Research, Restoration & Learning in Action

YAPPENDA believes conservation is strongest when research, restoration and education reinforce one another. Alongside biodiversity research and habitat restoration, we invest in Papuan students, young researchers and local communities so that the knowledge and skills developed through our work remain rooted in Papua.

A large group of people, including children and adults, gathered outdoors in front of a wooden house, with some dressed in traditional indigenous clothing and others in casual attire, against a backdrop of trees and hills.
Children planting young plants in a hilly, lush green landscape with mountains and clouds in the background.
Four boys wearing blue patterned shirts and red pants planting a small tree outside on a grassy field with trees and a fence in the background.
A group of five diverse young girls and one adult man, all smiling and making peace signs with their fingers. They are outdoors on a sunny day with green trees and a basketball hoop in the background, and they appear to be at a school or park.
A classroom with students sitting at desks, smiling and paying attention. There are large windows on the blue wall providing natural light.

Research in Action

YAPPENDA creates opportunities for Papuan students and early-career researchers to participate directly in biodiversity research. We currently mentor and support three graduate-level students through research funding, connections with Papuan and international experts, career development and opportunities to join scientific expeditions.

YAPPENDA has also supported research expeditions in the Cyclops Mountains, Biak Island and Waigeo, helping young researchers gain practical field experience while contributing to the scientific understanding of Papua’s biodiversity.

Two women planting a young tree in a nursery with black shade cloth overhead and plants in the background.

Graduate Research Support

Supporting Papuan researchers through opportunities including EDGE Fellowships, Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund support and international mentorship.

Whether through research collaboration, student support, training or conservation programmes, partnerships with YAPPENDA help ensure that Papua’s biodiversity is increasingly studied, understood and protected by people from Papua itself.

A group of five people, including three children and two adults, stand outdoors in a lush, green area holding young tree saplings in black plastic bags, ready for planting.
Two men and a woman are in a lush green forest, with one man beside a tree, another woman standing and holding a notebook, and a man sitting and smiling.
A man with dark skin and curly hair, wearing a black t-shirt and beige pants, carrying a yellow backpack, is kneeling in a lush, misty rainforest with green plants and trees around him.