APRIL – MAY 2012 ISSUE
this issue…
 Solomon Islands add two more mangrove species to its list
 Capacity building programme boosts Samoa
Solomon Islands add two more mangrove
species to its list
Two new mangrove species have been identified for the
Solomon Islands at the Maramasike passage in the
province of Malaita. The newly identified species were
© wildsingapore.com
recorded during the Mangrove floristics survey and
Fisheries training programme organised by MESCAL
Solomon Islands on 12th – 14th April, 2012.
The spotting of Bruguiera parviflora and Avicennia alba
now brings the total number of mangrove species that
Bruguiera parviflora usually occur along river banks
with stems protruding straight with high branching
and stands out from other Bruguiera by its multiflowered inflorescences with small flowers.
occur in the Solomon Islands to 30. This was after
mangrove
ecologist
Dr.
Norm
Duke
identified
and
confirmed the two species during a visit to Maramasike
passage, the demonstration site for MESCAL Solomon
Islands.
Dr. Duke, who is based at James Cook University in
Australia, was in the Solomon Islands to assist the
MESCAL project in conducting the mangrove floristics
survey, He was also recently in Fiji, Samoa and Tonga
conducting
a
similar
exercise
with
the
respective
implementing partners of the MESCAL project. Dr. Duke
© Norm Duke
found the trip very rewarding. “Each time I travel to the
Solomons, I have always come across a new species or
sub-species of mangroves”, he said. Accompanying Dr.
Duke from Australia to conduct the fisheries component of
the training was fisheries ecologist Mr. Ross Johnston.
Avicennia alba mostly occur in coastal and estuarine
locations with low, dense bushy crowns.
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APRIL – MAY 2012 ISSUE
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The duo conducted training on mangrove mapping and
fisheries surveys with the implementing partners. Partners
that were present at the three day training included
government representatives from the Ministry of Lands,
Housing and Surveys (MLH&S), the Ministry of Forests
(MoF) and the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change,
Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECDM) . A
number of students from the School of Natural Resources
Long Plot training at the SICHE Teak plantation.
of Solomon Islands College of Higher Education (SICHE)
© Hugo Tafea
also took part.
IUCN’s Oceania Regional Office was pleased with the new
findings of the two species in the Solomon Islands.
“Recording two new mangrove species for the Solomon
Islands is a wonderful start to the gathering of floral
baseline data for the Solomon Islands MESCAL project”,
Water and Wetlands Programme Coordinator Dr. Milika
Sobey said.
Having equipped with the knowledge and skills to carry out
floral and fisheries work, MESCAL Solomon Islands
anticipates
first
implementation
of
project
activities
SICHE Students and Ministry of Forestry staff during the
training.
© Hugo Tafea
tentatively commencing around in the 1st quarter of the
month of May.
Capacity building programme boosts Samoa
Having completed a series of hands-on training on mangrove
floristics surveys and fisheries training, Samoa MESCAL eagerly
awaits implementation of project activities to be undertaken
within the next three months.
The trainees comprised 15 representatives from the Ministry of
Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) and the Ministry of
Agriculture and Fisheries. Coming from areas of marine and
terrestrial biodiversity conservation and specifically mangrove
conservation backgrounds, the training that was held from 26th
Participants carrying out the fisheries training
©Malama Momoemausu
– 28th February and 2nd - 4th April respectively, was a major
plus for the participants.
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Conducting the trainings were the technical backstoppers;
mangrove ecologist Dr. Norm Duke and fisheries biologist Mr.
Ross Johnston.
The trainings were specifically undertaken as part of preparatory
steps for Samoa MESCAL’s implementation of the mangrove
mapping, floristics and fauna surveys which, according to Samoa
MESCAL
project
Country
Coordinator
Ms.
Malama
Momoemausu, was due to commence within the next three
months. “I’m very delighted for we are still getting chances to
work and learn – it is the way to perfection. And now with the
improved technical knowledge and skills, we are looking forward
to the field application because it is going to be a lot more
exciting to explore the mangroves this time with confidence”, she
Trainees wading through the mangrove swamp
©Malama Momoemausu
said.
Throughout the course, the trainees were being introduced to
techniques of determining specific target habitats for mangrove
fauna sampling, mangrove monitoring, and application and
deployment of mangrove sampling. At the end of the training,
participants were awarded with certificates in recognition of its
successful completion.
Two outputs attained from the training included a mangrove
fauna/fisheries methods and protocols manual and Samoa’s very
own mangrove assessment and monitoring guide. These
publications were the country’s first.
Dr. Norm Duke (right) awarding a trainee
With the successful accomplishment of the training, Samoa
©Malama Momoemausu
MESCAL acknowledged the participation of the technical
backstoppers and the continuous support of the project
management unit.
The leading experts, Dr. Duke and Mr. Johnston, will travel to
Vanuatu this month to conduct and conclude the series of
trainings.
not intended for wider distribution
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