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The Pacific BioScapes Programme aims to strengthen the sustainable use of marine and coastal biodiversity through effective Invasive Species Management in Kiribati. BirdLife International and EcoOceania will work closely with the WildLife Conservation Unit (WCU) of the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Agriculture Development (MELAD) to manage invasive species on two islets on Kiritimati Atoll. This activity will assist the recovery of two globally endangered seabirds (Phoenix Petrel and Polynesian Storm Petrel) and strengthen ecosystem resilience in Kiritimati.

The Pacific BioScapes Programme aims to strengthen the sustainable use of marine and coastal biodiversity through effective Invasive Species Management in Kiribati.

Field support and training was provided to Government of Kiribati staff at Kiritimati (Christmas Island) during 1-15 November 2023 as part of a Biopama project facilitated by BirdLife/SPREP. This project focused on rat eradication for biodiversity recovery, and associated outcome monitoring and capacity building. Specific objectives (and outcomes) included eradicating Kimoa (Rattus exulans) which had reinvaded Big Nimroona and SW Nimroona motu in 2017 (both motu were baited 6 days apart); confirming the status of invasives and birds on other key motu (checks of other significant motu indicated that Kimoa remain absent and rat-sensitive birds are thriving as a result); monitoring of endangered seabirds revealed that the Kiritimati population of Te Ruru continues to increase, while a large number of smaller motu provide secure nesting for Te Bwebwe ni Marawa; determining island and motu biosecurity needs (detailed biosecurity needs lists were completed and motu surveillance protocols adapted); and some additional training was completed for all.

The 3-dimensilan structure of living coral communities provides frictional resistance to waves and currents. Coral bleaching events can lead to a shift in coral assemblages toward stress-tolerant colonies, potentially reducing reef structural complexity and inturn wave attenuation.

Climate change and urbanisation in combination put great pressure on terrestrial and ocean ecosystems, vital for subsistence and wellbeing in both rural and urban areas of Pacific islands

Established as part of Government Initiatives e.g. Kiritimati and Southern Line Islands (1975), PIPA (2006) and Nooto Ramsar site (2013

The revision and updating of Kiribati National Invasive Species Strategies and Action Plan KNISSAP 2015-2020 is genuinely the outcome of collaborative effort by ECD as an implementing agency through the technical guidance of SPREP and UNEP. We would sincerely like to thank GEF PAS for its ongoing and prompt financial support for Kiribati through the regional initiative and provision for reviewing and updating this strategic and action plan. MELAD is grateful to acknowledge Dr Ray Pierce of the EcoOceania Pty Ltd in Australia for facilitation, guidance and drafting of this document through consultative workshops with Invasive Alien Species Committee-IASC at Tarawa and Kiritimati. We sincerely grateful for other recent IAS feasibility studies and management of existing invasive species from other external institutions including CEPF, PII, Packard, NZAID, NZDOC, Darwin/RSPB, and Dr Gruber, that provide baseline information and flagged the importance of this document. We would express gratitude to MELAD and Linnix’s admin for the great administrative supports during course of this consultative process. In addition, we thank our line ministries and representative in providing intense legislative information for strenuous enforcement and management and particularly engage and exercise the workplan in different expertise and technical areas. Last but not least, we are tremendously grateful to all IASC during three-day workshops (details in Appendix 3) for their contributions which are helpful insight practical action plan matrix for the next 5 years. Without contributions and collaborative works, this document would not be an achievable one.

Th e Asian Development Bank (ADB) has piloted fragility assessments in selected urban settlements in the Pacifi c using a community-based approach and focusing on the impact of fragility on the delivery of basic services. Th e fragility assessment of South Tarawa in Kiribati explores patterns of fragility related to urban development including delivery of critical urban services with focus on water and sanitation services. Bairiki Village, an urban settlement in South Tarawa, was a case study for the assessment.

This document is part of a technical report series on conservation projects funded by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) and the Conservation International Pacific Islands Program (CI-Pacific). The main purpose of this series is to disseminate project findings and successes to a broader audience of conservation professionals in the Pacific, along with interested members of the public and students. The reports are being prepared on an ad-hoc basis as projects are completed and written up. In most cases the reports are composed of two parts, the first part is a detailed technical report on the project which gives details on the methodology used, the results and any recommendations. The second part is a brief project completion report written for the donor and focused on conservation impacts and lessons learned.

The Government Policy Statement delivered to Parliament during the second session of the 9 Parliament on 10m December of 2007, remains the guiding principle for the Kiribati Development Plan. The thrust of Government's policy statement is Kiribati main assets, - its people - and how their lives can be improved through further development of the economy and their capabilities. This will ultimately lead to creation of employment opportunities and a skilled workforce that can access not only the national but the international labour market as well.