Description: The project aimed to rejuvenate habitats and birdlife on Gambier’s three islands, combating erosion and invasive plants. It established a nursery for native species adaptable to hard conditions, facilitating reforestation of eroded and invaded areas to enhance soil fertility and lagoon water quality. Sound devices and artificial bird burrows were deployed to aid the return of rare species, potentially fostering bird-related eco-tourism. Targeting Gambier Manui, Kamaka, and Makaroa islets, objectives encompassed habitat restoration, reforestation, and promoting marine bird nesting. Key actions involved setting up forest plantations on affected sites, augmenting breeding seabird populations, and raising community awareness, especially among landowners, about preserving the islets’ natural richness. Educational programs engaged schools in exploring Gambier’s avifauna and flora, while training sessions equipped locals with ecological restoration and sustainable environmental management skills. Overall, the project’s interventions, from plantations to sound equipment installations and artificial burrows, significantly revived avifauna habitats on the islets, highlighting ecosystem fragility and human responsibility toward environmental stewardship while underscoring the importance of adaptability, geography, and local economy in executing such initiatives.
Duration: 20 months
