Is this Fiji’s BIGGEST Reforestation Programme?? Nayarabale Youth Group / Wacawaca

Is this Fiji's biggest village reforestation programme?
This video is to showcase the hardwork and dedication the Youth's and Villagers from Nayarabale, Cakaudrove are showing in their joint project with Fiji Ministry of Forestry and the 5 year plan to regenerate the land surrounding the village by planting 95,000 trees and seedlings...ALL BY HAND!! (Fiji has a plan to plant 30 million trees in 15 years!)
The initiative provides income to the village, and the youth group and village elders provide the hard work and labour under the guidance of the Ministry. Theyve previously planted teak, mahogany and pine, and this month was Coconut trees… this was the first supply of 2000 trees from Taveuni and another 8000 to follow!
It’s moments like these of being able to be amongst this landscape and these people that still blows my mind, helping (hindering 😳) the villagers in a project to provide for the future generations. Certainly beats the desk job. Even though I only joined them for half a day, they respect and thanks the villagers give is incredible.
In this video we listen to the background of the project, walk around and see the results of Phase One, and spend a few hours with the boys planting Coconut trees.
We see the hardwork of those that clear the line for planting, prepare each location, digging the hole, and then the planting of the nut. Many hands and teamwork make all the difference!
More background of the project below, taken from the Ministry of Forestry Instagram page...
NAYARABALE VILLAGERS FOCUS ON REFORESTATION PROJECT
Villagers of Nayarabale in the district of Vaturova, Cakaudrove, have taken ownership of funding their own village development plans through a reforestation programme.
Within weeks of embarking on the tree-planting project in collaboration with the Government through the Ministry of Forestry, the village school, Domonisavu District School, will now have a new teacher’s quarters.
Minister for Fisheries and Forestry, Hon. Kalaveti Ravu, was at Nayarabale Village on Wednesday (22.03.23) to officiate at the ground-breaking ceremony of the quarters.
Hon. Ravu praised the villagers' foresight in choosing to plant trees on barren land, which would provide both financial and environmental benefits. The trees planted will also add to Fiji’s tree planting campaign against climate change.
The "Noqu Kalou, Noqu Wacawaca Reforestation and Investment" project is a community initiative establishment directed by Reverend Ilitomasi Nute, where the 'solesolevaki' system is practiced.
The Ministry had reached an agreement with four landowning units (mataqali): Nasuwaga, Buca I Ra, Vunisaiki, and Wacawaca, in which they agreed to reforest 350 hectares of idle land under the Reforestation of Degraded Forests (RDF) Project.
The reforestation contract is for five years, and the Ministry’s focus is to assist the landowners in achieving this.
The village also has a nursery where seedlings for the forestry project will be sourced from.
Divisional Forestry Officer Northern, Maleli Nakasava, said on the 350 hectare mataqali land, a total of 97,3000 tree seedlings are intended to be planted.
The construction of the quarters is the first of many other projects in the near future.
This project is an example of a project that is aligned with strategies created to achieve Fiji's long-term development goals at the international, regional, and national levels.
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