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Vanuatu Forest Conservation Area

>The Vatthe Conservation Area, Espirito Santo, Vanuatu

Interview with Russell Nari, Environment Unit, Vanuatu 13/Aug/1998

Where did the idea for the Vatthe Conservation Area originate?

There was a National Biodiversity Project in 1993 that was supposed to survey the biota of Vanuatu. But due to financial constraints, Big Bay was the only area selected for a comprehensive survey. The Environment Unit in collaboration with the Royal Forest and Bird Conservation Society of New Zealand undertook the study. During the study there was some discussion with the community on the idea of setting up a national park.

Who actually came up with the idea for a national park?

During the survey, the Environment Unit and the scientists associated with Royal Forest and Bird used the local people to actually carry out some of the research. During the research, the local people began to ask about how they could generate income. There was already a logging concession signed in the area but logging had not yet begun. The question was how to keep the forest and still make money. They had seen the impact of logging on other areas in Santo.

Doing the research made them appreciate how much they had a stake; that if they lost their forest they would lose their long term resources. It was more a two way process between the community and the research group. Sharing the ideas and looking at the impacts of logging and cultivation in terms of long term profits.

How important was it that this process was embedded in actually going out into the forest and doing the research?

I think it’s the key to the whole success. That’s what the Environment Unit has been preaching since its inception. Making people more aware of the resources they have and try to balance what they have versus harvesting them.

You could also make them aware of their resources by simply talking. It’s quite different to go into the field and do research.

That’s the biggest part of our problem. A lot of our programs have focused on awareness raising but after it reaches a certain level people get fed up with talking and ask how they can actually start, what they can actually do.

That’s where the Big Bay project came in. It established a foundation for what we have been preaching. We can show that this is one of the pictures that can follow on from awareness.

How did you establish linkages with other government agencies?

In 1994, we ran a workshop with the community for them to identify their priority needs. Their priorities were way outside of conservation. To helping match their needs to what was actually available, we linked up the community with different organizations, donor agencies, government agencies, provincial authorities who had existing programs or were planning new programs that might help meet their needs. Then we set up an advisory committee made up of all the involved people.

What need did the park itself satisfy?

The overall objective of the project was to assist the community by providing technical and advisory assistance to establish alternative, sustainable income generating activities. And in return have a conservation area.

This fit in with a national vision to have a conservation area?

When the idea began we were thinking of a National Park. The National Park Act had just been passed and enacted. But as we reviewed the Act we found it was not in line with what we were trying to do. We wanted the project to be totally community owned and managed. This was different from what was prescribed under the Act. So we switched from a National Park to a Conservation Area.

As an aside, where did the National Park Act come from? Did the Environment Unit or the communities have any input into the Act?

Like any other laws in Vanuatu, it was drafted in the AG’s chambers and then directed to the Parliament. The new Environmental Legislation that is still in draft stage, we have tried another approach. A longer consultative process so people can have input into the legislation. This is a complete turn around from before.

Has the Big Bay program had political backing?

Yes. In our political system if there was not strong backing the project would not have happened.

Is the Big Bay program funded by the government?

Only officers like myself. Our salaries are paid by the government. The community started up on a voluntary basis. Now on the money from tourism they have been paying people in the community to do some of the work.

How were the agreements between the government and the villagers made?

We didn’t want the government to be seen as having a lead role. The people in this area have been having land disputes for many years and the government did not want to be seen as contributing to these disputes by pushing for national registration of the land.

In fact, the project has played a key role in uniting the people of the two communities and settling the land disputes. This happened because we’ve kept the government backstage and let the communities to do their thing.

They signed a document between the two villages to agree to work together and do this project. But there is no formal agreement with the government.

So the property is not protected by law?

No. During that time, up to now, we left the decisions on land to them. Now they have come forward and they said, "We want this land to be registered and we want it to be declared by the National Government."

Is the Government going to do it?

We’re going to do it but according to what they want in the document. We believe that we must be facilitators to having the people make the decisions. That way we get more commitment to the program.

So it’s the community’s initiative and desires that is forming the government policy on the designated land?

Yes. The Minister responsible for the Environment is going to Santo this week to have an official tour of the project and the community is going to present the request to him. The request to have the land surveyed and protected under some kind of legislation.

How will the Land Use Planning Office fit into this project?

One of the activities is to develop a land use plan and a resource management plan. The community and the officer working with them will make a map showing which areas will be used under different categories. Land Use Planning will assist them with the survey and digitizing the maps for our GIS.

The community will polish up what they want where and Land Use Planning will help them formalize their plans.

Do you think the National Park Act might have helped spur community interest in taking self-action? Perhaps the Act might have threatened community control of the land?

I would say yes. But now we have tried to amend the Act to meet the Vanuatu Land Ownership circumstances. This has not been done yet, but our belief is that if some parts of the Act can reflect local needs and desires it might work. But right now it is just a replicate of New Zealand or Australian laws.

The new environmental legislation explicitly recognizes community initiated programs. There are a lot of community conservation initiatives in Vanuatu. A lot. Our problem is that they are not recognized under existing law. That’s why the new legislation provides for recognition of traditional conservation management systems and other community conservation initiatives.

There has to be a mechanism in place – through registry or other means – to support community efforts. Right now there is nothing.

Is the project financially working?

Yes. The project now actually supports several people who are working on the project full time. They have four full time people at the resort, tour guides, and they have set up four different bank accounts.

The beauty of the management of the whole project is that everybody knows everyone else and they must make an effort to see that everyone is treated fairly. The trust account is shared equally between the two communities and a resort account to pay the people who are working in the resort, and a conservation account which runs the trails and trail guides, and they have a handicraft account. If handicrafts are sold the money must go to the individual who made the object, with a commission to the project.

Is there any monitoring of the effect of the park on the natural environment?

Not yet. We are cautious about this as there is a lot of interest in the enterprise development and this takes the focus away from the conservation theme.

It’s likely that the scientists who did the original survey might have an interest in returning to see what changes happen. But this has not happened yet.

We have a feedback process. There are two community committees, one in each community. Then there is an overall management committee with representation from both committees. The management committee meets on a quarterly basis and has final authority. Any problems in the community are channeled to the committee for resolution. The Environment Unit sits on the management committee and so we are informed of any problems at an early stage.

Is there good attendance at the meetings?

Yes. The people are interested now. When we first started, in 1994 and 95 a lot of the planning was done by this office. In 1996 till now the community does its own planning and budgeting. We are just there as facilitators.

What is the relationship between the conservation area with international agreements?

The South Pacific Regional Environment Programme’s Biodiversity Project has helped support the project since 1994. We have done all the planning and SPREP has provided funds. They were supposed to help with technical advice but there is a rapid turn over of staff at SPREP and we have had difficulty establishing a working relationship with them.

Conservation is not new to Vanuatu. It’s done locally whether there is an international agreement or not. But on a wider scale, the support from outside has helped achieve a successful program.

Do you make use of the Media?

Yes. We have a video about the project that has been shown throughout the country and has been on broadcast television numerous times. It looks at the process of how the conservation area was established. (PAL System).

We are planning a follow-up video with Television Vanuatu to show the changes in the perceptions of the community from the previous video until now.

Wan Small Bag Theater has been to the site and has been very valuable in our work.

Did you actually try to generate a vision for the program?

I have not had formal training in this but we’ve done it through group meetings, trying to work with different sectors of people in the community. Trying to see what their dreams are and establishing a realistic and achievable set of goals.

During our participatory planning sessions we look at how the plans are developing.

Have you looked at Resource Accounting?

There was some effort. The Proposal to SPREP included some idea of the values of forest products. But my experience with communities makes me think this is good economic stuff but has little practical use.

What was the biggest obstacle you had to overcome?

Land disputes. Land ownership. And secondly the lack of understanding of the community about conservation and how the project would work.

Let’s take the second one first. How did you overcome this lack of understanding?

The best tool that we have used is actually involving the people in the entire process. They had to be part of every little thing. That’s the key. You have to work at a speed that is based on the community. You can’t try to pull people along at your pace. You must move with them and flow according to their pace and their understanding. That has been vital in this project.

How did you overcome the land dispute issue?

When I first arrived there, the two communities were not talking to each other. They had taken their land dispute case right to the supreme court. I had to talk to each group separately and get each set of views. And then look at what they both wanted to do and find mutual grounds to link the two together.

We tried to make them realize that they tried it through the legal system and there is still hatred. Still lack of cooperation. I asked them, "Were you friends before?" They said, "Yes we were friends before?" I asked "How can you work together again? Do you like this project, do you like the idea?"

We were not just talking to land owners but to the resource users and everyone so you have the full support of the true community. If you only concentrate on the land owners the resource users will feel left out.

So you acted as a facilitator and negotiator.

Yes. When the two communities came to understand the concept they took the initiative and did a peace ceremony. Exchanging gifts and money and food. They gave me a call and said, "Yes, we want to work together." In a way the project was a remedy for their conflict.

Do you think this kind of project would be useful in more urban areas?

Yes. We are trying one with a proposed park here on Efate. The Cultural Center is in charge of the project but we are on the team and have given them advice. We told them to run an awareness campaign throughout the island and get the whole community view. They did that and found a big interest in having the whole of the mountainous interior of Efate made into a national park.