute to the future sustainable management

of the valuable resources within the catchment.

It is important to recognise that the CMP is simply part of an on‐going process of

developing a more integrated approach to management within the Kikori River

catchment. The Plan therefore needs to be aspirational if it is to achieve the goals

outlined in the WWF Kikori ICDP. This Plan cannot commit organisations and

agencies to funding the actions, and the timescales given are simply a measure of the

priority attached to each action. Nevertheless, it is important to identify all the known immediate key issues at this stage and to discuss and agree how best they might be

addressed, and who might be involved, either in a lead role or in a supporting role.

One of the benefits of an aspirational Plan such as this is that, as well as providing a

focus for future work priorities for organisations and agencies, it may also give added

weight to any application for special funding for implementing some of the actions.

Future monitoring of the CMP is fundamental to the successful implementation of

integrated management and effective delivery of the actions within the Plan. The CMP

will be monitored annually, with a major review once every five years, and it will be

updated regularly to reflect progress made on the recommended actions. It is important to note that because this Plan will be monitored, reviewed and regularly

27



updated, priorities for action are likely to change over time as new issues arise and

progress is made towards implementing some of the actions. However, an issue may

arise in the not‐too‐distant future which is not covered in the Plan. For example, while

‘fisheries’ is a current issue and has been considered in detail, the potential long‐term

impacts of climate change on the catchment and the corresponding need to develop

appropriate mitigation and adaptation strategies, has not been identified by

stakeholders as a priority issue in the Lake Kutubu catchment. The mechanism put in

place for periodic review will enable new issues, such as climate change impacts to be

accommodated and addressed.

Given that the WWF Kikori River Programme has been the driving force behind the

development of this CMP, and given the current lack of capacity in catchment

management planning among other key stakeholders, the strategy envisages that

WWF will have to take the lead in implementing the actions outlined in the Plan for

the first five years. If the integrated CMP approach is to succeed, policy and planning

must have a coordinated and strategic approach across the three policy and planning

realms – local, national and international. As one of the leading international

conservation organizations, and with its strong, long term ‘on the ground’ presence in

the Kikori region, WWF is in a good position to leverage all three realms.

2.3. Vision for the Lake Kutubu Catchment

The vision for the catchment, which seeks to incorporate the objectives of all

stakeholders, is as follows:

“To manage the river and its catchment in an integrated manner to achieve

stakeholder objectives and community outcomes through a common vision of:

• Secure communities

• Healthy and stable catchment and river system

• Environmental and conservation values enhanced

• Recreational and amenity values enhanced

• Land productivity and value improved

• Cultural values relating to river system, floodplains and the Lake protected.”

2.4. Goal for the Lake Kutubu Catchment Management Plan

The goal for the Lake Kutubu CMP is as follows:

“Ecologically sustainable multiple‐use of the Lake Kutubu catchment.”

This Goal will be achieved through the:

• maintenance or enhancement of soil, vegetation and water quality;

• maintenance of biodiversity;

• maintenance of resource productivity; and

• optimisation of net financial and social benefits.

To meet the Goal, the natural resources of the catchment, including soil, water, vegetation and wildlife, must be responsibly managed through the coordinated action

28



and support of all stakeholders, to ensure that these resources continue to meet the

economic, social and environmental needs of present and future generations.

Stakeholders include all those who use, enjoy and benefit from the catchment.

Adopting a framework of multiple land use requires that all values and all

stakeholders be considered in making decisions about use of resources within the

catchment. Any significant action in one site and by one stakeholder alone, could

influence outcomes for other sites, stakeholders or values.

Overall Objectives

To make progress towards the goal it is necessary to set overall objectives and to

monitor their achievement. These serve as measures against which the success of

management objectives and individual actions can be measured. Taken as a group,

they are the basis for the combined measure of success. An appropriate set of overall

objectives, given the issues facing the Lake Kutubu catchment, are:

1. By prudent land use to enhance economic productivity while avoiding

environmental degradation or damage to other values;

2. In using natural renewable resources, to ensure their continuing

availability and to maintain their quality.

3. To maintain and conserve wildlife communities and necessary

ecological processes through the retention, protection and rehabilitation

of natural terrestrial and aquatic habitats both through a protected area

system and through private landholder cooperation.

4. To maintain the functional integrity and unique character of the Kikori

River system while fostering a diversity of land use and economic

activity within the catchment.

5. To encourage co‐operation and complementary activity among

stakeholders both government and private, to achieve the above overall

objectives.

2.5. Operations and Field Management: Annual Operating Plans and Budgets

Implementation of the processes that have been put in place to develop this CMP are

all conditional on the development and application of effective mechanisms for

applying the wide range of Management Objectives and Actions which are the central

outcome of the planning processes.

One of the few ways that CMPs can “hit the ground”, and progressively become an

effective way for the Lake Kutubu Catchment Management Forum to apply them, is to

develop Annual Operational Plans (AOP) (see Figure 2.1). These, in turn, need to be

directly related to annual budgets and financial allocations.

Preparing an AOP involves a two‐stage process. In the first instance, it is necessary to

consider priority actions for the coming year that are laid out in the CMP. Secondly, it

is necessary to deliberate on how various actions and activities can be carried out in

the field.

29



A number of factors will need to be considered, such as:

balancing manpower and other available resources;

constraints such as transport and access;

community activities;

training programmes; and

leave schedules.

An effective AOP process that anticipates problems and develops solutions should

result in the Lake Kutubu Catchment Management Forum being informed and

prepared for the tasks ahead. An approved AOP with adequate supporting budgets is

the main outcome of this process.

The AOP needs to be realistic and should accurately reflect the views and capability of

the people that will be involved in carrying out the various activities.

30



Figure 2.1: Framework for the Lake Kutubu CMP and linkage to Annual

Operational Plans

31



3. CATCHMENT REVIEW

Lake Kutubu is one of three sub‐ basins that make up the Kikori River Catchment. It is

an exceptionally clear, high‐altitude lake located in the centre of Southern Highlands

Province at an elevation of 800 m above sea level (Osborne and Totome 1999). It is the

largest upland lake in PNG. It occupies a total area of about 7,000 ha of which open water comprises approximately 5,000 ha and reed‐ beds and swamp forest more than

2,000 ha. The lake is fed through a series of small creeks and subterranean rivers that

flow beneath the surrounding limestone and karst ranges (WWF 2005, Osborne and

Totome 1999). It has a total catchment area of around 26,000 ha.

Table 3.1: Lake Kutubu vital statistics

Length: 19 km

Width: 4 km (at its widest point)

Depth: Mean depth 36.12 m and 68‐70 m at its deepest point

Volume: 1.825 km3

Area: Total area: approximately 7000 ha: 4924 ha (open water) & 2000 ha

(reed‐ beds and swamp forest)

Altitude: 808m

Geographical

coordinates

06°25.79’ S (latitude) and 143°20.22’ E (longitude)

Rainfall: Mean annual rainfall 4500mm with a mean monthly fluctuation of

only 200mm

Global Ranking: 5th largest lake on the island of New Guinea and 2nd largest lake in

PNG; one of the most important lake ecosystems in the Asia

Pacific region International

significance:

Lake Kutubu was officially designated as a Wetland of

International Importance (Ramsar Site) on 22 September 1998, in

recognition of its high biodiversity and conservation value, and

particularly for the fact that it has a level of fish endemicity that

exceeds any other lake in the entire New Guinea‐Australian

region.

Conservation

status at the

national level:

Gazetted as a Wildlife Management Area in 1992.

Kutubu Catchment:

One of three sub‐ basins in the larger Kikori River system which comprises:

o Tagari‐Hegigio Sub Basin

o Lake Kutubu‐Digimu‐Mubi Sub‐Basin

o Kikori Sub Basin

Lake Kutubu

catchment:

Establishing definite boundaries to the catchment is difficult due

to the complex karst terrain; it is thought to be approximately

26,000ha

Nearest

provincial

town:

Mendi 35km NE of Lake Kutubu

32



3.1. Geomorphology and Topography

The lake was formed some 10 000 years ago when the south‐eastern end of the valley

was blocked off by volcanically derived lahar (debris avalanche) and tephra (air fall

ash deposits) from Mont Afuma. The upland areas of the catchment are described as a

desiccated terrain of Darai limestones and interbedded mudstones and sandstones.

Along its length, the lake is flanked by three different landforms, and four other

landforms are found in the Lake Kutubu Catchment. The seven different landforms

are:

• Karst landforms: Polygonal Karst

This is a very variable landscape of complex topography and hydrology. It often

lacks defined stream patterns, and most runoff is vertical, filtering down through

cracks in the limestone into cave systems, aquifers and underground streams that

can emerge as surface streams at long distances from their sources.

Polygonal karst forms in areas where the limestone surface is completely pitted

with closed depressions that divide the surface into a crudely polygonal pattern.

The depressions are typically referred to as dolines. The former ones that have

surface water flowing into an open void in the floor of the depression are

commonly referred to as sinkholes. Different types of polygonal karst are

recognized:

o Cockpit Karst

The Darai Plateau that flanks the southern margins of the lake consists of

cockpit karst, which is characterized by the presence of conically shaped

residual hills with rounded tops and relatively steep, convex side slopes.

o Unclassified Polygonal Karst

It occupies the Mubi valley. This karst forms a rugged terrain of cones,

pinnacles, towers, dolines and hummocks, caves, and underground rivers.

• Undifferentiated swamps at the north‐western end and the south‐eastern end of the

lake, with alluvial deposits.

• Fluvial Erosion and Mass Movement landform: Mountains and hills with No

Structural Control

This landform is a particular type of Fluvial Erosion and Mass Movement

landform, which are a complex of karst and other landforms altered by the

fracturing of limestone beds through intense folding, faulting and gravity‐

sliding into parallel‐trending slabs separated by underlying clastic sediments.

Strike ridges are interspersed with these limestone mountains and hills with no

structure control. Steep, with irregular slopes and caused by intense gullying,

this landform has a highly complex drainage pattern. This type of landform

forms the ranges in that part of the Kikori basin between Lake Kutubu and the

Mubi River. Peaks rise to 1 320 m ASL in the Iwa Range and to 1 397 m ASL at

Mt Kemenagi, the highest point adjacent to the lake at its southeast.

• Volcanic Landforms

Little‐dissected footslopes and volcano‐alluvial fans landform flanks the northern

margins of the Lake Kutubu.

• Composite alluvial plains occur along the Mubi River, in the north of the catchment.

33



Soils

Fertile soils occur in the valleys where the volcanically derived soils are deposited. The

soils of the western and south‐eastern shores of the lake are shallow, dark, weakly acid

to neutral soils formed on calcareous parent materials. These are steeply sloping low

mountain and hill soils of subdominant Rendolls, Troporthents, and Eutropepts. Soils around the north‐eastern shores are moderately sloping (17‐34%), moderately to

strongly weathered soils with altered B‐horizons (subdominant Dystropepts,

Haplorthox, and various Andepts).

The different types of soil that are found in the Lake Kutubu Catchment are:

• Mollisols: slightly to moderately weathered soils with accumulation and

decomposition of relatively large amounts of organic matter in a base‐rich

environment.

• Inceptisols: well‐drained, very permeable soils with weakly developed subsurface

horizons. • Entisols: young soils with little profile development, typically occurring on recently

deposited alluvium, but also on erosional subsurface.

Areas of alluvium or lacustrine deposits occur along the northwest shore of Lake

Kutubu, where the soils are loose sands and silts that also have granular deposits from

sedimentation along the floodplains of the lake’s inflow tributaries (Kaimari and

Tugibu creeks).

Shorelines

Three common types of shoreline were identified in the lake, with a fourth found only at the mouths of Kaimari and Tugibu Creeks. These four types of shoreline are:

• Steeper shorelines with little or no littoral vegetation but often with rainforest trees

overhanging the lake edge. Substrates of steeper shorelines are mainly rock.

• Shallow shorelines with extensive swamp development which occur mainly at the

south‐eastern and north‐western areas of the lake (near Gesege and Tubage

respectively). These are dominated by pandanus trees and in places by sago palms

plus a variety of tall emergent grasses, reeds and sedges.

• Intermediate to these two extremes are shorelines with a well‐developed littoral

zone of emergent grasses, reeds, and sedges, but without extensive swamp

development. • Kaimari and Tugibu creeks are characterized by the formation of levee banks upon

which sudd (floating mat forming grasses) extend out into the lake.

3.2. Precipitation and Climate

The climate in the Lake Kutubu catchment is warm and wet, with little variation

throughout the year. The mean annual temperature is 23°C. Mean monthly

temperatures range between 21.5 and 24°C, with July & August being the coolest

period of the year. Mean daily temperature ranges from 17.3°C (minimum) to 28.6°C

(maximum). The minimum temperature recorded was 5°C, and the maximum was

39°C. The soil mean temperature is 23°C, while the minimum and maximum soil temperatures are respectively 20°C and 26°C.

34



The mean annual rainfall is 4500 mm, with rain being recorded throughout the year

(70‐90% of all days), although there is a peak between May and October. It also has a

mean annual fluctuation of only 200 mm. The maximum rainfall recorded for one

month, 24 hours and one hour were respectively 1060 mm, 150 mm and 80 mm.

Humidity is consistently high throughout the year with mean monthly values of 85‐

90% at 09AM, and 70‐80% at 03PM.

The mountain areas of the Kikori basin are also affected by the seasonal south‐east

trade and north‐west monsoon winds.

Droughts associated with El Niño‐Southern Oscillation events occur regularly in PNG

and tend to recur at an interval of between 7 and 10 years. Previous El Niño Southern

Oscillation event years were 1965, 1972, 1982 and 1997. In the latter half of 1997, the

Kikori basin experienced a severe drought, which was reflected in the monthly rainfall

for August at Moro: in August 1997, the total rainfall was 27 mm, while in August

1995 (before the drought) it was 787 mm and after the drought, in August 1998, it was

717 mm.

Periodic swings in rainfall from one year to the other caused by El Niño Southern

Oscillation events can cause serious disruptions to village food supplies and dry up

traditional sources of drinking and domestic water.

3.3. Hydrology of the Lake Kutubu basin

The Lake Kutubu‐Digimu‐Mubi sub‐ basin comprises Lake Kutubu, the Digimu River

(which drains the lake) and the Mubi River of which the Digimu River is a tributary.

Delineation of the lake’s catchment is complicated owing to the extensive karst terrain.

The most important surface water inputs are Tugibu and Kaimari creeks in the

northwest catchment of the lake. Sama’a, Sumi and Gesege creeks are of secondary

importance. Numerous minor streams also drain into the lake, but most of these have

very small catchments and flow only following local rain events. The outflow of the

Lake is through the Soro River, which quickly becomes the Digimu River. The outflow

appears to act as a ‘spillway’ for the lake that tends to dampen seasonal fluctuations in

water level, although a water‐level amplitude of 2 m occurs, being highest at the end

of the wet season and lowest at the end of the dry season.

In the southeast of the lake’s catchment area, groundwater inflows from elevated karst

terrain predominate. Some areas on the shores of the lake are permanently inundated.

In addition, Lake Kutubu plays an important hydrological role in moderating floods in

the Soro River and thus the Kikori River system, and an important ecological role as

the only lake (supporting lacustrine processes and fauna) in the Kikori River system.

35



3.3.1 Hydrological behaviour of the Lake Kutubu Catchment

Oligomixis

Lake Kutubu is classified as an oligomictic lake, characterised by distinct thermal

stratification with irregular periods of mixing. In the stratified conditions, two layers

can be identified in the water column: the upper one called epilimnium, and the

deeper one called hypolimnium. The limit between the two is called the thermocline,

located at the depth where a sudden change in temperature occurs.

Prolonged stratification and irregular periods of mixing have pronounced effects on

the spatial distribution of elements in the water column and the sediments, and hence

play a major role in determining lake productivity.

Stratified conditions

The thermocline is located between 10 and 25 m depth. The temperature difference

from the surface to the bottom varies between 1.6 and 3.3ºC. Marked chemoclines exist

in soluble reactive phosphorous (SRP), ammonium‐nitrogen (NH4‐N), nitrite‐nitrogen

(NO2‐N) and nitrate‐nitrogen (NO3‐N). The following differences were observed

between the two layers of the lake:

Table 3.2: Lake Kutubu water quality characteristics in stratified conditions

Epilimnion Hypolimnion

Oxygen Well oxygenated.

Higher levels of oxygen above

the Characeae beds than at the

surface.

Low to undetectable oxygen

concentrations.

Smell of hydrogen sulphide.

SRP Undetectable. Higher levels.

NH4‐N Low levels. Higher levels.

NO2‐N Low levels. Higher levels.

NO3‐N Low levels. Peak level of NO3‐N in the

upper hypolimnion, then

lower concentrations.

Fe, Mn, Na, K,

Ca, Si

Low levels. Elevated concentrations.

Conductivity Around 170 μS/cm. Over 200 μS/cm. pH Around 8.1. Half a unit lower.

The surface waters present a significant diurnal warming, with a shift up to more than

2ºC. The small temperature gradient with depth imparts a significant density

difference to the water column.

The oxygen profile indicates some diurnal and seasonal variation, although the

hypolimnium is constant in its absence of oxygen. The diurnal increase in oxygen

levels of the surface water is due to the photosynthetic activity of the lush, submerged

aquatic plant beds at each end of the lake, since phytoplankton populations are sparse.

36



Elevated dissolved oxygen values can be recorded over the dense fringing beds of

benthic macrophytes (Characeae).

Elevated concentrations of NO2‐N, NH4‐N, SRP, iron, manganese, sodium, potassium,

calcium, magnesium and silica in the hypolimnium indicate prolonged stability of the

water column.

Oligomixis and the proximity of the major inflows to the shallow outflow of the lake

result in the basin acting as a sink for materials. Stream‐ borne materials enter the lake

at depth. These materials are then trapped in the hypolimnion and because of the

stability of the water column, release to the epilimnion, if any, is slow.

Stratification Breakdown

Although Lake Kutubu’s stratification appears to be generally stable, overturning can

occur. It was recorded in 1978 and 1998, and was studied in 1990. Reportedly, the

upwelling does not affect the entire lake but only areas corresponding to the deepest

parts. Mixing may be triggered when abnormally cold and stormy weather occurs,

resulting in mixing of the deoxygenated hypolimnion with the epilimnion. This results

in low dissolved oxygen levels in the epilimnion, which causes mass fish kills due to

asphyxiation. In addition, the upwelling of nutrients into the epilimnion triggers

phytoplankton blooms, often involving blue‐green algae, which are often red‐

coloured.

Prolonged cool weather could reduce the temperature gradient of the water column

and induce vertical mixing. Unusually cold weather was recorded in the Highlands in

August and September 1990. Together with strong winds from the southeast, it caused

vertical mixing in the lake, the effects of which were noticed towards the middle of

September 1990. The tilted oxycline and chemoclines observed indicate upwelling of

hypolimnetic water at the south‐eastern end of the lake and the mixing of epilimnetic

water into the hypolimnion at the other end. Water clarity and water column stability

were re‐established by mid‐November 1990.

The lake is more turbid, with Secchi depths varying between around 1.5 and 5 m,

while in the normal conditions depths of 7 to 8 m are recorded. Surface water

temperatures are equal or lower than the minimum recorded in stratified conditions.

They are sometimes even cooler than at 5 or 10 m depth.

3.3.2 Sediment chemistry

The distribution of elements in the surface sediments exhibit distinct patterns due in

part to the proximity to inflows and to the depth.

Silicon (as SiO2) and aluminium (as Al2O3) are high near major inflows, while

manganese (as MnO) is high in sediments from the deeper parts of the lake. Calcium

(as CaO) is concentrated in the littoral sediments. Sulphur (as SO3) is more

concentrated in littoral areas with dense aquatic plant beds and in the deeper regions.

37



Zirconium (Zr), titanium (as TiO2), gallium (Ga), nickel (Ni), yttrium(Y), lead (Pb) and

neodymium (Nd) are present in quite constant concentration below 30m. But in littoral

areas, they have either high concentrations decreasing slightly with depth or lower

concentration increasing with depth. The distribution of manganese, iron (as Fe2O3),

vanadium and phosphorous (as P2O5) correlate strongly with depth, with greater

variation in the shallower regions of the lake.

Silicon makes up around 50% of the sediments from below the thermocline and shows

less variation than in the shallow sediments. The depth distributions of aluminium,

zinc and nickel exhibit similar trends with greater variation in the more littoral zones.

Calcium and strontium are more concentrated in the littoral areas distant from the

major inflows than near these inflows or below the metalimnion.

Sediment deposition and elemental patterns

Zr, Ti, Ga, Ni, Y, Zn, Pb and Nd are elements usually associated with dense minerals

which are deposited rapidly and therefore indicate sediment sources. Titanium can be

used as a tracer for allochtonous material because it has a widespread distribution and

its concentration varies little between geological formations.

Prolonged anoxia of the hypolimnion results in the concentration of elements affected

by redox processes in the deeper sediments. Conversely, other elements, such as

calcium and strontium, are concentrated through biological activity in the littoral zone

sediments. The stability of the water column has allowed time for these patterns to

develop and accentuate. Some substances, which settle and are not subject to post‐

sedimentary migration, can be used to indicate sediment inputs to the lake basin.

3.3.3 The major hydrological role of the swamp forests

Swamp forests occur at the south‐eastern and north‐western ends of Lake Kutubu. The

Kaimari and Tugibu Rivers flow through the swamp forests before entering Lake

Kutubu.

Intense downpours can lead to sudden flooding in the lake’s inflowing creeks and the

lake may accordingly rise by 1m in depth for several weeks. At such times, the creeks

may flood into the swamp forest and the lake may also back‐flow into the swamp

forest. Despite relatively heavy rains, flood‐waters (coloured silt laden waters) are not

observed, and a gradual increase in stream discharge may occur but it is not evident.

This absence of sudden fluctuation in river water level in either the Kaimari or Tugibu

Rivers seems to indicate that the swamp provide an effective buffer against the influx

of water from local rainfall.

The most important hydrological finding is that peat underlies the swamp forest and

can reach up to several meters depth. This indicates a long history of peat

decomposition. Peat has the ability to store water and, to some extent, sediments and

debris from floods. In flood conditions, water would be absorbed by the peat, and

slowly released into the lake in dry conditions. The peat soil acts like a filter and

strains much of the large debris carried by floods, preventing it from reaching the lake.

38



The peat swamp forest thus helps to ensure that the lake water remains clean and that

water levels are maintained, mostly because the lake’s main supply creeks run

through the swamp forest. Thus it is important that the peat be maintained and the

swamp forest kept in good functioning condition. Otherwise, water quality and

aquatic life, on which local people depend, may be affected negatively. It is thought

that floods can possibly initiate the breakdown of the lake’s stratification, which

generates mass fish kills. Therefore, swamp forest health contributes to the fish

population health.

In summary, it can be assumed that the swamp forest plays a key role as:

• Buffer for floods (storing water) and droughts (slowly releasing water); and

• Filter for debris and sediments from floods (vegetation trapping), and for

suspended loads of sediments.

3.3.4 Water

Quality

Water chemistry and nutrient status of Lake Kutubu

The waters of Lake Kutubu are usually clear with Secchi disc depths of 7.0‐8.3 m. The

high water clarity of the lake is due firstly, to the usually low nutrient status of the

epilimnic waters, which results from the low phosphorous and nitrogen loadings from

the predominantly limestone and sparsely‐populated catchment area, and secondly, to

the low and short lived suspended load of inflowing streams that allow for a low

turbidity. As inflowing waters are cooler than the lake surface waters, stream nutrient

loads and other dissolved and suspended materials deposit in the hypolimnion.

This water clarity allows for low phytoplankton biomass, and for high levels of

primary production, which in turn support profuse aquatic vegetation and

consequently a highly unique fish fauna. The prevalence of Characeae is indicative of

the high water clarity.

Water quality of the lake is characteristically high. Lake Kutubu water is alkaline with

pH of 7.6 to 8.1, and its conductivity ranges from 166 to 203 μS/cm, which reflects the

dominance of dissolved minerals, such as calcium and bicarbonates, derived from the

dissolution of limestone of the catchment’s karst terrain.

Physico‐chemical

features

of

the

Tugibu,

Kaimari

and

Soro

Rivers

Inflowing streams: their water temperatures are approximately 8ºC lower than the

surface lake water. The temperature and the high level of NO3‐N of the Tugibu River

indicate that its water enters the lake at depth. The largest of the affluent streams,

Kaimari Creek, and the Tugibu River enter the northwest end of the lake after passing

through extensive marshes and swamp forest where reduced water velocities settle

out entrained solids. The lake’s tributaries have generally a persistent milky coloration

that may be associated with the geology of the catchment, which is mostly limestone.

The characteristics of the Soro River (the lake’s outflow) water indicate that

epilimnetic water is leaving the lake.

39



3.4. The Lake Kutubu Fishery

Lake Kutubu and surrounding creeks are home to twenty species of fish including at

least eleven (11) endemics. It is the most unique lacustrine habitat for fishes in PNG

and Irian Jaya. There is no other lake with so many endemic fishes in the entire New Guinea‐Australian region. Endemic species found in the lake are:

• Kutubu Tandan (Oloplotosus torobo);

• Lake Kutubu Rainbowfish ( Melanotaenia lacustris);

• Kutubu Hardyhead (Craterocephalus lacustris);

• Adamson’s Grunter (Hephaestus adamsoni);

• Kutubu Goby (Glossogobius sp.);

• Bluntsnout Goby (Glossogobius sp.);

• McCune’s Mogurnda ( Mogurnda macunae)

• Blotched Mogurnda ( Mogurnda spilota);

• Variegated Mogurnda ( Mogurnda

variegata; • Black Mogurnda (Mogurnda furva)

• Striped Mogurnda ( Mogurnda vitta);

• Mosa ( Mogurnda mosa)

Anecdotal evidence from local villagers at the Tubo Lodge workshop suggests that at

least three species are regarded as extinct by local people with a number of others

nearing a critical level.

The root causes of this situation are overfishing and the introduction and unregulated

use of modern fishing equipment such as synthetic nets and outboard motors.

Evidence suggests that overfishing results purely from over harvesting and household

consumption by local people.

3.4.1 Sustainable fish catch monitoring program

Concern expressed by Foe communities living around Lake Kutubu at what they

perceived as a long‐term decline in fish numbers and the size of fish that they were

catching led to the development of a subsistence catch monitoring program.

Monitoring was conducted between September 1995 and February 1997 at the villages

of Gesege, Tubage, Tugiri, Wasemi and Yo’obo, where each community has their own

territory for fishing. Subsistence catch monitoring recorded the catch composition; the total weight of the catch by species, and where possible individual weights and

lengths; the number of hours people were fishing; the number gender and age of

people fishing; the destination of the catch; the fishing gear or fishing method used;

and the area where fishing took place. In addition to fishing activity, catch, and

weather data, a daily vessel survey of each canoe landing site being monitored was

conducted to record the number of canoes or dinghies; the presence and horsepower

(hp) of outboard motors; and the condition of the vessels.

Summary of the main results:

• Total annual catch estimate – 70.1 tons • Average catch/person/day – 121.2g

40



• Average number fish caught/day – 6

• 5,804 crayfish/day & 3,409 fish/day

• Three of the 19 species caught contributed 80% to the total catch weight;

• Much of the catch came from a few localities;

• Gill net mesh size ranged from 25mm to 87.5mm.

• Yield of 1.4 tons/km2/yr

• Replacement value $AUD 357,427

When the data for all villages were pooled, three of the species contributed 80% of the

total catch weight: Crayfish (35%), Adamson’s Grunter (23%), and Fimbriate Gudgeon

(22%). Another two species Kutubu Mogurnda (10%) and Southern Tandan (4%))

contributed a further 14% of the catch. The remaining 14 species recorded in the catch

contributed only 6% of the total catch weight. Fish of all weights and lengths were

captured; no fish size seems to have been rejected.

Fish were caught by a variety of methods including more traditional methods such as poisoning with plant extracts such as Derris. However, data for the five villages pooled

showed handlining (30%), handline/crayfish (24%), spearing (17%) and gill netting

plus mixed gill netting (17%), contributed most by weight. Handlining and crayfishing

are the two most important fishing activities as they contributed to 54% of total catch

weight for the five villages. There was a seasonal difference in the combined daily

catch weight of the five villages, with more fish being caught in the early wet season.

Gill netting was by far the most efficient fishing methods as far as the catch weight per

hour.

A large proportion of people (111 people or 19% of the 5 villages) engaged daily in

fishing activity, indicating the importance of fishing to the Foe (lake) people. The number of person hours per day spent fishing for the five villages combined was

estimated to be 370.3 persons‐hours per day. Females undertook the majority of

fishing (53% to 85% of the fishing effort at each village).

The monitoring program identified for each village a number of areas which appeared

to be heavily fished on the basis of either the total catch weight or the total catch of a

single species. In order to enable fish species to reproduce and guarantee an increase

in the population size, the program recommended a minimum net mesh size of 2.5”.

Sustainable fish catch strategies proposed and implemented

There were differences between villages in both species composition and mean catch

weight per day per person. There were also some seasonal differences in catch weight,

with a significantly greater weight being caught in what approximates to the early wet

season. The monitoring program needs to monitor the 5 villages for a full year so that

a reasonable extrapolation can be made. It is apparent that this multi‐species fishery is

captured by a variety of means, which suggests that a variety of fisheries management

strategies are needed.

Four options for closure of heavily fished areas were proposed to the lake

communities, of which the following two were subsequently adopted:

• A gill net exchange for 2.5” mesh nets.

41



• Alternating one‐year closure for heavily‐fished areas.

The concerned landowners were provided with signboards, in order for them to

indicate the closed area. Landowners were trained to monitor stock assessment

transects before closure and prior to re‐opening of closed areas. A preliminary analysis

of the implementation of these options suggested an improvement in fish stocks; a big

increase in the number and average size of fish was observed in the closed areas.

3.5. Biological resources of the Lake Kutubu catchment

3.5.1 Biodiversity value of the Kikori basin

The Kikori basin contains one of the largest remaining tracts of undisturbed rainforest

in the Southern Hemisphere. Most of PNGʹs major terrestrial habitats are represented

in its broad altitudinal range including high diversity lowland rainforest and alpine

flora. The basin is said to be one of the most biologically rich areas in PNG. Over 2000

moth species, over 200 butterfly species, more than 100 freshwater fish species, around

250 bird species, more than 60 species of frogs and 103 mammal species have been

found to live in the area.

The Great Papuan Plateau is the largest limestone (karst) landscape in PNG and is

likely to support a high number of endemic species and perhaps genera.

The mudflats in the lower Kikori delta have been identified a very important site for a

variety of waterbirds and as an important staging area for migratory waterbirds along

the East Asia Australasia flyway; A Directory of Asian Wetlands1 , produced in 1989,

lists a total of 59 species of birds waterbirds found in this area.

The Kikori basin has about half the bird species richness of the entire North American

continent. It is home to a rich assemblage of birds‐of‐paradise species as well as the

world’s only underground roosting bird, the Greater Melampitta ( Melampitta gigantea).

Lake Kutubu has 12 endemic species of fish.

PNG holds the world’s record for the most number of resident orchid species; the

forests of Kikori abound in these species, many of which remain to be discovered. In

November 2006, WWF announced the discovery of the Cadetia sp. (species name yet to

be given) along with seven other previously undiscovered species of orchids in the

region around Lake Kutubu.

Other noteworthy species include cassowaries, tree kangaroos, the world’s longest

lizard, the world’s largest pigeon, the world’s second largest butterfly and the world’s

largest moth.

Collectively, these natural resources put the Kikori basin on the map as an exceptional

global biodiversity treasure. Indeed, scientists have also documented a large number

1 Scott, D.A. (1989). A Directory of Asian Wetlands. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland, and Cambridge, U.K.

xiv + 1181 pp., 33 maps.

42



of species previously unknown to the international scientific community. This

included the discovery of more than 28 new species of frogs, 10 new species of

freshwater fish, 3 new species of rats and a new species of carnivorous marsupial. One

of the most unusual finds was a previously undescribed species of blind cave fish.

3.5.2 Flora

Five vegetation types have been identified in the Lake Kutubu Catchment:

• Lower montane small crowned forest, between 1200 and 1800 m ASL.

This forest has an even to undulating canopy 20 to 30 m in height and is very

dense to almost closed. Nothofagus is absent or very rare. Ferns and epiphytes are

common. Trees tend to be thin, and oaks (Castanopsis and Lithocarpus) tend to be

very common, dominating in some areas. While somewhat less diverse in tree

species composition than other forests, this area still shows reasonable vegetative

diversity.

• Lower montane small crowned forest with Nothofagus, between 1200 and 1800 m

ASL.

The canopy is more closed and even than the previous type and is dominated by

Nothofagus

grandis.

• Low altitude medium crowned forest on uplands, between 600 and 1 200 m ASL.

It has a fairly even canopy approximately 30 m high with emergents up to 35 m in

height. Tree crowns average between 8 and 15 m in diameter, and larger crowns

are rare. Orchids and figs are very common, ferns are moderately common, and

palms and Pandanus are sparse. The understorey is generally open, and there is a

ground layer of seedlings, ferns, Selaginella and gingers. Conifers such as Libocedrus

papuanus and Phyllocladus hypophyllus become abundant, and oaks (Castanopsis and

possibly Lithocarpus) are common.

• Lower montane very small crowned forest complexes with Nothofagus, between

600 and 1 200 m ASL.

The forest has a dense, evenly textured, dark‐toned canopy 5 to 15 m in height.

Nothofagus dominates in some areas such as along ridges, but is far less obvious

than in the higher regions to the north. There are fewer ferns but more vines in this

forest type.

• Swamp woodland and forest complexes, between 600 and 1 200 m ASL.

Swamp woodland is a dense layer of sago palms ( Metroxylon

sagu) with scattered

broad‐leafed trees and an understorey of sedges, ferns, reeds and/or grasses.

Mixed swamp forest has an irregular open canopy of medium to very small

crowned trees 20 to 30 m high and an understorey of sago palms visible in gaps in

the canopy. Sago and tree density varies, giving this type of forest a very patchy

appearance.

The Lake Kutubu swamp forest is important as an isolated highland occurrence of

swamp forest and in composition differs significantly from swamp forest found at

lower altitudes. It supports 95 bird species and 19 mammal species, including one

threatened bird species and one threatened mammal species. Its timber and non‐

timber products are also extensively used by local people, especially for construction,

wild food, and the trade of oil from Campnosperma , which is used for ceremonial

purposes. Four main vegetation communities were identified in the swamp forest:

43



• A low forest or woodland dominated by Pandanus and with a broken canopy of

varied height. Rattan (Calamus sp.) cane palms were abundant in some areas. Often

situated at the innermost part of the swamp forest.

• A forest of medium height and uniform continuous canopy with a high density of

trees. Dominated by up to three species: Garcinia , Syzygium and Campnosperma.

Pandanus is common and at ground level the tall sedge Scleria and pitcher plants

Nepenthes are abundant.

• A tall forest of continuous canopy of varied height. No obvious dominant tree

species. It has elements in common with the nearby hill forests. Mainly occurs in

the transition zone at the edge of swamp and along rivers and creeks.

• A medium height forest or woodland dominated by Gymnostoma papuana over

dense understorey, which occurred only around the lakeshore near Soro River and

immediately to the north.

Aquatic Vegetation

The trophic structure of the lake is based on the primary productivity of the lake’s

marginal and submerged vegetation. In Lake Kutubu, four vegetation groupings, or

zones, can be distinguished:

• Tall emergent zone

It forms the fringing littoral margins of the lake to a maximum depth of 2.5m

(during maximum lake fill). There appeared to be a zonation pattern with

tropical reed (Phragmites karka) occupying the more landward margins followed

by the broad‐leaved grass ( Miscanthus floridulus) and pandanus palm (Pandanus

sp.), and finally a mixture of reed (Scirpus grossus), bulrush (Typha orientalis) and

several mat‐forming grasses (e.g. Leersia

hexandra). Sometimes the smartweeds of the family Polygonaceae (e.g. Polygonum attenuatum) formed a dominant

component bordering the tall emergent zone.

• Aquatic mixed plant beds zone

It comprises either a mixture of cosmopolitan species or one of the following

species as a single species stand: water thyme (Hydrilla verticillata), hornwort

(Ceratophyllum demersum), water nymph (Najas tenuifolia), eelgrass (Vallisneria

natans), ducklettuce (Ottelia alisimoides) and pondweed (Potamogeton malaianus).

The mixed community generally occurs in shallow waters to depths of 3 to 4m,

although it may extend locally into deeper waters.

• Aquatic Characeae plant beds zone

It is dominated by stonewort (Nitella pseudoflabellata.) This species forms a dense

mono‐specific mat over the bottom of the lake. The Characeae community either

abutted the mixed plant beds zone, the tall emergent zone or the non‐vegetated

lake edge where the bank is steep. The aquatic Characeae plant beds zone

generally occurs at depths ranging from 2.5m to depths of between 4.5 and

7.5m.

• The fourth type is confined to the mouths of Kaimari and Tugiri Creeks. These

creeks are characterized by the formation of levee banks upon which ebb

(floating

mat

forming

grasses) extends out into the lake.

44



Two aquatic plants found in the lake, water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) and hydrilla

(Hydrilla

verticillata), are recognized as having pest potential but neither seems to

present a weed problem at present. No Salvinia molesta (Giant Water Fern) or

Eichhornia crassipes (Water Hyacinth) have been seen in the lake but the potential for

weed introduction to the lake has been enhanced by recent improvements in road

access and increased population movement.

In the Lake Kutubu area, 433 species of plants have been recorded from the different

surveys, and 33 species of aquatic or semi‐aquatic plants. A total of 89 species of

orchids have been identified to‐date.

The flora in this area exhibits some unusual aspects such as the occurrence of

Nothofagus grandis at altitudes as low as 800 m. This species usually occurs above 2000

m. Another unusual plant occurrence is that of Tapeinochilos sp., which is normally a

lowland species, but has been recorded at altitudes of up to 800m in this area.

One tree species (Eucalyptopsis

papuana) has been recorded in only two areas in PNG country, including within the Ramsar site. This species has been assessed in Australia

for anti‐tumour activity.

20 undescribed species of orchids have been found at Lake Kutubu alone. An orchid

survey of the Lake Kutubu area indicated that the area (including Moro and Iagifu

ridge areas) supports at least one third (38%) of the total orchid genera found in PNG.

The survey also found two endemic orchid genera (Hymenorchis and Ridleyella) from a

total of 14 genera occurring in New Guinea. The highest number of orchid species was

recorded at around 700‐900 m ASL.

3.5.3 Aquatic

fauna

Fish and crustaceans

In total, 26 different species of fish occur in the Lake Kutubu catchment, of which 22

occur in the lake and 12 are endemic to the lake. This makes it the most unique

lacustrine fish community in the entire New Guinea‐Australia region. Two species of

crustaceans occur in the catchment.

Aquatic insects

The aquatic insect component of the macroinvertebrate fauna of the catchment has

been poorly researched or studied, except for the Order Odonata comprising

damselflies (Zygoptera) and dragonflies (Anisoptera), waterbugs (Heteroptera) and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). A 1995 survey recorded a total of 52 aquatic insects,

comprising 32 species of the Suborder Heteroptera, 17 of the Suborder Zygoptera and

3 of the family Gyrinidae.

3.5.4 Terrestrial fauna

Mammals

To date, 62 species of non‐volant mammals have been recorded in the Lake Kutubu

Catchment, of which 21 occur in the swamp forests and 16 are endemic to New

Guinea. 9 species of bats were directly recorded and another 39 species could

potentially occur there according to their ecology.

45



A rat species (Rattus sp.nov.), which is new to science, and a rare species of Three‐

striped Dasyure ( Myoictis melas) were recorded on Mt. Kemenagi. The swamp forests

harbour one threatened mammal species, the Long‐ beaked Echidna (Zaglossus bruijnii),

and one rare species, the Round‐eared Tubed‐nosed Bat ( Myctimene cyclotis). Two

species of Tree Kangaroo, Doria’s Tree Kangaroo (Dendrolagus dorianus) and

Goodfellow’s Tree Kangaroo (Dendrolagus

goodfellowi), both of which are considered

vulnerable to hunting pressures, have been recorded around the Lake.

Birds

Cumulatively, a total of 194 species of birds have been recorded in the Lake Kutubu

WMA and the Moro area. This includes two species listed as ‘Vulnerable’ in the IUCN

Red List – New Guinea Harpy‐Eagle (Harpyopsis novaeguineae) and Vulturine Parrot

(Psittrichas fulgidus). Three ‘Near‐threatened’ species have also been recorded: Dwarf

cassowary (Casuarius bennetii) , Palm Cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus) , and New Guinea

Bronzewing (Henicophas

albifrons). One species, the Banded Yellow Robin (Poeclodryas

placens), which is listed as data deficient in the Red List, has also been recorded.

Reptiles & Amphibians

There is little information on the reptile and amphibians of the Lake Kutubu area as no

comprehensive survey has been conducted. The Boelens Python ( Morelia boeleni) is

endemic to Papua New Guinea and generally inhabits forested montane regions of

over 1000 m elevation on the main island. Although no official records exist for the

Lake Kutubu catchment area, anecdotal sightings of this species have been reported

from the Moran and Southeast Mananda areas. The Boelens Python is currently listed

on Appendix II of CITES (protected but not endangered, exportation allowed with legal documents), and is protected in PNG.

Most of the frogs are forest‐dwelling species. Some of these are essentially riparian,

while others breed on the forest floor or in the canopy. The high diversity of tree frog

species (Hylidae) present indicates the importance of streams as breeding areas for

these frogs. Clear, torrential streams appear to be a favoured habitat for torrent‐

dwellers such as Litoria. Hylid tree frogs have a reproduction strategy that depends on

access to free‐standing waters or flowing streams for breeding, egg laying and larval

(tadpole) development and, hence, rely on good riparian habitat and water quality for

the successful maintenance of viable, self‐sustaining populations. On the other hand, microhylid frogs have a reproductive strategy that is independent of free‐standing

water and have radiated extensively in the constantly moist habitats.

In total, 34 frog species have been recorded at Moro. A wide variety of aquatic

habitats, as well as some light rain during the dry season allow for this diversity, and

especially for the high proportion of hylids. Interestingly, the number of species

recorded increased from 24 in the wet season to 33 species in the dry season. This

finding reinforces the importance of considering seasonal variations in frog activity

when assessing patterns of frog diversity. A number of species was found only along

torrential streams, and several other species occurred only near small, slow‐flowing streams.

46



Small foothill streams and torrents, specifically those located in the Moro area,

harbour at least 3 undescribed tree frogs, 2 of which are currently known only from

this area. Therefore, the streams along Moro should be considered as significant

habitats and disturbance to these areas should be minimized. The ridge‐top forest,

around 1 300 m ASL, also appear to harbour a number of species not found at other

altitude. Given the wide distribution of frog species in this region, some of which are

found only in a particular habitat type at a particular altitude, protection measures

should be in place for a range of habitats at different altitudes. Current measures

appear to be adequate for protecting the frog fauna around Moro.

Insect diversity

A high diversity of moth species (656 species of which 269 have been identified) and

50 species of butterflies have been recorded at a site near Moro, not far from the lake.

Lake Kutubu supports more species of birdwing butterfly (i.e. 5 of 8 species) than any

other known site in PNG. All are listed on Appendix II of CITES. These are: Goliath

birdwing (Ornithoptera

goliath), the world’s second largest birdwing butterfly; Paradise

birdwing (Ornithoptera paradisea); Meridionalis birdwing (Ornithoptera meridionalis);

Priamus birdwing (Ornithoptera priamus poseidon); and Troides birdwing (Troides

oblongomaculatus papuensis). Food plants for these species grow on well‐drained soils

on ridges above the lake.

3.5.5 Noteworthy Areas of Terrestrial Biodiversity

The Lake Kutubu catchment covers several bioregions: most of the Moro Region, the

northern corner of the Mubi River Karst, the eastern part of the Iagifu Agogo

Limestone Uplands, and a portion of the southern end of the Eastern Upland Volcanic

Karst.

Some specific areas within the Lake Kutubu catchment have noteworthy biodiversity

values, and may be particularly sensitive to potential large‐scale project‐related

impacts:

• Swamp Forests (north‐western and south‐eastern end of the lake)

These forests support 95 bird species and 21 non‐volant mammal species, including

one threatened mammal species (Long‐ beaked Echidna) and one rare mammal

species (Round‐eared Tubed‐nosed Bat). They also support a range of specialist

birds, including 6 IUCN Red List bird species (the New Guinea Harpy‐Eagle,

Vulturine Parrot, Dwarf cassowary, Palm Cockatoo, New Guinea Bronzewing and

Banded Yellow Robin), and a range of aquatic fauna.

• Streams and Riparian Vegetation

Stream conditions in the higher‐altitude hill and mid‐montane forests are important

for maintaining populations of specialist species such as Torrent frogs, and birds

such as Salvadori’s Teal (Salvadorina waigiuensis), Torrent‐lark (Grallina bruijni), and

Torrent Robin ( Monachella muelleriana). Riparian vegetation at these altitudes can be

a specialized habitat for hydromyine rodents and less commonly, for birds.

• Lower montane small crowned forest with Nothofagus (at the northeast and east

of the lake).

47



3.6. Land ownership

The first European contact was some 60 years ago. The general area remains one of the

least densely populated areas of the country.

3.6.1 Land ownership

All land in the Lake Kutubu catchment is under customary ownership. Three linguo‐

cultural groups exist in the area. The major one, the Foe, numbering about 2000

people, live in 8 main villages (Soro, K Point, Tubage, Wasemi, Inu Station, Tugiri,

Yo’obo, and Gesege villages) and many small settlements on the shores of the Lake. A

few Fasu are spread to south west of Lake Kutubu and own the land in which the oil

fields are located. And few Huli populate the catchment’s extreme north‐western end.

Clan societies are male‐dominated and patrilineal. Each clan segment holds communal

and individual ownership of areas of land, which are passed down from father to son.

A person may acquire rights to other land through marriage or exchange. In the Foe

area there are 45 main clans and a number of these have further divided into sub clans,

making a total of 78.

3.6.2 Sites of cultural significance

Sites of traditional significance are mainly natural features associated with folklore,

myths or particular cultural practices and sites of known former occupation by a clan.

Lake Kutubu is the location for a number of traditional myths and is the most

prominent site in this category in the Kutubu oilfields. A number of archaeological

sites exist in the area, such as major and minor occupational sites, single find localities,

traditional sites related to clan origins, and human burial sites.

3.7. Land use

The villagers around the lake cultivate sago, which provides 75% of their food volume.

Sago is exploited mainly for sago starch, but also for collection of sago grubs for food,

and fronds and leaves for building purposes.

People divide their time between permanent villages and temporary hunting,

gardening and fishing settlements. Subsistence gardens are developed near both the

permanent villages, and the hunting and fishing settlements.

There were several attempts to introduce cash crops such as cocoa and coffee but with

little success because of transportation problems. Pasture potential does exist northeast

of the lake; however this has not been developed. There is also a potential for siltation

problems from gardens and village roads.

Petroleum production in the region has brought about many changes. The major

change is from the traditional economy of subsistence agriculture and trade, to cash

economy. This has resulted in increased agricultural and fisheries production.

48



3.7.1 Traditional uses of the natural resources

Water

Tributaries and streams of the major rivers, and groundwater sources are the main

sources of drinking water for many villages. In the past, people used to drink water

from the lake, but most villages have now abandoned this practice. It is also common,

since the building of the Kutubu access road, for rainwater to be collected in drums

and buckets from gutters and iron roof sheets for drinking and washing. However,

most of these tanks are now out of order and would need to be replaced.

Even with the Kutubu access road, travelling by canoe on the lake and into Kaimari

creek still remains the major means of transport for inhabitants of the villages around

Lake Kutubu.

Although the sago palm occurs naturally in swampy areas, most sago palms are now

planted. The processing of sago requires moderate volumes of water for washing,

usually supplied by local streams or springs.

Medicinal and economically‐valuable plant species

Leary et al. (1997) and Kage (1998) documented information on plants around Lake

Kutubu area which are important to the Foe people. These reports list a total of 121

plants which are used by the Foe for a variety of purposes:

• food (40 plants);

• construction and fencing (51 plants);

• tools, implements or cordage, and leaves for wrapping or parcelling

items (56 plants);

• baskets, mats or other woven articles (13 plants);

• adornment, clothes or dyes (21 plants);

• medicines (12 plants);

• fuel for fire (59 plants);

• miscellaneous use (11 plants).

In addition to the list above, three other plants of the swamp forest are known to be

traditionally used by the Foe people:

• Campnosperma coriaceum: oil extracted from the trunk is traded and used

extensively for ceremonial purposes by the highland communities

• Aristolochia sp: food plants for birdwing butterflies that have a ready market so

local people protect the larvae.

• Euphorbia indistincta: shrub growing in abandoned gardens which produces a

profuse white sap that is used as a fish poison.

3.7.2 Petroleum and Gas Projects

Note: The information in this section should be reviewed and updated by Oil Search Limited, as it is

drawn from existing survey reports and may be dated.

The mid 1980s saw the first commercial discovery, the large Iagifu‐Hedinia fields,

which were operated by the Gulf Oil Corporation. In 1987, the Hides gas field was

49



discovered by the PPL 27 joint venture participants, BP Petroleum Development (95%

and operator) and OSL (5%). In 1991, gas from Hides began to supply a power station.

In 1998, BP’s petroleum exploration and production interests in PNG (i.e. BP’s shares

of the Kutubu Project and of the Hides gas field) were acquired by OSL, which was

then holding the largest reserves of both oil and gas in PNG.

Oil, water and gas from the Kutubu central fields (Iagifu and Hedinia) and liquids

from the Agogo and Moran fields via the Agogo Production Facility are processed into

saleable crude oil, re‐injection gas and re‐injection water at the Kutubu Central

Production Facility. The crude oil is transported via a 260 km crude oil export pipeline

to the Kumul Marine Terminal located approximately 50 km offshore in the Gulf of

Papua. The gas is re‐injected into the Kutubu fields to maintain reservoir pressure, and

this re‐injection has been ongoing since the beginning of the production. However,

since the oil reserves become very low, it is economically unsustainable to re‐inject the

gas.

The Kutubu Project oil fields are one of the largest natural resources discoveries in

PNG. However, oil production began to decline in the late 1990s and a new course of

action was required if the oil and gas sector were to continue to make a substantial

contribution to the PNG economy. The commercialisation of the major gas reserves

associated with the oil at Kutubu and at other discoveries in the Highlands, and the

correlated production of LPG, is the solution to realize long‐term, sustainable

hydrocarbon resource development. Initial and ongoing site investigations and data

analyses are being or have been undertaken to further detail environmental

constraints on project design, construction and security.

Existing and planned project facilities in the study area

Facilities related to oil and gas extraction

• The Kutubu production facilities near the study area are the Kutubu Central

Production Facility and the Refinery in its vicinity, at the south‐west of the lake,

and the Agogo Production Facility and the more northern‐located Moran fields,

at the west of the lake.

• The Kutubu complex comprises approximately 50 existing wells in total,

including producing and shut‐in oil wells, gas injection wells, and a produced

water injection well, none of them being in the Lake Kutubu catchment. Some

drilling had taken place under Chevron Niugini’s operations, near the lake’s

margins at the northwest of Mount Kemenagi, at the Kutubu 1X rig, but it was

declared a dry hole. However, recent prospecting drilling is being held in the

same ranges a few kilometres most at the west, at Kutubu 2X rig. No new wells

are currently planned to be drilled in the Kutubu fields for the PNG Gas Project.

Initial drill site construction involves the selection, clearing, grading and preparation

of the wellpad and associated facilities. The drilling process uses air and foam. A

normal water‐ based drilling fluid is not used to drill the surface hole because partial or

severe loss of fluids down‐hole is commonly experienced due to the fractured, vugular

nature of the Darai Limestone. Excessively high rates of water re‐supply would be

50



required from the surface to make up for these losses if a normal water‐ based fluid

was used.

Initial development activities will focus on the installation of facilities required to

process rich gas, with associated sales gas production. The initial development

activities currently comprise:

• Modifications to the existing Kutubu Central Production Facility and

construction of a Kutubu Central Gas Conditioning Plant (scheduled to occur

from mid‐2008 to end 2009).

• Construction of a liquids pipeline and a rich gas pipeline between Hides and

the Kutubu Central Gas Conditioning Plant, passing through Moran fields and

near the north‐western edge of Lake Kutubu (scheduled to occur from late 2007

to March 2009).

• The new pipelines will all generally follow the existing road between Homa and

Moro. RoWs accommodate the pipeline (usually within a trench) and any

associated trench spoil. They usually incorporate or are paralleled by an access

way to provide site access during construction and operations. Where necessary

fabric silt fences will be constructed in downstream flow paths and channels to

intercept generated sediment.

Other facilities related to the project

• The access way from Kopi to the Hides Production Facility that will become a

public road is PNG Rural Medium – Rural Class 2, designed as a two‐lane

unsealed road but one lane on bridges. Road drainage structures (culverts) will

be designed to accommodate design flows, with allowance for the possibility of

bed load and debris restricting their flow. Scouring will be controlled at

anticipated erosion‐prone culvert outlets using energy dissipaters. Buffer strips

of undisturbed land or vegetation will be retained between roads and streams.

• This road section between Homa and Moro will need minor upgrading of its

57.7 km long existing road and 168 culverts and the construction of 2 new

culverts. In the Lake Kutubu catchment, the Tubage 18 m truss bridge will be

modified, while the Tugibu 24 m truss bridge and the Kaimari 30 m truss bridge

will be rebuilt.

• Suitable rock and borrow material will be required to upgrade or construct the

access ways. This material will generally be available from existing quarries

used for oil pipeline construction, but some potential new quarry sites have

been identified.

• Presently, two camps ensure the accommodation, offices facilities and services

for the workers related to the project near the study area: Moro camp and Ridge

camp. New moveable line camps will be established at suitable locations along

the RoWs. These camps will be sited to limit driving time to the workface.

Forest loss and edge effects will be limited to the extent possible when clearing

land for these camps. In the lake Kutubu catchment, the line camp Moro 2 camp

is expected to be located at the northeast of the existing Moro Airfield Camp,

near the northern top end of the lake.

51



Water and waste management for the project

Water use and water management for the project

• Water is required for potable and domestic water at the construction camps and

sites, for construction activities (such as making concrete), and for hydrotesting.

This water is sourced, in the main, from nearby watercourses. If the capacity of

the proposed water source to continue to provide adequate flows to support

village water use requirements and to sustain aquatic life would be threatened,

then an alternative water source will be sought. Sewage and grey water will be

directed to the camps’ sewage treatment plant. Existing water supply and

treatment facilities will be used during project operations, although some may

be upgraded to accommodate the additional demand.

• Water is extracted from the Kaimari Creek since 1998, and is regulated by the

Government. It is used as process water for the drilling activities.

Drilling fluid is used to bring the drill cuttings to the surface. Therefore, drilling

operations produce liquid waste. However, there will be no wastewater discharge

from the wellpads other than rainwater runoff once the drilling rigs have been

demobilized. Discharges from typical drilling operations can be categorized as

follows:

• Drainage water from the rig, either rainwater or hose‐down water used for

cleaning equipment. A drainage ditch with an oil trap will be constructed

around the well cellar to collect this water, and any overflow will be discharged

to the surface water system in accordance with government requirements or

permits.

• Water, drilling or completion fluids and residual drilling fluid adhering to wet

drill cuttings. Occasional low‐volume discharges can occur at the solids control

processing points of the circulating drilling fluid system. Higher‐volume

discharges can occur either at the end of a well section (if the drilling fluid

system needs replacement) or at the end of the well before a rig move (where

fluid recycling is not practical).

The crude oil formation of the region contains both water and petroleum gas, the latter

component is responsible for the high pressure in the formation. The crude oil flow is

then piped to the central processing facility where a 3‐phase separation takes place.

Heavier material and oil is separated from the gas and water component. The water is

further processed and filtered before injecting it back into the formation through

delegated water re‐injection wells for reservoir pressure maintenance.

Waste Management

There are various categories of waste generated on site by the different activities of the

projects itself and by the related human activities and settlements. These include the

following, but not limited to: Fuel spill during transfer, handling and storage; Oily and

Grease Waste; Hazardous Chemicals and Dangerous Goods; Sewer Waste; Drilling By‐

Products; Desalination by‐product (brine); Ballast Water; Waste Landfill Procedure;

Solid Waste; Medical Waste; Burn Pits; Off‐Shore Waste.

There is responsible management of waste generated from various sources so that

these do not adversely affect the natural environment. Furthermore, there is a

52



continuous process of improvement whereby new processes and technology is

adopted to manage the wastes generated from OSL and contractor operations.

The waste treatment and disposal site (waste management areas) that services the

existing oil operations near the Lake Kutubu catchment is located at Kutubu. There are

very limited opportunities for waste recycling and reuse in the project area, and it is

logistically difficult to safely transfer wastes over long distances because of the

restricted present‐day road network in Papua New Guinea. Currently, most wastes

produced by the oil operations, after neutralisation, volume reduction by incineration

or other means, are disposed of using company‐managed, controlled landfills located

close to the oil processing facilities. The establishment of landfills is approved by the

Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC).

• Wastes generated at the production facilities are segregated. Liquid wastes

include waste oil and grease, sewer treatment plant liquor, storm water and

ballast. Sewer liquor includes wastewater from the kitchens and mess facilities.

The oil and grease from the kitchen is separated in oil sumps and removed for

incineration. Oil and grease waste from the workshops and other production

facilities are separated using oil sumps and separators and stored in used

oil/grease tanks for removal.

Solids wastes are segregated into three general groups. The first group includes

material derived from wood such as paper and cardboard, smaller plastic items such

as bags and other disposable items (e.g. plastic cups and spoon). The second group

constitutes solid waste material such as electrical cable cuttings, wood and smaller

pieces of metal from construction sites and workshops. The third group includes items

such as old vehicle tires, scraps metal and used drums (both plastic and metal).

Several pits are used as storage for sewer sludge and waste oil. The pit at Iagifu‐5 well

site accommodates the kitchen oil/fat material, mixed with the sewer sludge from the

STP at Moro and Ridge facilities. Landfills are used for solid wastes at the various

project sites. Solid waste material is spread over the surface, regularly compacted and

covered with new soil layer. All landfills are located in secure areas within the

boundaries of the facilities.

Water quality monitoring

For discharges to natural waters and for water abstraction for supply purposes, WUP

are required. WUP cover extraction from natural sources, damming of water, and

various uses within the context of crude oil production and its related activities.

Permits also cover the discharge of used water into the receiving environment. In 2000,

the PNG prescribed water quality guidelines were agreed in the Environment (Water

Quality Guidelines) Regulation 2000, and defined a range of allowed disturbances to

different water parameters as a consequence of discharge or extraction of water (Refer

to Appendix 1). However, this Regulation provides that an environment permit may

authorize a discharge or use that reduces water quality below these guidelines.

53



Table 3.3: WUP for the Kutubu Petroleum and Gas Project and the discharge limits

WUP No. Discharge Parameters and Permit Limits

pH Oil &

Grease TSS BOD

Faecal

coliforms Site/Location

mg/L mg/L mg/L FC/100 mL Moro Sewer Treatment

Plant 29/639 6‐9 ≤20 ≤200 ≤20 ≤200

Kutubu CPF Pond 29/643 6‐9 ≤20 ≤200 ≤20 ns

Refinery Oil Water Sewer 29/642 6‐9 ≤20 ≤200 ≤20 ≤200

Refinery Storm Water 29/642 6‐9 ≤20 ≤200 ≤20 ≤200

OSL monitors the impact of its operations on the receiving waters. The potential

impact of an oil spill, impact during operations of drill pads and roads, and through

the discharge of wastewater into the creeks and rivers are monitored through a range

of testing programs. The impact of OSL’s operation on the surface waters and the

discharge quality of wastewaters into the receiving environment is monitored on a

regular basis. The extraction and provision of safe drinking water to facilities and

camps and discharge of used water is also a major component of the water and

wastewater monitoring program is maintained.

As required under the Environmental Plans for the Kutubu and Gobe projects surface

water samples have been collected and analysed for a range of parameters on an

annual basis. The results from these studies revealed that there is no measured impact

of the project’s operation on the surface waters of the receiving environment. Prior to

the establishment of any drilling program, construction or road projects, it is a

requirement for HSE environmental specialist to undertake baseline monitoring. The

sampling program will continue during the operation and after closure or

commissioning of the construction.

All effluent discharges on OSL projects are monitored every month to ensure

compliance with DEC requirements. Wastewater derived from domestic use is treated

with sewer in the sewerage treatment plants. Sewer waste generated from the various

facilities are treated in sewage treatment plants (STP) and de‐watered. The water

component is treated with chlorine for faecal coliforms and other pathogen. The

treatment also ensures that the biological oxygen demand and other discharge

conditions are met prior to discharge. Discharged water quality monitoring is done on

a monthly to ensure compliance with conditions in the WUP. The sludge is mixed with

refuse from the camp kitchens and transported by trucks in vacuum containers to

specific pits. Future waste generated through this process and current pit contents will

be removed and incinerated. The incinerator by‐products will be buried in approved

landfills.

54



The water quality monitoring program is divided into four components:

• Monitoring of the various discharges on a monthly basis for compliance with

Permits to Discharge Water or Wastewater issued by the Department of

Environment & Conservation.

• Monitoring of surface waters in the vicinity of various production facilities to

document the impact, if any, of production operations on those waters.

• Monitoring of Lake Kutubu to continue the water quality monitoring done over

the years since 1990.

• Monitoring of the Marine Terminal site to document the impacts, if any, of

ballast water discharge.

The initial monitoring program for the Lake Kutubu water quality aimed to follow the

recovery of temporarily affected tributaries after the completion of the Kutubu access

road construction, to get an integrated view of the overall impact of the project, and to

learn more about the periodic phenomenon of the lake turn‐over. For this, the water

column and the bed sediment were analysed, while the tributaries were

photographically recorded. The following parameters were monitored:

• On a depth profile: pH, DO, conductivity, TSS, and H2S.

• Secchi disk, Dissolved Reactive Phosphorous, TRP, ammonia‐N, nitrite‐N,

nitrate‐N, Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, Magnesium, Chloride, HCO3/CO3 ,

Sulphate, SiO2 , Total Iron, Dissolved Iron, Zinc, Barium, Manganese, Copper,

Nickel, Chromium, Mercury, Lead, Cadmium, Arsenic, Petroleum

Hydrocarbons.

Modifications have been made to the surface water quality sampling programs for

Lake Kutubu surface waters. The DEC has approved the changes in a letter dated 26

October 1998 from the Secretary of the Department to the Managing Director of

Chevron Niugini Ltd. These changes include the reduction of the number of samples,

sites and parameters from the initial program outlined in the 1990 Environmental

Management and Monitoring Program and the 1990 Environmental Plan. The changes

also included the shift from an annual program to one conducted every three years.

The water samples are taken at the top of the water column at 40‐50 cm depth by

hand.

Three sites are monitored in a three‐yearly period in Lake Kutu bu, unless there was a

requirement or incident to warrant special investigation. Six parameters are now

analysed for water samples from this site. pH, TSS, NO3 , TRP, MBAS, TPH.

Partnerships

A relationship between WWF and the Oil and Gas Joint Venture Partners (JVP) in the

Kikori River catchment was established in 1994. From 1994 to 2003 WWF worked with

Chevron Niugini until the oil and gas operations were taken over by OSL and

partners. The joint venture partners currently include (OSL, Esso Highlands, Cue PNG

Limited, Petroleum Resources Kutubu, Petroleum Resources Moran, Petroleum

Resources Gobe, AGL, Santos, Barracuda, Merlin Petroleum and Merlin Pacific) The

ongoing relationship with OSL will be pivotal in developing the ICM plan in the

Kikori Basin. How a future partnership works together to leverage the various existing

55



policy and planning instruments will also prove crucial to the success of ICM

planning.

A risk review into the WWF and JVP commissioned by WWF and completed in

October 2006 (ERM Risk Assessment report 2006), identified the following risks arising

from the current lack of land use planning in the Kikori basin:

• Increased pressure on housing space including the arising of shanty towns

• Industry offering land owners cash incentives for large scale agricultural

development (oil palm, logging)

• Uncontrolled land clearing for abovementioned cash crops

• Accompanying socio‐economic pressures on local indigenous populations:

inflation, increased disease, a decrease in availability of health and education

services, increased risk of violence and tribal warfare.

3.7.3 Economic Development

Industrial development to date in the Kikori basin area has involved oil and gas

exploration and production, as well as large‐scale commercial logging which began in

the lower Kikori in 1996. The major oil and gas operations are the Hides Gas to

Electricity Project and the Kutubu, Gobe, and Moran petroleum development projects.

The historic pattern of sparse population has not changed since oil and gas production

began in the early 1990s, with localized exceptions around the main petroleum

production facilities at Kutubu and Hides.

Logging occurs in three forest management areas (FMA), with an estimated area

logged as of mid‐2006 of about 2300 ha.

Local business development in the Kikori basin area is mainly through landowner

companies. Trade stores are the most common village‐ based economic venture, but

they are hampered by lack of reinvestment and supply difficulties. Other common

small‐scale business ventures in the area include logging and sawmills; the farming of

cash crops such as chillies, coffee, and vanilla; and the rearing of poultry. Business

development is constrained by factors such as dependence on subsistence agriculture,

inadequate literacy and numeracy skills, and redirection of profits to bride wealth and

clan networks. Compared with other rural areas in PNG, the project area has relatively

high employment levels and diversified sources of income. In a household survey

conducted in 1996, the percentage of respondents who reported receiving income from

defined sources were as follows: (i) royalty payments, 33% (ii) cash crops, 35% (iii)

employment, 11% (iv) sale of livestock, 23% and (v) business activities, 11%.

The project area has a very low potential for large‐scale commercial agriculture.

However, there is potential for small‐scale, high‐value crops, such as vanilla and chilli.

The CDI Foundation has initiated several projects to assist local villagers with small‐

scale farming.

56



Eco‐tourism

The Tubo Lodge was built in December 1996 by Tugiri and Yo’obo villages. It seems to

register reasonable success, receiving tourists, scientists and workshops by local

organisations. It offers “outdoor activities: wash and pond sago, spearfish, paddle a

dugout canoe, exploring the water, trekking through the rain forest”, and an extraordinary and quiet environment.

Other eco‐businesses

Some orchid farming (Tugiri) or butterfly farming (Tugiri, Obeaga sawmill)

enterprises have been developed, primarily aimed at attracting tourists and to

preserve nature. The crafts that are made by the Kutubu people are exchanged within

the villages or sometimes sold but only in the local market, not in the Moro market.

3.7.4 Protected areas within the Lake Kutubu catchment

Lake Kutubu

Wildlife

Management

Area

(WMA)

A WMA can only be set up by landowners on customary land, which includes lakes

and coastal areas. All the landowners involved in setting up a WMA must agree about

the boundaries and objectives of the WMA, in order to prevent conflicts and

misunderstandings in future.

A WMA can help landowners manage their wildlife and environment, use it in a

sustainable way, and protect it from outsiders. It legally recognizes their decisions as

landowners to use and manage their resources on their land, and it gives them the

legal right to enforce their decisions. By managing their resources wisely, the local

landowners ensure that future generations can sustainably utilize these resources. WMAs are set under The Fauna (Protection and Control) Act of 1966 , and declared by the

DEC. The Act also makes provision for the Minister to declare certain species of

wildlife protected if they are believed to be endangered.

The Lake Kutubu WMA was gazetted on 25 June 1992, and comprises an area of

24,057ha in the Nipa Kutubu district, where land is under Customary Tenure.

The purpose of the Lake Kutubu WMA is “to conserve the outstanding and

internationally significant scenic, geophysical and biodiversity values of the Lake

Kutubu WMA, and safeguard the interests and maintain the cultural integrity of its

traditional owners”.

Local communities depend upon the WMA resources for their subsistence livelihood.

It contains plant and animal species of high social, cultural, or economic importance;

several sites in the WMA have religious, spiritual and burial sites and unusual features

of aesthetic significance. It also provides opportunities for community development

through sustainable resource use and In addition, the WMA has a high recreational

value and contributes significant ecosystem services and benefits to communities. The

area has now become an area with high potential for eco‐tourism with the existence of

the Tubo Lodge.

57



At the outset, the community identified a set of rules for the Lake Kutubu WMA, as

follows:

• Control of land clearing.

• Appropriate compensation for clearing of land by the Kutubu Oil Project and others.

• The potential impacts of the Kutubu access road.

• Achievement of balanced development.

• Improvement of the management of traditional resources such as canoe trees,

orchids and black palm.

The rules of the Lake Kutubu WMA were gazetted in February 2002.

The Lake Kutubu WMA is governed by the Lake Kutubu WMA Committee

comprising representatives from the local communities.

Lake Kutubu Ramsar Site

Lake Kutubu was designated by the Government of PNG as a ‘Wetland of

International Importance’ under the (Ramsar) Convention on Wetlands on 22

September 1998. Such sites are commonly termed ‘Ramsar Sites’. The boundaries of

the area registered as a Ramsar site corresponds to the Lake Kutubu WMA boundary.

Under the Convention, wetland sites have to fulfil at least one of the 9 criteria to

qualify for designation. Lake Kutubu fulfils 5 of the 9 criteria, as follows:

Criteria 1:

A wetland should be considered internationally important if it contains

a representative, rare, or unique example of a natural or near-natural wetland

type found within the appropriate bio-geographic region. Unlike most inland

waters of PNG, the food chain of this exceptional clear‐water lake is based on

autochthonous production rather than on river borne detritus of largely terrestrial

origin. The exceptional water clarity allows for a high level of primary production.

Criteria 2: A wetland should be considered internationally important if it supports

vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered species or threatened ecological

communities. Lake Kutubu, with 11 known endemic species of fish, has been

recognized as the most unique lacustrine habitat for fishes in the New Guinea‐Australia region. Lake Kutubu is a major part of the Kikori drainage. That drainage

contains more endemic fish species than any other region of comparable size in all of

New Guinea. This high level of fish endemism is largely due to the presence of Lake

Kutubu and its unique ecosystem. The surrounding primary rainforest also contains a

large variety of endemic and rare terrestrial fauna.


populations of plant and/or animal species important for maintaining the

biological diversity of a particular bio-geographic region. The Lake Kutubu Ramsar

58



Site harbours a significant proportion of the genetic and ecological diversity of the

Kikori Basin.


a significant proportion of indigenous fish subspecies, species or families, life-history stages, species interactions and/or populations that are representative of

wetland benefits and/or values and thereby contributes to global biological

diversity. 54% of Lake Kutubu’s fishes are endemic, which make the site of

tremendous global importance for the conservation of biological diversity.

Criteria 8: A wetland should be considered internationally important if it is an

important source of food for fishes, spawning ground, nursery and/or migration

path on which fish stocks, either within the wetland or elsewhere, depend. Lake

Kutubu provides the sole spawning, nursery and feeding grounds for more than 11

species of endemic fish. The highly productive Characeae plant beds that dominate much of the lake margins (and the two “reefs” in the centre of the lake) provide the

major feeding, spawning and nursery grounds for the majority of the endemic species.

Ramsar Site designation obligates the member country to manage the site according to

the Convention’s principle of the wise use of wetlands, which is defined as:

“Wise use of wetlands is the maintenance of their ecological character, achieved

through the implementation of ecosystem approaches2 , within the context of

sustainable development3.”

The term ‘ecological character’ is defined as:

“Ecological character is the combination of the ecosystem components, processes and

benefits4/services that characterise the wetland at a given point in time.”

The phrase “at a given point in time” refers to a previous decision taken by member

countries (Resolution VI.1 paragraph 2.1), which states that “It is essential that the

ecological character of a site be described by the Contracting Party concerned at the

time of designation for the Ramsar List , by completion of the Information Sheet on

Ramsar Wetlands (as adopted by Recommendation IV. 7).”

Designation of a wetland for the Ramsar List is only the starting point, since

Contracting Parties accept an undertaking to conserve listed sites. The Conference of

the Parties has placed increasing emphasis upon defining and maintaining the

2 Including inter alia the Convention on Biological Diversity’s “Ecosystem Approach” (CBD COP5

Decision V/6) and that applied by HELCOM and OSPAR (Declaration of the First Joint Ministerial

Meeting of the Helsinki and OSPAR Commissions, Bremen 25-26 June 2003).3 The phrase “in the context of sustainable development” is intended to recognize that whilst some

wetland development is inevitable and that many developments have important benefits to society,developments can be facilitated in sustainable ways by approaches elaborated under the Convention, and

it is not appropriate to imply that ‘development’ is an objective for every wetland.4 Within this context, ecosystem benefits are defined in accordance with the Millennium Ecosystem

Assessment definition of ecosystem services as “the benefits that people receive from ecosystems”.

59



ecological character of Ramsar sites as a key to their conservation. This does not

preclude human use but is intended to avoid fundamental adverse changes to wetland

functions, values or attributes. The aim is to maintain at least the ecological character

recorded at the time of designation. In many cases, additional measures will be

required to restore functions, values or attributes lost prior to designation.

3.8. The Legal Framework within which the CMP will operate

The table below provides an indication of the main Acts in PNG related to

environmental protection and biodiversity conservation. This information is derived

from the Country Profile on Environment: Papua New Guinea (JICA, 1992) and the

information contained therein could be out‐of‐date.

Laws Description Authority

Conservation Areas

Act 1978

This provides for setting up the National

Conservation Council for the purpose of recognizing

protected areas and giving management guidance as

well as establishing the Management Committee for

protected areas, the latter of which is responsible for

developing and implementing management plans.

It stipulates the establishment of a system for

terrestrial and marine conservation areas and the

protection of lands owned by the government

and individuals.

It provides for the survey of customary land

possession, negotiation and acquisition.

DEC

Fauna (Protection and Control) Act

(Chapter 154)

This regulates the capture, possession and sale/purchase of wild animals regardless of the areas

designated by the Minister of Environment and

Conservation and land title.

It designates fauna protection areas called

Wildlife Management Areas, Nature Preserves

and protected areas.

In the designated areas, customary landowners

are prohibited from excessive harvesting of

biological resources, biological diversity is

protected, the rights to land and resources are

formerly approved, opportunities to gain profits

are made available, cultural values are protected,

and opportunities for scientific study and

education are provided.

DEC

PNG Environment

Act 2000

This Act embraces the Environmental Planning

Act/1978, Environmental Contaminant Act/1978 and

the National Park Act/1984.

DEC

PNG Oil and Gas

Act 1998

This Act embraces the Petroleum Act/1996. Department of

Petroleum and

Energy

National Parks Act 1992

This stipulates the protection of the fauna and flora, scenic beauty, historic remains, and the cultural,

DEC

60



educational and scientific values of nature.

It stipulates land leasing and trust management

for possessing government‐controlled land and

environmental conservation.

It designates protected areas, including national

parks and reserves. It is a basic law concerning the management of

national parks along with the Conservation

Areas Act.

3.8.1 Roles and responsibilities of key organizations working on environment and

development‐related aspects in the Lake Kutubu Catchment

The Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) is responsible for

environmental assessments, monitoring and enforcement, while the Department of

Petroleum and Energy (DPE) is responsible for monitoring petroleum operations and

environmental safeguards. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the DEC are responsible for the negotiation of international treaties, including biodiversity‐

related treaties such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and the (Ramsar)

Convention on Wetlands. The National Fisheries Authority (NFA) is responsible for

the management and conservation of fish stocks and stock assessment. The NFA

cooperates with the DEC to enforce the relevant environmental legislations such as the

Dumping of Wastes at Sea Act.

The Papua New Guinea Forest Authority (PNGFA) and the Department of Agriculture

and Livestock (DAL) are responsible for forest management and commercial /

subsistence agriculture, respectively. The Ministry of Justice is responsible for formulating environmental legislation, and the arrest, prosecution and detention of

offenders.

Other relevant government departments include Department of Works and Supply

(responsible for infrastructure development, such as roads and bridges); Tourism

Promotion Authority (responsible for promotion of tourism activities); Department of

Health (responsible for health‐related issues); Department of Commerce (responsible

for business activities); and the Department of Transport and Civil Aviation.

Tertiary Educational Institutions offer environmental science courses; conduct environmental assessment and monitoring and research. Other public institutions

such as the National Museum as well as NGOs such as the World Wide Fund for

Nature play roles in environmental management and conduct environmental

awareness campaigns.

Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC)

The DEC was established in 1974 to implement and fulfil the Fourth National Goal

and Directive Principles. The Fourth National Goal and Directive Principle has

provided the foundation upon which the policies, legislations and regulations have

been formulated for the operations of the DEC. The DEC is generally responsible to

61



ensure that natural and physical resources are managed to sustain environmental

quality and human well‐ being.

Provincial Government and Local Level Governments (LLGs)

Provincial Governments and LLGs have an important role in PNG. Some of them have

launched their own plans for environmental management. For instance, the New

Ireland Province set up the Council for Environment, Tourism and Culture for the

purpose of environmental management. LLGs are major participants in the

Development Forum held in order to promote sound mine development. Since the

basic law concerning provinces and local governments was enacted in 1995, the role of

LLGs has become increasingly important in environmental management. Many

environmental functions have been decentralized to LLGs.

Non‐governmental organizations (NGOs)

The level of NGO involvement in environmental policy making in PNG has been

minimal. However, NGOs have been very effective in enhancing environmental

awareness and education. They have also been successful in mobilizing and

galvanizing public support for many environmental causes.

The Community Development Initiative (CDI) Foundation is the main NGO working

to address the development aspirations and social needs of rural communities across

Southern Highlands and Gulf provinces under rolling 3‐year agreements with existing

petroleum operations. Various faith‐ based organizations are active at the community

level in the area to address social, health, education, and sustainable agriculture

challenges. National and international environmental and social NGOs, the most

prominent of which is the WWF, have been active in undertaking various studies in

the area since 1995.

WWF is currently the only NGO in the South Pacific region addressing freshwater

conservation at the catchment level. WWF has been working in PNG since 1995,

focusing its conservation efforts on linking community action, science and effective

policy to ensure the protection and sustainable use of forests, freshwater and marine

resources across the island of New Guinea. In 1993, with the approval of the PNG

National Executive Council, WWF initiated the Kikori Integrated Conservation and

Development Project (KICDP) which promotes well‐managed forestry and community

development activities.

Private‐sector organizations

Oil Search Limited (OSL)

OSL is an oil and gas exploration and development company that has been operating

in PNG since 1992. It is incorporated in PNG and is the country’s largest oil and gas

producer: it operates all of PNGʹs producing oil and gas fields. As operator of these

fields, in 2007 OSL was responsible for generating 16% of PNG’s Gross Domestic

Product and 22% of its export revenue.

62



The Kutubu Oil Project is PNGʹs first commercial oilfield development. Oil was first

discovered at Kutubu in the Iagifu sandstone structure in 1986 and commercial

production commenced in June 1992.

63



4. INSTITUTIONAL ISSUES AND ACTIONS

ISSUE 4.1 Lack of a functioning institutional framework at the local level to

support implementation of the CMP

As part of the process of gazetting the Lake Kutubu WMA in 1992, the Lake Kutubu WMA Management Committee was set‐up. However, this committee has not been

functional since 2002.

The people from the local communities have failed to support the objectives of the

WMA in conserving the unique freshwater ecosystem and the unique species of fauna

and flora. Even though the local communities showed interest and commitment in the

first few years after the establishment of the WMA, presently, the WMA laws are

violated through illegal activities both by immigrants, outsiders and indigenous

people. The Lake Kutubu WMA is particularly vulnerable to illegal activities from

within and outside of the WMA because there is no power or authority to enforce the

laws to monitor, protect and safeguard the WMA and there is no clear plan to

effectively monitor illegal activities in and around the WMA. The Lake Kutubu WMA

was set up by landowners on customary land, with the purpose “to conserve the

outstanding and internationally significant scenic, geophysical and biodiversity values

of the Lake Kutubu WMA, and safeguard the interests and maintain the cultural

integrity of its traditional owners”. The responsibility for its proper management

therefore rests, in the first instance, on the local communities in the area.

There is an urgent need to address this situation because observations and reports

indicate an increase in the human induced activities because of the simultaneous

growth of the population and demand for resource use. Unless the partners involved in the initial stages of the setting up of the WMA reach an agreement to revive the

Lake Kutubu WMA Management Committee, the ecological integrity and functioning

of the WMA is likely to deteriorate over time.

Prior to the preparation of this CMP, a two day workshop was held at Tubo Lodge,

Lake Kutubu in March 2007. Approximately thirty people from around the Lake

Kutubu catchment attended the workshop. The Lake Kutubu Catchment Management

Forum (LKCMF) was established and six people were nominated onto the forum: two

representatives from the upper catchment, two from the lower and four from villages

around the lake. It was envisaged at that time that the forum will meet every three

months (once a quarter) and include senior representatives from the Department of Environment and Conservation, LLG, OSL and NGOs such as WWF and the CDI

Foundation. However, the forum was deemed incomplete as not all the local

stakeholders are represented, and was not in full operation yet at the time of the

mission in August 2007.

The stakeholder workshop conducted in August 2007 defined a catchment

management forum structure, as well as a structure for the Steering Committee. This

should be used as the basis for further discussions among all relevant stakeholders

leading to the (re)establishment of the LKCMF and a Steering Committee to oversee

the implementation of this CMP. Discussions should focus on developing the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the LKCMF and the Steering Committee, as well as on the

64



institutional arrangements, manpower and financial resources that need to be in place

to support the LKCMF and Steering Committee in their work.

Management Objective 4.1: Empower the Lake Kutubu Catchment Management

Forum and the Steering Committee to enable them to function effectively and

efficiently as a platform for all stakeholders to be involved in the implementation

of the CMP

No. Action Lead5 Others Timescale*

1 Establish the Lake Kutubu Catchment

Management Forum, and Steering

Committee

WWF DEC

OSL

LLG

SHPG

Local

communities

Short

2 Identify possible sources of funding to

support the work of the Forum.

WWF DEC

OSL

Short

3 Ensure that the necessary legal framework

and policy is in place to support work of

the LKCMF

DEC LLG

SHPG

WWF

Medium

4 Establish a Kikori River Catchment

Management Forum, based on the

experience and the lessons learnt from the

Lake Kutubu Catchment Management

Forum and to support the implementation

of the Total Catchment Environment

Management Policy (TCEMP) once it is

operational

WWF DEC Long

* Short, medium and long are defined by 1 to 2 years, 3 to 5 years and 5 years plus respectively.

This definition for the timescale applies throughout the document.

ISSUE 4.2 Lack of a functioning institutional and regulatory framework at

the local and national level to support catchment management planning

Lake Kutubu is situated within a highly contested social, political and economic

landscape. The increase in oil and gas development activity has resulted in a rise in

5 For all tables in Sections 4 to 8, ‘WWF’ refers to World Wide Fund for Nature; DEC = Department of

Environment and Conservation; OSL = Oil Search Limited; LLG = Local Level Government; SHPG =Southern Highlands Provincial Government; CDI = Community Development Initiative Foundation, JVP

= Joint Venture Partners.

65



decision making tension both amongst clan groups and individuals and between

landowners, government and external agencies. Oil and gas activity has also brought a

corresponding rise in the number of local people participating in the cash economy

and an influx of settlers seeking employment and the peripheral benefits from these

operations.

There is general concern that the expansion of oil and gas activities and accompanying

opening up of new areas through greater road access will lead to a further influx of

settlers from other areas of PNG. The increased road access could also lead to the

unregulated development of other small‐scale activities such as extraction of timber

for local construction, harvesting (including hunting) of natural forest products, and

clearing of forest land for homesteads and gardens.

Consequently, the increasing level of development in the Lake Kutubu catchment is an

issue of national significance to PNG. Three levels of planning and policy context were

identified during the consultations with stakeholders:

1. Local level: contested customary land tenure

2. National level: arbitrary and unreliable

3. International: coherent but lacks the legislative power to compel

If the approach enshrined in this CMP is to succeed, policy and planning must have a

coordinated and strategic approach across the three realms ‐ international, national

and local – and must be in line with the policy and planning context within PNG.

Management Objective 4.2: Ensure that National, Provincial and Local Level

Government policy and planning processes take into account the provisions of the

CMP.

No. Action Lead Others Timescale*

1 Undertake a review of the national and

provincial‐level legal and regulatory

provisions which apply to the Lake

Kutubu catchment area to ensure that they

are promoting wetland conservation and

wise use, and make recommendations for changes, if necessary.

WWF LLG

SHPG

DEC

Short

2 Based on the findings of the review above,

work closely with the DEC and other

relevant stakeholders to address gaps in

the existing legal and regulatory

frameworks.

WWF LLG

SHPG

DEC

Short

3. Liaise with JVP and PNG Government to

ensure road networks in the project area

remain private with the signing of a

Memorandum of Agreement.

WWF JVP

DEC

Local

Short

66



Communities

4 Based on the lessons learnt from the

implementation of the CMP, further

develop the ‘Total Catchment Environment

Management Policy’

DEC WWF Medium

5 Advocate for the formal adoption of the

TCEM Policy, and for sufficient resources

to be made available to support its

application across PNG

DEC LLG

SHPG

WWF

Long



67



5. AWARENESS AND CAPACITY ISSUES AND ACTIONS

ISSUE 5.1 Lack of awareness about the benefits of catchment management

planning among key stakeholders at the local level, and policy and decision‐

makers at

the

local,

provincial

and

national

levels

Several of the baseline reports compiled prior to the preparation of this CMP alluded

to the lack of awareness among stakeholders in the Lake Kutubu catchment area about

the catchment management planning approach, process and benefits. Several authors

and reviewers noted that one challenge to the effective implementation of the CMP is

the fact that most stakeholders did not possess the skills necessary to be able to

participate actively in the CMP implementation process.

Management Objective 5.1: Increase awareness and understanding about the

benefits of

catchment

management

planning

at

the

local,

provincial

and

national

levels


1 Develop and disseminate information

about the benefits of catchment

management planning to the local

communities

WWF LLG

SHPG

OSL

Local

communities

Short

2 Develop policy briefs to inform policy and

decision‐makers about the benefits of

catchment management planning

WWF DEC

LLG

SHPG

Short

3 Document the lessons learnt from the

implementation of the CMP, and make this

widely available to policy and decision‐

makers

WWF DEC

LLG

SHPG

Medium



68



ISSUE 5.2 Lack of technical and financial capacity among key stakeholders to

implement the CMP

Management Objective 5.2: Increase the capacity of key stakeholders to enable them

to

be

active

participants

in

the

implementation

of

the

CMP


1 Undertake an assessment to determine the

needs of the members of the Lake Kutubu

Catchment Management Forum and the

Steering Committee to enable them to

implement the CMP, and develop a

strategy for addressing these needs

WWF LLG

SHPG

OSL

Local

communities

Short

2 Based on the strategy, develop and conduct

training programs for the members of the

Lake Kutubu Catchment Management

Forum and the Steering Committee

WWF DEC

LLG

SHPG

OSL

Local

communities

Short

3 Expand the training program to include

key stakeholders from the larger Kikori

River catchment

WWF DEC

LLG

SHPG

OSL

Local

communities

Medium



69



6. WATER QUALITY AND QUANTITY ISSUES, AND ACTIONS

ISSUE 6.1 Changes in the quality and quantity of water in the Lake Kutubu

catchment

Local communities report an increase in eye and skin problems arising from their use of the water in some parts of the lake. As a consequence, most villagers no longer use

the water from the lake and get their water for drinking and cooking from the streams

instead. However, the villages of Wasemi, Yo’obo and K Point continue to use the

water from the lake because they have no access to streams.

Locals also report observed changes in the quantity and timing of rainfall in recent

years which has affected their farming practices and production, and also resulted in

the drying out of some parts of the swamp forest.

Pollution of water sources from inorganic waste such as metals, plastics and batteries

is reported to be on the rise. Clearing of land for gardening, including on steep slopes on the lake shore, has increased soil runoff into the lake. Some areas are cleared by

burning and this has increased the risk of the spread of fire.

Management Objective 6.1: Improve the management of water resources in the Lake

Kutubu Catchment


1 Undertake a detailed hydrological study

(including the subterranean areas) of the

Lake Kutubu catchment; this study should also assess the hydrological role of

the karst system within the catchment

WWF LLG

OSL

Short

2 Collate all available information on water

quality in the catchment area and use this

to develop and implement a regular

water quality monitoring programme.

WWF DEC Short

3 Undertake a review of the available

information on weather conditions in the

catchment area, and if no systematic

system exists to collect such information, set up weather monitoring stations.

WWF DEC Short

4 Develop and implement a waste

management program for the villages in

the lake area, which includes awareness‐

raising activities to inform local

communities about the negative impacts

of pollution on the ecosystem.

WWF

Local

Communities

LLG

CDI

OSL

Short

5 Consider placing sediment traps or other

devices to control sediment runoff from

the access road which crosses the creeks that drain into Lake Kutubu.

OSL Short

70



6 Consider the possibility of extending the

Ramsar site boundary to encompass the

entire catchment so it can be managed as

one hydrological entity.

DEC OSL

WWF

Medium


This

definition

for

the

timescale

applies

throughout

the

document.

71



7. FISHERIES ISSUES AND ACTIONS

ISSUE 7.1 Failure of the sustainable fish catch monitoring program

An assessment conducted in between May and July 2006 showed that the villagers had

stopped implementing the options previously adopted under the sustainable fishing program. The reasons cited for this included:

• No observed increase in the size of fish during the closed season (from Inu and

Wasemi villages). It was subsequently established that they had closed the

fishing areas for only for a few months while the program had recommended a

closure period of one year.

• Lack of external support (from Yo’obo and K Point villages).

• People in the villages were not responsible and/or objected to the restrictions

imposed on them (Obeaga and K Point villages).

However, the assessment perceived a renewed sense among some villagers (namely those from the Obeaga, K Point and Inu villages) to reinstate the program because of

increasing concerns about the future of the fisheries.

Management Objective 7.1: Promote catchment‐wide application of the sustainable

fish catch strategies


1 Conduct awareness programs

about the long‐term benefits of

sustainable fish catch strategies.

WWF National Fisheries

Authority (NFA)

CDI

Local communities

Short

2 Encourage and provide support

to the local fishing communities

to encourage them to adopt the

sustainable fish catch strategies

LLG

SHPG

NFA

CDI

WWF

Local communities

Short

3 Monitor the progress of

implementation of the sustainable fish catch strategies.

WWF

NFA

Local communities Medium

4 Based on the results of the

monitoring program, develop a

fisheries management plan for

the Lake Kutubu catchment.

WWF

NFA

LLG

CDI

Local communities

Long



72



ISSUE 7.2 Declining fish biodiversity

Management Objective 7.2: Protect and enhance existing fish populations.

No.

Action

Lead

Others

Timescale*

1 Undertake research on the status of

the fish populations in the Lake

Kutubu catchment, and provide

management recommendations.

WWF NFA

Local

communities

Short


This

definition

for

the

timescale

applies

throughout

the

document.

73



8. BIODIVERSITY ISSUES AND ACTIONS

ISSUE 8.1: Threats to the forest habitats in the Lake Kutubu Catchment

Four major threats have been identified: • The proposed Kutubu‐Poroma logging concession, located between the northern

shores of the lake, Nipa and Poroma.

This concession should not be allowed to be carried out as the majority of its area

is karst terrain or swamps. Under PNG law, logging is prohibited in such areas.

• Higher pressure on resources from an increasing population, and changes in the

relationship between people and forest as a result of changes in the social

structure.

There has been an increase in the local population as a result of opportunities

created by the oil and gas operations. Many of these immigrants have settled on

the edge of the swamp forest near Kaimari Bridge. Activities such as wood harvesting or garden establishment could reduce the forest canopy. This could

change the water content of the soil, resulting in increased fire risk, and eventually

affecting the hydrological regime of the swamp forest and the wildlife populations

in the area.

• Poor land‐use, such as clearing land for gardens by making fires.

The swamp forest, in particular, is threatened by peat‐ based fires during drought

seasons or accidental fire from adjacent gardens. Fires in peat swamp forests are of

major concern as they can burn for long periods of time. Fire causes irreversible

damage to the ecosystem and poses a threat to the biological diversity in the Lake

Kutubu area.

Management Objective 8.1: Enhance the management and protection of the forest

habitats in the Lake Kutubu catchment


1 Advocate for the moratorium on

logging activities in the entire Lake

Kutubu catchment

DEC LLG

SHPG

WWF

OSL

PNG Forest

Authority

(PNGFA)

Local

communities

Short

2 Undertake a study of the peat swamp forest system to assess its condition, and

WWF Medium

74



implement remedial actions to mitigate

any negative impacts arising from land

development / clearing activities.

3 Develop a fire management plan WWF LLG

Local

communities

Medium

4 Advocate for the expansion of the

protected area network within the Lake

Kutubu catchment to protect key

habitats and species

DEC

WWF

LLG

Local

communities

Long



ISSUE 8.2: The growing threat of invasive species

Invasive fauna

• Cyprinus

carpio ‐ European carp or common carp

Reliable reports about the introduction, distribution and population status of this

species are not available. It is unlikely that this species preys actively on other

species of fish; however, the carp can compete for food and spawning sites.

Habitats used by the carp for laying eggs, such as submerged grass or aquatic

vegetation, are used also by small native fish, such as Gudgeons and Rainbowfish.

Moreover, its foraging and bottom‐feeding habit increases water turbidity, which

destroys rooted vegetation. Carp are extremely successful species as they can

tolerate a wide range of environmental conditions and endure relatively poor

water quality. Carp can survive at high and low temperatures, high salinity, high

concentrations of silt, high turbidity, and low dissolved oxygen levels. Therefore, if

the Common Carp is proven to be present in Lake Kutubu, it could well replace

the native fish the next time the lake undergoes an ‘overturning’ event. At the

moment, the options available for eradicating the carp from large lakes include:

fishing, poisoning and using biological control. However each of these methods is

not fool‐proof and scientific studies are ongoing to identify alternatives.

• Gambusia affinis – Mosquito fish

Its presence has only been confirmed from the Inu area, but no studies have been

conducted to determine its population size and distribution. Generally, this species

is introduced for the purposes of controlling mosquito populations, but the reasons

for its presence in the area are unknown.

• Oreochromis sp. – Tilapia

When this fish is introduced into a natural environment, it competes with the

native species for food and habitat. At present, it is farmed in some fishponds

around the lake; its presence in the lake remains to be confirmed.

• The frog species Litoria dahlii has been recorded in the Kikori ICDP.

• Local people report incidences of people having been bitten by a snake resembling

the Black Cobra in the area around the lake. The presence of the Black Cobra (Naja

naja) in the area needs to be confirmed.

75



Threats of accidental introduction from fishponds

In recent years, fish farming has developed around the lake area, largely to

supplement the protein requirements of the local people. This poses one of the biggest

risks of introduction of new species into the aquatic ecosystem of the Lake Kutubu

Catchment.

Invasive Flora

15 species of invasive plants have been recorded in the Lake Kutubu Catchment.

Locals have also reported the presence of green filamentous algae, lying on the bottom

of the lake covering the other aquatic plants and occasionally floating under the

surface in small tufts. Its presence was firstly noted by the people of Inu, and it was

subsequently observed around Wasemi and K Point. No survey has been conducted to

assess its distribution.

Management Objective

8.2:

Halt

the

spread

of

invasive

fauna

and

flora

in

the

Lake

Kutubu catchment


1 Undertake a detailed study to assess

the status of invasive species in the

catchment and their impact on the

ecosystems in the catchment; develop

an invasive species management plan.

WWF DEC

OSL

CDI

National

Fisheries

Authority

Local

communities

Short

2 Develop and implement an awareness

campaign to inform all stakeholders

about the negative impacts of invasive

species and measures that can be taken to reduce the threat.

WWF Local

communities

Short

3 Undertake a study on possibility of

farming native species; if this proves

unfeasible, identify alloctonous

species that would represent no

threats to the lake ecosystem and

introduce these to replace the use of

exotic species.

CDI

National

Fisheries

Authority

WWF

Local

communities

Medium


This

definition

for

the

timescale

applies

throughout

the

document.

76



ISSUE 8.3: Lack of detailed information and a monitoring regime to advise

the management of biological diversity in the Lake Kutubu catchment

Management Objective 8.3: Enhance the conservation and protection of the

biodiversity resources in the Lake Kutubu Catchment


1 Undertake a literature survey and

compile existing literature on the

biodiversity resources of the

catchment.

WWF DEC

OSL

Short

2 Review the “State of the Lake Kutubu

Catchment” report to establish the

ecosystem health of the system, and

identify gaps in knowledge.

WWF DEC Medium

3 Develop a coherent and integrated

research framework to address gaps

in knowledge and to support the

implementation of the CMP.

WWF DEC Medium

4 Establish a monitoring program for

the IUCN Red List species found in

the catchment

WWF DEC

LLG

SHPG

OSL

Local

communities

Medium

5 Develop action plans to ensure the

conservation of key species of flora

and fauna in the Lake Kutubu

catchment.

WWF DEC

LLG

SHPG

OSL

Local

communities

Long


This

definition

for

the

timescale

applies

throughout

the

document.

77



Annex 1: Source documents used to develop the Lake Kutubu

Catchment Management Plan

1. Finding the Sago Way: Landscape and identity in local level decision making,

Lake Kutubu, Papua New Guinea. Marc Wohling, Brahminy House Environment and Development, April 2007

2. Environmental, social and economical background information on the Lake

Kutubu Catchment: Baseline data for the future Lake Kutubu Catchment

Management Plan. Laure Miaillier, May‐ July 2006

3. Information Sheet for Lake Kutubu Ramsar site. Available for download at:

http://www.wetlands.org/RSDB/default.htm

4. Mammal survey of two sites on the northeast slopes of Mt Sisa, Southern Highlands Province, PNG ‐ October 1999. Tanya Leary, Kikori Integrated

Conservation and Development Project, July 2001

5. Mammals of the Lake Kutubu Swamp Forests. A Report to Wetlands

International. Tanya Leary, WWF Kikori ICDP, November, 1998

6. Survey of birds and Mammals at Utiti Creek

7. Rapid Biodiversity Survey of North West Paua Proposed Drill Site, PDL 5,

Southern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea. Balun Lawong and Gebia Olo, 12 June 2006

8. Orchid survey of the Lake Kutubu area, Papua New Guinea

9. Preliminary assessment of Lake Kutubu (Papua New Guinea) swamp forest

sediment deposits and hydrology. Robin G. Totome and Patrick L. Osborne,

May 1999

10. Study of the proposed Kutubu Poroma forestry concession and Analysis of the

potential alternatives, Southern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea. Dhorne Pierre, World Wildlife Fund for Nature, Kikori Integrated

Conservation and Development Project, April 2006 – July 2006

11. Birds of the Lake Kutubu swamp forest, Papua New Guinea. Summary Report.

Roger Jaensch, Wetlands International, including data obtained by Jared

Diamond and David Bishop for WWF – Kikori ICDP

12. Birds recorded at Lake Kutubu, Moro and Agogo range, Papua New Guinea.

Roger Jaensch, Wetlands International – Oceania, 30 July to 2 August 1997

78





13. Subsistence catch monitoring – Lake Kutubu, Southern Highlands Province,

PNG. September, 1995 – February 1997. Tanya Leary, World Wildlife Fund –

Kikori ICDP, May, 1997.

14. A Directory of Asian Wetlands. Scott, D.A. (ed.) IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and

Cambridge, U.K. 1181pp. 1989.

79



Annex 2: Goals and Objectives adopted by the Integrated

Catchment Management (ICM) Forum (March 2007)

Goal 1: Protect and maintain existing fish populations with the aim of returning

them to

past

abundance

Objectives:

• Use traditional fishing methods (Use traditional fish traps/nets/baskets only)

• Use of fish ponds

• Set up closed fishing areas and use sign boards to mark the areas

• Undertake a net exchange use only 3 inch and above mesh sizes

• Educate villagers about fishery problems within the lake

• Establish a moratorium on fisheries

• Establish a no take policy for fish with eggs

• Impose a fish size limit‐ minimum size

• Undertake further ecological research on effects of water quality on fish recruitment

• No diesel engines on lake

• Establish buffer zones around lake

• No burning or garden development to occur in buffer zones

• Regulate use of motor boats in the lake

• Develop a fisheries management plan

• Ban non‐landowners from fishing in the lake unless authorised by landowners

Goal 2: Maintain and protect the integrity of existing forests and biodiversity

Objectives: • Protect old growth trees: no logging of large old trees

• Undertake further scientific research on forest ecology and biodiversity

• Control and monitor all activities in the forest

• Protect habitat of endangered species

• Undertake specific research on the ecology of endangered species

• Ensure reforestation of cleared areas

• Set up a nursery to propagate local flora

• Develop a noise pollution monitoring and control plan

• No burning policy in the dry season

• Develop a fire management plan • Undertake regular monitoring of air and soil quality

• Control use of hunting with guns in forest

• Regulate hunting methods

• No hunting of wildlife from the roadside by travelling public

• No illegal harvesting or collecting of plans and animals

• Ban non‐landowners from hunting and clearing forest unless authorised by

landowners

• No Oil and Gas exploration or activities in sacred areas

• Monitor and control the number of pigs in the forest

80



Goal 3: Monitor and maintain air quality and prevent further pollution

Objective:

• Develop an air pollution monitoring plan

Goal 4: Maintain and monitor water quality and prevent further pollution

Objectives:

• Establish an independent water testing and monitoring regime

• Establish protocols to ensure Oil Search regularly reports back to villages on

water monitoring results

• Undertake further hydrological research in the catchment including rainfall

monitoring

• Undertake research on the effects of climate change on the Lake Kutubu

catchment

81



The ICM forum also identified the following areas as priority targets that

require immediate action:

Landscape

priority

Focus Area

Biodiversity

targets

Socio‐

economic

issues

Threats Action Indicator

1. Lake

Kutubu

Endemic

fish (12 spp)

Crayfish

Birds

Lake

ecology

Managing

the effects

and impacts

of

overfishing

Livelihoods vs.

conservation

Population

increase/

Migration

Overfishing

Clearing of riverine

environment

Invasive

species

Species loss

Pollution

and waste management

Water

quality

OSL

operations

Develop a

fisheries

management

plan that

incorporates a

community

ranger program

including

compliance

program

Strengthen

customary

conservation

zones

Undertake

comprehensive

fish survey,

ecological and

recruitment

study

Monitor water

quality

Ongoing

community

education

Endemic

fish species

No of

people

fishing

Enforcement

of closed

areas

Regulation

of net size

Water

quality

2. Lake

Kutubu

Swamp

forests

and

wetlands

Endemic

frogs

Juvenile fish

and

crayfish

Forest and wetland

Managing

the effects of

unregulated

burning and

an

increase in gardens

Population

and

settlement

increase

Clearing, burning and

Resource

assessment of

swamp forest

and wetland

usage

Commence

Endemic

frogs

Water

quality

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Landscape

priority

Focus Area

Biodiversity

targets

Socio‐

economic

issues


flora

Livelihoods

vs.

conservation

gardening

Invasive

species

Species loss

Pollution

and waste

management

OSL

operations

dialogue with

communities

on closed areas

establish

buffer zones

3. Lake

riverine

habitat

Lakeside

vegetation

and

forest

structure

Managing

the effects of

unregulated

burning and

an

increase in

gardens

Livelihoods

vs.

conservation

Population

Clearing,

burning and

gardening

Invasive

species

Species loss

Pollution

and waste

management

Erosion

OSL

operations

Resource

assessment of

steep

forest areas

Further

dialogue with

communities

on clearing in

these areas

Develop waste

management

strategy

Check results

of biodiversity

survey

Undertake

further

surveys

Identify

target

species to be

used as

indicators

No. of

buffer zones

established

and

enforced

4. Upper

catchment

tributaries

Fish

Birds

Forest

Logging

Livelihoods

vs.

Logging

Water

quality

Establish

independent

water

quality

Identify

target

species to be

used as

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Landscape

priority

Focus Area

Biodiversity

targets

Socio‐

economic

issues


conservation

Increase in

traditional

activities

such as

hunting,

fishing and

gardening

Invasive

species

Species loss

Pollution

and waste

management

Erosion

OSL

operations

monitoring

Hydrology

flow rate

monitoring

Resource

assessment

project

Ongoing

dialogue in

regard to

threats.

indicators

Population

PNG PDA: Designing a Catchment Management Plan for Lake Kutubu (Final Report)

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Transcript of PNG PDA: Designing a Catchment Management Plan for Lake Kutubu (Final Report)