Blog 1: Our Ocean's 2016

Through a grant provided by the Waitt Foundation of California, the OUR OCEAN 2016 project  will aim to increase community capacity and understanding  of marine ecosystems and the benefits of  marine protected and community managed areas for marine ecosystems

During our 12 month project, we will launch an island-wide Community Awareness Program. This program will provide education and about coral reef ecosystems, including ecosystems functions, threats faced and how they impact livelihoods and socio economic development, and marine management techniques such as community managed areas, marine protected areas and aquaculture programs that strengthen alternative income generation schemes.

Our community awareness team will also continue their program in 12 schools, 6 Government Primary Schools and 6 Secondary Schools, on the topics of  “Mangroves and Shoreline” and “Oceans and Reefs”.

We will also highlight successful community management programs such as the Fisheries Special Management Areas (SMAs).  Ovaka was the first SMA established in Vava’u and derives its success from the strength of the community committee that manages the coastal waters surrounding Ovaka. We will use this case study will be used to highlight the progress of the SMA and the commitments made by both Fisheries and communities. We hope this case study will assist other communities in their SMA process.

Other activities under the program include ocean themed events, habitat mapping and design of resource materials such as posters that will assist people and highlight the information gathered from this project. 

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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.

The First Recycling Bins

On Monday the 27th of June, we have installed the first three recycling bins in the 'Utukalongalu market. Karen's staff from dive Vava'u also put up good signs to make them visible. It is going quite well after a short period of time, people have started to use it.

The total cost for the 3 cages was TOP900, they are strong and robust.

There is a big concern about the market area, because there is a more rubbish being thrown around and there is a need to stop people from dropping litter. Hopefully these recycling bins will help us in minimizing the littering and pollution.

If this project is successful, we are planning to buy more bins and place them on more stations in town and other villages.

'I he 'aho Monite 17 'o Sune, na'e fokotu'u ai e ngaahi fuofua lisaikolo pini fo'ou 'e tolu 'i he 'Utukalongalu maketi. Na'e hanga foki 'e he kau ngaue 'a Karen mei he dive Vava'u 'o fokotu'u moha ngaahi faka'ilonga lelei mo mahino ki he mahino'i 'e he kakai, pea 'oku 'i ai foki 'a e fakalakalaka ke kamata ke ngaue'aki 'e he kakai 'a e ngaahi lisaikolo pini ko eni.

Ko e ngaahi lisaikolo pini foki ko eni 'oku fefeka 'aupito mo tolonga 'a ia ko honau mahu'inga na'e fe'unga faka-katoa moe pa'anga 'e 900.

'Oku 'i ai foki 'a e tokanga lahi ki he feitu'u 'Utukalongalu maketi, koe'uhi koe fakaveve noa'ia ko ia 'a e kakai, 'a ia 'oku 'i ai 'a e fiema'u ke ta'ofi kinautolu mei he fakaveve noa'ia. 'Oku 'i ai foki 'a e 'amanaki 'e tokoni lahi 'a e ngaahi lisaikolo pini ko eni ki hono fakasi'isi'i 'a e laku veve noa'ia pea pehe ki hono 'uliki hotau 'atakai.

'I he lava lelei ko ia 'a e poloseki ko 'eni, 'e 'i ai leva mo e ngaahi palani ke toe 'omai mo ha ngaahi lisaikolo pini fo'ou ki he ngaahi feitu'u loto kolo pea pehe foki ki he ngaahi kolo kehe.

Deforestation - Year of the Forests 2011

This morning board member Alaipuke was joined by representatives from Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Forest and Agriculture to talk about the deforestation of Sandalwood (Ahi) trees that has occurred in the last two weeks.

Sandalwood has become in great demand for export recently but the methods to remove the trees from land has created several issues. The biggest one being the removal of a large area of sandalwood trees from Mount Talau which was deemed a National Park in the 1990's. The national park is protected land, and no removal of trees is permitted. There has also been several cases of trees being removed from private properties without consent from the landowner.

Vava'u has great land mass to be able to create agriculture and demand for the export markets, these need to be improved upon and protected from theft, so that communities can gain economic strength in difficult times.

VEPA takes great care to preserve the environment and create advocacy and ownership of the environment to communities. This year, was deemed the Year of the Forests, we hope that our TV show will bring the first part of several stages to bring more awareness about the dangers of deforestation for the environment, food sources and health of communities.

We hope the beginning of many media events to raise awareness on several issues will open up new opportunities for environment discussion and protection.

Malo Puke for your great passion in sharing our message for VEPA.

St Mary's Visit

Well it has been just over a month since our wonderful trip with St Mary's university to study and replant mangroves. The mangroves are doing well in Holeva and VEPA will be making a site visit next week. We are very happy for this, as only 4 days after the planting we were expecting a small cyclone which veered away at the last minute.

Here are some more pictures from the day.......