The trees planted will also add to the target of Fiji’s tree planting campaign against climate change.
Nayarabale Village in Vaturova, Cakaudrove, is creating ripples across the country with what they have been achieving through hard work and dedication in the use of their land.
It was an Easter long weekend with a difference for the village located in the heart of Cakaudrove. They celebrated the Holy Week by learning more about sustainable forestry approaches and how to be good stewards of God’s creation. To put into practice what they learnt, members of the Methodist Church in Fiji Youth Fellowship of the village participated in a massive tree planting exercise with their counterparts from Sorokoba, Ba, as part of the groups’ cross rally programme.
They were assisted by the Ministry of Forestry staff and landowners as they planted 912 teak seedlings over a three-hectare area on Easter Saturday (April 8).
Divisional Forestry Officer Northern, Maleli Nakasava, who also joined with his family, shared that after an early morning fellowship on Easter Saturday, the tree planting activity was carried out and it was a success.
Mr Nakasava said his team enlightened the youths about the importance of sustainable forest management practices based on the three pillars of sustainability – that sustainable forest management creates outcomes that are socially just, ecologically sound and economically viable.
“We all must be inspired by the passion these young people have, where they put God first before carrying out their daily activities and making a commitment to reforesting their land for the benefit of future generations,” Mr Nakasava said.
The trees planted contribute to the “Noqu Kalou, Noqu Wacawaca Reforestation and Investment” project, a community initiative, established, following the ‘ solesolevaki’ system, with the assistance and direction of Reverend Ilitomasi Nute.
Mr Nakasava said the Ministry continues to work with faith-based groups to share information on the importance of preserving the environment by planting trees. The focus is on being good stewards of God’s creation and ensuring that future generations inherit a promising future and a better planet.
He praised the youth’s parents, advisers, supporters, Rev Nute, and the Ministry staff member, Lekima Bose, for their unending assistance in carrying out the project.
Minister praises youths, staff and landowners
Minister for Fisheries and Forestry Hon. Kalaveti Ravu applauded the work by the youths from Nayarabale and Sorokoba in putting into practice what they had learned about conserving the environment in an effort to fight the effects of climate change.
Hon. Ravu says the Ministry recognises the importance of sustainable forest management and has taken steps to ensure that the country’s forests are managed in a way that is both environmentally sustainable and economically viable.
The extension staff of the Ministry play an important role in sending out this message in the areas or communities they serve.
“One key aspect of sustainable forest management is teaching our children and youths about the importance of our ecosystem and sustainable practices that ensure that we maintain a healthy environment for our future generation.”
Hon. Ravu had visited the village last month and witnessed for himself the huge effort that the youths and villagers have put into reforesting their land.
Speaking at Nasinu Village in Levuka yesterday, Hon. Ravu gave an example of the success story of Nayarabale, where youth and their elders have taken ownership of funding their own village development plans through a reforestation programme.
He shared with them the villagers’ foresight in choosing to plant trees on barren land, which would provide both financial and environmental benefits.
The trees planted will also add to the target of Fiji’s tree planting campaign against climate change. He said the Nayarabale youths have set a platform for Vanua Levu and the whole of Fiji, and that ‘ solesolevaki’ or working together, is still the way to go in order for development to take place.
The Ministry had reached an agreement with four landowning units ( mataqali): Nasuwaga, Buca I Ra, Vunisaiki, and Wacawaca, in which they agreed to reforest 350 hectares of idle land under the Reforestation of Degraded Forests (RDF) Project.
The reforestation contract is for five years, and the Ministry’s focus is to assist the landowners in achieving this. They intend to plant a total of 97,300 tree seedlings within the project period.
Last month, within weeks of embarking on the tree-planting project in collaboration with the Government through the Ministry, the village school, Domonisavu District School, will now have a new teacher’s quarters.
This project is an example of a project that is aligned with strategies created to achieve Fiji’s long-term development goals at the international, regional, and national levels.