Our Priorities for a Resilient Pacific

TNC believes the most durable and effective conservation starts with sustained on-the-ground efforts that align with and provide support for leadership by Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Using TNC’s Voice—Choice—Action Framework as a guide, we work alongside people across the Pacific Islands to build models of community-led conservation and sustainable livelihoods. This work respects and elevates traditional and local knowledge, resource rights and priorities.  

TNC is committed to developing strategies and tools that improve the status quo and incorporate the needs of nature to create better outcomes for both people and the environment. We use both “bottom-up” and “top-down” approaches to ensure communities and governments have the best available science, data and information to make informed, inclusive decisions that foster long-term sustainability and whole island resilience.  

Strong leadership and widespread participation are needed as the Pacific Islands work to adapt to environmental challenges, improve climate resilience and create economic opportunities.  TNC collaborates with partners to provide technical support and share innovative conservation science that reinforces the traditions and customs of communities. We also help generate sustainable livelihoods and raise conservation awareness through capacity building and trainings.   

TNC supports socially and environmentally responsible policy and legislation to both scale up and replicate successful community-led approaches. We understand that policy is key to sustainability, so we focus on advancing policy solutions that are science-based, nonpartisan, practical and aimed at securing lasting protections for nature and people.  

TNC also bolsters durable conservation institutions that support community needs. These include governance structures, intergovernmental compacts, sustainable finance mechanisms (like green fees from tourism) and public-private partnerships (like Pacific Island Tuna) to expand conservation over the long term. 

Noah Idechong is Executive Director of our newly expanded Micronesia and Polynesia Chapter. Noah has had a long and influential career championing conservation in Micronesia and the Pacific. In addition to serving as TNC Micronesia’s interim director, he has been a senior advisor to our large-scale fisheries program since 2015, with a focus on moving the region’s multi-billion-dollar tuna fisheries towards greater sustainability. 

Trina works in the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, the Marshall Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, to improve management of marine areas, coastal zones, adjacent watersheds and tropical forests, as well asconserving the region’s exceptional biodiversity and benefitting local communities livelihoods and ecosystem services. She has lived on Guam since 1994 and prior to joining TNC, she worked for the Guam Division of Aquatic and Wildlife 

Elizabeth has worked for TNC since 2013 and was initially hired as the Protected Area Advisor for Micronesia. Originally from New York City, she has called Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia home for almost 15 years and has worked in conservation in Micronesia since 2007. 

Before joining TNC, Dr. Yimnang Golbuu was the Chief Researcher at the Palau International Coral Reef Center (PICRC) for 10 years before becoming its CEO, holding the CEO position for 11 years. In 2012, he received a commendation by the Palau National Congress for his contributions to the sustainability of Palau’s natural resources and in 2013, he was awarded a Pew Fellowship in Marine Conservation. 

Mr. Sakuma manages, coordinates and supports The Nature Conservancy’s conservation policy strategies at the national and regional level in Micronesia (the Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Palau, Kiribati and the Marshall Islands, Territories of Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) and Polynesia (American Samoa and French Polynesia).