Women at the forefront: tackling invasive species in East Rennell
The East Rennell World Heritage Site (ERWHS) covers about 30 percent of Rennell Island. In 2013, the site was declared ‘in danger’ due to problems like lack of protection, few job opportunities, possible logging, and invasive species. A 2018 study found that the invasive black rat was common on the island, threatening crops, livelihoods, and local wildlife. Six native birds and some snails were especially at risk.
To tackle these problems, The Kiwa Initiative BirdLife International included women and people with disabilities in managing invasive species. In 2022, they held a community workshop to explain the project’s goals and hired a local coordinator to help find rangers. At first, four male rangers were chosen from the villages of Tevaitahe, Niupani, Tegano, and Hutuna. They were trained to set up rat control areas and monitor wildlife.
The project also encouraged women to help with data collection and monitoring. With support from their communities, women joined the rangers in their work. This allowed women to play an important role in controlling the rat population and protecting their environment.
By involving women in this project, BirdLife International not only tackles the invasive species problem but also empowers women in their communities, showing their important contributions to conservation. To address the threats to ERWHS, BirdLife International partnered with the Lake Tegano World Heritage Site Association (LTWHSA), an Indigenous community group. The management committee includes representatives from the villages of Tevaitahe, Niupani, Tegano, and Hutuna, making sure women and youth are involved in decisions. The project aims to manage invasive species, improve livelihoods and ensure food security for local communities. This helps improve both the environment and the well-being of the people living there.
Recognizing the importance of inclusion, the project encourages discussions about engaging women and youth. Women expressed a strong desire to participate in data collection and rat removal efforts. With community support, rangers ensured that women had equal opportunities to join the monitoring activities. Since mid-2023, about twenty women from the four villages have been trained to monitor rat bait consumption. They, along with the rangers, receive daily pay for their work.
Guided by an Environmental Monitoring Plan, rangers check and replenish bait in about 40 hectares of garden areas across the villages. This plan allows both rangers and community members, including women, to track changes in local wildlife and assess the effectiveness of rat control, particularly for vulnerable species like the endemic Rennell shrikebill. Men typically monitor birds in the mornings, while women handle crop and bait monitoring throughout the day, balancing their family responsibilities.
One woman in particular, Joy Teahemasi from Niupani Village, has been recognised for her strong organisational skills, particularly when it comes to monitoring data. Joy has been recruited to lead on the data entry, working closely with the Local Project Coordinator. Her contribution and those of the other women, are helping to demonstrate the roles women can play in projects alongside men from their communities.
Joy shares her story:
“After graduating from university, I found it hard to find a job in town, so I went back home. A few times our community high school asked me to do some work for them like typing exam papers and other admin work. Then when this project started, I submitted my letter of interest to the Lake Tegano World Heritage Site Association to work on the rodent control program. I was happy that they accepted it. Basically, my work is to collect monitoring data from the Rangers and compile and enter them in Excel. Sometimes I argue with Rangers when they don’t write the data properly and that makes it hard for me to enter the data. But we always help each other, and once I am satisfied with their reports, I also liaise with the Local Project Coordinator who checks their Timesheets. When I started my work in entering data, I used to fill the data on sheets of paper which was very tiring. I am very thankful that the Coordinator allows me to use the project laptop. As a result, I have really improved my skills in using a laptop and know how to properly record data. I understand the different functions of Excel and other programs. Not only that, but I have also learnt a lot about the endemic birds and the importance of protecting our environment from harmful predators. The only challenge I see is getting more women to be part of the Lake Tegano World Heritage Site Association Committee. Otherwise, this project is indeed supporting us to gain more knowledge about monitoring and collecting data. If this project is extended, or if there’s any more projects like this, I will encourage and recommend more ladies to be engaged."
Birdlife International has also appointed a female staff member to co-lead the project. This is important because it gives women in the village someone they can trust to talk about the project and any issues they may have. The project is designed to support women and help them navigate community norms in a culturally sensitive ways.
