Search the SPREP Catalogue

In recognition of the need for National Parks and protected areas in the South Pacific, the New Zealand Government hosted the First South Pacific Conference on National Parks and Reserves in 1975, in association with the South Pacific Commission (SPC) and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). This meeting was at Ministerial. A second South Pacific Conference on National Parks and Reserves, also at Ministerial level, was held in 1979 in Australia. This was hosted by the Australian Government and the Government of New South Wales, which adopted the conference as one of the events celebrating the Centennial of the Royal NationaL Park as the first national park in Australia. The 1979 Conference decided that the third Conference should be hosted by a Pacific Island country.

This is the Verbatim Transcript, Volume 2 proceeedings of the second South Pacific Conference on National Parks and Reserves held in April 1979 in Sydney Australia

Human-caused climate change is perhaps the defining environmental issue of the early twenty-first century. We observe the earth’s climate in the present, but observations of future climate are not available yet. So in order to predict the future, we rely on simulation models to predict future climate. This book is designed to be a guide to climate simulation and prediction for the non-specialist and an entry point for understanding uncertainties in climate models. The goal is not to be simply a popular guide to climate modeling and prediction, but to help those using climate models to understand the results. This book provides background on the earth’s climate system and how it might change, a detailed qualitative analysis of how climate models are constructed, and a discussion of model results and the uncertainty inherent in those results. Throughout the text, terms in bold will be referenced in the glossary. References are provided as footnotes in each chapter. Who uses climate models? Climate model users are practitioners in many fields who desire to incorporate information about climate and climate change into planning and management decisions. Users may be scientists and engineers in fields such as ecosystems or water resources. These scientists are familiar with models and the roles of models in natural science. In other cases, the practitioners are engineers, urban planners, epidemiologists, or architects. Though not necessarily familiar with models of natural science, experts in these fields use quantitative information for decision-making. These experts are potential users of climate models. We hope in the end that by understanding climate models and their uncertainties, the reader will understand how climate models are constructed to represent the earth’s climate system. The book is intended to help the reader become a more competent interpreter or translator of climate model output.

The Department of Conservation (DOC) was established by the Conservation Act 1987, and is charged with promoting conservation of the natural and historic heritage of New Zealand on behalf of, and for the benefit of, the present and future generations. DOC also has functions under a number of other Acts, including the National Parks Act 1980, the Marine Reserves Act 1971, the Reserves Act 1977, the Wild Animal Control Act 1977, the Wildlife Act 1953 and the Marine Mammals Protection Act 1978. The Minister of Conservation is the Responsible Minister, and DOC’s work is funded through Vote Conservation.

A patchwork of international bodies and treaties manage ocean resources and human activity in areas beyond any state’s national jurisdiction (see Table 1). However, these governance bodies vary greatly in terms of their mandate, which determines their geographic scope, their objective, the legally binding nature of decisions they adopt, and whether they regulate one or several activities. Their jurisdictions often overlap, but virtually no mechanisms exist to coordinate across geographic areas and sectors.1 Too often, this piecemeal governance approach leads to the degradation of the environment and its resources, and makes deploying management and conservation tools such as environmental impact assessments and marine protected areas (MPAs), including marine reserves, challenging both legally and logistically

Western Samoa possesses a considerable wealth of natural and cultural resources from which many generations of Samoans have been able to derive benefit. However, appre- ciable areas of natural vegetation are being lost annually to agricultural, housing and communication development, or modified by logging and life styles and cultural values of the Samoan people are changing in response to mounting pressures imposed by a rapidly increasing human population and aspirations for higher living standards. In the foreseeable future, exponential increase in these pressures and consequent speed of change seem inevitable. In recog- nition of these circumstances the Government of Western Samoa sees the creation of a system of National Parks and Reserves as a means of conserving representative samples of Western Samoa's natural and cultural heritage in perpetuity.

The Common Myna Acridotheres tristis was originally introduced to the island of Atiu, Cook Islands, in 1915 to control the Coconut stick insect Graeffea crouanii but it has since become a pest itself. The Rimatara lorikeet Vini Kuhlii or ‘Kura’ was reintroduced, after disappearing from the Southern Cook Islands almost 200 years ago, to Atiu on 24th April 2007 from Rimatara, French Polynesia to create a reserve population due to there being only approximately 1000 birds left on Rimatara. Due to observations of mynas reportedly harassing and attacking adult and juvenile Kura at the nest, an eradication programme was introduced by Gerald McCormack, Director of the Cook Island Natural Heritage Trust (CINHT), in May 2009 to reduce the population size of myna birds to give the Kura a couple of peaceful nesting seasons to help establish a stable population on Atiu. A study by J. Mitchell of the University of Leeds in May/June 2009 estimated a starting count of approximately 6000 myna birds prior to the eradication programme. That survey was followed up in May 2010 using two strategies, the transect method and roost counts. Analysis of transect method counts, using the Distance software, estimate there are approximately 3128 mynas on Atiu. Roost counts were at variance with that figure and estimated only 1280 myna birds. The roost counts estimate of 1280 may be the most accurate because all mynas would be in the winter roosts for heat conservation from May to July alleviating the concern that females and young would be nesting away from the roosts during counts, whereas transect counts may involve recounting the same birds numerous times; a problem minimized by repeating transect counts twice daily and using different transects to cover as much of the expected habitat as possible. Only a limited survey of the population of Kura was possible during this visit to Atiu since almost all available time and logistics were focused on myna surveys. An estimate of the Kura population suggests there are approximately 100 birds, which suggests that since the 2007 introduction the Kura population is thriving on Atiu. However, comparisons with the exponential growth rate model of 184 birds suggest this difference could be due to myna bird harassment despite culling. A more comprehensive survey is recommended perhaps using similar strategies to determine whether the myna has any deleterious effect on the Kura. In July 2010 a new myna bounty was introduced and is proving successful as a further 383 myna birds were culled by the end of July. The Atiu Island Council may decide on complete eradication of the myna to give the Kura full advantage of living on Atiu in the absence of the competitive myna bird.

An invasive alien species are known to cause significant economic and environmental damage. Islands are much more vulnerable to the invasion of invasive alien species, and have higher rates of extinction. In the islands of the South Pacific, there are several species Polynesian land birds which are threatened with extinction due to invasive alien species and human interference. Without any intervention from humans, it is likely that these birds will suffer extinction in the next few decades. The island of Atiu in the Cook Islands (South Pacific) supports a range of avian fauna. In 2007 the Rimitara lorikeet (Vini kuhlii), also known locally as the ‘Kura’ was introduced to Atiu, to make a reserve population, as there were only approximatley 1000 left on the island of Rimitara, French Polynesia. There is concern for this species on Atiu due to the existence of the common myna (Acridotheres tristis). The myna is an aggressive invasive which is one of the world’s worst 100 invasive species. It was introduced to the Cook Islands by the government, with the intention to control the coconut-stick insect (Graeffea crouani), but is now a pest itself. A myna control programme on Atiu is being coordinated and controlled by Gerald McCormack (Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust), working through George Mateariki, and using funding from various conservation organisations. Poisioning is being carried out by George in order to reduce myna numbers, and a bounty has been set on the birds or for every right foot so that the locals can help as much as possible. This investigation aimed to estimate the total population size on the island to use as a starting count to determine whether the programme is successful or not. Two methods were used which included roost counts to find an estimate of the population, and a transect method using a Distance programme to estimate the number of birds per hectare as well as the level of abundance in various habitat types. The two methods had overlapping results, giving a total estimated range of 3250 to 8460 birds on the island, although it is more likely to be at the higher end of this estimate at around 6000 to7000 birds. Further investigation will need to determine any change in the population size, any changes in habitat composition as well as the impact on the native species, especially the effect on the Kura and its population size.

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are one of the most effective tools we have established to promote conservation and diversity in the ocean today. From the clear blue reefs of the Caribbean to the icy waters of the Arctic, MPAs have made a proven difference. In a recent study, scientists explicitly identified five key features of successful MPAs: No-take reserve, well Enforced, Old, Large, and Isolated (NEOLI). The more of these features an MPA encompasses, the more successful it is. Of the MPAs with all five NEOLI features, there is a "224% increase in fish biomass; over 800% increase in large fish, grouper, and jack biomass; and a nearly 2000% increase in shark biomass, however less than 5% of the MPAs in this study had all 5 features." These statistics provide a source of encouragement that MPAs work and a sense of urgency to make them even more effective. One of the most fundamental tools that managers can use to incite such change is strategic communication.

A study tour of restoration projects was conducted for seven participants from four Polynesian countries (American Samoa, Niue, Samoa and Tonga) between March 20 and 27, 2015 to Auckland, New Zealand. All participants are involved in restoration projects in their home country, most funded under the GEF-PAS "Prevention, control and management of invasive alien species in the Pacific Islands" Project. Seven restoration sites were visited, including 3 island sites and 4 mainland sites. The site provide a range of available management options including isolated open sanctuary islands, predator-proof fenced peninsulas, virtual "fenced" reserves and urban parklands.