Credit: Steve Keough

"Most of the local languages don't even have a word for conservation," says Carla Eisemberg, illustrating the scale of the problem she faces persuading villagers in Papua New Guinea to preserve one of their most valuable local resources, the endangered pig-nosed turtle.

Growing over half a metre long, these freshwater turtles (Carettochelys insculpta) are only found in the Kikori region of New Guinea and in Australia's Northern Territory. Villagers rely on them for meat and eat their eggs in great quantities.

Current harvesting practices are not sustainable however, says Eisemberg, a Brazilian by birth who is working towards a PhD at the University of Canberra. A growing coastal population and more efficient hunting technologies are partly to blame, she says. "Really, it's up to the villagers what they want to do," she says. But it's her job to help them understand the consequences of their actions and plan for the future.

This is no mean feat. With little understanding of the concept of conservation, Eisemberg had to explain the concept to the villagers as "things you are going to leave for the kids of your kids."

To help get the message across, she's authored a picture book and staged a radio debate. Five thousand copies of the book (pictured) - telling the story of 'Piggy' and the perils she faces - were given to Kikori school children. For many, it's the only book they've ever owned. "They were really excited about the book," she says. "You should have seen the smiles."

Eisemberg has protected and monitored a number of turtle nests for the last two years, in an attempt to measure the success of her efforts. This shows she's having some success at least. "The first year, all my eggs were gone. The second year - after the story book and the debate - only half were gone," she said.