Seasonal calendars are effective participatory tools for integrating Indigenous ecological knowledge with natural resource management and climate adaptation planning, yet their application in Papua New Guinea (PNG) remains limited. This study documents the co-development of a bilingual (Agob–English) seasonal calendar with the Buzi community in South Fly District, Western Province, as part of the South Fly Ranger Program.
Using a participatory, gender-inclusive approach, 126 community members engaged in workshops between August and October 2025 to document locally defined seasons, climatic patterns, and the timing of harvesting, breeding, planting, and burning for key marine, terrestrial, and garden species. Two principal seasons were identified—Yugurlyugurl (wet) and Torrmai (dry)—with distinct sub-seasonal phases influencing
resource availability. Marine and terrestrial species’ peak harvest periods and crop harvests were staggered across seasons, supporting year-round food security. Fire management aligned with the hottest, driest months.
The participatory, Ranger-led process strengthened linguistic accuracy, community ownership, and intergenerational knowledge transfer. The resulting calendar provides a foundation for future Community Resource Management Plans and climate adaptation activities, offering a replicable model for embedding traditional ecological knowledge within formal governance frameworks in PNG.

The South Fly Ranger Program is conducted with support from INLOC PNG, RRRC and the Western Province Partnership of the Australia-Papua New Guinea Subnational Program.