IWCM Mangrove Rehabilitation Project for Climate Change Adaptation Update

Planting mangroves for climate change adaptation.

Living in the islands of Vava’u, Kingdom of Tonga, we are surrounded by ocean, coral reefs and fragile coastline that are susceptible to the threats of global climate change. In Vava’u alone, there are higher tides, stronger storms, winter weather in summer and summer weather in winter. The islands are seeing changes both visibly and economically associated with climate change.

Working for the IWCM Coastal Management Project, VEPA is responsible for a mangrove rehabilitation project for climate change adaptation. Sponsored by AusAid and SOPAC, this project looks into mitigating and adapting to climate change through community development. The first site we are working at is Neiafu Tahi, located on the main island of Vava’u Lahi, and a critical community area. The “Old Harbour” as it is known locally, is a small harbor for local fishing vessels, a fishing ground for the women collecting mollusks for food and a home for over 300 people directly.

The area is seeing the impacts of climate change with higher seas washing over the sea wall, storm surges and soil erosion. Our part of the project is to show how mangroves can be used as a reducing species of climate change. Mangroves all over the tropics are vital for many uses in community development.  Here in Vava’u, they provide shoreline protection from winds and waves, reduce sediments and pollutants flowing from the land to the sea and on to the coral reefs. In some areas, the mangroves are very healthy, in other areas they have been depleted due to coastal developments.

Fence to protect seedlings from pigs © Karen Stone 2013

To work alongside the community with different ways to improve on the health of the coastal areas is vital for a sustainable future.  The mangroves being planted are a pilot project to showcase mangroves as a tool for climate change adaptation. The initial plot has 100 mangrove seedlings planted with a further plot coming in later December. The community helped to build the fence, essential in Vava’u to protect the seedlings from roaming pigs that search for mollusks at low tide.

Fence Building team © Karen Stone 2013

Community members from Neiafu Tahi, APTC alumni students and kids all helped plant the mangrove seedlings after they were propagated in water bottles by school kids from Liviela Government Primary School.

APTC Alumni students © Ashlee Jones 2013

An Environmental Ambassador, Lisa Tongamoa, from Neiafu Tahi, works for the project developing community support and initiatives to create ownership of their resources.

Lisa Tongamoa, Environmental Ambassador © Karen Stone 2013

It is hoped that more mangroves will be grown as an adaptation to climate change,  a workshop on sustainable harvesting of mangroves for cultural uses including dyes for mats will be happening in the New Year and further studies carried out on the impacts of climate change on the coastal area.

A huge thank you to the team and community for their efforts and support.

Some camera time © Ashlee Jones 2013

Discussing logistics © Ashlee Jones 2013

Salia back in the mangroves © Ashlee Jones 2013

Happy helpers © Karen Stone 2013

Planting mangroves Neiafu Tahi

Back in the Mangroves

which as you may well know from the blogs is one of my most favourite places to be! There is just something so amazing about mangroves, their ecology, biological influences and importance to ecosystems and communities that surround the waters edge.

The project that VEPA has taken on is a much larger project than before under the Integrated Water Coastal Management Program supported by GEF, Aus Aid, SPC and Tongan Government.

Through this project there will be various activities, workshops and conservation efforts involved to propagate 200 mangroves in community initiated areas. A main area of focus for this project is the adaptation to climate change effects. Already the islands are seeing seasonal and regional changes that overtime are causing hardships to coastal lying communities. 

Mangroves are an important shoreline tree that helps reduce the impacts of climate change by protecting the shorelines from heavy seas and storms whilst at the same time reducing sediments that flow from the land to the sea with the heavy rains from eroded areas. Mangroves prevent this sediment from reaching the coral reefs that lay close to the shoreline in Vava'u.

Confirmed so far is the "Old Harbour" of Neiafu Tahi, which leads on to the access of the Eastern Islands and is used by local fishermen as a path way to the fishing grounds and women's groups for harvesting invertebrates at low tide.



There is currently some small regeneration naturally occurring of mangrove species within the old Harbour area, many of the seedlings that manage to root are disturbed by the pigs rummaging for shellfish at low tide. For this reason the mangroves that will be planted under the project will be protected by fencing that still allows for tidal flow but keeps the pigs away.

The old harbour also faces in to the trade winds during the period of May till October, though recently the trade winds have not been as consistent, methods of growing mangroves will reflect the windier coastal area. The growing methods will include protecting the mangrove seedlings from being disturbed by the winds and waves. This is a valuable project to be able to monitor and evaluate the effects of a different site in relation to the mangroves growing and will provide data for future projects on success and issues that occur.

Another valuable part of this project is the collaboration with the communities and the establishments of Environmental Ambassadors within the community. The role of the Environmental Ambassador is to work alongside the Project Manager in community development and ownership of the project. Training for the Environmental Ambassador is given through out the project on surveying mangroves, sustainable use methods, rehabilitation process and outreach programs. 

The local schools will be involved alongside the community in the mangrove regeneration sites and will grow their own mangroves in water bottles to see the development of the seedlings. The water bottles are topped up with salt water each day to replicate the natural changes of tidal flow on the coastal area.

The project is in its 2nd quarter of running and in later this month the first regeneration site will be planted, there is lots more information to come so stay tuned for updates as the project runs.

Coral Reef Survey and Outreach Program with Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation

VEPA was kindly asked to participate in the outreach program of the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation during their stay in Tonga. The vessel, M/Y Golden Shadow, is a large research vessel belonging to HRH Khaled bin Sultan of Saudi Arabia who has dedicated this vessel to monitoring and protecting the world’s coral reefs.

After their time in Fiji, the vessel arrived in Tonga where it was joined by 24 scientists and local partners including representatives from Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Fisheries and Ministry of Lands, Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources.

Karen Stone, who joined the vessel for VEPA, is also able to help out on some of the dives by collecting data on sea cucumbers, giant clams, and crown-of-thorns and Trochus snails.

This data is important for Tonga to help assess the current status of commercial fisheries including sea cucumber harvesting and status of Giant Clams. Crown-of-thorns are damaging to the reef as they feed on the corals; their natural predator the Triton Trumpet Shell is a much sought after species for souvenirs.  Crown-of-thorns species is also an indicator of run off, pollution and agricultural practices.

The first stop for the vessel was Ha’apai, the outreach team led by Amy Heemsoth, Director of Education for the Living Oceans Foundation, delivered awareness to over 500 school children and 35 teachers in one day. The slideshow focused on the objectives of the projects, coral ecology and the threats they face worldwide.

Ha’apai is extremely reliable on their coral reefs not only for a sustainable food source but also as a barrier between the ocean and the land protecting the coastlines from storm damage and as an indicator for climate change.

The awareness program was well received and some great comments from teachers and staff members showed a desire to learn more and to help enable the future of their coral reefs.

There is more outreach to come in the following week until we head to Vava’u, currently we are at Haafeva, which is a Fisheries Special Managed Area and tomorrow (Monday) we will head to shore to attend the Primary School followed by a community meeting in the evening.

This is a wonderful dedicated program that serves not only to provide scientific research but also to work alongside the communities to which coral reefs are so vital. It is an honour for us to be a part of such a program and we look forward to being able to continue the outreach and collaboration once the vessel has left our shores.