Babatana | Solomon Islands

On South Choiseul in the Solomon Islands, tribes from the Babatana language group are choosing to protect their rainforests and support their community.

This is a region where logging and land-clearing is a constant threat for forests, biodiversity and communities. We’re supporting local tribes to move away from these destructive practices and towards ecosystem conservation.

The Sirebe Tribe were the first tribe to participate in the Babatana Rainforest Conservation Project. In 2019, they became the first tribe in the Solomon Islands to establish an official Protected Area under the Solomon Islands Protected Areas Act.

Following the leadership from Sirebe, other Indigenous communities have joined the Babatana Project. Siporae, Vuri, Padezaka, Garasa and Lukulombere are all in the process of developing their forest conservation and carbon projects.
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Siporae, Padezaka and Vuri lands are now official Protected Areas and one step closer to a verified forest carbon project. A total of 6,863 hectares of rainforest is currently legally protected across the Babatana forests.

6,863 hectaresof rainforest protected
108,895 tonnesCO2 verified emissions reductions since the project commenced
17,423carbon credits generated each year
6,000+ community memberssupported to protect rainforest and develop alternative incomes.

Plants and animals

The Babatana lands lie along the Kolombangara River and comprise part of the Mount Maetambe Kolombangara River Corridor — a key biodiversity area listed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

​The rainforest is home to 21 frog species and many birds including Midget flowerpeckers, Golden whistlers, Song parrots, Eclectus parrots, Crested cuckoo doves, black and white monarchs, White–billed crows, Blyth’s hornbills, fruit doves, lorikeets and Ultramarine kingfishers.

Choiseul has the highest number of native mammals in the Solomon Islands, including the Giant horseshoe bat, and 14 species of reptiles including the green bellied skink, Pacific black skink and the Solomon red krait.

OUR PARTNERS

The Babatana Rainforest Conservation Project was co-developed by Nakau and Natural Resources Development Foundation (NRDF). It uses the Nakau Methodology. Padezaka, Vuri, Garasa project development is supported by the New Zealand Government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT).

Live and Learn Environmental Education are our implementing partners and the Babatana projects are verified by the Plan Vivo Standard. Projects are audited by Aster Global and carbon credits are issued by Markit Environmental Registry in London.

WATCH

Sirebe Tribe

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