PICRC Welcomes The Nature Conservancy CEO to Discuss Research Progress and Strengthen Partnership

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is a global environmental organization working to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends and promote thriving communities in harmony with nature. Founded in 1951 and working in more than 80 countries and territories, including Palau, TNC is one of the world’s largest conservation organizations, addressing pressing environmental challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and ecosystem degradation. Roxanne Siual Blesam, CEO of PICRC, and Jennifer Morris, CEO of TNC. (PICRC) With Palau hosting the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, TNC CEO Jennifer Morris joined numerous Pacific leaders and partners attending the meeting during the first week of September. During her time in Palau, the Palau International Coral Reef Center (PICRC), a long-standing partner of TNC, was pleased to welcome Ms.

Morris to the Center, where she had the opportunity to see firsthand the progress of PICRC’s ongoing research and discuss the importance of TNC’s support and partnership in advancing the Center’s work. Accompanied by PICRC CEO Roxanne Siual Blesam, Dr. Yimnang Golbuu, Conservation Director for The Nature Conservancy, Micronesia and Polynesia, and other members of the PICRC and TNC teams, Ms. Morris toured PICRC’s facilities, where several researchers shared details about the Center’s current projects. Among these was PICRC’s long-term monitoring program across Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) within Palau’s Protected Areas Network (PAN). PICRC Chief Researcher Ikelau Otto shared the latest progress from the program, which regularly collects data on marine ecosystems and organisms, including commercially important fish and corals, to assess the effectiveness of MPAs and track changes in Palau’s marine resources over time. The…