Restoring Native Forests and Improving Biodiversity in Samoa

Early implementation

The project’s pilot site is the O Le Pupu Pue National Park - the first national park in the South Pacific in Togitogiga on the island of Upolu. This protected area holds hectares of forests, some degraded and facing threats from intensified cyclones and invasive weeds. 

In 2022, SCS began a project to replant and restore these degraded lands through Nature-based Solutions (SCS) and improve local capacity to sustainably manage a network of Conservation Areas across Samoa. 

Not long after commencing the project, SCS recruited 30 youths, male and female, from three villages: Sa’aga in Siumu District, and Saleilua and Poutasi in Falealili District, to carry out restoration and threat management activities. These individuals came from low-income backgrounds and included those who needed paid work to support their tertiary education, or church and village obligations. Furthermore, consultations were held with these three communities to bolster awareness of climate change, the Kiwa Initiative local projects, park management, and capacity-building. 

One milestone achieved early on in the project was the planting of 3000 Samoan native trees, restoring 1.2 hectares of land. 

Community-driven restoration

Since early 2025, the project has recruited seven new Community Rangers from seven villages: Lalomanu, Uafato, Magiagi, Moamoa, and Malololelei on Upolu Island, and Aopo and Falealupo on Savai’i Island. Appointed by their respective CCA Communities, these Rangers carry out biodiversity monitoring and conservation awareness and stewardship functions at project sites. 

Within this period, Koster’s Curse, a highly invasive shrub, was removed from a trail in the Aopo CCA and 500 native Samoan seedlings were planted. And with the support of village youths and visiting Australian university students, 5200 native forest trees were planted, restoring 2.08 hectares of degraded forest areas across both Upolu and Savai'i. 

Staff and students from Monash University planting trees at  O Le Pupu Pue National Park (OLPP NP) in Togitogiga, Samoa © Samoa Conservation Society - Kiwa Initiative - January 2026

Securing the future of conservation areas

The SCS project has successfully replanted 13,750 trees and restored 4 hectares of forest area. Since implementation commenced, SCS has also collected 11,300 native Samoan tree seedlings.

Native tree growth and invasive alien species monitoring is a crucial component of the project, with three photopoints having been established to support this work. The first monitoring round was completed in 2023 and is regularly updated every 6 months. 

As the project nears completion in March 2027, SCS remains committed to the continued restoration and preservation of the OLPP National Park and Community Conservation Areas. The Kiwa Initiative is making all of this possible, equipping communities and practitioners with targeted technical support and funding to address key environmental challenges through locally led, sustainable solutions. 

The Samoa Conservation Society (SCS) project is implemented with the financial support of the European Union, Agence Française de Développement, Global Affairs Canada, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, as part of the Kiwa Initiative framework. 

The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of IUCN and does not reflect the views of the donors.

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About Kiwa Initiative

The Kiwa Initiative - Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for Climate Resilience aims to build the resilience of Pacific Island ecosystems, communities, and economies to climate change through NbS by protecting, sustainably managing and restoring biodiversity. It is based on simplified access to funding for climate change adaptation and biodiversity conservation actions for local and national governments, civil society, and regional organizations in Pacific
Island Countries and Territories. 

The Initiative is funded by the European Union, Agence française de développement (AFD), Global Affairs Canada (GAC), Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). It has established partnerships with the Pacific Community (SPC), the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), and the Oceania Regional Office of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN - ORO). 

For more information, visit the Kiwa Initiative website: The Kiwa Initiative - Climate Resilience in the Pacific Islands thanks to Nature-based Solutions (NbS).