Improving the management and restoration of O Le Pupu Pue National Park in Samoa

© Samoa Conservation Society

On June 29, Forest Restoration Awareness Day, the Samoa Conservation Society commemorated its tenth anniversary!

For this occasion, the group went to the Togitogiga Nursery, which is used for seedling collection and propagation. Collectively, about 500 Samoan native plants were planted and a trip around the park's coastal path, stopping along the way to view and learn about the many native plants and wildlife.

What were the goals for the day?
- Increase public understanding of the #OLPPNP, forest restoration, and risks to it, particularly invasive species and climate change.

- Inform students in the neighborhood schools on the significance of Samoa's ecology, biodiversity, and geology in the #OLPPNP.

- Encourage awareness of the effects of climate change and ways to lessen risk and vulnerability to it.

- Identify the main sources of emissions in supply chains so that the appropriate parties are aware and may take appropriate action to minimize emissions.

© IUCN

Discover in this article how the Samoa Conservation Society #SCS focuses on community empowerment and biodiversity protection through forest restoration efforts. Their local project, part of the Kiwa Initiative, aims to restore O Le Pupu Pu'e National Park's ecosystems while engaging the community. Activities include planting native seeds, monitoring restoration efforts, and providing training to community field assistants.

Click here to read the article: https://urlz.fr/pV69

© FB page Samoa Conservation Society

The Samoa Conservation Society (SCS), or Sosaiete Fa'asao o Samoa, extends its heartfelt thanks to IUCN Oceania and the Kiwa Initiative for their financial support in producing an 8-minute documentary video focused on the restoration of O le Pupu Pu’e (OLPP) National Park. This video, available in both English and Samoan, highlights the importance of the restoration work in reviving local biodiversity, providing income to surrounding communities, and establishing carbon sinks and a site for carbon offset initiatives.

SCS would also like to acknowledge the valuable collaboration of the Forestry Division of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Samoa, the Poutasi Development Trust (PDT), and the three village communities of Poutasi, Saleilua, and Saaga. Since 2016, they have been working together to restore the forest in O le Pupu Pu’e National Park in Togitogiga.

A special thank you goes to Tofilau Avii Faalupega Studios for producing the video, which was officially launched during the Kiwa Initiative meeting on the Coral Coast, Fiji, on September 23, 2024.

The video is now available to the public, raising awareness about the importance of forest restoration, carbon offsetting, and other environmental programs led by the Samoa Conservation Society.

The restoration project was coordinated by SCS staff members Elfeira Taitafitioletaiosafune Meleisea and Leilua Tipamaa. It will continue with new funding from NatureFiji-MareqetiViti and the U.S. Forest Service's ISLANDS program.

Watch the video here: https://www.facebook.com/conservesamoa/videos/553004367391166?locale=fr_FR

© Eugene Meleisa

Learning new skills can enhance community livelihoods and build resilience against changing weather patterns. Recently, training sessions on first aid, forest maintenance, and species recognition were held in three locations. These skills are valuable for ecotourism, tree farming, and responsible wood collection, supporting forest restoration and a balanced society.

Women, in particular, gain confidence and leadership through first aid and forest restoration training, enabling them to advocate for responsible forest management. The training fosters collaboration among women's clubs, communities, NGOs, and government agencies, leading to more inclusive and successful forest restoration efforts.

Additionally, training in identifying Samoan native and invasive species helps community members protect ecosystems, stop the spread of invasive species, and support biodiversity. This knowledge also enhances employee satisfaction and promotes cultural awareness when sharing information with visitors. Overall, the training benefits both the environment and local communities.

© KiwaInitiative

On May 24, 2023, staff from the Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort contributed to the protection of the dunes at the National Park. 

It gave the national park ranger team an opportunity to celebrate (belatedly) International Day of Biodiversity and introduce the project to a new public. 

The Outrigger team and a few of their guests joined the ranger team to contribute to the protection of the sand dunes, by fortifying the park’s new firebreak through the planting of a fire-resistant tree species. This is part of biodiversity conservation and critical to the protection of the park. Together, the team Outrigger and the ranger team planted 75 teak saplings along the park’s Cece Gully. These saplings will complement the role of the firebreak once they reach a good height and help stop the spread of fires into the park. Fire to date is still one of the biggest threats to the National Park.

The Cece Gully is also the site for the agroforestry component of the park’s project, where planting of fruit trees has already begun. This site is part of the resilience building, in terms of food security for the nearby community. Having a good firebreak around the perimeter of this gully is so critical. We are hoping that in two years’ time, this gully will be populated with many fruit trees beneficial to the park’s wildlife and the community.

© FB page Samoa Conservation Society

The Samoa Conservation Society was honored to welcome Mr. David Fournier, Head of Cooperation for the Pacific Mission of the Canadian High Commission in Suva, Fiji. Canada is one of the main sponsors of the Kiwa Initiative, which funds several ongoing conservation projects in Samoa.

The Samoa Conservation Society team had the opportunity to show him the progress being made at project sites in Malololelei and O le Pupu Pue national parks, as well as at the Vailima Botanical Gardens, where we are actively working on plant and butterfly conservation.

The local project "Improving the management and restoration of O Le Pupu Pue National Park".

This ambitious project aims to:

• Improve the conservation status of O le Pupu Pue National Park through actions to restore and conserve threatened species.
• Increase the capacity and participation of local communities and the benefits of park management.
• Create a proof of concept to demonstrate new ways of sustainably financing protected area management in Samoa and the Pacific.

We thank Mr. Fournier for his interest in and support of our conservation efforts, and look forward to welcoming him back soon.
Find out more about the project :

Click here to find out more about Nature based Solutions in the Pacific.

© KiwaInitiative

About 40 community members from the villages of Poutasi, Saleilua & Saaga on the south coast of Upolu attended a workshop on October 20 to celebrate together with the Forestry Division of MNRE, the continuation of Restoration work for the O Le Pupu Pue National Park. The restoration project for the park started in 2016 and was funded in 2018 under a UNDP SGP grant, and later under a US Forest Service Pacific Islands Forest Restoration Initiative (PIFRI) grant from 2020 -2021.

Since 2016 we have planted more than 25,000 trees in the park and restored around 10ha (25 acres) of degraded forest. The Samoa Conservation Society recently secured further funding for the next 18 months thanks to the Kiwa Initiative.

The workshop focused on the introduction of the Kiwa Initiative and how communities will benefit from the project. The Kiwa Initiative is a financial support for the O le Pupu Pu’e NP, the first National Park in Samoa and the South Pacific region. About 60% of the project’s budget will be focused on restoration work and the rest will be on the conservation of Samoan threatened species such as the Manumea, Samoa’s National Bird and the Niu vao, or endemic bush palm. The work is guided by the OLPP NP Management Plan (MNRE – 2016), the Mapping of fue lautetele (Merremia peltata) in the park and recommendations for management (Asia Air Survey 2014) and the Operational Plan for Park Restoration (MNRE 2010). Around 6% of the park, or about 240 Ha, is in need of restoration due to cyclone damage and the spread of invasive weeds, such as Fue lautetele.