Solomon Islands Community Responds to CTI-CFF’s Climate Priorities

In response to priorities identified in their National Plan of Action (NPOA) for CTI-CFF, the Arnavon Islands community in Solomon Islands has taken the lead in collecting data on sea level rise to monitor changes in beach movement that affect nesting sea turtles, Henry Kaniki, Project Coordinator for the Arnavon Community Marine Conservation Area (ACMCA), reported in the Solomon Star News (external link).

With support from The Nature Conservancy (TNC), ACMCA members were trained in the proper methods for collecting sea level rise data to ensure accuracy and reliability. Data collection is carried out monthly and will provide information to show the relationship between turtle behavior and factors such as sea level rise, which impact conservation efforts at Arnavon Islands—an area known for its rich marine diversity and as the “Home of the Hawksbill Turtle.”

Although focused primarily on local threats, Arnavon Islands leaders are taking a broader perspective, emphasizing that their priority is to address the needs of their community while contributing to the implementation of their CTI-CFF NPOA. ACMCA runs programs aligned with CTI-CFF goals on seascapes, marine protected areas, climate change, and threatened species.

Climate change is considered a likely cause of the decreased number of turtle nests on the Islands, but the community is also concerned about other threats, including those caused by human activities. They have established a 157-square kilometer marine protected area (MPA) that also includes terrestrial and cultural sites.