Mai-Maasina Green Belt Conducts Biodiversity Baseline Survey in East Are’Are, Malaita
Generating the scientific evidence needed to protect forests, strengthen customary conservation, and respond to growing logging pressures.
East Are’Are, Malaita Province — 22 September–2 October 2026
From 22nd September to 2nd October 2026, the Mai-Maasina Green Belt (MMGB) undertook an intensive biodiversity baseline survey across four community conservation areas in the East Are’Are Cluster: Hi’i, Waropara, Aru’Aru, and Ohe’Ohe.
Despite challenging weather conditions associated with El Niño, difficult terrain, limited transport infrastructure, and the logistical challenges of working in remote communities, the MMGB field team successfully completed the survey.
A biodiversity baseline survey establishes a detailed record of the plants, animals, habitats, and ecological conditions found within a particular area at a specific point in time.
What is not documented can easily be overlooked. What is documented can become evidence for protection, planning, monitoring, and accountability.
The survey provides an ecological foundation for conservation planning and supports the development of a Conservation Management Plan. It also creates a reference point against which future changes in the forest can be measured.
For East Are’are communities, this means creating a documented record of the forests before further disturbance occurs. A process of bringing together traditional knowledge, community leadership, local participation, and scientific biodiversity assessment.
Elders and chiefs contributed knowledge of local species and the forest landscape. Community members participated in field activities. Technical personnel collected and documented biodiversity information.
The forests of East Are’Are are more than stands of timber.They are living ecosystems. They contain endemic wildlife, native plants, water systems, cultural knowledge, and places of significance to generations of Solomon Islanders.
“I am thankful to be part of this baseline survey. I was able to learn the names of trees which I had never heard of since I was a child. Listening to our chief, Mr. Michael Waiparo, call the trees by their local names made me realize that even in my 30s, I still have so much to learn from our elders.” Mathew- Hi’i Conservation
Check this link for the interview, https://youtu.be/icn0HetSUCg
As logging pressures continue to challenge communities across the region, documenting these values has become increasingly urgent.
As an umbrella organization supporting community-based conservation groups across Southern Malaita, MMGB is working to help communities build the knowledge, skills, and evidence required to advance their conservation ambitions.
Through collaboration with technical and financial partners, including organizations such as the Island Knowledge Institute (IKI), MMGB is working to bring technical knowledge closer to communities rather than leaving them dependent entirely on expensive external consultants.
Mai-Maasina Green Belt will continue working with community conservation groups to strengthen biodiversity monitoring, conservation planning, GIS capacity, customary resource management, and the pursuit of legally recognized protection.
Reported by Clifton Tootalau -MMGB Coordinator
For more information about Mai-Ma`asina Green Belt and its initiatives, visit https://mai-maasina.org/ or https://www.facebook.com/maimaasina
