Submitted by CharmaineP on November 27, 2007
The indigenous people of the Pacific Islands - home to the world's greatest marine and coastal biodiversity - have managed their wide span of ocean and its resources sustainably for generations. Their traditional customs and cultures developed mechanisms to control environmental destruction and maintain a harmonious relationship with nature. But the coming of commercialization and Western-style governance has both eroded cultural values and rapidly destroyed biodiversity.
The 22 island nations and territories, scattered over the largest body of ocean on the planet, are estimated to host over 4,000 fish species, 70 coral genera, 30 mangrove species, and an array of reptiles, marine...
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