International Day of Forest – 21 March 2022

In commemorating the International Day of Forests on 21 March, the Pacific Tourism Organisation received Mr. Jalesi Mateboto and Ms. Loraini Baleilomaloma of the Land Resource Division of the Pacific Community – SPC who shared their work on sustainable forest and landscape management in the Pacific including the REDD+ Project.
REDD+ stands for Reducing Emission from Deforestation and forest Degradation through conservation, sustainable forest management, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks. It is a new international mechanism to compensate developing countries for reducing their rate of deforestation and forest degradation and increasing their carbon stocks. In the Pacific, the REDD+ Project has been carried out in Fiji, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands, and will slowly progress towards other Pacific Island Countries.
The presentation was crucial in raising the awareness of SPTO Staff on the importance of forests and landscapes in advancing efforts towards sustainable production and consumption. As part of SPTO’s Corporate Sustainability Programme for Quarter 1 2022, the exchange of information and knowledge through the presentation enabled staff to recognize the importance of sustainable tourism development and how collective action in the protection of forests and landscapes is fundamental to a sustainable future.
Mr. Jalesi Mateboto highlighted the opportunities presented by the REDD+ project in promoting sustainable Landscapes. Sustainable Landscapes ensure Food Security, Economic Development, Prevents Biodiversity Loss, and a Mitigation to Climate Change through carbon offset programs. Mr. Mateboto highlighted a study currently undertaken by the team in the Highlands of Navosa on the impacts of Land Degradation on the Coastal resorts of Sigatoka.
In closing, Mr. Mateboto stressed that the Sustainable Management of our Forests and Landscapes is a Holistic approach to achieving SGD 15 – Life on Land and SDG 13 – Climate Action.