Government of Solomon Islands Fourth National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity 2011 Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology Acronyms AuSAID Australian Aid for International Development CI Conservation International CITES Convention on International Trade on Endangered Species COMSEC Commonwealth Secretariat CTI Coral Triangle Initiative EBA Endemic Bird Area ECE Early Childhood Education EIA Environment Impact Assessment EIS Environment Impact Statement EU European Union FAO Food and Agriculture Organization FFA Forum Fisheries Agency GEF-SGP Global Environment Facility Small Grant Programme GIS Geographic Information System IPGR International Plant Genetic Resources IUCN International Union for the Conservation of Nature KFPL Kolombangara Forest Plantation Limited KGA Kastom Garden Association km kilometres LDC Least Developed Country LMMA Locally Managed Marine Areas MCA Marine Conservation Area MEAs Multilateral Environmental Agreements MECDM Ministry of Environment, Conservation, Disaster Management and Meteorology MPA Marine Protected Area MTA Materials Transfer Agreement MTDS Medium Term Development Strategy NAPA National Adaptation Programme of Action NBSAP National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan NECDP National Environmental Capacity Development Action Plan NEMS National Environment and Management Strategy NGOs Non Government Organizations PA Protected Areas PER Public Environment Report SICHE Solomon Islands College of Higher Education SIEA Solomon Islands Emergency Authority SIWA Solomon Islands Water Authority SOE State of Environment Report SPC Secretariat of the Pacific Community SREP Secretariat of the Regional Environment Programme TNC The Nature Conservancy UNCBD United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity UNCCD United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and Drought UNCLOS United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNFCC United Nations Environment Programme V/A Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment WWF World Wildlife Fund for Nature 2 CONTENTS Acronyms 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 5 CHAPTER I. OVERVIEW OF STATUS, TRENDS AND THREATS 14 1.1 Introduction 14 1.2 Status of biodiversity 15 1.2.1 Forest/Terrestrial Ecosystems 16 Status 16 Threats 19 Implications of change 21 1.2.2 Agricultural Ecosystems 22 Status 22 Threats 24 Implications of change 24 1.2.3 Inland waters/freshwater ecosystems 24 Status 24 Threats 25 Implications of change 26 1.2.4 Coastal and marine ecosystem 26 Status 26 Threats 27 Implications of change 27 1.2.5 Mountain Ecosystems 28 Status 28 Threats 29 Implications of change 29 1.2.6 Dry lands Ecosystems 30 Status 30 Threats 30 Implications of change 30 CHAPTER II. CURRENT STATUS OF THE NBSAP IN SOLOMON ISLANDS 31 2.1 The NBSAP process in Solomon Islands 31 2.2 Brief description of NBSAP 31 2.2.1 Vision and mission 32 2.2.2 Thematic areas covered 32 2.4 Overview of progress in the implementation of the NBSAP 33 2.5 Challenges in implementation 41 CHAPTER III - SECTORAL AND CROSS-SECTORAL INTEGRATION OR MAINSTREAMING OF BIODIVERSITY CONSIDERATIONS 42 3 3.1 Extent of integration or mainstreaming 42 3.2 Processes of integration or mainstreaming 51 3.3 Use of ecosystem approach in mainstreaming of biodiversity 53 3.4 Use of EIA in mainstreaming 53 CHAPTER IV - CONCLUSIONS: PROGRESS TOWARDS THE 2010 TARGET AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN 55 4.1 Progress Towards the 2010 Target 55 4.2 Progress towards the targets for the global strategy for plant conservation 72 Appendices Appendix I Information concerning reporting Party 77 Appendix II References and Sources of Information 78 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY PROCESS OF NATIONAL REPORT FORMULATION The preparation of the Solomon Islands fourth national report to the CBD started very late due to the very late receipt of funds from the Implementing agency. The preparation and formulation of the report was carried out through a participatory process led by a Steering Committee coordinated by the government lead agency, the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology. The Steering Committee involved relevant stakeholders from various government agencies, NGOs, private sectors, statutory bodies, UN agencies and academic institutions. A national consultant was engaged to collate information from the committee and various other groups and drafted the report for review and finalization by the committee. OVERVIEW OF STATUS, TRENDS AND THREATS The lack of data or information and the difficulties in even gathering what is currently known in biodiversity resources and all related subjects continues to be a major challenge for Solomon Islands. Such challenges and difficulties however have been inherent factors in least developed countries such as Solomon Islands and new efforts needs to be scaled up to rectify such situation as it continues to affect management decisions. The available information that has been collated for this report nevertheless has revealed some encouraging outcomes since the Solomon Islands last national report to the CBD. Recent information collected and analyzed by various experts have shown that the Solomon Islands biodiversity is increasingly being recognized as forming part of the important global centers of biodiversity, the Western Pacific. Its terrestrial and marine resources and ecosystems have been recognized as of global significance. It is now recognized as part of the Coral Triangle which includes five other countries of the coral triangle region and is hence of international or global importance. Solomon Islands has continued to pursue a number of efforts to address issues relating to the conservation and management of biodiversity with the support of national and international stakeholders and partners. These include national policies, strategies, and laws. Under the auspices of the Rio Conventions and other MEAs, Solomon Islands has signed on to most relevant global MEAs that address biodiversity issues. These include the Biodiversity Convention and its Biosafety protocol, UNCLOS, World Heritage Convention, CITES and regional and global programmes . A number of enabling activities have been implemented and have already been concluded. New programmes are also being implemented by national authorities, NGOs, bilateral partners and other stakeholders. 5 Forests/Terrestrial Ecosystems The forests of Solomon Islands has been described and recognized as of global significance due to various facts which have come to light following recent analysis of current knowledge of the forest resources. Solomon Islands has unique vegetation or forest types – These unique vegetation types include coastal strand vegetation, lowland rainforest, riverine forest, montane forests and grasslands. Further classification of these basic forest or vegetation types brings the sub types of the basic types to many more unique forest types recognized so far. Solomon Islands is a Centre of Plant Diversity – Solomon Islands has an estimated 4,500 species of plants, and is thus recognized as a Centre of Plant Diversity. Further rigorous work could unveil new species as new and continuous work is still required. This is urgent in the case of Solomon Islands. Solomon Islands is a Global Ecoregion – The Solomon Islands Rainforests has been recognized as one of 200 Global Ecoregions which have been analyzed as globally important by global experts. Solomon Islands rainforest is Globally Outstanding - The Solomon Islands Rainforests Eco- region has been ranked in the highest category as ‘Globally Outstanding’ within the 200 global eco – regions. Its inclusion in the global 200 list puts the Solomon Islands rainforest as the most biologically valuable eco-regions. This is in recognition of the Solomon Islands as true oceanic islands with high vertebrate endemism, including single island endemism, restricted range mammals and an outstanding 69 bird species found nowhere else on planet earth. The Solomon Islands rainforest is one of three Great Rainforests on the planet – The tropical rain forest of Solomon Islands and New Guinea make up a large tropical rain forest area that has now become one of the three great tropical rainforest regions of the world. The continents of South America and Africa each have one of the remaining two. The Solomon Islands is part of the largest block of Tropical Rain Forest in the Asia Pacific region. The rain forests of Solomon Islands with New Guinea make up the largest block of tropical rain forest remaining in the Asia Pacific region. With the reduction of tropical rainforests in the Asian region through industrial logging, the rainforest of New Guinea and Solomon Islands now make up the largest block now remaining in the region. • Of the total 4,500 species referred to above as occurring in the country, 3200 are known to be native or indigenous. • The known plants are mostly made up of 2763 species of angiosperms (dicots and monocots), 22 species of gymnosperms and 367 species of pteridophytes (true ferns and fern allies). • Even though plant diversity is high with endemism considered generally low, 57% of palms, 50% of orchids, and 75% of climbing Pandanus species are considered endemic. • Sixteen (16) species have been listed under the IUCN Red Data list as threatened. Several other species continue to be threatened. These include ebony, rosewood, rattan and some palms. 6 • Terrestrial invasive species have not been well documented but a list produced by the Pacific Islands Ecosystem