The Samoa Conservation Society (Fa’asao Samoa) is an environmental organisation based in Samoa. Its purpose is to promote the conservation of Samoa’s biological diversity and natural heritage.[1] The society is active in efforts to save the critically-endangered Manumea, Samoa's national bird,[2][3] and in forest restoration.[4]

The society was established in 2013.[5] Its founding president was Tofilau Tepa Suaesi.[5] Its current president, elected in 2020, is James Atherton.[6]

Campaigns

The Manumea

The society's first project was to save the manumea,[7] and included raising awareness of its habitat and conservation status, and monitoring to understand its breeding and feeding habits.[8] In 2017 it led an international campaign with Auckland Zoo and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to try and save the bird from extinction.[9]

In 2016 the society began a pilot program with MNRE on offsetting carbon emissions by planting trees in O Le Pupu-Puʿe National Park.[10] This was expanded in 2017 into a national carbon offsetting programme.[11] In mid 2021 the programme planted 5,000 trees in 6 months [4] but has planted up to 25,000 trees since beginning in 2016.

In 2019 the society conducted a series of surveys to identify and take cuttings and seeds from endangered plants, which discovered that the endangered Vavea Samoense tree may be extinct.[12]

In 2021 the society launched a petition campaign against The Coca-Cola Company's use of plastic bottles in Samoa.[13]

In 2023 it announced plans to reintroduce the extinct butterfly Papilio godeffroyi to Samoa.[14]

Aims

The society has the following objectives:[15]

  • To increase our knowledge and understanding of Samoa’s biodiversity and natural heritage through research and cataloguing of existing and new information;
  • To improve awareness and of Samoa’s biodiversity through the exchange of information and environmental educational activities;
  • To encourage the implementation of sustainable conservation projects and programmes that safeguard threatened species and ecosystems in collaboration with the Government of * Samoa, communities and other relevant stakeholders;
  • To develop and strengthen collaborative partnerships between like- minded individuals, organisations, resource owners and Government agencies to achieve the objectives of the SCS;
  • To raise funds and other resources that will assist with sustainable conservation projects, research and programmes for enhancing the protection of threatened species and vulnerable ecosystems.

References

  1. ↑ "Who we are". Samoa Conservation Society. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  2. ↑ "Move to save endangered Samoan bird". RNZ. 13 November 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  3. ↑ "Focus goes on hunters to save Samoa's Manumea". RNZ. 13 July 2020. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  4. 1 2 Marc Membrere (15 May 2021). "Trees replanted to restore natural forest". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  5. 1 2 "Samoa conservation society established". RNZ. 23 September 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  6. ↑ Marc Membrere (27 December 2020). "Atherton returns as president of Conservation Society". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  7. ↑ "Effort to save rare manumea, Samoa's 'little dodo'". Pacific Guardians. 14 November 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  8. ↑ Aaron Leaman (14 April 2014). "Saving Samoa's rarest bird 'the little dodo'". Stuff. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  9. ↑ "International campaign to save Samoa's national bird". RNZ. 27 September 2017. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  10. ↑ Vatapuia Maiava (22 October 2016). "Healing Samoa's forests". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  11. ↑ Sapeer Mayron (27 October 2018). "Samoa's visitors can offset carbon footprint". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  12. ↑ "Rare Samoan alpine tree may be extinct". RNZ. 19 September 2019. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  13. ↑ "Coca-Cola fuelling plastic problem in Samoa after shifting away from glass, says critics". Pasifika Environews. 30 April 2021. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  14. ↑ Gutu Faasau (8 July 2023). "Extinct butterfly to be brought back". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  15. ↑ "Samoa Conservation Society CONSTITUTION" (PDF). Samoa Conservation Society. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
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