BirdLife Pacific Partnership
 Dave Gandy
Forest & Bird in New Zealand is taking intensive conservation action to save the Critically Endangered Kakapo.
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Initiated in 1999, the Pacific Partnership comprises a network of seven national NGOs in Australia, the Cook Islands, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Palau and Samoa. They are:
These member NGOs are supported by a small Secretariat, based in Fiji, that manages regional projects and assists in planning and fund-raising. Together these countries represent the sub-regions of Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia as well as continental Australia and range in type from high, volcanic, tropical islands to coral atolls and temperate zones to extensive deserts. Within this region are found nearly a quarter of the world’s most threatened bird species.
As well as the Pacific Partnership, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB, BirdLife in the UK) has responsibility for Pitcairn Island and its Dependencies in Eastern Polynesia; the National Audubon Society (BirdLife in the US) undertakes some activities in Hawaii and the US Pacific territories; while La Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux (LPO, BirdLife in France) has an interest in assisting in French Pacific territories.
In Fiji, the Pacific Secretariat works with the Department of the Environment, the National Trust of Fiji, the University of the South Pacific and IUCN Oceania among others.
From West to East:
Australia and, North of Australia, Palau; New Zealand and the island states North of New Zealand: New Caledonia, Fiji, Samoa, Cook Islands, French Polynesia (and Hawaii North of French Polynesia)
BirdLife Partners (Australia, French Polynesia, New Zealand and Palau): membership-based NGOs who represent BirdLife in their own territory. Vote holders and key implementing bodies for BirdLife's Strategy and Regional Programmes in their own territories.
BirdLife Affiliates (Cook Islands, New Caledonia, Samoa): Usually NGOs, but also individuals, foundations or governmental institutions when appropriate. Act as a BirdLife contact with the aim of developing into, or recruiting, a BirdLife Partner in their territory.