PGR News from the Pacific

Posted 10:51 PM by Luigi

Islanders fight to save vesi trees

Fiji Times, Friday, December 09, 2005

A HISTORIC conservation program to save a native species of trees on the verge of extinction is being undertaken by a community that has largely exploited it for commercial reasons.

Kabara islanders in the Lau Group are actively involved in the historic reforestation program geared at saving the vesi trees, or Intsia bijuga as it is scientifically known.

The effort, under the guidance of the World Wide Fund for Nature and the Government, has led to the first nursery of vesi trees being set up on the island.

"We are initiating the reforestation program to ensure the community takes an active approach towards sustainability," said WWF's sustainable forest project officer, Francis Areki.

The trees are a source of high value timber. Of Kabara's remaining forests, only eight per cent are vesi trees.

The majority of the 400 or so Kabara islanders are reliant on the vesi timber for their carvings which they use to generate income. "There is a lack of replanting of vesi in Fiji," said the Ministry of Forestry's Acting Principle Forestry Officer, Temo Raravula.

"We are raising the seedlings of native trees but now we have difficulty in finding seed sources. From my observation in the forest here, there is hardly any re-germinating as expected. Not many trees are bearing seeds," he said.

"There is no other way that there will be a sustainable supply of vesi in Kabara unless we do this replanting program.

"The villagers have to now plant where they have already logged. Together with replanting, the use of timber has to be improved."

Furthermore, villagers have been taught a new skill in carving so that they can use the off-cuts and other wood resources other than the vesi.

For the last three months, five of the villagers have been undergoing training in Nasinu and will return to the island in February to impart their knowledge.

* Comments:

We have recently started to use a simple but very effective propagator for multiplication of indigenous nut and fruit trees. I will see if we have Intsia here in East New Britain and, if so, ask our scientists to try to propagate it from cuttings. If it works we can then liase further to help Kabara.

# posted by

Anonymous : 2:24 PM



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DIVA-GIS	Thursday, December 08, 2005 Posted 10:51 PM by Luigi Islanders fight to save vesi trees Fiji Times, Friday, December 09, 2005 A HISTORIC conservation program to save a native species of trees on the verge of extinction is being undertaken by a community that has largely exploited it for commercial reasons. Kabara islanders in the Lau Group are actively involved in the historic reforestation program geared at saving the vesi trees, or Intsia bijuga as it is scientifically known. The effort, under the guidance of the World Wide Fund for Nature and the Government, has led to the first nursery of vesi trees being set up on the island. "We are initiating the reforestation program to ensure the community takes an active approach towards sustainability," said WWF's sustainable forest project officer, Francis Areki. The trees are a source of high value timber. Of Kabara's remaining forests, only eight per cent are vesi trees. The majority of the 400 or so Kabara islanders are reliant on the vesi timber for their carvings which they use to generate income. "There is a lack of replanting of vesi in Fiji," said the Ministry of Forestry's Acting Principle Forestry Officer, Temo Raravula. "We are raising the seedlings of native trees but now we have difficulty in finding seed sources. From my observation in the forest here, there is hardly any re-germinating as expected. Not many trees are bearing seeds," he said. "There is no other way that there will be a sustainable supply of vesi in Kabara unless we do this replanting program. "The villagers have to now plant where they have already logged. Together with replanting, the use of timber has to be improved." Furthermore, villagers have been taught a new skill in carving so that they can use the off-cuts and other wood resources other than the vesi. For the last three months, five of the villagers have been undergoing training in Nasinu and will return to the island in February to impart their knowledge. * Comments: We have recently started to use a simple but very effective propagator for multiplication of indigenous nut and fruit trees. I will see if we have Intsia here in East New Britain and, if so, ask our scientists to try to propagate it from cuttings. If it works we can then liase further to help Kabara. # posted by Anonymous : 2:24 PM Post a Comment	Archive October 2002 November 2002 December 2002 January 2003 February 2003 March 2003 April 2003 May 2003 June 2003 July 2003 August 2003 September 2003 October 2003 November 2003 December 2003 January 2004 February 2004 March 2004 April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 October 2008 November 2008 December 2008 January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 April 2009 May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 September 2009 October 2009 November 2009 January 2010 RSS Feed Alternative feed Contact Tevita Something new: Agrobiodiversity Weblog: For discussions of conservation and sustainable use of the genetic resources of crops, livestock and their wild relatives. 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