Managalas Plateau
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The case for cocoa: A ‘golden ticket’ for Pacific farmers?
Papua New Guinea grows some of the world’s finest cocoa. On the Managalas Plateau, farmers are reviving old trees and…
7 min read -
Butterfly business: Can sustainable trade save the biggest butterfly on Earth?
New field surveys on Papua New Guinea’s Managalas Plateau suggest the world’s largest butterfly may be declining. Researchers are documenting…
9 min read -
When the map hits the mud: A conversation with ecologist Rhett Harrison
Landscape ecologist Rhett Harrison discusses the grueling physical realities of mapping biodiversity on Papua New Guinea’s rugged Managalas Plateau, where…
8 min read -
From Amazonia to New Guinea
Brazilian biologist Gabriel Leite discusses his journey to Papua New Guinea’s Managalas Plateau, comparing its dense rainforests to the Amazon…
9 min read -
What’s in a rainforest?
This is the first in a three-part series examining how communities and researchers are tracking biodiversity across Papua New Guinea’s…
6 min read -
Magic beans: Can Managalas capitalize on coffee?
At dawn in Joivi Village on the Managalas Plateau, a small silver object drew a crowd. A team from the…
6 min read -
Pods of promise: Could vanilla bring sustainable development to Papua New Guinea’s Managalas Plateau?
What does a yellow-green Mexican orchid have to do with roads and schools in rural Papua New Guinea? Potentially, plenty. The orchids are Vanilla planifolia and Vanilla tahitensis, cultivated across…
6 min read -
When clans come together: Can collective stewardship protect the Managalas Plateau?
We heard the drums long before we saw them. It was the morning of 15 October 2025, and the Center for International Forestry Research…
9 min read -
Feathers, forever? On birds, beauty and biodiversity in Papua New Guinea
The colourful plumage of Papua New Guinea’s birdlife exerts an enduring allure — for birds, people and collectors alike. Feathers have long served…
5 min read -
Growing giants: How yams shape identity, knowledge and power in PNG
“They will never live without yams.” In Papua New Guinea (PNG), yams are an ancient companion. The first humans to…
6 min read -
When yams speak of marriage: Ceremonies of exchange on the Managalas Plateau
“No one gets rich out of this: it is essentially a wealth redistribution process.” “Do you want to come and…
5 min read -
Can we protect old trees by planting new ones?
Conservation isn’t just about avoiding cutting down trees. Successful long-term conservation—particularly in places where lots of people live in, around…
5 min read