On June 15, 2006, President George W. Bush created the world's largest fully protected marine reserve, the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI). Established by Presidential proclamation, the monument is the largest conservation area in the United States. In his proclamation speech, the president noted that, "our duty is to use the land and seas wisely, or sometimes not use them at all." Coming, as it did, from a president not known for his sensitivity to environmental issues, the establishment of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument was a major victory for the conservation of marine ecosystems.
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