Engaging our youth in environment conservation
By the Tuvalu Ridge to Reef Project
The Funafuti Conservation Area established in June 1996 covers a total area of 40 square kilometres including six islets, lagoon and outer reefs. This Marine Protected Area is the largest conservation area in Tuvalu.
The conservation area is a pilot site for the Tuvalu Ridge to Reef project — providing an opportunity to highlight its work on coral restoration and raising community awareness about Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMA). A project outcome is to improve the management effectiveness of systems that govern LMMAs.
A key target audience for the project are youth, in particular, school students.
Environment Week this year provided an opportune time to educate students on the importance of the conservation area and how terrestrial ecosystems connected with coastal and marine ecosystems.
Students from Nauti Primary School and the Seventh Day Adventist Primary School in Funafuti took the 30-minute boat trip to Fualopa Islet, a day-long activity coordinated by the R2R Project with colleagues from Fisheries, Waste Department and the Environment Department.
The students were briefed about how to plant coral on a coral table. Super corals were collected around the island by Fisheries officers and given to the students to plant on a steel table. The table was shifted further out to sea to allow the coral to grow for up to six to nine months.
The R2R project has established two demonstration coral nurseries at Tefala and Fualopa using the ‘cookie and tray’ and ‘rope’ methods.
Another lesson was imparted via the beach clean-up where the students collected non-biodegradable waste around the island with assistance from teachers and facilitators. All waste was stored in garbage bags and transported to Fongafale (the main settlement) for disposal.
“The importance of having students and the community involved and participating in any awareness activity is to build their knowledge and capacity about preserving ecosystems services and biodiversity. It’s a great opportunity to train everyone to be role models for each island in Tuvalu on environmental stewardship and conservation management,” said Mr. Feagaiga Penivao, LMMA Officer, Tuvalu Ridge to Reef Project.
The Funafuti Kaupule is tasked to monitor the coral nursery on daily basis given their mandatory role to oversee the entire conservation area. Monitoring is undertaken monthly but can be also weekly depending on the number of visitors to the conservation area.
So far, there is progress with the coral nursery with the coral expected to mature and ready for transplanting at other depleting coral reefs by end of this year. The growing rate for corals depends on numerous environmental conditions such as clean water, cool water and a low rate of current and storm surge.
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