New partnership agreement signed
On July 22th NRDF signed an agreement for a new partnership with the Ogo community in South Choiseul. The new partnership involves a project area of more than 6,000 hectares for the most part covered with unlogged forest. For the last decade the area was under high logging pressure but the chiefs in the area always objected this destructive development. In 2009 the tribe contacted NRDF asking for assistance and a proposal was
The EU supported Forest Conservation programme has officially come to an end after
a last financial audit was carried out this month. The programme was very successful
in implementing most of the planned activities and many results were achieved. Main
outcomes of the programme are: the establishment of three conservation areas covering
more than 1500 hectares of high value forest; basic facilities constructed in each
of the areas to accommodate visitors such as tourists and researchers; data on biodiversity
collected through biological assessments;
Rare Mangrove species found in the Solomon Islands (extracted from Solomon Star)
During
a research project a rare mangrove species was recently discovered at Boeboe, Choiseul.
This project is looking at the use and value of 'ecosystem services' or the benefits
that mangroves provide to local Solomon Island rural communities as well as the environment.
Several local NGO's (the WorldFish Center, the University of Queensland (UQ), the
Natural
Resources Development Foundation (NDRF), WWF and the Solomon Island Community Conservation Partnership), joined forces with the Solomon Islands Government (Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Meteorology (MECM) and Western Province Fisheries staff) and the Boeboe community. The outcomes from this research will provide some of the first information on the economic value of mangrove to the Solomon Islands, including the potential value of these forests in terms of carbon storage. During the trip to Boeboe an international mangrove research scientist Dr Norman Duke (UQ), identified a rare species of mangrove, Bruguiera hainesii, that has not been recorded before on published lists of mangrove species for the Solomon Islands. This research project is also being conducted at sites on Ranongga and Malaita and will provide some important information for Solomon Island communities and the Solomon Islands Government about the value of mangroves and the importance of keeping our mangroves healthy for future generations.
foundation laid for income generating activities such as eco-
Replanting programme RARP near to end
Following the publication of a replanting assessment report by NRDF's natural resources development officer the replanting programme with RARP has almost come to an end. Since 2008 NRDF has been collaborating with RARP to assist in their replanting programme as part of the Tsunami/Earthquake rehabilitation programme. Besides facilitating training and workshops, NRDF was involved in the monitoring and assessment of the new replanting
done in many villages in Western and Choiseul Provinces (photo). Since 2008 more than 15,000 seedlings of native timber species were planted by community members and around 650 people joined the training and workshops held by RARP and NRDF. Both organizations are yet to decide on some follow up activities.
submitted in 2009. After a visit in April 2010 by NRDF staff (photo) the proposal was appoved and later endorsed by the NRDF board during a meeting in May. The area has high potential for sustainable forest management because of the rich composition in timber trees. The area also covers a large part of the Mt. Maetambe catchment area which is high priority on the list of conservation organization to be protected and conserved. Both parties have agreed to do the official handing over of the sawmill and the launching of the programme in the beginning of September. The Ogo area is the fifth NRDF project area and the fourth project area located along the coastline of South Choiseul.
EU Forest Conservation programme successfully ended
