The IUCN Commission on Protected Areas Oceania.

A cold winter in Sydney was pleasantly relieved by a week in Samoa for the important Inception meeting for BIOPAMA II. The Biodiversity and Protected Areas Management (BIOPAMA) programme aims to improve the long-term conservation and sustainable use of natural resources in African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries, in protected areas and surrounding communities. A short report is in the Pacific section but my hope is that the opening up of communications across our vast region and the development of the Pacific Islands