THE Tarelavata watershed of Chivoko village in North West of Choiseul province forms part of one of the last remaining stands of intact forest in Lauru Islands or Choiseul. Chivoko is an isolated tribal community, accessible only by sea and by river.
The forested Chivoko mountain ridge is the source of several streams and rivers that run down to the coast, into the bay, and nurture a system of mangroves and inter-tidal lagoons that provide nutrients and protection for the near shore coral reefs.
Amongst the other sites under the Lauru Protected Area Network (LPAN), Chivoko community is one of them that display the Ridges to Reefs Approach at the community level.
This is the overall approach at the Provincial level that is in line with the Choiseul Province Ridges to Reefs Conservation Plan.
As stated in the initial project proposal “Voices and Choices for the Chivoko community”that was submitted and successfully offered to Lauru Land Conference of Tribal Community (LLCTC) in 2008, by Swiss Re Insurance Company with the support from The Nature Conservancy (TNC).
The project now reached a stage where the community of Chivoko can boldly stand and congratulate themselves for the decision they had made some eight years ago, which the voice of their choice is now paid off.
The decision to say no to logging and accept this sustainable project was the voice and choice made by the Chivoko community with the strong leadership of Chief Eagan Velo and Kipplin Kalena, supported by Lauru Land Conference of Tribal Community and The Nature Conservancy.
The wise saying of Chief Eagan Velo, who stated “I don’t own the Land, the land is owned by the unborn who are still in their mothers’ womb”.
This strong visionary wise statement made the people of Chivoko to stand by the decision they made eight years ago.
Despite many attempts by numerous logging companies to enter their tribal land, the Tarelavata tribal community of Chivoko stand and resist together in solidarity with the support of LLCTC.
The length of time they wait to see tangible benefits out of this project caused doubts and mixed feeling about the supporting NGOs, LLCTC and TNC.
Patient runs thin at times and complains bombarded the Chief and leading NGOs, however they continue to wait patiently.
Partners, stakeholders and individuals contributed to the project from initiation to operation, including administering and technical support.
Apart from TNC and LLCTC, Natural Resource Development Foundation (NRDF) is one of the Local NGO that supports on technical training, with other individual consultant in the Eco forestry component of the project.
With this current initiative it is also incorporated and part of the current climate change initiative in Choiseul Province through the Choiseul Province Integrated Climate Change Program (CHICCHAP).
This initiative coordinates and oversees the undertakings in Choiseul Province in environmental and climate change related activities. Under this umbrella SPC with NRDF supported Tarelavata watershed project to be part of the Forest Stewardship Council certified (FSC) project. This adds value to their forest and all the natural resources of the Tarelavata land.
The project finally become operationalize in 2014 but at a slow pace. However towards the end of last year 2015 the project gained momentum with the demand from the public for timber and at the same time the operators gain skills and knowledge on timber production.
The Tarelavata Eco timber project now has timber orders to cut for other communities, either for private homes, school building projects, community halls and or church buildings.
Finally, in May this year, the Chivoko community reaped the hard work of the decision they made with the support from NRDF and Value Added Timber Association (VATA) of Solomon Islands to assist them for their first export.
The first export after years of patient is a dream come true for chief Velokaeqo, Kipplin, elders and the community of Chivoko to show the new generation that they can selectively harvest their forest and earn more income and other activities in the forest apart from unsustainable logging.
By JIMMY KERESEKA
TNC
