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Enhancing the Management of Protected Areas in the Mt. Maetambe and Kolombangara River Corridors

Terrestrial Protected Area Indigenous and Community Conserved Area (ICCA)

Governance Management Effectiveness Livelihoods

Local Communities Indigenous Peoples

Management Plan Illegal Activities Threatened Species

Rapid Response Grant | 37,193$ Solomon Islands; Pacific 01.06.2021 – 31.05.2022

Protected and conserved area(s) concerned

Sirebe Protected Area, Siporae Protected Area

The BIOPAMA AC Objectives addressed

Increased resilience to major shocks and recovery of the protected and conserved areas including sustainable and innovative funding planning

Priority need addressed

Forests in the Mt. Maetambe and Kolombangara River Corridors are under high threat from large-scale commercial logging activities. Surrounding many of the protected areas are active logging activities. Furthermore, illegal trespassing by logging companies into the protected areas is common. To help ensure that the protected area boundaries are respected, rangers need to do weekly boundary surveys to monitor the movement of the logging companies. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the conservation project in both areas came to a standstill. The expected income from PES crediting could not commence due to postponed and delayed validation and verification audits. This project is specifically designed to help the Protected Area management committees to bridge the period of non-income and to mitigate the current logging threats in the area. Besides helping the rangers to carry out patrols and surveys, the project will also contribute towards building small accommodations for rangers within the protected areas so that they may stay within the protected area for longer periods of time, as well as increase their presence.

The change the project implementation will bring for the protected area(s)

The Rangers and Protected Area Management committee members will have increased capacity and be empowered from the trainings provided under the project to carry out their work.
The huts and the engine will provide access to the Protected Areas for more effective and stronger safekeeping of the Protected area against illegal activity and trespassers, specifically logging and mining companies.
The livelihoods of the Ranger families and the tribe will be improved by the wage opportunity and other associated incomes connected with the implementation of the project.
The project will showcase to other neighbouring tribes how gender equity can be demonstrated through the inclusion of women in integral aspects of implementing the project.
Tribal people will improve their connection to their land and be one of the first ones in the country to be declared under the Protected Areas Act 2010.

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