Biodiversity Conservation Network
19. Oil Nuts and Tourism in the Forests of Makira Island
Location: Makira Island, Solomon Islands Partners: Conservation International (CI)
Maruia Society
Solomon Islands Development Trust (SIDT)Project Title: Conservation in Development Program BCN Funding: $300,000 Partner Contribution: $100,000 Grant Period: January 1, 1994 - December 31, 1996 (Extending project at no extra cost.)
Project Overview
Conservation International is working with SIDT and the Maruia Society in Makira, Solomon Islands, an area of highly significant regional biodiversity and home to indigenous communities still engaged in relatively traditional resource use. Due to its separation from other islands during times of high sea levels, Makira has a high number of endemic floral and animal species. For example, 10 of its 76 bird species are endemic. The most pressing threats to the island's natural resources are international logging operations. Many Makira communities have already succumbed to the relatively large amounts of cash the logging companies offer people to high grade the timber on their land.To meet these threats, the Conservation In Development (CID) program has established Makira's first conservation area. The CID team of SIDT and Maruia Society/Conservation International has been working with the Hauta and Warohito communities for the past four years to define the conservation area and to identify enterprises whose viability is linked to the need to conserve the area's biodiversity. The CID team has begun to develop small-scale ecotourism and the extraction of ngali nut oil for export among other enterprises.
1996 Accomplishments
Weather Coast: Three Environmental Awareness Workshops were held at Suguasi (Warihito area), Hunama (Highlands) and Marunga (Weather Coast area) to make villagers aware of the environment impact on communities and wise decisions before accepting any large scale development. More than 600 people attended these workshops. More of such will be held within and outside the conservation area in the near future. The Social Survey has now been completed in 30 villages.North Coast: Beekeeping has proved to be very successful at the north coast site. Three hives were installed at Togori, Tawani, and Tawaitara and were taken care of by the women's groups. The team worked with Forestry Officer Kira Kira to assess the operations. Further management training will be held early in 1997.
Warihito Area: The Ngali nut project is now operating on its own and is being run by the community press workers and guided by the project committee. The project plans to extract 500 liters of oil during this season. A nut buying strategy was drawn and extraction started in June. Up to now they have extracted 368 liters. The remaining liters will be completed and ready for export by the end of this year. Biological monitoring on Canarium indicum trees at Warohinou and Naharahau was also completed. This survey took place in June and July and was conducted by Dr. Julian Ash, BCN staff and SIDT-CID staff. The local communities were trained to carry out the rest of the program. To balance the needs and interest of the stakeholders in the conservation area, Women's Leadership and sewing training workshop was held at Warohinou for all the women's group leaders at both the North Coast and Warihito areas. 18 members representing 9 women's groups attended the workshop.
Highlands: To slow down the highland villages from clearing new forest for garden along the ridges year after year, a Slope Agriculture Land Technic (SALT) system was introduced. Three women from the highlands went for a two week study tour in March to the Vanga Rural Training Centre. The trail program has already started and villagers showed great interest. Three Eco-tourism/Study tour trips were hosted at Hauta conservation area. The first included staff from Komaridi and Arnavon Marine Conservation project in May, the second one was arranged for CI-Lakekamu Basin (PNG) and East New Britain Social Action Committee in June, and the third was for One World Tour, Community Aid Abroad (Australia) in September. Evaluation showed that all three were very successful. The Eco-tourism strategy was also drawn-up for 1997. Two conservation committees were set up at Hauta and Warihito. These committees will be responsible for maintaining the two conservation areas. A workshop was held for the members, but to be more effective in the long run, training is needed.
Success Stories
A theater Action group was established to dramatize messages to villagers, by SIDT CID Village Demonstration Workers (VDW). This tool proved to be very effective. Pigeon Research programs have been completed at the highlands on July this year. Since October 1995 to September 1996, the team has conducted more than 90 village level workshops within and outside the Conservation area on Makira. The workshops were focused more on Environment issues and emphasis was more on the Conservation concept. These workshops were attended by more than 2,000 people both men and women. Some of the workshops were requested by the communities and others were held according to CID program's development stages. The workshops proved to be very successful as a result a Malaysian logging company was pulled out from Makira Province. The women in development program is also coming up pretty well after the leadership and sewing training workshop. The women's group went back and organized themselves in their communities and have drawn work programs. The next training programs will include Sanitation, Kitchen improvement, Sup sup garden and cooking.
Challenges
The program has gone through a lot of challenges during this period. Some were internal threats, which were also related to the outside world. The main one was on the enterprises which need to be seen as an alternative to logging in the conservation area. If there is no stable and committed company to sell the 500 liters of ngali nut oil produced at Warohino, and the ecotourism in the highlands is not maintained, then this could be a turning point. This means that if these two enterprises are not functioning well or failed, then people will go for different development or even logging. For the communities to be fully engaged in these projects, the two enterprises should be reliable.
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