Teak Seedlings Thriving on Yanuca Island
On Monday, the team at the Vunimaqo Forestry Station in Serua
conducted a monitoring visit to assess the progress of teak seedlings planted between
February to June last year under the Ministry of Forestry's Reforestation of
Degraded Forests (RDF) program.
The monitoring exercise revealed remarkable growth, with the seedlings now standing at heights ranging from 30 centimeters to an impressive 3.01 meters. This is a testament to the success of the reforestation efforts and the ongoing commitment of the Ministry and the local communities to restore degraded forest areas.
A total of 2,000 teak seedlings were planted on Yanuca Island, distributed across three Mataqali: Batiluva, Nukutabua and Lutuya. The breakdown of the planting is as follows:
Mataqali Batiluva and Nukutabua: 700
teak seedlings each, covering a combined area of 1.12 hectares.
Mataqali Lutuya: 600 teak seedlings,
covering an area of 1.041 hectares.
The initiative began after the three Mataqali applied through an Expression of Interest (EOI) under the RDF program, which supports the reforestation of degraded areas to enhance biodiversity, promote sustainable land use and provide economic opportunities for local communities.
The significant growth observed in these teak seedlings highlights the potential of reforestation projects to transform degraded landscapes into thriving ecosystems. Additionally, teak is a valuable timber species and its cultivation offers long-term economic benefits to the participating Mataqali.
The Ministry of Forestry remains committed to fostering partnerships with communities and stakeholders to achieve Fiji's reforestation goals. By empowering local groups such as the Mataqali of Yanuca Island, the Ministry ensures that these efforts are both sustainable and community-driven.
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