From Passion To Protection: The story of Dikasuna Nature Conservation Inc.

By-line: Abagain MARA

From teacher to conservationist this is the story of the roots of Dikasuna Nature Conservation Inc.

Dikasuna Nature Conservation Inc. grew out of one man’s lifelong love for the environment. What began as simple acts of planting trees at schools is now a growing community-based conservation movement.

“What led me to found Dikasuna Conservation Inc. is my passion for environment and my love for nature,” he said.

A teacher by profession, he created flower beds and planted trees at every school where he worked. But eventually, he realised his efforts could go further.

“I felt it was a waste of time to spend all that effort when I had land at home to build more,” he said. “I never knew Dikasuna would be what it is now. I just did what I needed to do, and it grew out of passion into a community project.”

The name Dikasuna comes from the land itself, ensuring that people of Dika 1 and Dika 2 in the Sinasina-Yonggomugl District are included in its vision. “My biggest ambition is to cover all the land in the Dika forest,” he said.

The challenges, however, have been constant. Financial constraints continue to weigh heavily. As a non-government organisation, the project has relied on volunteers, but many expected financial rewards.

“Like-minded people still join, being aware of financial constraints, and that has enabled the project to grow,” he said.

Despite these hurdles, the long-term vision is ambitious: to educate communities across the entire SSY District to protect their land. The goal is to connect them with conservation partners and build capacity so that all six local-level governments (LLGs) in SSY unite to make the district a conservation model for Papua New Guinea.

The founder also dreams of cultural and eco-tourism. “I see Kamtai village becoming a tourist destination,” he said.

But the top priority remains clear. “The core function is the protection and conservation of native plants,” he explained. “We focus on native plants because we see their value, and they are slowly dying out. These plants link us to our ancestors and keep us close to our culture and our roots. They were used for medicine, spices, spiritual cleansing, and much more.”

He warns that time is running out. “It is alarming that half of the native plants we sought out to protect are already gone. So our main focus is to preserve and protect the native plants left.”

DNC is being built as a model conservation park — one that protects biodiversity, teaches communities, and inspires others across the nation.

From flower beds at rural schools to reforestation, honey harvesting, and nursery milestones, the project has grown from personal passion to a shared movement.

And for its founder, the mission remains deeply personal: to ensure that the forests of Dika endure, and that future generations inherit both the land and the culture rooted in it.

Picture Above:  Khalale Kaupa with his native plant seedlings