Nature Melanesian www.melanesiangeo.com Geo Tranquility 6 14 18 24 34 66 72 74 82 6 Herping the final frontier 42 Seahabitats and dugongs in the Lau Lagoon 10 Community-based response to protecting biodiversity in East 46 Herping the sunset islands Kwaio, Solomon Islands 50 Freshwater secrets Ocean 14 Leatherback turtle community monitoring 54 Freshwater hidden treasures 18 Monkey-faced bats and flying foxes 58 Choiseul Island: A biogeographic in the Western Solomon Islands stepping-stone for reptiles and amphibians of the Solomon Islands 22 The diversity and resilience of flying foxes to logging 64 Conservation Development 24 Feasibility studies for conserving 66 Chasing clouds Santa Cruz Ground-dove 72 Tetepare’s turtle rodeo and their 26 Network Building: Building a conservation effort network to meet local and national development aspirations in 74 Secrets of Tetepare Culture Western Province 76 Understanding plant & kastom 28 Local rangers undergo legal knowledge on Tetepare training 78 Grassroots approach to Marine 30 Propagation techniques for Tubi Management 34 Phantoms of the forest 82 Conservation in Solomon Islands: acts without actions 38 Choiseul Island: Protecting Mt Cover page The newly discovered Vangunu Maetambe to Kolombangara River Island endemic rat, Uromys vika. Image watershed credit: Velizar Simeonovski, Field Museum. wildernesssolomons.com WWW.MELANESIANGEO.COM | 3 Melanesian EDITORS NOTE Geo PRODUCTION TEAM Government Of Founder/Editor: Patrick Pikacha of the priority species listed in the Critical Ecosystem [email protected] Solomon Islands Hails Partnership Fund’s investment strategy for the East Assistant editor: Tamara Osborne Melanesian Islands. [email protected] Barana Community The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) Contributing editor: David Boseto [email protected] is designed to safeguard Earth’s most biologically rich Prepress layout: Patrick Pikacha Nature Park Initiative and threatened regions, known as biodiversity hotspots. The East Melanesian Islands, consisting of the island ADVERTISING & DISTRIBUTION region of PNG (Bismark archipelago), Solomon Islands Email: [email protected] and Vanuatu, qualifies as a hotspot due to high levels of CONTACT ADDRESS species endemism, and an accelerating loss of habitat. PO Box R63, Ranadi, The latter is caused by commercial logging, mining, East Honiara, Solomon Islands agricultural expansion and human population, which increase demands for resources and over-exploitation. SUBSCRIPTION A free pdf copy is available via email. Other threats include introduction of alien species that Helen Pippard, Guest Editorial Email: [email protected]; drive out native species and impacts of climate change. [email protected]; or Critical Ecosystems Partnership Fund (CEPF) Within the East Melanesian Islands, a diverse and [email protected] or Project Manager, IUCN Oceania, Fiji by logging on to melanesiangeo.com unique group of flora and fauna are found which exist nowhere else on earth: 3,000 endemic vascular plants, MELANESIAN GEO is a grassroots An initiative to establish a nature park in the 41 endemic mammals, 148 endemic birds, 54 endemic magazine of society and the Barana area on Mt Austen, outside Honiara Solomon Islanders and international researchers working on species conservation came e are delighted to bring you this reptiles and 45 endemic amphibians. Notable endemic environment in Melanesia. town championed by the people of Barana together to celebrate the species of Solomon Islands, and promote species protection, special edition of Melanesian Geo; species include the majestic Solomons sea-eagle, several in partnership with the Secretariat of the management, recovery and rehabilitation. The day provided a platform for science PUBLISHER a compilation of work presented species of lying-fox and the giant, prehensile-tailed Melanesian Geo Publications Pacific Regional Environment Programme practitioners and field biologists to showcase their current research and management efforts. at the inaugural National Resource Solomon Islands skink. PO Box R63, Ranadi, East Honiara (SPREP) through the Pacific Ecosystem-based The focus was predominantly on activities related to the priority species listed in the W Management Symposium held To carry out conservation actions, we need detailed Solomon Islands Adaptation to Climate Change (PEBACC) CEPF investment strategy for Solomon Islands, targeting past and current recipients of in Honiara in October 2017. As part of this event, knowledge of the conservation status of individual project has received much praise from the All article contributions may be send CEPF funding to present and share valuable lessons from their work. a Solomon Islands Species Forum was hosted by species. According to the IUCN Red List, 308 species in Solomon Islands Government. to: Over 200 attendees made their way to the Solomon Islands National University for the Ecological Solutions Solomon Islands and IUCN the East Melanesian Islands Hotspot are threatened with Addressing the Barana community The Editor, PO Box R63, Ranadi, Species Forum. The venue was chosen in order to promote partnership between NGOs Oceania, bringing together Solomon Islanders working extinction: 113 terrestrial species, 187 marine species Honiara, Solomon Islands (or) by on World Environment Day, 5 June 2018, on species conservation, celebrating the species of and eight species found in both terrestrial and marine Email to Permanent Secretary for Environment, and this academic institution, as well as acknowledge the new partnership with CEPF, with [email protected] Solomon Islands, and promoting species research, habitats. Many of these species are best conserved Climate Change, Disaster Management and SINU undertaking a large grant for work to incorporate biodiversity conservation into its protection, management, recovery and rehabilitation. through the protection of the habitats in which they PLEASE NOTE THAT UNSOLICITED Meteorology (MECDM) Dr. Melchoir Mataki curriculum. In recent years, IUCN Oceania and partners live. Sites containing these biologically important species MANUSCRIPTS ARE ACCEPTED hailed the efforts saying it is encouraging to Presentations and discussions showcased work on species as diverse as bats, frogs, turtles, have been working to improve the visibility of species and habitats are identified as site-level targets called Key AND SUBJECT TO REVIEW. see a shift towards not only protected areas but freshwater and marine fishes as well as the management and storage of data, how to deal conservation in the Pacific Islands. In 2012, the All submissions may be sent to: sustainable natural resources management at Biodiversity Areas (KBAs). Ninety-five (95) KBAs have The Editor with threats to species, and how best to carry out species recovery plans. inaugural Pacific Islands Species Forum was held been defined, covering a combined land area of 29,623 MELANESIAN GEO both provincial and community levels. As part of the Species Forum, a photo competition was held, encouraging submissions in Honiara, which included a day focused on the square kilometres or 30 percent of the total land area of PO Box R63, Ranadi, “The establishment of a community nature on the theme “Celebrating the Wildlife of Solomon Islands”. The winning image was by Honiara, Solomon Islands park is part and parcel of the government’s biodiversity of Solomon Islands – the Solomon Islands the hotspot. CEPF selected 20 priority sites from the Tyrone Lavery, currently of the Field Museum, Chicago, of his image of Litoria lutea, Biodiversity and Species Conservation Management efforts to promote environmental management full list of KBAs, based on a biological prioritization Solomon Islands Tree Frog, one of CEPF’s Priority Species. Forum. The forum urged Pacific Islanders to “value exercise and expert opinion. There are 5 of these in or by email to: and sustainable natural resources management and make every effort to understand the various plants, PNG, 9 in Solomon Islands and 6 in Vanuatu, covering [email protected] (or) throughout the country. Honiara.” Mr Veke said. World Environment Day celebration at [email protected] “I would also like to urge the community animals and natural environments that make up our a total area of 15,000 square kilometres. In addition, According to PEBACC Solomon Islands of Barana and Guadalcanal province to take Barana community was a success with an island homes”. 48 priority species were been selected from the full list Country Manager, Fred Patison, the Barana The articles and views conveyed ownership of the community nature park official ceremony in the morning followed by In 2014, a species conservation symposium was held of globally threatened species: 20 mammals, 11 birds, by the writers are their own, and do community nature park is an initiative to that SPREP through the PEBACC project is tree planting, a clean-up around the community during the Society for Conservation Biology (Oceania) 5 reptiles, 2 amphibians and 10 plants. The purpose not necessarily represent those held promote ecosystem-based adaptation to establishing here at Barana. and the school and a hike to the Barana nature conference hosted at the University of the South of selecting priority species is to enable investments in by the publisher and editor. Articles climate, re-enforcing the role of nature to included in this publication may “The SPREP PEBACC project will only park. Pacific. A major outcome