Reforestation, Rehabilitation and Community Forestry Fire Prevention Project

 The impacts of coastal erosion from sea level rise and climate change and climate variability is causing the destruction of lowland coastal forest areas. The protection and sustainability of both coastal and inland forests resources is of utmost importance to the livelihood of the communities especially when more than 70% of Samoa’s population settles on coastal areas. The coastal and inland forests offers protection during extreme climate variations but more importantly prevents further coastal erosion and loss of land. The land and cultural value of many of the vulnerable communities will be maintained and will sustain the social welfare of many of the coastal communities over a longer period, and in turn contribute to normalizing the naturally and human affected environment.Forest fires associated with droughts induced by climate change and exacerbated by human activity are more common in Samoa in its dry season from May to October particularly the northwest part of Savaii. This hazard is identified as major barrier to forest growth (as it slows down rejuvenation and reforestation processes) and possibly extirpates vital indigenous plants (particularly the Omalanthus nutans) that are useful for medicinal purposes. The current fire fighting system has limited resources (e.g., number of fire trucks and stations, water supply, appropriate equipment, and manpower). One way of preventing the occurrence and mitigating the adverse impacts of forest fires is to develop a community-based forest fire plan and implement its deliverables. The plan must be developed by the identified vulnerable communities with the assistance and guidance of the Fire Services, Ministry of Agriculture, Samoa Water Authority and Ministry of Natural Resources Environment & Meteorology. The plan should provide for prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery including Standard Operational Procedures.