School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine

The Sustainable Manu research program is dedicated to the idea that protection of the environment and the economy are not mutually exclusive. With a focus on the Amazon, our researchers are tracking how ecosystem biodiversity is improved through conservation activities and how those improvements can form the basis for meaningful economic opportunities for local people.

Andrew Whitworth discusses the project

Rainforests around the world are not only home to diverse plant and animal species, they also provide valuable ecosystem services - water cycling, carbon sequestration, and oxygen production. However, there is often tension between the desire to protect such valuable environments and the immediate economic needs of local communities, whose livelihoods are often dependent on practices such as logging and agriculture, both of which lead to clearing of rainforest landscapes. This tension is particularly acute in areas that have already experienced human disturbance, as they are seen as less valuable, both environmentally and economically, and so accelerate exploitation of primary forests. The Sustainable Manu Project is tackling this issue head-on, by exploring the ways regeneration of previously exploited areas can lead to both environmental and economic benefits. The project will address three key areas:

• Documenting how much biodiversity conservation can be delivered through rainforest regeneration. Previous work by the Institute has demonstrated that the majority of the Manu Region's high priority conservation species live in regenerating rainforest. One of the key features of the current work is to document and monitor biodiversity, with a goal of assessing the true value of regenerating rainforest for conservation
• Demonstrating the ways rainforest regeneration can be used to create sustainable livelihoods. The project will work with local communities to build upon our previous work demonstrating the increase in annual income achievable through micro-enterprise initiatives in regenerating forest. Biogardens, agroforestry plots and eco-tourism are just three of the many initiatives that will be monitored to determine how sustainable practices can generate long-term economic stability for the region.
• Development of a permanent collaborative training partnership to deliver training and support for micro-enterprise development, environmental management and biodiversity conservation. Our researchers will draw on experts and project staff to deliver practical workshops, develop training programs, and facilitate policy development for the Manu region.

Sustainable Manu is the second phase of a long-term conservation initiative in the Manu region. Phase 1 ran from 2010-2014 and generated small scale pilot data. Now we are expanding the vision for Sustainable Manu, with the stage 2 work, which will scale up the previous results and show how they can be applied on broader scales.

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First published: 13 July 2015