The island of Papua New Guinea has been long recognized as one of the global "hotspots" of biological diversity.   Papua New Guinea alone, on the eastern side of this island, contains more than five per cent of the world's   biodiversity in less than one per cent of the land. The island contains as many plant species as Australia   (approximately 25,000) in an area one-tenth the size. It is the world center of diversity of a range of taxa   including arboreal marsupials, birds of paradise and orchids. New Guinea now represents the world's third   largest block of tropical rainforest and one of the most important coral reef complexes on the planet. Papua   New Guinea also ranks highly for its density of threatened and endangered species, especially mammals. At   the same time, it has one of the lowest proportions of its area protected of any country in the world. This   diverse landscape is the primary source of sustenance to the 85 per cent of the PNG population who continue   a lifestyle based on subsistence farming and fishing.Currently there is an increase in human activities that has caused over exploitations, habitats destruction, introduction of invasive or alien species and pollution that presents grave threats to the long-term integrity of biodiversity in Papua New Guinean land and waters.

As a result, a number of large-scale conservation efforts have begun in the past decade. Together there is a   potential to greatly increase protected area coverage and ensure that resources use is managed in a   sustainable fashion across the country. However, these efforts are hampered by an extremely limited pool of   skilled people that barely cover the existing needs. Therefore SCCP has been initiated to enhance   conservation activities through broadening the skills of existing practitioners and foster a new generation of   conservation professionals through networking, sharing of information or resources, dissemination of   information and conducting adaptive innovative training programs and promoting ownership of project and   programs across the country.