iv. Protected Spaces
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What are protected spaces?
What are protected spaces?
Protected spaces such as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), Reserves, Parks, and other Protected Sites can conserve biodiversity and improve research outcomes. They are also important for safeguarding cultural heritage. However, protection can also imply that something is property (i.e. ownership by an external body). It is important to consider how research and science can influence physical spaces in Moorea, for example through:
helping protect spaces (e.g., through sharing research findings widely, conducting applied research that helps inform protection)
disturbing protected spaces (e.g., removing organisms, building structures, failing to remove old equipment)
Below, we provide two nuanced examples of “protection” at sea and on land in Moorea that may influence research and vice versa.
Sea
Sea
There are legally protected areas around Moorea that limit where and how research can be conducted. It is important to contact local government (utilizing Gump resources when appropriate) to understand where these areas are and what permits are needed to safely and ethically engage in marine research around the island. The Direction des Ressources Marines (DRM; Directorate of Marine Resources) and the Plan de Gestion de l’Espace Maritime (PGEM; Marine Space Management Plan) are good starting points.
PGEM Map: Aug 2023
PGEM’s utility
PGEM’s utility
Marine protected areas (MPAs; see red areas in the map above, map may be dated, Aug 2023 - visit current map on PGEM website), such as those allocated in Moorea’s marine management plan (PGEM), restrict collection, conserve threatened marine life, and protect lagoon resources. Understanding where protected spaces are located around the island can help scientists make informed choices in research sites and apply for the correct permits with local government. Most scientists avoid working in MPAs due to stricter regulations; it can be hard to get approval to collect samples or set up structures within MPAs.
PGEM’s history: controversy vs. conservation
PGEM’s history: controversy vs. conservation
The history of PGEM is somewhat controversial. Researchers provided heavy input in the design of PGEM, but did not involve local communities or stakeholders. This bred resentment between scientists and the community, which saw the MPAs as an imposition and questioned the accuracy of the biologists’ knowledge.
A later survey indicates that the “MPAs in Moorea highlighted three types of conflict:
a) conflicts over modern vs. traditional forms of lagoon conservation,
b) conflicts over policymakers’/scientists’ knowledge vs. fishers’/locals’ knowledge about the lagoon environment and ecology, and
c) conflicts over access to lagoon space and resources.”
This is one example that highlights the importance of empowering local communities and forwarding local stewardship over natural resources and indicates the importance of securing correct permitting. Sustainable development, natural resource management, and good will between scientists and community in Moorea requires attention to Polynesian identity, livelihoods, politics, and heritage.
Continued Reading
PGEM: Publication PDF
Mapping Moorea’s lagoon: conflicts over Marine Protected Areas in French Polynesia
Publication PDF
Crafting the success and failure of decentralized marine management
Land
Land
Moorea has dozens of historic and religious structures, many which have been excavated as part of archeological and ethnohistorical excavations. Marae, communal and sacred meeting grounds, are among the most valued and protected structures of Mā'ohi and it is not uncommon to see them within the Opunohu valley or elsewhere on Moorea and Polynesia. While working in Moorea, it is important to be cognizant of the history and heritage of these physical structures and spaces in order to understand the role of scientist and visitor.
Mā'ohi culture is complex and Moorean spaces and structures reflect this complexity. For example, the structure and location of a marae could determine a person's social position, guild, and livelihood, among many other aspects of societal life. The sanctity of the marae reflect Tahitian reluctance to disturb such sites, but an inability for a researcher to identify and acknowledge these locations could impact terrestrial research. We have a responsibility to understand that they may be protected and visitation may deprecate the value of the site. It is unethical to conduct science on archeological sites or in other culturally important spaces without explicit permission from the local community.
Continued Reading
Continued Reading
*Marae*, population et territoire aux îles de la Société. Le réseau mā’ohi
Simple Marae of the ‘Opunohu Valley of Mo’orea
Archeology on the Island of Moorea French Polynesia
Polynesian cultural center: Wedding Ceremonies at Ancient Marae Temples of Tahiti
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