Events in May 2010

• Levuka Community Centre celebrates International Year of Biodiversity
• SSDNP SCREAM Work shop

3rd - 7th May 2010 Biodiversity Program

Seventy nine children from Marist Convent, Ratu Seru, Levuka Public Primary and Delana Primary School spent one week during the school holidays at the Levuka Community Centre learning about Biodiversity in peoples every day lives. Press release Levuka joins global initiatives

The Trust participated in the Forestry Exhibition Plant one million tree initiative at

Sukuna Park,promoting the value of the areas of heritage and biodiversity under the National Trust of Fiji          

Events in February 2010

• WWF and NTF signs a MOU
• Yaduataba senior ranger graduates
• SSDNP seed collection Day
• SSDNP staff retreat

20 February 2010 Seeds For Trees........

The Sigatoka Sand Dunes was the first site to kick start  its International Year of Biodiversity campaign. The event was on Seeds For Trees attended by 24 volunteers, children and adults from near by villages, Yavulo, Volivoli, Cuvu and the Kulukulu Community. The volunteers assisted the park ranger with the collection and sowing of the seeds of native trees. the volunteers enjoyed their day exploring the dunes and learning interesting facts about the many native trees that make up the Park's unique Dry Forests.

4 February Dancing in the Clouds.................

The SSDNP team took a retreat to the Koroyanitu National Heritage Park,this was a memorable trip for the staff,the colourful birds, the numerous native tree species and the breathtaking views kept the team enthralled as they hiked up t the Mt. Batilamu Lodge and down again to the Abaca lodge, though the walk up and down was demanding the team shared the experience and had a great time.

Events in January 2010

• NTF staff  joins the team at the GIRC Building
• H. E. Mr. Winston Thomas visits the National Trust Office
• British High Commissioner donates a plaque to the Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park.

26 January NTF joins the GIRC staff

Two staff are located at the Government Information Referral Centre, disseminate information to the general public on Fiji's cultural and natural heritage and the National Trust of Fiji.

19 January Fiji's Ambassador to Washington Visits NTF....

H.E. Mr. Winston Thompson paid a friendly visit to the National Trust of Fiji office. A brief meeting was held with the director Mrs. Elizabeth Erasito

13 January British High Commissioner plants trees........

Deputy commission Mr. Martin Fidler planted two trees at the Sigatoka Sand Dunes Resforestation site, he also placed a plaque next to the trees.

Events in December 2009

• NTF Staff Workshop 7-9
• NTF Festive Season Cards on Sale

Events in November 2009

• Fire at the Dunes story
• SSDNP Weed Eradication

20 November Big Fire at the Park............

A black day for the Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park. A large fire (called 20/11) razed over fifty percent of the vegetated section of the National Park destroying directional signs, track railings and the reforestation plots. The cause of the fire is not certain. However, Park Rangers suspect that careless burning of household rubbish by residents living along the National Park boundary may have caused this fire. The Park Manager said that this was perhaps the biggest fire at the Park to date.

Fire razes Sigatoka Sand Dunes park - Fiji Times Online

7 November Weed Eradication............

Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park hosted its first ever Weed Eradication Day. the campaign was successful in terms of community participation and general awareness raising. A total of 70 participants, majority were children and few parents came to join the NTF/SSDNP staff to remove "weedy seedlings" from key areas around the National Park. the weed campaign targeted two problematic trees; the African tulip and False Kava Piper aduncum, both trees are invasive in the Pacific.

Event in October 2009

• Coral Coast Carnival
• NTF director visits India
• Head Quarters Staff retreat at Sovi

25 October SSDNP Manager markets NTF sites........

It was the ideal time and occasion to market NTF sites, a stall was given to the

Manager of the Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park during the Coral Coast carnival held at Lawaqa park, Sigatoka to display awareness materials, brochures and pamphlets. The manager did verbal presentations to the carnival queens  and to the audience present at the park.

2 - 3 October Trip to Sovi RainForest....

Like a huge natural greenhouse, it's a realm of beauty and diversity.

Half the world's species of animals, birds, and insects

live in the forest. But although it is the most the most bounteous region on earth, it was also fragile—more fragile than anyone imagined.In Fiji lies the Sovi basin, even thou the staff did not reach into the basin the

edge of it was enough to last a life long experience. The  staff crossed one river eleven times,the swift current, sandy river bed and slippery stones at places.

The night was cold as the staff sat around

the camp fire roasting marshmallows and telling stories.

The staff awakened the next morning with the sound of birds chipping and welcoming the break of dawn, this was just one of those wonderful experiences of living close to nature.The Bilibili ride down the Sovi river to the village ended the exciting and thrilling retreat.

Events in September 2009

• Levuka Community Centre celebrates library week
• The Nanai (Tibicen knowlesi),
• Central Americas Iguana found on Qamea Island
• Eco Work Shop at the Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park
• NTF staffs travels over seas

19 - 26 SeptemberLibrary  Week celebration.........

The Levuka Community Centre celebrated library week with activities in the library and a character parade march through the town led by the Saint Johns College Student Band from Cawaci. Levuka School for Special Education were amongst the schools that took park in the library week activities. Prizes were given to the best creative character costume. The chief guest was Mrs. Nanise Tuimanono, vice principal of Levuka Public Secondary School. refreshments was provided by the NTF staff.

The Nanai (Tibicen knowlesi)..........

A species of cicada make their appearance

in countless millions –but only once every

eight years. Their life above ground lasts

just few weeks; early on when the eggs

are laid deep in tree branches and later on

as young nymphs with in the first year,

before falling and burrowing into the ground

for next 7 long years. On the eighth year,

on which 2009

lies, and believed to be around the beginning

of wet season, rising temperatures signals the Nanai to move upwards above ground.  Millions of Nanai emerge during this season but only for one to two months.  It is a brief and noisy invasion of the forests, but an event awaited eagerly by Fijians who consider the Nanai a delicacy for gourmets.  And in some local villages like Matokana, they know their coming heralds the start of an eventful year; yabaki ni sautu, a year of plenty, good crops and abundant fruiting.

Walking the Dunes.........

Fiji Times reporter walks the dunes. Press release Walking the dunes

14 - 17 September

Kasaqa Tora has been invited to attend the International Workshop on the Future of the CBD Programme of Work on Protected Areas in Jeju Island, republic of Korea.

9 - 23 September

Elizabeth Erasito is away attending the International Trust Association Conference in Dublin, Ireland

Alien Iguanas Threaten Garden Island..........

Green Iguana (Iguana iguana) have

recently been identified on Qamea,

Matagi and Laucala Islands just off Taveuni.   

A team led by the Ministry of

Environment returned to Suva on Tuesday

(8th September) with twolive specimen of

this large lizard after 3 days of search, subsequent to reports of sightings from

the local community. 

The Green Iguana is a common petspecies

in its native Central and South Americas, while wild animals are hunted as a source of food being referred to it as "Bush Chicken". One of the specimen have been taken to Kula Eco Park for further research and promote public awareness on threats of smuggling unwanted animals and plants into the country.

Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park Management Plan....

The National Trust is currently developing a Management Plan for the Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park. For information on public consultations, please click here General Invitation to SSDNP Mgt Plan

1-3 September 2009 Local Heritage in Young Hands Eco Work shop.....

Local Heritage in Young Hands was the theme of the follow-up eco work shop held at the Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park. The three day program of activities was fun but educational, it encouraged the students to care for our local heritage and the environment now and in the future. The students explored two cultural site, the Tavuni Hill Fort and the Momi Gun Battery. A half day program at the new Shangri-la's Marine Centre where the students were introduced to one of our world's greatest natural treasure, the coral reefs. The Eco Work shop was sponsored by the British High Commission. Press release Sigatoka students to protect sand dunes

Events in August 2009

• Garrick boundary clearing for more  Sago planting
• Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park Eco Workshop
• Turtle tagging at Yadua Island, Project Officer close up interview closeup@fijitv.com.fj 09/08/09 segment_3.22021903

25 - 27 August 2009 School Holiday Eco Workshop.........

The Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park is doing its second round of School Holiday Eco- Workshop Program this month for local children in Sigatoka ages 9 to 14 the theme of the Eco- Workshop is "Discovering the Dunes: Sand, Sea, Plants and People"

Events in July 2009.

• Abaca Village harvest honey
• Planting Sago Palm Metroxylon vitiense at the Garrick Forest Reserve
• Director NTF attends IUCN meeting in Geneva
• 6 -15 Short course on Island Species led Action (ISLA).

21 July 2009 Abaca Honey........

The village of Abaca had a day of excitement when for the first time ever the community harvested honey from their bee farm, it was the best honey ever.said one of the buyers.

25 July 2009.........

NTF staff together with Nature Fiji planned a one day trip to the Garrick Forest Reserve to plant two endangered palms, the Fiji Sago Palm - Metroxylon vitiense and the Navua Palm - Heterospathe phillipsi it was great day as twenty seven volunteers turned out to help too.

20 - 29July 2009 Geneva Trip.......

NTF director Elizabeth Erasito was away in Geneva attending a two weeks IUCN meeting. She reports that despite the signs being in French, most people speak excellent English, very beautiful place, the weather was warm, but during the week there was a hailstorm where ice was the size of a golf ball falling from the sky.

6 July 2009 Fiji Hosts Global Experts on Island Wildlife......

Local conservationists will be joining up with expertise from around the world this week to share skills and knowledge on saving endangered island species from extinction.

The National Trust of Fiji and University of the South Pacific have teamed up with the world-renowned Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust to deliver a 10-day course on Island Species-led Action (ISLA) here in Fiji.

Twenty two people from eight Pacific nations will be participating in the course, which runs from 6th to 15th July. 

Since its launch in the British Channel Island of Jersey, where Durrell is based, the ISLA course has been run in some of the most biologically important island groups in the world: the Seychelles, Mauritius, St. Lucia, Galapagos, Guam and now in Fiji.

Events in June 2009.

• 7-11 . Visit by IUCN Director General, Julia Marton-Lefevre . program and profile
• 10 - 12 Levuka Cultural Landscape Program, Heritage Management Workshop.
• 22 - 26 In house training for NTF and CI staff on Managing Protected Areas
• 23 - 28 Cakaudrove District school outreach awareness program

24 June 2009 School Outreach .......

The first school visit outreach was conduct to five schools in the Cakaudrove District; Qalitu District School, Muanivatu District School, Saint Andrews Primary School, Nasavusavu District School and Batibalavu District School. the teachers and students listened carefully with astonishment as the staff presented on the National Trust, Waisali Rainforest Reserve and other project sites.

10 June 2009 Heritage Management Work shop...........

Momi Gun site Sunia Vuniyayawa  and Lydia Bower  attended a three days workshop on Levuka Cultural Landscape Program Heritage Management, the following topics discussed were

9 June 2009 Traditional Ceremony of Welcome........

National Trust staff spent two weeks organizing the welcome ceremony which was hosted by the Ministry of Education, National Heritage, Culture and Arts for the Director General of IUCN Ms. Julia Marton - Lefevre on her first Oceania region visit to Fiji Traditional Ceremony of Welcome

1June 2009 Levuka Ranger at Waisali

Levuka Ranger Metuisela Tabaki is currently attached at the Waisali Rainforest Reserve National Park  for two Weeks who looks after the oldest heritage building in Levuka, is assisting the site rangers build another toilet facility on site.

Events in May 2009.

• 5-7th       Eco-Camp for children. Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park Press Release
• 8-10th     Botany survey. Muanakaka Bird Sanctuary
• 11-14th   Eco-Camp for children. Abaca Village. Koroyanitu National Heritage Park. Press Release

May 2009 Term 1 School break eco work shops...

The first term school break started off with two educational eco work shops at two National Trust Sites the Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park and the Koroyanitu National Heritage Park. Activities put together by the staff were bird watching, reforestation, tree huggers, watershed management, team building exercises, litter patrol/pollution,plant identification and medicinal plants, The children had a wonderful time at the park.

24 April 2009. Ranger Exchange Pro gram...

Waisali Rainforest Reserve National Park ranger Lekima Muavere was attached to the Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park for three weeks. This is a new program that is being implemented this year at the National Trust sites. The rangers share work ethics and team work strengthening the team spirit with in the organisation.

5 April 2009. NTF Director appointed to WCPA.......

NTF Director Elizabeth Erasito, has been appointed as Deputy Vice Chair for the Pacific Islands to lead the WCPA network in the region. The main role of WCPA globally is to promote the role of protected areas as a key conservation mechanism to as many stakeholders as possible and facilitate implementation of Protected Areas.  As part of this role, Mrs. Erasito will work towards building the membership of the Commission in the Pacific Islands and facilitate the exchange of information on initiatives related to marine and terrestrial protected areas including community conserved areas and the implementation of the CBD PoWPA on a list server to be established for this purpose.

15 March 2009. NTF receives British High Commission Grant...

The Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park has received $6000 from the British High Commission to deliver a programme of educational sessions, linked to the curriculum, based around conservation, environmental issues (nature/energy/waste/travel) and sustainable living/consumption (how we behave and our impact on the planet) with Nadroga/Navosa Secondary School and to run two Hands-on Environmental Youth in Action Camps in the Park for 30 youth per camp during the Term I and Term II school holiday breaks. The overall theme for the activities is;  Discovering the Dunes; Sand, Sea, Plants and People.   

10 March 2009.  Welcome to the new staff at NTF...

Mrs. Kasaqa Tora has joined the NTF as the new GIS and Protected Area Officer. She is now responsible for creating maps of Fiji’s Protected Area System and facilitating the meetings of the Protected Area Committee(PAC) which is chaired by the Director for the NTF. The PAC is a technical committee appointed by Fiji’s National Environment Council. Kasaqa worked as the Senior Technical Assistant with the Landuse Section of the Ministry of Agriculture before joining the NTF.

NTF Senior Ranger Levuka, Mrs. Elizabeth Niumataiwalu has been appointed as Information Officer for the NTF. With over 5 years experience in site management, and providing a year of technical support to the Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park, Elizabeth is now ready to take on the challenge of collating and managing the NTF Information for sites and at HQ and supervising the implementation of the NTF Marketing Strategy.

NTF FIT Marketing Attachee, Ms. Teresia Malaucake has been appointed the NTF Marketing Assistant. After two years of attachment with the NTF in Marketing and as a Site Assistant, the NTF was pleased to be able to appoint Teresia to the position. She will now be implementing the NTF Marketing Strategy.

Mrs. Karalaini Uluibau has been appointed the new Junior Ranger at the Levuka Community Centre. Her duties involve assisting the senior ranger in the management and maintenance of the Community Centre, and the library. Karalaini is very creative and is good with flower arrangements.

Mrs. Mereia Inoke joined the SSDNP as a new Junior Ranger in early October, 2008. Her role includes largely in office administration, ranger duties and assisting the Park Manager.