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Since Elton highlighted the problem of biological invasions, numerous studies have established their importance in the structural evolution of natural communities, in particular insular communities. Because of their isolation, islands are regarded as natural evolution laboratories which are characteristically very fragile once the boundary is disturbed. This fragility is illustrated by the high proportion of species extinctions observed in islands: since 1600, more than 75% of monitored disappearances have been registered in islands.

Population survey of coconut crab (Birgus latro) in the Huvalu Forest Conservation Area, Niue island, South Pacific

Unpublished report kept in vertical file collection|2 copies

Call Number: VF 2291 [EL]

Physical Description: unpaged : tables ; 29 cm

The extensive Pacific Islands region comprises around 30.000 islands scattered across the vast central Pacific Ocean. The island groups and sea areas are divided into 22 countries, with a total population of around 6 million people. The great majority of people live in relatively small and isolated coastal or rural village communities, and remain closely reliant on their local natural resources for subsistence and economic development.

Biodiversity conservation - that is, the conservation of plants and animals that make up the species richness of a country - is widely recognised as an issue of importance for the South Pacific as it is relevant to family livelihoods, culture and economic development as well as to the unique biological story that these islands possess. The biodiversity of the region is threatened by a broad range of causes including unsustainable logging and fishing, invasive species, pollution, soil erosion, fire, habitat conversion and agricultural run-off.

The Pacific region has benefited from a number of regional and national programmes to both assess the impacts of climate change on biodiversity and develop programmes to adapt to climate change. Such programmes are critical considering that the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 1/ states that the Pacific region has already experienced temperature increases of as much as 1°C since 1910.

Available online

Call Number: [EL]

Physical Description: 38 p.

The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) works to make digital biodiversity data openly and freely available on the internet for everyone. GBIF provides access to scienti_c biodiversity data for decision-making, research endeavours and public use. GBIF endorses both open source software and open data access.
In terms of structure, GBIF is a dynamic, growing partnership of countries, organisations, institutions and individuals working together to mobilise scientific biodiversity data.

Available online

Call Number: [EL]

Ecosystem services are the benefits people obtain from ecosystems, such as clean air, fresh water, and the pollination of crops. The aim of this literature review was to find empirical data illustrating the ways in which conservation land and conservation management activities affect ecosystem services. The widely-held belief that natural ecosystems—such as those found on conservation land in New Zealand—provide a range of ecosystem services is generally supported by the literature.

Life on Earth is disappearing fast and will continue to do so unless urgent action is taken. Well designed and effectively managed systems of protected areas are a vital tool for reducing biodiversity loss while delivering environmental goods and services that underpin sustainable development. There are currently over 130,000 protected areas worldwide, covering around 13.9 % of the Earth’s land surface and 5.9 % of the territorial marine surface. These areas represent a tremendous resource for conserving biodiversity and for protecting vital ecosystem services.

Climate change is a major threat to global biodiversity. From the tropics to the Poles, the world’s ecosystems are all under pressure. A study published in the scientific journal Nature posited that 15 to 37% of terrestrial animal and plant species could be at risk of extinction because of human-induced impacts on climate (Thomas et al., 2004). Scattered across the four corners of the Earth, European Union overseas entities, are home to a biological diversity that is as rich as it is vulnerable.

This document is part of a technical report series on conservation projects funded by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) and the Conservation International Pacific Islands Program (CI-Pacific). The main purpose of this series is to disseminate project findings and successes to a broader audience of conservation professionals in the Pacific, along with interested members of the public and students. The reports are being prepared on an ad-hoc basis as projects are completed and written up.

The Convention on Biological Diversity has been adopted by many countries, resulting in the development of national biodiversity strategies. This illustrates the international recognition of the importance of protecting ecosystems. However, ecosystems still face many threats, some of them growing and spreading so rapidly as to cause irreversible deterioration in many countries and areas.

A BIORAP is a biological inventory programme
undertaken in marine and terrestrial environments, and
is designed to rapidly assess the biodiversity of highly
diverse areas. Options to manage threats and protect
biodiversity of national or international significance are
recommended to governing communities.

3 copies and also available online

Call Number: VF 7427 ,[EL]

Physical Description: 12p. : ill. (col.) ; 29cm.

A priority for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) is
effective planning and financing of actions to address
the impacts of climate change. This paper examines the
vital role that regional institutions play in sharing SIDS
relevant approaches and knowledge, and in delivering
specialist skills and knowledge to support national
efforts. It goes on to highlight the work of the Climate Resilient
Islands Partnership, which links the Caribbean,
Indian Ocean and Pacific Regions, and is working to

"Overall environmental policy" exists in French Polynesia for the time being, which strictly speaking, would imply the definition of priorities concering the protection of natural resources and their distribution in space, the enactment of comprehensive legislation, and the application of enforcement procedures by a Territorial department especially empowered for this purpose.

In English & French|Kept in the Vertical File

Call Number: VF 1268 [EL]

Physical Description: 11 p. ; 29 cm.

Neanmoins une protection existe pour un certain nombre de problems ponctuels et ce n'est qu'au fil des annees et des experiences dans ce domaine que l'ensemble des actions pourront etre integrees pour former le noyau dur de la politique generale de la protection de l'environment dans le Territoire.

Kept in the Vertical File|Available online

Call Number: VF 1269 [EL]

Physical Description: 15 p. ; 29 cm

The Niue Government is in receipt of its first National Development
Plan (NNDP 1980-1985) which contains chapters on social development
(4 1Macroplan') and social services (Chapters 19 to 23); comprehen-
sive physical or regional plans for land and coastal resource use
are hampered mainly due to the existing tenure system.

Kept in the Vertical File|See also French version VF 1295

Call Number: VF 1296 [EL],VF 1295

Physical Description: 7 p. ; 29 cm.

The Government of Papua New Guinea passed an environment and
conservation policy statement in September 1975, following the
adoption of an explicit reference to environmental matters in
the Five National Goals and Directive Principles of the
Constitution.

Kept in the Vertical File|See also French version VF 1298

Call Number: VF 1297 [EL],VF 1298

Physical Description: 31 p. 29 cm.

The last remaining Kingdom in the South Pacific, Tonga has a total land
area of 674 square kilometers spread over a sea area of approximately
259,360 square kilometers. There are 3 major island groups with a total of
171 islands, 37 of them occupied. Thre

Kept in the Vertical File|See also French version VF 1302

Call Number: VF 1301 [EL]

Physical Description: 13 p. ; 29 cm.

All islands in the TTPI have a tropical marine climate charac-
terized by uniform air pressure, temperature and humidity.
Average monthly temperatures range from 79° to 83°F. Usually
there is a greater range in daily temperatures (approximately
10°} than in seasonal average temperatures. Relative humidity
is usually above 75%, but ranges from 55 to 100%. Seasonal
changes in wind direction and strength and in precipitation
are the main variables in climate features. Most of the TT lies