Exploring the rainforest of Papua New Guinea | DW Documentary

Mundiya Kepanga’s fight against deforestation has paid off. The leader of the Huli tribe in the forests of Papua New Guinea is delighted that the government wants to make the country a global role model for sustainable forest management. Mundiya Kepanga was born in the forests of Papua New Guinea and has become an internationally recognized campaigner for his country’s primary forests. The nation’s government has also realized just how important a role the forest plays, for the island state, and has initiated numerous projects to protect it. Mundiya Kepanga decides to visit some of these projects. In his own home region, he first receives scientists who have been commissioned to carry out an extensive inventory of biodiversity in the forests of Papua New Guinea. Mundiya Kepanga then sets out to explore the diverse ecosystems of his country: After a visit to one of Papua New Guinea’s few secondary plantation forests, he learns about some of the solutions being developed in the heart of the primary forests to better protect them, including the cultivation of vanilla in low-altitude agroforestry. He also learns about the various programs to protect and monitor biodiversity as a way of combating illegal trade. At the close of his trip, Mundiya Kepanga shares his new-found knowledge with his community to encourage people to actively implement alternatives to deforestation and contribute to this green revolution.