https://programs.wcs.org/solomonislands RSS feeds for Solomon Islands 60 https://programs.wcs.org/solomonislands/News/ID/26120/Coral-Reefs-National-Action-Plan-Provincial-Validation-strengthens-community-voices#Comments 0 https://programs.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=21365&ModuleID=44370&ArticleID=26120 https://programs.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=26120&PortalID=213&TabID=21365 https://programs.wcs.org/solomonislands/News/ID/26120/Coral-Reefs-National-Action-Plan-Provincial-Validation-strengthens-community-voices The Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECDM) and the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) in partnership with Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has successfully led and convened a National Action Plan (NAP) for Coral Reefs Management and Conservation Provincial Validation Workshop in Auki, Malaita Province. The event brought together representatives from the Malaita Provincial Government, community leaders, and key provincial stakeholders to validate the draft NAP which had earlier been presented to the National Hub members. This workshop provided an inclusive and participatory platform for stakeholders to discuss, share feedback, and refine the NAP, ensuring it reflects the priorities and aspirations at the community and provincial level.   Alick Maeorea, Chief Fisheries Officer for Malaita Province expressed his appreciation for the workshop where he shared “this workshop provides us the opportunity to ensure that national policies truly reflect the realities, priorities, and the voices of our communities here in Malaita”. Participants engaged in the National Action Plan Validation Workshop Auki, Malaita Province. The development of the NAP by the Telios Consultancy has been informed by extensive consultations across communities and provincial governments in Central, Isabel, Malaita, and Temotu Provinces. These were complemented by engagements with national government agencies, non-governmental organizations, private sector representatives, and academic and research institutions. This broad consultation process ensures strong integration of community perspectives, policy priorities, and scientific knowledge. The Deputy Director for Environment and Conservation Division, Trevor Maeda highlighted the importance of inclusivity in the process, noting that “we want to see a NAP that is appropriate at national, provincial, and community levels.” This underscores the commitment to aligning governance and action across all levels. Participants expressed support for the NAP and emphasized the importance of continued collaboration, as well as strengthening and empowering existing community and provincial systems to support effective implementation. Martin Jasper Principal Fisheries Officer for Malaita Province highlighted that “this document will serve as a stepping stone for us to become better stewards of the resources we have in our care”. Group activity before NAP closing session. The workshop concluded with shared key messages tailored to capture different audiences reinforcing the collective responsibility to manage, protect and restore coral reefs. One participant captured the spirit of the discussion stating, “let us look after our coral reefs like how we would look after our children, so it will provide for our children, grandchildren, and future generations”. The community leader for Oibola Benjamin Waleilia concluded by expressing his gratitude to be part of the validation process and the community’s receptiveness to conservation and livelihood initiatives, adding “at the end of the day healthy corals makes healthy livelihoods”.     Mixed focus group discussions to review the nine thematic goals for NAP. The WCS, MECDM, and MFMR expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to strengthen community and provincial representation in the NAP process. By capturing voices across all levels, the plan is positioned to be both practical and locally relevant to support the long-term survival of climate resilient coral reefs ecosystems, conserving biodiversity and sustaining the blue economy and livelihoods that depend on them. Participants actively engaging in drafting key messages for various audience around coral reef conservation. The Coral Reef Rescue (CRR) Project, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF 7) is a government driven initiative through the Ministry of Environment Climate Change and Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECDM) and the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR). Implementing partners include the Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF-US), with the University of Queensland (UQ) as the Lead Executing Agency, and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) as the NTF in Solomon Islands (in-country lead). Elaine Vaina Fri, 24 Apr 2026 07:10:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:26120 https://programs.wcs.org/solomonislands/News/ID/25700/Solomon-Islands-Coral-Reef-Rescue-CRR-Project-reaches-Temotu-Province#Comments 0 https://programs.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=21365&ModuleID=44370&ArticleID=25700 https://programs.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=25700&PortalID=213&TabID=21365 https://programs.wcs.org/solomonislands/News/ID/25700/Solomon-Islands-Coral-Reef-Rescue-CRR-Project-reaches-Temotu-Province Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) as the Solomon Islands National Technical Facilitator (NTF) for the Coral Reef Rescue (CRR) project has successfully extended its reach to Temotu Province through collaboration with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Greenergy Pacific, Ms. Sharon Inone. Temotu Provincial Government Consultation. Credit @ WCS_SI, CRR, 2025. The insightful visit has allowed WCS to build new connection with the Temotu Provincial Government (TPG), communities, and schools to work together to build capacity and solutions that ensure the long-term survival of climate resilient coral reef ecosystems, thereby conserving their biodiversity and supporting the blue economics that the communities are dependent on. The CRR Project funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) focuses work on climate resilient reefs within four priority provinces of Solomon Islands including Temotu. It is a great accomplishment to have the Temotu Provincial Government onboard with this initiative that aims to protect the health of coral reef ecosystems in the face of climate threats. The Premier for Temotu Hon. Stanley Tehiahua has supported this by stating “we can blame climate change, but at the same time we should explore other means for coral reef protection as they are important for the marine life, and they are the key to life’s continuity under sea”  which speaks volumes on Temotu’s stand for coral reef protection. During the visit, WCS consulted with 13 TPG representatives and 42 community leaders from two communities – Graciosa Bay and Neo community. The consultation workshop has given WCS an opportunity to listen to TPG representatives and community leaders share their goal for their reef’s recovery through the incorporation of nature-based solutions and traditional knowledge. Community Visioning & NAP Consultation with Neo Community. Credit @WCS_SI, CRR, 2025. A future that includes the use of non-destructive fishing methods, sustainable harvesting, increase of Marine Protected Areas (MPA), and good management of coral reef resources. The Premier also stated that “the project has aligned well with the provincial initiative that aims on driving Temotu as a model province in Ocean Conservation and our commitment to conserve 274,000 square kilometres for national ocean conservation." The commitment and dedication for coral reef protection showed by Temotu leaders have motivated WCS to push for greater impacts. As part of the trip, WCS disseminated information on access to free online courses relating to coral reefs at Lata Community High School (CHS) and Mona CHS. Lata Students and Teachers during school awareness and dissemination of free online courses. Credit @WCS_Doris Kalamasaru, Sl, CRR, 2025. WCS is hoping to help students and leaders in Temotu to build their capacity and knowledge on coral reefs with the access to the free online courses developed by the University of Queensland. WCS is grateful for the opportunity to strengthen community representation on national reef conservation strategies while ensuring that traditional knowledge and community visions are included. Ensuring equitable participation is something WCS uphold, providing a platform where women, men, and youth can equally share their perspectives on resilient coral reef conservation. Community visioning & NAP Consultation with Graciosa Bay Community accompanied by Greenergy Pacific. Credit @WCS_SI, CRR, 2025. It is truly inspiring to have diverse age group involved in the programs hosted by WCS in Temotu as it shows the collective efforts to fight against local and global threats against coral reefs. Having youth become part of the consultation gave WCS a hope for a better future, where upcoming leaders are not only educated about how they could protect their reefs, but are also included in developing strategies to recovering their reefs that are locally and globally threatened. The GEF funded CRR project is a government driven initiative through the Ministry of Environment Climate Change and Disaster Management and Meteorology and the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources. Implementing partners include the Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF-US), with the University of Queensland (UQ) as the Lead Executing Agency, and WCS as the NTF in Solomon Islands (in-country lead). Elaine Vaina Sun, 07 Dec 2025 22:56:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:25700 https://programs.wcs.org/solomonislands/News/ID/25636/WCS-conducts-fisheries-workshop-for-women-in-Munda#Comments 0 https://programs.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=21365&ModuleID=44370&ArticleID=25636 https://programs.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=25636&PortalID=213&TabID=21365 https://programs.wcs.org/solomonislands/News/ID/25636/WCS-conducts-fisheries-workshop-for-women-in-Munda WIF workshop participants from the Munda LMMA. Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) recently completed a two-day Women in Fisheries workshop with women from Kindu and Nusa Roviana communities of the Munda Locally Managed Marine Area (LMMA). The workshop facilitated by WCS Solomon Islands’ Sabrina Pania (Project Coordinator) and Dr Joelle Albert (Marine Technical Advisor), focused on empowering women to better manage the marine resources they harvest. Dr. Albert confirmed that the women joined the workshop with clear ambitions to deepen their understanding of the biology of key marine species they harvest and depend on for their livelihoods. “They arrived not as blank slates, but carrying generations of knowledge, local observations, and specific questions shaped by their daily relationship with the sea.” “When women are empowered to weave together scientific information with their traditional knowledge, they gain the confidence to make informed, culturally grounded decisions - strengthening the stewardship of marine resources today and safeguarding them for generations to come,” said Dr Albert   WIF participants actively contribute in the workshop. 30 women of all ages (15 from each community) who joined the workshop were involved in interactive and informative sessions that covered topics including reproductive and life cycles of targeted species’, resource mapping and marine resource sustainable management practices and identifying marketing opportunities. WCS SI Country Director, Dr. Alec Hughes, provided a brief background and recap of the Munda LMMA for the participants. “The Munda LMMA represents a collective commitment by our communities to safeguard the marine ecosystems that sustain us, and women are central to making that commitment real,” emphasised Dr Hughes. “Their daily interaction with the reef, seagrass, mangroves and inshore fisheries gives them a depth of understanding that is essential for shaping practical and culturally grounded management decisions. For the Munda LMMA to succeed, women must not only be recognised for the vital role they already play but also be supported to lead in the co-management and long-term stewardship of our shared resources. This workshop is an important step toward making that a reality.” Jima Qua a woman participant from Kindu community shared the experience of women in her area as stewards of the shared marine resources. “We (women of Kindu community) have three seagrapes sites that we practice rotational harvesting on. This allows us to access a good harvest in shallow water twice a week and ensures seagrapes from closed sites grow and recover (seagrapes, Calerpa sp, growth rate is 2cm/day). This harvesting practice, with the knowledge of fisheries resources biology, can help with other marine resources that utilise for food and income,” said Qua. During the WIF workshop, key activities were identified to help the women protect their marine resources and sustainably manage their fisheries and livelihoods. •             Munda LMMA and its role in sustainably fisheries needs to be further socialized at the community level, so all youth, men and women are aware of the established marine management area. •             Bridging traditional knowledge with an understanding of the biology of targeted marine species can support the design and influence management decisions and harvest practices •             Resource mapping helped the women set realistic management goals that can be achieved, improving their livelihood and protecting marine biodiversity that sustains communities in Munda LMMA.    Group presentations were part of the workshop for the Munda LMMA women in fisheries (WIF). The Munda Environmental Stewardship Association (MESA) chairman, Chief Holmes Matau Saeve and representatives from the Kindu and Nusa Roviana Resource Management Committees (RMC) were also present to officiate the start of the workshop. Elaine Vaina Mon, 24 Nov 2025 05:34:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:25636 https://programs.wcs.org/solomonislands/News/ID/24538/Coral-Reef-Rescue-National-Hub-established-in-Solomon-Islands#Comments 0 https://programs.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=21365&ModuleID=44370&ArticleID=24538 https://programs.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=24538&PortalID=213&TabID=21365 https://programs.wcs.org/solomonislands/News/ID/24538/Coral-Reef-Rescue-National-Hub-established-in-Solomon-Islands The Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECDM), the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR), and key stakeholders including the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) successfully convened the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) National Coordinating Committee (NCC) meeting for the first-time in April, 2025. A significant outcome of the meeting was the confirmation and establishment of the Coral Reef Rescue (CRR) National Hub for coral reef conservation in the Solomon Islands. The National Hub, facilitated by the WCS will serve as a vital platform for stakeholder engagement, fostering collaboration, strategic co-planning, and promoting shared learning under its CRR project that is funded by the Global Environment Fund (GEF) and contributes to the World Wildlife Fund's led Global CRR Initiative. During the meeting, Mr. Corzzierrah Posala, CTI’s Regional Secretariat, made it clear that urgent improvements in collaboration, coordination, and effective management are essential to combat the threats facing our coastal and marine ecosystems. He reiterated the importance of adhering to the goals and objectives of the CTI - Coral Fisheries Management Framework (CTI-CFF) as outlined in the Regional Plan. He expressed appreciation for WCS's support in establishing the National Hub as a way forward. The National Hub, established through the NCC is co-chaired by MECDM and MFMR, with WCS as the Secretariat. The NCC will meet each quarter to update project activities and compromises of representatives from government, civil society, academic institutions, community of practice, private sector, and non-governmental organizations at both national and local (Provincial) levels. Mr Karl Kuper, MECDM Deputy Secretary-Corporate, in his keynote address, emphasized the crucial role of the NCC and the establishment of the National Hub. He stated that such initiatives are indispensable for driving project delivery through collaborative efforts, providing strategic and political guidance, and ensuring alignment with national objectives. Mr Kuper believes that establishing this hub is a decisive step toward advancing the Solomon Islands National Plan of Action for Coral Reef Conservation, implementing the National Ocean Policy and other National targets. He extended his gratitude to WCS for the leadership and dedication in forging this path forward. The meeting took place at the Heritage Park Hotel in Honiara, signalling a strong commitment to revitalizing and enhancing the initiative’s programs and activities.     Elaine Vaina Sun, 11 May 2025 13:25:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:24538 https://programs.wcs.org/solomonislands/News/ID/17646/Spectacular-footage-from-around-the-Kavachi-submarine-volcano#Comments 0 https://programs.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=21365&ModuleID=44370&ArticleID=17646 https://programs.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=17646&PortalID=213&TabID=21365 https://programs.wcs.org/solomonislands/News/ID/17646/Spectacular-footage-from-around-the-Kavachi-submarine-volcano On this World Oceans Day, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is proud to release new footage from the surface and flanks of the volcano, showcasing the wealth of biodiversity there. Parijata Gurdayal Thu, 09 Jun 2022 00:21:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:17646 https://programs.wcs.org/solomonislands/News/ID/15732/Scientists-Discover-Rare-Bright-Spot-for-Corals#Comments 0 https://programs.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=21365&ModuleID=44370&ArticleID=15732 https://programs.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=15732&PortalID=213&TabID=21365 https://programs.wcs.org/solomonislands/News/ID/15732/Scientists-Discover-Rare-Bright-Spot-for-Corals A team of scientists have discovered that a large area in the Indo-Pacific known as the “Coral Triangle” is surprisingly resistant to thermal stress from climate change, making it a sanctuary for corals amid the ongoing climate crisis. The findings, published in the journal Global Ecology and Biogeography, are a glimmer of hope amid an otherwise dismal outlook for the world’s coral reefs which are declining globally as ocean waters rapidly warm.The study, conducted by researchers from 19 tropical research institutions, looked at 226 reefs in 12 countries during 2016, one of the Earth’s warmest years on record. They found that coral sensitivity to heat was highly variable across different marine regions, and that climate-warming models overestimated coral destruction in the biodiversity-rich Coral Triangle. The region contains 75 percent of the world’s coral species and ocean biodiversity and its waters extend throughout Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste. Marine conservationists, local communities, and governments are deeply concerned about the fate of the world’s corals and the many species that may be lost due to global warming induced bleaching. Finding and protecting potential ocean sanctuaries, regions where environmental conditions provide a buffer against heat waves, is considered among the highest priorities to safeguard marine ecosystems. Until now, such sanctuaries have been difficult to pinpoint. The research was led by WCS Senior Conservation Scientist Dr. Tim McClanahan who coordinated with a number of marine scientists across tropical countries to share a common method for evaluating thermal stress to corals. This collaborative effort has resulted in one of the world’s first big-picture views of coral sensitivity, revealing wider variations in bleaching patterns than had been previously understood or predicted by climate models.Said Dr. McClanahan: “This is the first truly hopeful news for some coral reefs in a long time, and these findings suggest many published predictions for corals were overly pessimistic. It gives us a much better insight into where to focus our conservation efforts. The Coral Triangle is a great place to start. WCS is fortunate to have built a global conservation program that covers a large number of these climate resilient reefs. Even in areas where we find reefs suffering with low heat resistance, there are still smaller sanctuaries that can survive if people can reduce other reef threats, such as overfishing and pollution.”Read More Mon, 05 Oct 2020 01:59:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:15732 https://programs.wcs.org/solomonislands/News/ID/14325/Logging-Tropical-Forests-Jeopardizes-Fisheries-Important-for-Food-and-Livelihood#Comments 0 https://programs.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=21365&ModuleID=44370&ArticleID=14325 https://programs.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=14325&PortalID=213&TabID=21365 https://programs.wcs.org/solomonislands/News/ID/14325/Logging-Tropical-Forests-Jeopardizes-Fisheries-Important-for-Food-and-Livelihood New findings uncovered by researchers at the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and the University of Queensland (UQ) demonstrate that logging activity in Solomon Islands is associated with lower coral cover and structural complexity on adjacent reefs, as well as lower abundance of many types of fish commonly caught for food and sold at markets.The study published in the Journal of Applied Ecology focused on Kolombangara, an island located in Western Province, Solomon Islands, and used cutting-edge methods for tracking soil erosion and sediment runoff from land to pinpoint areas where historically healthy reefs may have been negatively impacted by clear-cutting and deforestation. The maps that scientists generated also helped them identify currently healthy coral reefs that are at risk of impact should deforestation in sensitive areas continue on the island.Read More Thu, 24 Sep 2020 04:21:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:14325 https://programs.wcs.org/solomonislands/News/ID/15733/New-Tech-Lets-Us-Track-Real-Time-Health-of-Coral-Reefs-Around-the-World#Comments 0 https://programs.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=21365&ModuleID=44370&ArticleID=15733 https://programs.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=15733&PortalID=213&TabID=21365 https://programs.wcs.org/solomonislands/News/ID/15733/New-Tech-Lets-Us-Track-Real-Time-Health-of-Coral-Reefs-Around-the-World MERMAID, an open-source tech platform for marine scientists, is for the first time launching an interactive map that provides an insider’s view of the ecosystem data collected from coral reefs by field scientists around the world.MERMAID (Marine Ecological Research Management AID) is a first of its kind free, online-offline platform that allows scientists anywhere in the world to collect, analyze, and share field-based coral reef surveys. Developed in partnership between the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), World Wildlife Fund (WWF), and Sparkgeo, MERMAID first launched in 2019. In the year since going public, field scientists across ten countries have input their monitoring expedition data from nearly 10,000 transects and >1,200 sites. Over 570 users have registered for MERMAID from 41 organizations around the world, including government agencies, nonprofits, and universities.The platform now houses thousands of data points, allowing organizations and governments to monitor the impacts of climate change on vital reef ecosystems. This data helps us identify the world’s remaining functioning coral reefs, allowing us to strategically focus conservation efforts where they are most needed, while also providing insights used to support the recovery of struggling reefs to maintain livelihoods and food security for local communities.Read More Mon, 29 Jun 2020 02:04:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:15733 https://programs.wcs.org/solomonislands/News/ID/14324/WCS-Congratulates-Stacy-Jupiter-for-Being-Named-a-2019-MacArthur-Fellow-A-Recipient-of-a-Genius-Grant#Comments 0 https://programs.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=21365&ModuleID=44370&ArticleID=14324 https://programs.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=14324&PortalID=213&TabID=21365 https://programs.wcs.org/solomonislands/News/ID/14324/WCS-Congratulates-Stacy-Jupiter-for-Being-Named-a-2019-MacArthur-Fellow-A-Recipient-of-a-Genius-Grant The following congratulatory statement was released by Dr. John Robinson, WCS’s Executive Vice President for Conservation and Science:“The entire Wildlife Conservation Society team extends congratulations to our colleague Dr. Stacy Jupiter for being named a 2019 MacArthur Fellow. Stacy is wonderfully deserving of this award.“Stacy is a champion for the world’s ocean, using science to develop pragmatic solutions for wildlife, people, and coastal ecosystems. What makes Stacy a great scientist and conservationist is her understanding of the importance of integrating cultural practices and science to solve complex problems—specifically the challenges brought on by such threats as overfishing and climate change. And what makes her successful and loved by those who work with her is that she understands more than most the importance of collaboration with her colleagues and with the communities where she works.Read More Wed, 25 Sep 2019 03:59:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:14324 https://programs.wcs.org/solomonislands/News/ID/15735/Fisheries-Outcomes-Maximized-Through-Traditional-Practice#Comments 0 https://programs.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=21365&ModuleID=44370&ArticleID=15735 https://programs.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=15735&PortalID=213&TabID=21365 https://programs.wcs.org/solomonislands/News/ID/15735/Fisheries-Outcomes-Maximized-Through-Traditional-Practice A new study published in the Journal of Applied Ecology has found a possible solution to one of the biggest conservation and livelihood challenges in the marine realm. The study’s authors—researchers from the California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly), WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society), Swansea University, the University of Rhode Island (URI) and other groups—have found that fishing grounds with areas that are closed to fisheries but are periodically harvested are better than fishing grounds with permanent, no-take marine protected areas (MPAs).Further, the researchers found that such “pulse” harvest MPAs also perform better than traditional measures that aim to keep fisheries at maximum sustainable yield. This research could help revolutionize fisheries management and settle a long-running debate between fisheries management and conservation sectors about the role of MPAs in balancing potential for stock recovery and maintaining yields.Read More Fri, 07 Jun 2019 02:07:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:15735 https://programs.wcs.org/solomonislands/News/ID/15736/STUDY-Logging-Tropical-Forests-Jeopardizing-Drinking-Water#Comments 0 https://programs.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=21365&ModuleID=44370&ArticleID=15736 https://programs.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=15736&PortalID=213&TabID=21365 https://programs.wcs.org/solomonislands/News/ID/15736/STUDY-Logging-Tropical-Forests-Jeopardizing-Drinking-Water SOLOMON ISLANDS (April 16, 2018) – Globally, remaining tropical forests are being rapidly cleared, particularly in countries like the Solomon Islands where commercial logging accounts for about 18 percent of government revenue, and at least 60 percent of exports while providing the largest number of formal sector jobs. However, the loss of native forests has huge ecological and social consequences, many of which are poorly documented.A team of researchers from The University of Queensland (UQ), Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), and other groups have found that increasing land clearing for logging in Solomon Islands–even with best management strategies in place – will lead to unsustainable levels of soil erosion and significant impacts to downstream water quality.Combined, these impacts will compromise the integrity of the land for future agricultural uses, interrupt access to clean drinking water and degrade important downstream ecosystems.The researchers published the results of the study in the journal Environmental Research Letters.The work focused on Kolombangara Island, where efforts are underway to create a national park to safeguard unlogged forests above 400 meters that have both cultural and ecological significance. This effort is being led by the Kolombangara Island Biodiversity Conservation Association (KIBCA), a community-based organisation focused on conserving the island’s rich marine and terrestrial biodiversity. The declaration of a protected area would add significant levels of legal protection and explicit controls over land clearing.Read More Fri, 06 Apr 2018 02:36:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:15736