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During 10–21 September, quantitative surveys were carried out of birds and flying foxes using the same techniques as applied in earlier surveys, and searches carried out for a rare parrot and lizard. Bird counts showed that the lupe or Pacific imperial-pigeon population has recovered following a decline between 1994 and 2004 though the current hunting rate is considered unsustainable. Miti or Polynesian starling numbers have gradually declined over the period 1994–2012 which is a concern and hard to explain. Rat predation is a possible cause. There was also an indication that pekapeka or white-rumped swiftlet numbers have declined though more investigation is needed to confirm this. We were unable to find any hega or blue-crowned lory though a few individuals were reported to us. Numbers are clearly very low and the next step must be to gain a better understanding of where the species regularly occurs so that management can be applied

During 10–21 September, quantitative surveys were carried out of birds and flying foxes using the same techniques as applied in earlier surveys, and searches carried out for a rare parrot and lizard. Bird counts showed that the lupe or Pacific imperial-pigeon population has recovered following a decline between 1994 and 2004 though the current hunting rate is considered unsustainable. Miti or Polynesian starling numbers have gradually declined over the period 1994–2012 which is a concern and hard to explain. Rat predation is a possible cause. There was also an indication that pekapeka or white-rumped swiftlet numbers have declined though more investigation is needed to confirm this. We were unable to find any hega or blue-crowned lory though a few individuals were reported to us. Numbers are clearly very low and the next step must be to gain a better understanding of where the species regularly occurs so that management can be applied.

Small Island developing states (SIDS) have ongoing projects and projects in the pipeline which are targeted at implementing adaptation measures. In the Pacific alone there have been a range of such initiatives starting with the PICCAP project in the late 90s to the ongoing PACC project, the latter building on the lessons learnt from its predecessors to help increase resilience to the impacts of climate change. On a global, regional and national level these projects have stringently involved strengthening of institutions, policy and regulations, but more importantly evolved to implement on the ground-level tasks, many of which follow on from, or are acting in synergy with other projects for the mainstreaming of climate change adaptation (CCA) and disaster risk reduction (DRR) initiatives in communities. A key challenge in this context for decision makers, policy makers, and development partners is to understand and adopt strategies that are effective in mobilizing people and resources in response to CCA and DRR. All efforts in this context must be made to learn from past lessons and concerted action taken to refine, augment and deploy these initiatives appropriately and urgently.

This paper provides a brief examination of capacity development needs for climate change adaptation (CCA) and disaster risk reduction (DRR) in small island developing states (SIDS). It is noted that this is a critical time for SIDS which must contend with ongoing developmental pressures in addition to growing pressures from risks associated with global environmental change and economic liberalisation that threaten their physical and economic security. Much depends in this context on the orientation of SIDS in global economic and political systems. Getting the policies right is proving to be very difficult as SIDS continue to be deficient in a critical mass of intellectual capital, policy coherence, financial resources and qualified personnel that are needed to develop and implement sustainable development policies and projects. In turn, this critically hampers the emergence of adequate systemic capacity. SIDS however have a history of changes at the global and regional levels which not only created constraints but can be seen as a source of new opportunities for building resilience to natural disasters. How effective this process transpires in the end will depend on how well lessons learnt from preceding years are taken on board and effectively acted upon.

On 6 January 2004. cyclone Heta devastated much of the South Pacific island nation of Niue. Extensive damage was done to forest, particularly of the north- western sector, with many trees up-rooted and others stripped of branches and foliage. This report details our findings from a survey of Niue's birds and rodents during 3-19 September 2004 and compares these with results from a similar survey in September 1994. Five-minute bird count data, an index of conspicuousness, from three transects showed that heahea (Polynesian triller,Lalagc maculosa) were more abundant in 2004 than in 1994, but mid (Polynesian starling, Aplonis tabuensis), kulukulu (purple-crowned fruit dove. Ptilinopus porpbyraecus) and lupe (Pacific pigeon. Ducula pacifica) had declined. The 28-64% decline in the lupe population per transect w as probably primarily as a result of hunting, rather than mortality caused by cyclone Heta. Counts of birds seen per kilometre along three sections of road (lower, upper, inland) were also compared with September 1994 data. However, for various reasons we doubt that the results accurately reflect population numbers. The 212 kiu (Pacific golden plover. Pluvial is fulva) counted at sites accessible from main roads in September 2004 was similar to the 226 seen in September 1994. Rat trapping results (captures per 100 trap-nights) along the same three transects for December 1994 and September 2004 were not significantly different. Both kuma (Pacific rat. Rattus exulans) and ship rats (R. rattus) were trapped, but kuma were found only in regenerating scrub, whereas ship rats were present in both scrub and forest. Recommendations for future work are made mainly in relation to the long-term conservation of lupe, a toaga (treasured) species of Niueans.