Global Model for Marine Conservation

The Misool Marine Protected Area (MPA) project is a globally recognized model for integrating marine conservation with sustainable community development. Spanning 348,500 hectares in Raja Ampat, Indonesia, the project—beginning with the Misool Marine Reserve (MMR)—focuses on the conservation, restoration, and sustainable management of one of the world’s most biologically diverse regions. This area, located in the heart of the Coral Triangle, harbors 69.21% of global coral species and over 2,000 species of mollusks and reef fish.

In collaboration with the Misool Foundation, the project addresses both environmental and community needs through ecosystem restoration, threat mitigation, habitat protection, pollution control, and community engagement. It provides capacity-building programs that empower local communities to actively protect these critical ecosystems. Additionally, the project is pioneering sustainable funding mechanisms through Forest Carbon's Marine Ecosystem Resilience (MER) model. By selling MER Credits, each representing one hectare of sustainably managed marine area, the project secures financial support. This funding model is further strengthened by returns from an endowment fund, ensuring long-term benefits for biodiversity and local communities, as well as lasting marine protection and economic resilience. Despite its biodiversity wealth, the Misool MPA faces threats from illegal fishing, habitat degradation, and unstable funding for essential conservation work. The Misool project is proactively tackling these challenges, setting a precedent for sustainable marine conservation that effectively blends ecological and community-focused strategies.