In the wake of changes in life style and pressures affecting natural resources, a UQ law academic is helping Solomon Islands’ traditional leaders deal with related law and governance issues. 
TC Beirne School of Law’s Associate Professor Jennifer Corrin is taking part in a three year interdisciplinary conservation project investigating the marine, legal and anthropological aspects of conservation in Marovo Lagoon, Solomon Islands.
The project aims to provide an integrated approach to environmental management that will support protection of the region's high biodiversity and also allow for the sustainable use of Marovo Lagoon's resources to support the local communities
Dr Corrin said a series of workshops have been held for traditional leaders to clarify the difference between their customary law making powers and the law making powers of the national and provincial governments.
“The workshops were attended by 30-40 traditional leaders and focussed on enhancing their initiatives for conservation within the existing legal framework. We facilitated presentations by Solomon Island lawyers from the public sector and by local experts in traditional governance. We posed questions and held small group discussion and feedback sessions. This led to in-depth exploration of issues surrounding traditional leadership, dispute resolution issues, and the boundaries of customary land and reefs.”
Dr Corrin said that, in addition to conservation, the workshops have also dealt with other community justice and traditional governance matters.
“As well as creating a clearer understanding of how the customary law system and state system fit together, the workshops have established communication links between traditional leaders and the public sector.
“We have also been able to facilitate a discussion amongst traditional leaders about the meaning of ‘chiefs’ and to encourage greater participation by women. Our offers of support for women’s leadership initiatives have been well received and we’ve seen a marked improvement in the level of participation by women in our discussions.”
This inter-disciplinary project also involves researchers from UQ’s Centre for Marine Studies and a number of the University’s Schools including Engineering and Social Science. The current Stage II Marovo Lagoon Project (2007-2010) is funded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and builds on the success of the Stage I project (2004-2007).