Progress made to establish conservation area in Vanuatu
FAO helps set up Bay Homo Community Conservation Area on South Pentecost
FAO is assisting the Government of Vanuatu and the land owners and communities of South Pentecost with the establishment of a Community Conservation Area.
South Pentecost is internationally known for its unique cultural activity – the famous land-dive, which is said to be the forerunner to bungy jumping. The land dive is a unique selling point to attract tourists. However, the commercialization of land diving has led to debates around the cultural activity losing its authenticity.
A strategy for the development of eco-tourism has been proposed after a tourism study was conducted. The results of all studies will be used for the development of a management plan for the Community Conservation Area and for the assistance to improve the local people’s livelihoods.
As well as conserving and promoting cultural activities for tourism, other important issues have been identified. In 2014, nine communities on South Pentecost decided to establish the Bay Homo Community Conservation Area in response to decreasing fresh water supply and other life supporting systems from local forests. FAO’s Forest and Protected Area Management project is assisting these communities to achieve this plan. The proposed conservation area will cover 3700 hectares of forest ecosystems.
In May 2015, a team of local (Ni-Van) and international experts carried out a socio-economic and ecological assessment on the South Pentecost Island. The diversity of flora and fauna species and their continued survival were assessed over a nine day period.
The team also evaluated local community reliance on natural resources and what they think is needed from conservation to create alternative incomes. The boundary of the protected area has been surveyed and signboards erected. Presently the protected area focuses on hills and mountains.
However, local communities requested the protected area will also have to expand into the coastal marine zone to counter the decline in fishing catches. Conservation and development activities will implement a holistic approach called Ridge to Reef. This approach targets finding ways to reduce transfers of chemicals, nutrients and sediments from agriculture, forestry in catchments and untreated wastewater to minimize the damage to coastal ecosystems and coral reefs.
After the team concluded their assessment they agreed that South Pentecost meets the criteria to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The rich and diverse culture and nature of the indigenous people from Bay Homo and their Community Conservation Area are documented in a film and report which will be available online.