BirdLife International teams up with East Rennell villagers to overcome environmental challenges

But the people of East Rennell are facing growing challenges. Climate change impacts, invasive species, and changes in available land, freshwater and marine resources are all taking a toll. Their crops are suffering, necessities like water are depleting, and their endemic flora and fauna are under threat.

BirdLife International, with funding from the Kiwa Initiative, is working hand-in-hand with the East Rennell communities to find solutions. In January 2024, a Participatory/Rapid Appraisal (PRA) assessment was conducted, where local experts sit down with the villagers to understand their challenges and develop ideas for addressing them. The villagers shared the same stories – the decline of water quality from the lake (for drinking & cooking); the decrease in availability of good land for planting crops and the limited choice of crops for cultivation with loss of traditional knowledge suggested, also since the swamp taro which is one of the most important staple food crops for the communities has not been growing well due to brackish water intrusion from the lake. The available land for growing crops was decreasing, and villagers were losing some traditional ways of farming that used to work well. These were made worse with the invasive Black Rat invading their gardens and destroying their hard-earned harvests.

But the people of East Rennell are tough and resourceful. With the financial support from the Kiwa Initiative project, they are fighting back. In each of the four villages, Local Rangers recruited for the project have set up 10 hectare-treatment plots whereby rodenticides have been deployed from bait stations. Treatment plots paired with non-treatment plots have provided a comparative analysis of crop yield and biodiversity impacts from Black Rats. Early results are very promising, with signs that Black rats are being pushed back and crop yields are improving.

The project is also helping the villagers adapt to new, climate-smart farming methods, such as building raised garden beds and cultivating a variety of different crops that can withstand the changing conditions. The communities are also working closely with local experts to develop the Renbel Biosecurity Plan to protect East Rennell’s natural biodiversity.

At the heart of this effort are the four local rangers that the project has recruited and trained. These anaging the rat control, and teaching community members new skills. Over 100 villagers have participated in the project, eager to learn and make a difference.

An East Rennell Monitoring Plan will also enable rangers to measure change in condition of ERWHS fauna values, and to monitor threats (including Black rats) to those fauna values, using key indicator endemic bird species and subspecies, flying-foxes, endemic snails and some other specialist species, e.g., the lake-dwelling Australasian Grebe (endemic subspecies) and Lake Tegano Sea-krait (endemic species), and seabird colonies.

The project has had its fair share of challenges. The infrequent and often shipping services to Rennell continues to be a major issue. This, coupled with the remoteness of East Rennell from the main airstrip and port contributes to shortage of fuel and high transport costs. The project team is working with local implementing partners such as the Solomon Islands Government Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology, the UNESCO National Commission and Live & Learn Solomon Islands to manage logistics in order to effectively deliver on project outcomes.

Through it all, the goal remains the same – to protect the wonders of East Rennell and support the people who call this special place home. With the community in the lead and BirdLife International's support, real progress is being made. The future is looking brighter for the people and wildlife of this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The BirdLife International project titled “Improving livelihoods and food security/invasive species management in Solomon Island” is a local project under the Kiwa Initiative. The initiative is funded by the European Union (EU), Agence Française de Développement (AFD), Global Affairs Canada (GAC), Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and (DFAT) and New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT).

The Kiwa Initiative 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).

For more information, visit: www.kiwainitiative.org
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