gvi establishes new marine research base on caqalai island
Post on 06-Apr-2016
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Caqalai Base Achievement Report November 2014 Objective: Environmental Resource Conservation / Livelihood Adaptation
Establishing the Caqalai Marine Research and Climate Change
Adaptation Project Summary During the final quarter of 2014 GVI Fiji relocated the Marine Research base of operations following the culmination of three years work in the Nacula Tikina, Yasawa to Caqalai Island in the Lomaiviti group. Caqalai Island offers a unique staging ground to further investigate climate change adaptation techniques and approaches to community based marine resource management. Having now established
operations in this unique location, GVI Fiji will be responsible for the environmental custodianship of this island and surrounding reefs for a period of 3 years. Background On the 4th of October 2014 GVI Fiji officially relocated operations to Caqalai Island of the coast of Moturiki Island. The island has been inhabited by the communities of neighbouring Mororiki Island and has formerly operated as a small ‘home-‐stay’ resort. Through arrangements with K.Saravi Consultancy, the Fiji Methodist Church, and the local communities of Moturiki Island, GVI have established a permanent facility as a marine conservation and climate change adaptation research base. GVI Fiji volunteers are now living full time on the island contributing towards projects aimed at increasing environmental awareness, improving marine resource management and exploring climate adaptation strategies in conjunction with local communities. The programme on Caqalai has been set up to focus on the following areas:
• Marine Resource Management and Research • Community Outreach and Capacity building • Climate Change adaptation strategies and alternative livelihood practice
Caqalai Island offers a unique context from which to engage the above focuses, due to both its terrestrial and marine environment and proximity to indigenous communities in which livelihoods are inextricably linked to the natural environment for both sustenance and trade. With 10 villages on Moturiki Island and 2 primary schools, GVI have been in contact with local stakeholders to
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promote the continuing goals of the organisation (specifically Environmental Education, Conservation and Marine Research). The larger Moturiki community have welcomed the project and expressed both interest in and support of the project goals. Community Outreach – Support through Collaboration
Moturiki District School (160 students) and Uluibau Primary School (50 students) have invited GVI to assist on a part time basis by delivering lessons on environmental awareness and arranging hands on activities for students on a weekly basis in 2015. This interaction will form a crucial element of the community outreach programme. In addition to interactions with schools, and in keeping with accepted protocol for the development of our projects, volunteers have carried out 40 household surveys in Uluibau
and Wawa villages to gain a better understanding of local issues and the ways in which GVI and local communities can work together to tackle them. Prominent issues that have been identified through the surveys include poor waste management, a lack of fresh water throughout the dry-‐season for both sanitation and hygiene, and issues involved with the communities heavy reliance on subsistence farming and marine resources for livelihood. GVI Fiji staff are developing the project goals for 2015 based on these findings. Marine Research -‐ Investigating solutions for community based resource management
Caqalai Island itself is part of an extensive reef network, which will be continually surveyed as part of an on-‐going programme to build up an historical dataset of changes to the local marine ecosystem and contributing factors to the overall reef health and the relation of this change to climatic factors. To date, GVI have carried out 25 underwater surveys which, although it is too early to speculate on the overall health of the reef, have shed light on some of the potential stressors on the reef
system. The biodiversity of the reef varies drastically between sites over a relatively small area and there have been various sightings of particular note (17 threatened shark sightings, 1 Manta ray sighting, 17 turtle sightings and a total of 35 IUCN Red List animals). In addition to the continual surveying of Caqalai’s surrounding reefs, GVI will be carrying out surveys within the tabu (locally enforced restricted fishing) areas at communities on Motoriki. On the 5th
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December an initial GPS survey was undertaken to demarcate the boundary of Uluibau’s tabu area prior to the underwater surveys taking place. With this area mapped, and the relevant permissions granted, GVI will begin to work in the area during, and after which findings will be communicated back to the community and recommendations made as to how better manage the area so as to ensure ongoing food security through the sustainable use of this valuable resource for future generations. Climate adaptation and alternative livelihood practice – Observation, Innovation, and Response
Caqalai Island offers a unique opportunity to trial technologies and systems which, if successful, could prove to be of advantage to local communities as they adapt to a changing climate. With island communities being so inextricably linked to their natural environment for sustenance and trade, finding ways to adapt livelihoods will help communities become more resilient to the negative impacts of climate change. GVI will use Caqalai Island as a testing ground for organic vegetable farming, beekeeping,
drip-‐fed irrigation systems, rainwater harvesting, solar power, composting toilets, reforestation and anti-‐erosion planting. Through research and observation, the GVI team hopes to be able to pin point solutions that can be up-‐scaled for the benefit of local communities. Tried and tested methods would then be presented to communities in the form of a ‘toolkit’ – a variety of trainings on innovative methods designed to help communities members to sustainably adapt livelihoods through the improvement of infrastructure, food and water security, disaster risk awareness, and income generation initiatives. Laying the foundation for these long term goals has begun and a work plan designed for 2015.
For more information on GVI’s projects in Fiji please
visit www.gvi.co.uk For more information on our global impact visit
www.gviworld.com To make a donation to our community projects in Fiji please visit www.gvi.org for more details.
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