Crater Mountain

Crater Mountain is a wildlife management area in Eastern Highlands Province^[1] that spans Eastern Highlands, Simbu and Gulf provinces and is one of the largest community-managed conservation areas in the country. It protects forest from the lowlands to mid-montane cloud forest.

The area holds birds-of-paradise, tree kangaroos, the long-beaked echidna and the dwarf cassowary.

The forest runs from lowland rainforest to mid-montane cloud forest.

The area takes its name from Crater Mountain and covers rugged terrain from the lowlands up into the mountains.

Because the area ranges from lowland to montane cloud forest, conditions vary from hot and humid at low elevations to cool and cloudy higher up.

The Gimi people of Maimafu village live in the area, which customary owners continue to manage.

The Wildlife Conservation Society began its work in Papua New Guinea in the area that later became the Crater Mountain Wildlife Management Area^[2]. The wildlife management area model leaves land under the management of customary owners^[1].

Visitors come for the forest and its birdlife.

The nearest town is Goroka, about 60 km away. The sources consulted describe no visitor facilities.

Conservation here is community-managed. Almost all land in Papua New Guinea is under customary ownership, so conservation depends on cooperation with landowners^[2].