When Theresa Paisi from Delena village in Papua New Guinea speaks about restoring mangroves, she is not only talking about protecting nature - but she is also talking about protecting her community’s future. “When we restore mangroves, we are not just protecting the coastline,” she says. “We are protecting our food, our livelihoods, and the future of our children.”
Theresa was among the community representatives who travelled with WWF-Pacific Papua New Guinea (WWF-PNG) to West Papua, Indonesia, to attend the 12th International Flora Malesiana Symposium and International Nature-based Climate Solutions Conference in Manokwari from 9–14 February 2026.
