The plastic demijohn
Origin: streets, streams, beaches and boats.
Behaviour: can cause serious, even fatal intestinal
blockages in marine animals if swallowed.
Average lifespan: 400 to 600 years.
Eighteen Species of beche-de-mer were recored in a survey of eef flats and seagrass areas in Vanuatu.Composition and diversity was variable in different habitats, and denstities were genereally low.It is unlikely that present stocks could support recommended harvesting quotas.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 7 Pages
The Vanuatu Environment Unit is undertaking a capacity building add-on to the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Planning Project. One priority within this work has been to assess capacity to conduct research, assessment and monitoring of biological resources and their ecosystems to which they are part of. An inventory of recent and current research, assessment and monitoring programmes have just recently been done by the project. A report is currently in preparation following this stock take.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
In 2001, the Government of Samoa released the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) for the conservation and sustainable development of the country's biological resources. The NBSAP identifies invasive alien species (IAS) as being one of the greatest threats to Samoa's
biodiversity. The National Invasive Alien Species Implementation Action Plan (NIASIAP) addresses this threat, building on the actions identified in 'Theme 6 - Biosecurity' of the NBSAP,
as well as elements of Themes 1, 2, 3 and 7, and pursuing the following objective:
This article describes and discusses the establishment and operation of the Micronesia Conservation Trust (MCT). Following three years of preparations and multi-stakeholder consultations MCT was established in 2002 with the objective of supporting biodiversity conservation and related sustainable development for the people of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) by providing long-term sustained funding. In 2008 MCT completed
The CBD, the Ramsar Convention and the CMS recognise impact assessment as an important tool to ensure that development is planned and implemented with biodiversity 'in mind'. The CBD requires parties to apply impact assessment to projects, programmes, plans and policies with a potential negative impact on biodiversity. Considerable progress has been made in strengthening impact assessment as a tool to further the aims of the CBD and related conventions. However, practise shows
that more work is needed.
This document outlines the activities that the Secretariat plans to undertake to support the IYB. Some of these have already begun and others are in development. The paper includes suggestions as to actions that other partners may take to advance the celebrations of the IYB.
The end result of the IYB celebration will be action at various levels as a result of targeted "public awareness" campaigns in collaboration with a number of partners. A comprehensive
The Department of the Navy (DoN) is committed to demonstrating environmental stewardship while executing its national defense mission. The United States (U.S.) Navy (Navy) is responsible for
1. Article 6 of the Convention on Biological Diversity/ requires each Party to develop or adapt national strategies, plans or programmes for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and to integrate, as far as possible and as appropriate, the conservation and sustainable use of biological
diversity into relevant sectoral or cross-sectoral plans, programmes and policies.
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Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 11 Pages
One of the recommendations emerging from the COP-8 (Decision XIII/8 [6]) promoted a series of regional and/or sub-regional workshops on capacity building for NBSAPs. These will
be held with the aim to discuss national experiences in implementing NBSAPs, the integration of biodiversity concerns into relevant sectors, obstacles, and ways and means
for overcoming these obstacles. It was recommended that these workshops be held (subject to the availability of funding) prior to COP-9, to provide an opportunity to directly support
Biodiversity and ecosystem services are being degraded faster than at any other time in human history. Most of the world's biodiversity is found in Southern countries where people greatly depend on natural resources but suffer from high levels of rural poverty and often weak governance. Weak governance (eg. political marginalization and corruption) is a key underlying driver of both biodiversity loss and poverty. At the same time, the role of biodiversity in the provision of ecosystem services that underpin national economies and rural livelihoods is largely overlooked.
For one of the species potentially at some risk of poisoning under the proposed rat eradication regime, the Friendly Ground Dove, Nuutele and Nuulua hold populations that are nationally significant. The complete loss of these populations would threaten the survival of the taxon in Samoa. Some authors consider the Samoan doves to be a separate race (Gallicolumba s. stairi) from those in Fiji and Tonga (Watling, 2001). Outside Samoa, the race is only found on the small island of Ofu,
1. During a recent survey around Upolu, Savaii and Nuutele the Yellow Crazy Ant was both observed and collected as samples in different locations.
2. The field survey reveals the extend distribution of the Yellow Crazy Ant through out Samoa.
3. 11 sites were visited in Savaii and 12 in Upolu and 1 in Nuutele; no survey was done on Nuulua due to weather conditions. On Upolu and Savaii the sites were located approximately 15km around the island.
One or two sites or stations fall inland.
The islands of Nu'utele and Nu'ulua have been identified as highly significant sites for conservation in Samoa. They hold large populations of species currently found nowhere else in the country' including threatened land-birds, seabirds and nesting
turtles. They also are the only offshore islands large enough and far enough offshore to be considered as refuges for several of the nation's species threatened on the larger islands by introduced mammalian pests. Such refuges have assumed greater
What is biodiversity? Biodiversity has different meanings depending on the situation being discussed and the target audience. For example, the Oxford English Dictionary defines biodiversity as being "The variety of plant and animal life in the world or in a particular habitat". This is definition is clearly sufficient for non-specialists. However, when looking more specifically at biodiversity, it becomes evident that thought needs to be given to other groups such as fungi, bacteria and archea.
The restoration of the Islands of Nuutele and Nuulua is a priority of the Government of Samoa and the communities of Aleipata District. Planning is well advanced on a key element of this, the eradication of Pacific Rats (Rattus exulans) by aerial
spreading of toxic baits in mid-2006. The Friendly Ground Dove has been identified as a non-target species that may be at risk of taking the baits and one for which the Nuutele and Nuulua populations are significant. Several approaches for safeguarding
This brochure demonstrates how measures and policies can be shaped to simultaneously address climate change, biodiversity loss and poverty. It identifies opportunities for synergies and mutual enhancement of the objectives of international agreements, particularly the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), as well as decisions taken by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly following the recommendations of the UN Forum on Forests (UNFF).
Available online|1 copy
Biological diversity, or biodiversity, is the variability of life
on earth from genes to species to the entire biosphere.
Biodiversity provides immeasurable benefit to human societ-
ies through medicine, food, fiber, ecosystem services, and
cultural values. Yet, this diversity of life is under siege: species
arc being lost at a rate far beyond the natural extinction rate.
Available online|Both in English and Samoa|2 hard copies
Call Number: 333.72099614 ATH [EL]
Physical Description: 36 p.
The need for a Pacific Biodiversity Information Forum to provide a venue and support for biodiversity information needs in the Pacific Basin was established during the GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility) meeting on Maui in May of 2002. Interested parties met again during the October 2003 GBIF meeting in Tsukuba, Japan and reaffirmed the need and began to draw up a governing structure for PBIF and identify specific biodiversity needs in the Pacific Basin that can be addressed through projects.
A Workshop on Regional Action to Combat Invasive Alien Species on Islands to Preserve Biodiversity and Adapt to Climate Change highlighted successes, deepened connections within regions and facilitated the exchange of experiences across regions.While discussions outlined significant obstacles to invasive alien species management2 on islands, they also showcased how targeted successes have led to major gains for conservation and development.Collaboration across developmental and environmental sectors and sustained support are critical to success in this field.Exciting new initiatives are dev