This chapter examines a conservation and development project in Papua New Guinea in the mid-1990s. These projects were intended as alternatives to more destructive forms of resource extraction, including logging and mining. In this case, the four sociolinguistic groups living in the area could not agree on a shared agenda, forestalling the project. This suggests the importance of understanding regional history before establishing conservation areas. Although I correctly diagnosed the challenges facing implementation of the project, my desire for an alternative to destructive forms of development tempered my assessment of the project. In subsequent work, I began to focus on corporations responsible for environmental degradation.