BY EZIKIEL KUBOTO
A Conservation Awareness Meeting was successfully held at Uriaupo Community on 4th March 2026, bringing together community members to discuss the importance of protecting and sustainably managing their natural resources.
The meeting took place in Uriaupo, located on Vella Lavella Island in Western Province, and was supported by the Global Greengrants Fund. The awareness program aimed to strengthen community understanding of conservation and encourage continued protection of marine and coastal resources.
Chairman of the Uriaupo Community Resource Management Area Association, Ledley Kiada, acknowledged the timely support from Global Greengrants Fund in assisting the conservation initiative that the community first established in 2018.
“We are thankful for the support from Global Greengrants Fund, which has helped strengthen the conservation work that our community started several years ago,” Mr. Kiada said.
Female Community Facilitator Sussan Matiruru highlighted some of the positive environmental changes the community has observed since protecting their marine resources.
“In the past we never experienced sea turtles coming to our shore, but just last year a female turtle came and laid its eggs on our sandy beach. This is a direct result of how we are managing and protecting our environment,” Mrs. Matiruru said.
She added that the conservation work is an investment for future generations.
“This is something that we want to leave for our children, so that they too can enjoy the abundance of marine resources in the future,” she said.
Also speaking during the meeting was Henry Kaniki, National Advisor for the Global Greengrants Fund, who commended the community for their commitment to protecting the environment.
Mr. Kaniki encouraged community members to continue taking responsibility for caring for nature, emphasizing that environmental stewardship is both a community responsibility and a moral duty.
“Taking care of the environment is part of our responsibility as stewards of God’s creation. Stewardship is a command from God to humankind, and by protecting your marine resources you are fulfilling that responsibility,” he said.
Community leaders said the awareness meeting provided an important opportunity for dialogue and reflection, reinforcing the importance of community participation in conservation.
The conservation initiative in Uriaupo demonstrates how communities in Solomon Islands are working together to protect their natural environment while ensuring sustainable resources for future generations.
