For the Pacific region, the sources regarding first contacts are essentially accounts written by European travellers. One can quite easily imagine the extent to which these accounts, especially those published in the form of a book which was
intended for a large public, foreground interpretations based on prejudices and preconceptions. Their preconceived views blinded the authors themselves, these first voyagers, and prevented them from understanding the whole range of acts and behaviours of the indigenous population. In particular, several contexts
Most legislation governing natural resources in Fiji is very old and outdated, and very little attention is given to environmental issues in these statutes. The absence of a legislative environmental policy results in an absence of statutes with an express or implied environmental mandate, while laws governing resource development fail to recognise the environmental basis of natural resources. As a result, legislation provides little in the way of capacity to protect the environment from the impacts of development activities.
The International Waters Project (IWP) aims to strengthen the management and conservation of marine, coastal and freshwater resources in the Pacific Islands region. It is financed through
the International Waters Programme of the Global Environment Facility, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme, and executed by the Secretariat of the Pacific
Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), in conjunction with the governments of the 14 participating independent Pacific Island countries.
Declining bird populations signal disturbing global changes.
Almost 1,200 speciesabout 12 percent of the world's
9800 bird speciesmay face extinction within the next cen-
tury. Although many face multiple threats and some bird
extinctions seem imminent, many can be avoided by a deep
commitment to bird conservation as part of a sustainable
development strategy.
full text available on ecopy "FL" field
Call Number: VF 6519,VF 3581,[EL]
ISBN/ISSN: 1-878071-68-8
This report is an assessment of the status of coral reef ecosystems in Guam from 2002 to 2004. Data on coral reef ecosystems were synthesized from assessments and monitoring programs conducted by local and federal organizations. Included in the report are assessments of the environmental and anthropogenic stressors affecting coral reefs, information on data gathering activities and the condition of coral reef ecosystem resources, a description of current conservation management activities, and overall conclusions and recom-
The objective of this study is to provide decision makers in the European Commission and other partner countries with sufficient information to identify European Commission cooperation activities with specific environmental objectives and to establish environmental safeguards for other activities.
5 copies
Call Number: 333.7'9595 MOU,[EL]
Physical Description: 74 pages; 29 cm
Cheloniid turtles are characterised by a complicated life history: their eggs are laid on warm beaches; hatchling sex is determined temperature dependent sex determination during
embryonic development; lack of parental care; hatchlings are imprinted to the natal area; hatchlings disperse to feed on plankton in the pelagic environments followed by inshore
recruitment to feed on benthic organisms; immature turtles have slow growth and delayed maturation; adults migrate to breed in their respective natal area; they lay multiple clutches in
Companies all over the world increasingly need to innovate their products and processes to: keep up with competitive pressure; increase productivity within the region or worldwide; defend or expand market share; and to create the ability to attract foreign investments. However, companies in developing economies can be left out of this cycle for a variety of economic and structural reasons.
2 copies + CD|Also available online
Call Number: 338.9 CRU, [EL]
Physical Description: 128 p. ; 29 cm
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
Biodiversity tends to be at a maximum in the
equatorial region in the west of the Pacific Islands
area, and decreases markedly towards the east. For
example, the number of naturally occurring species of
animals and plants is much greater in the Solomon
Islands than in Tahiti. This is also true of the marine
environment, where fish and invertebrate species,
including corals, are far more numerous in the west
of the sub-region than in the east.
Also available electronically|2 copies
The aim of this consultancy is to prepare a broad analysis of legal and institutional options for the establishment and management of Conservation Areas in fourteen independent Pacific Island countries. The full terms of reference for the consultancy are annexed at Appendix 1.
Available online
Call Number: 344.026 SOU [EL]
ISBN/ISSN: 982-04-0089-9
Physical Description: v, ; 45 p.
The botany of four small, relatively undisturbed tuff cone islands off the east coast of Upolu, Western Samoa, is examined. During a series of visits to the islands, the vegetation was studied in nine sample plots, and a checklist of the 260 species comprising the flora was compiled. Six types of native vegetation are recognized, one of which (Diospyros coastal forest) appears to be unique to tuff cone islands. Casual observations were made on the avifauna and turtle
species, and the ecological significance of the islands is discussed.