HÙN MÔÔ’M KAHOK, Human's behavior

New Caledonia

Local project

Project Factsheet

HÙN MÔÔ’M KAHOK

Last update: November 2025
Download the PDF sheet of this project.

co-benefits

Disaster risk reduction

Project name

Hùn môô’m Kahok
Project Lead

Association for the Conservation and Management of Mount Panié – ACCMP
Project Start

January 2023
Estimated term

January 2025
Amount of funding

€ 95,242

Main
results

Forest ecosystem restoration

Restoration activities were carried out over 10.3 hectares, with 3.5 hectares cleared of invasive Caribbean pine trees, 9 000 seedlings planted, and 200 meters of firebreaks established to protect savannah and forest areas on volcano-sedimentary substrates.
Community engagement and nursery establishment

Three community tree nurseries were set up at Wharé, Ouenpouès and Wândjik, fostering local involvement in ongoing restoration efforts.
Customary fire management rules

Customary fire management practices were strengthened through four meetings with local authorities and tribal communities, resulting in new regulations: "It is forbidden to set fire from the mountain to the seashore. Anyone identified as causing a fire must have their clan take responsibility for restoring the damaged area and organize replanting efforts." These rules will be displayed on signboards near the restoration sites.
Awareness and education

An awareness session was held at the Wharé private Catholic school, engaging the public and students on the impacts of fire and invasive Caribbean pine on forest ecosystems. Students created four educational panels on these topics.
Capacity building

Local skills were enhanced through training, with ten young people trained in tree felling and safety protocols, six in nursery management, and another six in video production. Educational materials were also produced to support these activities.
During the second half of 2023, an accidental fire affected the reforested area of Wândjik. The responsible clan honored their commitment by replanting the affected areas.

Project locations

The project was initiated by the Clan Council of the Ouaré, Ouanpoues and Ouendjip tribes, and is led by the Dayu Biik association. Dayu Biik collect proposals for Nature-based Solution submitted by local communities to mitigate the effects of climate change.

The three tribes are strongly willing to take action to protect their environment, and through this project, the inhabitants of the Ouaré, Ouanpoues and Ouendjip tribes will implement actions to:

mitigate the risk of fire;
reduce the population of Pinus caribaea;
ensure community management of the area; and
empower young people to become participants in sustainable development.

The ‘Hùn môô'm Kahok’ project has been designed to use an integrated and participatory watershed management approach that will ensure environmental preservation from the mountain to the reef, strengthening the ‘Land-Sea’ link.

Objectives of the project

Restore forest ecosystems :
- Fell pinus trees with a diameter between 8 and 20 cm and uproot pinus trees with a diameter between 0 and 8 cm.
- Establish tribal nurseries.
- Conduct reforestation operations.
- Create firebreaks.
- Maintain plantations.
Tribal customary rules within the local communities :
- Transcribe the reinforced tribal customary rules into local languages, as well as into French.
- Disseminate these customary rules at the communal and provincial levels through the communal magazine ‘Djama Hyehen’ and the Northern Province magazine ‘Le Pays’.
Communicate and raise awareness among the general public about the impact of fires and of an exotic and invasive plant species, the Caribbean pine :
- Create four information signs describing the project.
- Make a short film showing the activities carried out during the project.
- Show the short film presenting the activities carried out during the project during the project feedback meetings.
- Present the results of the project to the three tribes involved in the project
Strengthen the capacities and skills of people from three tribes to restore forest ecosystems :
- Train young people in the local communities to safely fell pine trees.
- Train men and women in the local communities to create and manage a nurseries capable of producing more than 600 plants/year.
- Train young people in local communities to make a documentary film.
- The project has 4 specific objectives, shown above with their respective activities:

Social inclusion and gender equity

During the implementation of the project, the entire population, regardless of gender, age, vulnerability and disability, will actively participate. In addition, we have created a Steering Committee (COPIL) comprising men, women and young people to ensure the smooth running of the project.

Women will particularly be active, such as participating in consultation meetings, setting up nurseries, creating signs, etc.