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Traditional, social and cultural institutions are still very strong in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). Micronesian society is based on the extended family, which is responsible for the family welfare, especially in relation to customary family land. Ownership of land and aquatic areas varies between States. In Kosrae and Pohnpei, land is both privately and State owned, while all aquatic areas and some land areas are managed by the State as public trusts. In Chuuk, most land and aquatic areas are privately owned and acquired through inheritance, gift or, recently, by purchase. In Yap, almost all land and aquatic areas are owned or managed by individual estates and usage is subject to traditional control. In all States, land cannot be sold to non-citizens of the FSM. The indigenous population is Micronesian with most of the people residing on the island/town centers of the four Island States.

Traditional, social and cultural institutions are still very strong in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). Micronesian society is based on the extended family, which is responsible for the family welfare, especially in relation to customary family land. Ownership of land and aquatic areas varies between States. In Kosrae and Pohnpei, land is both privately and State owned, while all aquatic areas and some land areas are managed by the State as public trusts. In Chuuk, most land and aquatic areas are privately owned and acquired through inheritance, gift or, recently, by purchase. In Yap, almost all land and aquatic areas are owned or managed by individual estates and usage is subject to traditional control. In all States, land cannot be sold to non-citizens of the FSM. The indigenous population is Micronesian with most of the people residing on the island/town centers of the four Island States.

The Action Strategy for Nature Conservation in the Pacific Islands Region for 2003-2007, arose out of the 7th Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas which was held in Rarotonga, Cook Islands, in July 2002. It was then endorsed by the member country representatives of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) at the September 2003 SPREP Meeting and it was meant to represent a consensus on the priority concerns for conservation and ways in which these can be addressed.