Asia, Pacific Islands, and the Arctic

DOI-ITAP technical assistance, at both regional and national levels, helps to strengthen:

• Terrestrial and marine protected areas management,
• Counter wildlife trafficking
• Marine and coastal resource protection,
• Climate adaptation,
• Sustainable use of freshwater and marine fisheries,
• Sustainable development of hydropower,
• Community and local government engagement,
• Sustainable ecotourism,
• Management of endangered species.

ASIA, PACIFIC ISLANDS, AND ARCTIC RECENT PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS:

Conserving Protected Areas in Southeast Asia

DOI-ITAP and the U.S. Agency for International Development are partnering with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Centre for Biodiversity to foster regional cooperation on climate change by strengthening the management of ASEAN protected areas. The U.S.-ASEAN Alliance for Protected Area Conservation project promotes nature-based solutions and climate mitigation through capacity-building and technical assistance for the ASEAN Heritage Parks program—a network of national parks and nature reserves with outstanding wilderness and biodiversity values that represent a complete spectrum of ecosystems found in the ASEAN region. 

The project provides partner countries with the U.S. Government’s best expertise in natural and cultural resource management, to advance mutual development objectives that expand biodiversity conservation, reverse deforestation, and accelerate climate mitigation.

DOI-ITAP Factsheet: U.S.-ASEAN Alliance for Protected Area Conservation

Improving Safeguards for Infrastructure in Southeast Asia (Regional)

DOI-ITAP's Smart Infrastructure for the Mekong project assisted the governments of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam in reducing the negative impacts of hydropower dams, irrigation systems, and other infrastructure development on downstream communities. 

This project strengthened environmental safeguards on hydropower, protected fisheries and wildlife, assessed the effects of development on riparian ecology, improved technical capacity of policymakers, and advanced environmental law and policy.  

This project was funded by USAID Regional Development Mission Asia and the Department of State’s Lower Mekong Initiative.

Protecting Asian Wetlands and Migratory Bird Corridors (Regional)

DOI-ITAP is supporting the Regional Flyway Initiative – an ambitious effort to conserve 50+ wetlands across the East Asian-Australasian Flyway – a migratory bird corridor stretching from the Arctic Circle to New Zealand. 

At the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Initiative 11th Meeting of Partners, DOI-ITAP technical experts presented strategies to better protect wetlands and migratory bird habitats along the Flyway.  

In June 2023, DOI-ITAP co-hosted a technical training workshop in the Philippines in partnership with BirdLife International, the East Asian – Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP), and the Asian Development Bank on conservation of critical migratory bird habitat and ecosystem services/wetland restoration. 

This project is funded in partnership with USAID Regional Development Mission for Asia.

Promoting Sustainable Tourism in the Arctic (Greenland) 

DOI-ITAP is supporting sustainable tourism development in Greenland to help diversify its economy. 

Leveraging DOI’s deep technical expertise in protected areas management, DOI-ITAP is sharing best practices on trails development and maintenance, building trail networks, and policies and regulations regarding the potential creation of new protected areas. 

Capacity building activities take place through virtual and in-country workshops and training, U.S. national park site visits, and conference attendance.  

Additionally, DOI-ITAP will support the three UNESCO World Heritage Sites in resource protection and revenue capture from cruise ship tourism.  

This project is funded by the Department of State’s Office of the Coordinator of U.S. Assistance to Europe and Eurasia (EUR/ACE).  

Supporting Future Southeast Asian Scientists (Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam)

DOI-ITAP manages the NexGen Young Scientists Program, promoting transboundary cooperation and interdisciplinary approaches to the natural resource management challenges faced by the Lower Mekong Basin (LMB).   

The program targets early-career scientists from Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam and provides three main avenues of support:  

1. Short-term fellowships with U.S.- or Mekong-based research institutions 
2. Funded professional development programming at LMB regional events and trainings 
3. Global networking opportunities at international conferences and meetings 

This project is funded by the Department of State - Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (OES). 

PREVIOUS PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS:

Strengthening Protected Area Management and Wildlife Protection (Indonesia)

DOI-ITAP helped establish sister protected area partnerships and provided technical training on hydrology, peatland restoration, species inventorying and monitoring, sustainable tourism, and interpretation and education.

• Primary Partner: USAID/Indonesia

For more information: 

• DOI-ITAP Factsheet: Indonesia
• Interview: Hydrological Training with Mark Flora (NPS)
• News: NPS Ranger Rendezvous - Sister Protected Areas 

Strengthening Marine Protected Area Management (Indonesia)

DOI-ITAP facilitated workshops and professional exchanges on marine protected area establishment, conservation planning, law enforcement and community engagement, maintenance processes, and interagency cooperation.

• Primary Partner: USAID/Philippines

Partnership for Biodiversity Conservation (Philippines)

DOI-ITAP supports conservation in the Philippines by strengthening the ability of officials and communities to counter threats to the country's coastal and upland resources, and to promote good governance, transparency, and accountability in environmental law enforcement.

• Primary Partner: USAID/Philippines

Environmental Governance (Philippines)

DOI-ITAP provided training and technical assistance in environmental governance and law enforcement, with a special focus on counter wildlife trafficking, to local government officials from selected biodiversity areas - Zambales, Pangasinan, and Palawan.

• Primary Partner: USAID/Philippines

Marine and Oceans Support Program (Regional) 

DOI-ITAP strengthened the organizational and administrative capacity of the Regional Secretariat of the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food Security (CTI-CFF) to serve as the central coordinating entity on a wide array of activities, as developed by the CTI member countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste).

• Primary Partner: USAID/RDMA

FACTSHEETS & ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

IODDOIT

=IATDOI-ITAP Asia and Pacific Islands Factsheet

DOI-ITAP Factsheet: U.S.-ASEAN Alliance for Protected Area Conservation
 

D

O