12,000 trees planted through VECO Coastal Rehabilitation Project

Written by Daily Post (Vanuatu)
Date: Oct 9 2021

The Vunausi Environment Conservation Organization (VECO) has addressed one of the biggest environmental concerns for surrounding communities on the Tangoa mainland with its coastal rehabilitation project.

Around 12,000 trees were planted from an established nursery site which generates thousands of seedlings supplied to other communities and interested farmers across Vanuatu. From the 12, 000, a total of 5,000 were planted at the coastal area and 7,000 were planted inland.

Over the past years coastal erosion has become visible, sparking fear for the future generation living around Tangoa Mainland area in South Santo as more trees around the coastal area are hugely affected by sea level rise.

In response to the impacts, VECO with financial support from the Global Environment Fund Small Grant Scheme through UNDP and in collaboration with the community members of Tangoa island and mainland area planted trees for the rehabilitation of the coastal area.

The rehabilitation program falls under the VECO management plan for its natural resources for 2015 to 2025.

Community members have seen the importance of tree planting and have committed to planting more trees under this initiative. For Kami Langi, a villager on Tangoa Island, the rehabilitation of their coastal area is important for their future generation.

“Our coastal area in South Santo is eroding away because of sea level rise. If we don’t plant trees along the coast we could lose more of our land area and vegetation,” he said.

The coastal rehabilitation involves community leaders, youth members and school children.

“I fully support this initiative and am proud to see our people committed to a good cause and most importantly safeguarding our environment and natural resources for our future,” says Councilor Jimmy Sokorai from Tangoa Island.

VECO is carrying out other related activities such as; promote home gardening utilizing indigenous crops, Agro-forestry farming, planting of multipurpose indigenous tree species such as the Namabe, Tahitian Chestnut, Inocarpus fagiferus and Nakavika, promote planting of wild yam to address food security and care for the Vunausi river and other streams, water way to the estuary along the coastal areas.

VECO also supplied over 1000 mahogany seedlings to the national agriculture week in Tanna recently.