Over fourty people including children gathered last Saturday at the Malololelei Recreation Reserve to celebrate International Day for Biological Diversity 2021.

The event which revolved around the theme “We Are Part of the Solution” was hosted by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Samoa Conservation Society.

In his welcome speech, President of the Conservation Society, James Atherton said the day is to  “celebrate biodiversity, its beauty and what it provides us.”

“As we all know today is international day for biodiversity – a day when we celebrate biodiversity, its beauty and what it provides us – and what better place for us to do that than here at the Malololelei Recreation Reserve,” said Mr. Atherton.

“This the headwaters of the Gasegase catchment is a critical area for water supply, soil protection as well as for native biodiversity within the Apia Catchments…geologically it is interesting because it includes some old rocks perhaps 3 million years old from the Fagaloa volcanics (in the valley below and the volcano we call Mt Vaea), as well as newer rocks from the Salani volcanic – perhaps 200,000 years old.”

At 600m elevation “we are at the transition zone between plants and vegetation adapted to the lowlands and the vegetation more commonly found in the cooler, wetter mountains,” he added.

“The Malololelei Reserve is a wonderful area for nature walks and awareness events like today and we are very grateful to the land owner Tuiapo Andrew Ah Liki for his leadership in setting aside this 30 acre site for conservation and allowing free access to this reserve.

“S.C.S. and M.N.R.E. are working with other landowners to enlarge this conservation area to cover the entire headwaters of the Gasegase river – around 1200 acres S.C.S. has been working here with M.N.R.E. since 2017 to manage the threat from rodents to the more than 25 species of native birds found here.”

The Malololelei Reserve is also home to the endemic bush palm or Niu Vao (Clinostigma samoense) which the Conservation Society attempting to grow at the Vailima botanical garden.

Mr. Atherton said the area is also home to the world's smallest spider and the forest area is an important water catchment for the capital Apia.

“The world’s smallest spider – is found nearby at Afiamalu – Patu marplesi – only around half millimeter fully grown," he added.

"These forests are an important water catchment for Apia and are a source of clean air, water and soil as well as a critical corridor for biodiversity connecting the Mt Vaea reserve to our north and the Lake Lanoto’o National Park to our south.

“Incidentally, the M.N.R.E. are currently leading a Payment for Ecosystems Services project to provide a regular funding stream for the protection and management of this catchment. 

"The protection of places like this has never been more important than now. We continue to see the impacts of our actions on nature and are now beginning to learn that nature can bite back.”

According to Mr Atherton, an intact nature provides Samoa with a buffer against the effects of climate change and as a sink is able to absorb the greenhouse gases that are the cause of global warming.

“We are now seeing evidence that our destruction of nature and our adverse interactions with wild animals in particular may be the origin of viral pandemics such as COVID-19," he said. 

"We simply cannot afford another pandemic like this one so it’s critical that we learn pretty quickly to live more harmoniously with nature for our own sake, and the species we share this planet with."

Director General of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme, Leota Kosi Latu spoke of the importance of the day to celebrate biodiversity and the many services it provides humans with his sentiments echoed by Frances Reupena, Chief Executive Officer of the M.N.R.E. 

Mr. Atherton then thanked all in attendance and their partners at Malololelei Recreation Reservea as well as the landowner Tuiaopo Andrew Ah Liki “for allowing us to do our conservation work here” and the Pacific Development and Conservation Trust, Pelgar International, and the Auckland Zoo “for supporting the rodent management work here"; M.N.R.E., S.P.R.E.P. and S.C.S.