Bio-diversity

Vanuatu high volcanic islands are faced with increasing urban and agricultural development pressure that the native forest areas are removed extensively that local community catchment areas are facing high sedimentation. This is no exception to the Efate island, where the interior of the island formed the basin for local communities water supply. Local communities traditional leaders declared the interior of protected and known as Efate Land Management Area .The decision was challenged with the increasing national governemtn development planned that seen the alienation of land areas within tradtional declared land for agricutureal and residential development. The Efate Land Management Area (ELMA) is more than 19,000 ha of forested land at the centre of Efate island. The protection of this land has been promoted as both a sanctuary for the island`s water supply and natural biodiversity. However little is known about the forest structure and difficult to help management decisions on protection when faced with cash income generating for household through subdivision for lease arrangement for development. The project will be a study analysis of the forest structure and biodiversity and rehabilitation of water catchment through reforestation programme in Epau community to help provide information on the significance of forest to thelocal communtiy leaders for protection of the watershed for local water supply.

Vanuatu