Tetepare Island Community Resource Conservation and Development

Tetepare Island is significant for its natural inheritance and archaelogical values. WWF has established a working partnership with the descendants of the Tetepare landowners to develop and implement a conservation and resource management plan for Tetepare Island.

Tetepare: Largest uninhabited island in South Pacific
Tetepare Island lies to the west of Marovo Lagoon, Western Province. Tetepare is the largest uninhabited island in the South Pacific, covering an area of approximately 120 square kilometres, and supports lowland rainforest and a rich inshore marine area. Human settlement ceased on the island in the late 1800s.

In pristine condition
The island is unique in the world as its terrestrial and marine resources are undisturbed for the most part; only one small area of forest has been disturbed for a coconut plantation. The island has been recognized by the National Government through the Department of Forestry, Environment and Conservation, the Western Provincial Government and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) for its natural inheritance significance and archaeological values.

WWF discovers community support for conservation and sustainable use
Commencing in 1996, a working partnership was established between WWF and Friends of Tetepare (FOT) to discuss the future use and management of the island. FOT is a local NGO, composed of Tetepare descendants who support the island to be given special protection and reserved in its natural state. Much of the project involved engaging other Tetepare landholders in discussions on the future use and management of the island, and developing a conservation strategy.

Conservation and resource management plan
A 2-year plan, funded by NZODA and the EU was drafted by 2 biologists who have been working with the Tetepare descendants and through WWF Solomon Islands. At a recent meeting, an organization, Tetepare Descendants' Association (TDA), was formed in order to facilitate the 2-year conservation and resource management plan and ensure the ongoing conservation of Tetepare Island. The plan has 4 objectives:

• Stop poaching of Tetepare resources by non-descendants through employing descendants as rangers
• Conduct studies into resource use, distribution and abundance in order to compile a sustainable conservation and resource management plan
• Establish a research station/eco-lodge on the island to provide income and employment for local descendants and support the rangers
• Ensure effective communication and involvement of all descendants in the process of planning, implementation and benefit distribution of the conservation and resource management plan.