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Lying about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia, Vanuatu represents the main bulk of an island chain which continues into the eastern Solomon Islands. The islands are volcanic rock or uplifted carbonate structures and there is ongoing volcanic activity in a number of locations. Fringing reefs predominate. Crown-of-thorns sea star (Acanthaster planci) outbreaks have been reported. Up to the present time the larger islands have remained forested, however, increased logging threatens to destroy Vanuatu’s rainforests. Rising pollution from sewage inputs and sediment run off and overharvesting of some non-motile reef species are also concerns.

A Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded project is currently being implemented in the Cook Islands titled the “Prevention, Control and Management of Invasive Alien Species in the Pacific Islands”. This is a multicountry project and includes the Niue, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Palau, Tonga, and Samoa. Activities within the framework of this project include the conservation of priority species and ecosystems and the management of Invasive Alien Species (IAS).