A regular update of news from CEPF's East Melanesian Islands

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Halo evriwan! In this issue, we share with you updates and stories from CEPF grantees active in the East Melanesian Islands. Please share your project stories with us!

FROM THE RIT

Staff Changes at the RIT

The RIT bid farewell to our Country Coordinator in May. We sincerely thank Fiona for all her work in the role, and wish her all the best with her future endeavours.

We also share some sad news that Luisa Tagicakibau, the RIT Team Leader for Administration, is moving on! Luisa has been an integral part of the RIT and we will all miss her terribly! Again, we wish her well with what follows.

Fiona Rodie-Posala and Luisa Tagicakibau

Site visits to Solomon Island grantees

CEPF is committed to helping grantees to become stronger in administrative and financial management. During April and May, CEPF worked closely with a number of grantees to improve in these areas. By doing so, CEPF hopes that this will enable local civil society groups to effectively implement their conservation projects and continue to lead in conservation efforts into the future.

Members of IUCN Oceania with ESSI in Gizo

Site Visit to the Baining Mountains

A joint visit to Arabam in the Baining area was conducted on 23rd May by CEPF, CEPA and OISCA through UNDP GEF funding. Sustainable livelihoods projects are being implemented by OISCA in the Arabam, Reigal and Maranagi proposed conservation area supported through the UNDP GEF 4 project. These include growing cocoa, moringa, a fixed farm model of mixed vegetables, rice and animal husbandry. Reforestation of once degraded areas of native tree species is also implemented by OISCA with Warangoi catchment, Baining Mountains. Photo © these communities. These communities will also benefit Raymon Joshua, OISCA from an MOU with PNG Power and the East New Britain Provincial Administration for the protection of the Warangoi River Catchment for hydroelectricity. The NCC also met with potential grantees, Coordinator for the Environment, Climate Change and Forest Division of the East New Britain Provincial Administration and the FORCERT field team in Kokopo as well.

Site visits and Monitoring of the portfolio

Staff from CEPF in Washington will be visiting Solomon Islands in the second half of July. Their focus will be on programmatic and financial management of large grantees.

We will also host some informal meetings with grantees in order to gain grantee input and feedback into priorities for the CEPF investment, and in preparation for the mid-term reviews to be held later in the year.

A reminder to all grantees: please do send us details of your project related travel plans in advance, so that members of the RIT can try and meet with you in country.

Monitor Lizard, © Helen Pippard

FROM THE FIELD

A list of all small and large grants currently active in the East Melanesian Islands can be found here

Strategic Planning for PELA

The PNG Environmental Law Association (PELA) held its Strategic Planning Meeting on 5th May to review and finalize the organization’s strategic plan. Discussions included the review of vision, mission, values, programme goals, objectives and activities including membership. This will help set a direction for PELA, attract membership and leverage funding beyond CEPF’s small grant. The PNG NCC, Zola Sangga, was also invited to attend this meeting.

PELA Members, Facilitator and Zola Sangga, PNG CEPF NCC © PELA

The Kainake Project

Under a small grant, The Kainake Project has built up their organizational capacity. They have now been delighted to share their experience in institutional capacity building with others. The Rara-Rarei Foundation, in Siwai District, Bougainville benefitted from the sharing of knowledge and experiences so that they can grow their own organization, which focuses on providing educational materials for youth in Bougainville.

Read more here

TKP and Rara-Rarei Foundation staff © TKP

Monitoring visit to FORCERT, Kimbe, West New Britain Province

PNG Country Coordinator, Zola Sangga, visited the FORCERT head office in Kimbe, West New Britain Province in mid-May 2018. In line with CEPF’s focus on ensuring that grantees have robust systems for project and management in place, the focus of the visit was primarily on financial reporting and compliance. Zola also took the opportunity to pay a courtesy visit to the West New Britain Provincial L-R John Suarim, Jeremiah Sokaim, Zola Sangga, Desmond Administration’s Division of Forestry, Climate Vaghelo © Zola Sangga Change and Environment. Zola met with the Forest Officer (John Suarim), Climate Change Officer (Jeremiah Sokaim) and Environment Officer (Desmond Vaghelo). Discussions included an overview and update of CEPF activities in PNG.

SIELA

As part of its capacity building grant, SIELA, the Solomon Islands Environmental law Association, held a training workshop on environmental laws and policies for the Honiara City Council in May 2018.

This was the first activity that involved SIELA’s recently recruited Project Coordinator/Lawyer, Mr. Lappy Hite, who played a superb role providing support for the training presentations and answering legal questions raised during the workshop.

During the last week of June, this same training was carried out for the Solomon Islands Rangers Association. The training enabled Rangers to learn about their roles and responsibilities under Solomon Islands law.

Solomon Islands National University

SINU recently began delivery of its project to strengthen research and teaching capacity for biodiversity conservation. This project aims to build the skills of conservation practitioners in Solomon Islands so that they can lead conservation projects without outside assistance. The course also aims to integrate biodiversity conservation topics into the SINU curriculum.

The first training was held in Honiara in late June, when staff from SINU and project partner, the Dr Patrick Pikacha, University of Queensland, presents to the University of Queensland, led a 3 day workshop group © Helen Pippard for over 20 staff from the School of Natural Resources and Applied Sciences. Subsequent trainings will be held throughout the year.

Western Province Network for Sustainable Environment

The Western Province Network for Sustainable Environment was recently established under a grant to WorldFish, Solomon Islands. Its central aim is to promote coordination of conservation and environmental work in the Western Province. The leadership of the network now rotates annually. In 2018, this task falls to ESSI - Ecological Solutions Solomon Islands – who held the second quarterly meeting of the network in Members of the WPNFE in Gizo © ESSI Gizo in late May.

Topics for discussion amongst members included raising awareness on environmental issues in the Province, the upcoming plastic ban, and ideas for recycling of aluminium.

We congratulate all involved for maintaining this initiative!

VESS carry out training in field skills

Prior to an expedition to the Bank Islands and , the Vanuatu Environmental Science Society team and other young Ni- Vanuatu took part in a Biodiversity Assessment training workshop. The course was led by Dr Tyrone Lavery, associated with the University of Kansas, and focused on building skills in ecological field techniques and theory followed by practical sessions.

Dr Lavery demonstrating the setting up of camera traps © VESS

VESS Expedition to Banks and Temotu

The Vanuatu Environmental Science Society recently undertook and concluded a month long expedition to the Banks Islands, Vanuatu and Temotu province Solomon Islands, in search of threatened species of bats. The team were successful in finding the Banks Flying Fox and Vanikoro Flying Fox! Data was gathered and will now be used to look at drawing up management plans with local communities in order to safeguard these animals.

For more information on the expedition, an interview by ABC Australia can be read here Banks Flying Fox © Tyrone Lavery

Live and Learn Vanuatu

Live and Learn Vanuatu has been working with the Kerepua community in Santo to progress towards CCA registration for the Proposed Tabuemasana Conservation Area. Under their grant from CEPF, with co-funding from UNDP small grants, Live and Learn undertook a biodiversity survey and mapping exercise in the area in late 2017.

The biodiversity survey results have confirmed four different forest types: mountain forest, cloud forest, woodland and grassland; 8 endemic bird species; 4 endemic freshwater fish species; 71 endemic plants. Of particular interest was the sighting of the Santa Cruz Ground Dove which is Assessment team for the Mt Tabuemasana Conservation Area also found in Temotu in Solomon Islands, and © Live and Learn Vanuatu which was last observed in Vanuatu in 2011.

The high diversity of the area and importance as a watershed helped the case for the registration of the CCA under the EPC Act.

Mt Tabwemasana registered as a Community Conservation Area!

The Department of Environmental Protection together with Live and Learn Vanuatu and the community of Kerepua officially announced the Mount Tabwemasana Area as a Legally recognized Conservation Area under Part 4 of the EPC Act CAP 283 on 6th June 2018! The area is the biggest registered conservation area in Vanuatu (4,959 hectares). There are now 6 Registered Conservation Areas in Vanuatu (5 of which are on Santo).

Congratulations to everyone involved in this fantastic achievement!

DEPC director Mr. Reedly Tari Officially handing over registration certificate to the Chairman of TCCA at Kerepua Village

Edenhope Foundation

In April, Edenhope convened with project partners and facilitators to host the second and final capacity-building workshop in local biodiversity conservation for the Santo Sunset Environment Network in Tasmate, West Coast Santo. Co- funded by SPC/GIZ, the central focus of the workshop was to combine training for the best practice in environmental conservation and resource management with an innovative approach to sustainable development and livelihoods within local communities, to support biodiversity management throughout the West Representatives of the Santo Sunset Environment Network © Edenhope Santo Mountain Chain. Prospective CCAs have been mapped across the Santo Mountain Chain, and local CCA networks have been established in every representative community in the network in order to move towards CCA registration in the future.

GRANTEE PUBLICATIONS

WWF Solomon Islands

The Ridges to Reef Conservation Plan, Ghizo and , has been developed under a large grant from CEPF. In partnership with various partners (including ESSI, KIBCA and the communities in Ghizo and Kolombangara Islands) the plan highlights areas of interest and importance to local communities relating to conservation management and development on each of the islands.

The plan can be downloaded here.

Island Reach

A newly produced video by CEPF grantee Island Reach documents the emerging role played by women in natural resource management and environmental decision-making. Island Reach has been collaborating with Wan Smolbag's Vanua'tai Resource Monitors Network in Vanuatu to increase women's participation, build their capacity, and facilitate peer-to-peer exchanges. Women's participation in the Vanua'tai network as environmental stewards and agents of change is

inspirational.

Watch the video here

REMINDERS FOR GRANTEES

Reporting

Progress reports are due quarterly for small grantees and six monthly for large grantees. Financial reports are due quarterly for all grantees.

*Small grant reports for Q2 2018 (finance and performance) are due to IUCN Oceania on July 15th 2018*

*Large grant reports for Q2 2018 (finance) and Q1 and Q2 2018 (performance) are due to CEPF on July 30th 2018*

Please submit these by the deadline! It is vital that reports are sent to us on time and with sufficient detail regarding the progress against your planned project activities. We cannot disburse any further funds to you until progress and financial reports are submitted on time and approved.

Please check the FAQs for information on the Conservation Grants system for Large Grantees. If you have further queries, please get in touch with CEPF or the RIT.

Travel plans Please ensure that you inform the RIT in advance of your visits to project sites etc. It is very helpful for us to be able to meet with you to discuss progress and any issues with project implementation. We cannot always promise that we will be available, but we will try our best if we have advance notification of your plans.

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About CEPF CEPF is a joint initiative of l'Agence Française de Développement, Conservation International, the European Union, the Global Environment Facility, the Government of Japan, the MacArthur Foundation and the World Bank. CEPF funds non-governmental efforts to conserve the world’s most biodiverse and threatened ecosystems. www.cepf.net

About IUCN IUCN is a membership Union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organisations. It provides public, private and non-governmental organisations with the knowledge and tools that enable human progress, economic development and nature conservation to take place together. Created in 1948, IUCN has evolved into the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network. It harnesses the experience, resources and reach of its 1,300 Member organisations and the input of some 10,000 experts. IUCN is the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it. Our experts are organised into six commissions dedicated to species survival, environmental law, protected areas, social and economic policy, ecosystem management, and education and communication. www.iucn.org https://twitter.com/IUCN/