Wetlands are among the world’s most productive (and threatened) ecosystems and the
services that they provide to humanity are significant. In order to effectively conserve and
manage wetlands, a first step is to document and understand their distribution and status
through conducting detailed baseline wetland inventories. Across the Pacific region, The
Directory of Wetlands in Oceania 1993 documented available information on the distribution,
status and values of wetlands in Pacific Island Countries and Territories, however, much of
Report by William Naviti and James Aston
The coral reefs of Vanuatu contribute to rural incomes, nutrition, shoreline protection and, more
importantly, self reliance for the people of Vanuatu, particularly coastal communities. However, there
are relatively few extensive shallow water reefs surrounding the 80 high islands in the Vanuatu
archipelago. Inner reef areas are limited to narrow fringing reefs and reef platforms surrounding
islands and a few lagoons and barrier reefs, totalling an area of approximately 408 km2 (Bell & Amos,
MESCAl Report No. 13/50. 4 November 2013
This report documents findings from the program of works for 2012-2013 directed by Dr Norm Duke with the MESCAL Vanuatu Technical Working Group involving their training, support and consultation, prescription of methodology and approach, as well as the compilation and assessment of data received.
in Bouchet P., Le guyader H. & pascal O. (Eds), The Natural History of Santo. MNHN, Paris; IRD , Marseille; PNI, Paris. 572 p. (Patrimoines naturels; 70).
The coral reef communities of Vanuatu have been little studied and nothing has been previously published on
Case study of Crab Bay (Malekula Is.) and Eratap (Efate Is.). Final report. October 2014.
MESCAL. Technical Report.
We found the following total economic values for the nine ecosystem services (ES1–ES9, figure A) in the two mangrove
systems:
• In Crab Bay in 2012, mangroves (136.5 hectares) produced ES worth an estimated Vt53 million (equivalent to US$586
000). This total comprised ES values ranging from Vt36 million to Vt70 million.
• In Eratap in 2012, the mangroves (31.2 hectares) produced ES worth an estimated Vt24 million (equivalent to US$266
000). This total comprised ES values ranging from Vt17 million to Vt31 million.
Summary Report. September 2014
Mangrove ecosystems play an extremely important role in our communities because of the goods that they provide in the production of wood for fuel and construction, the invertebrates and finfish for subsistence and commercial fisheries but also the services provided in coastal protection from storm surges, bioremediation, sediment trapping and carbon sequestration in mangrove soils mitigating climate change.
Produced by GEF Pacific International Waters Ridge to Reef Regional Project,
Pacific Community (SPC), Suva, Fiji ,
The Tagabe Catchment is of high conservation value due to the high endemism. Vanuatu has six plant
species on the IUCN Red List, three of which are in Tagabe Catchment, which makes its protection
even more critical. The taboo has allowed for the replenishment of commercially important finfish
and invertebrate species. The Blacksands community has adapted to the taboo by changing their
fishing grounds and methods so that they are fishing further offshore. The findings are important to
establish baseline targets under the current state of the catchment.
MESCAL report
In conclusion, major mangrove vegetation boundaries which are, back boundary species, normal high water mark and off-shore mangrove boundary, Amal Area and Crab bay on Malekula and Eratap on Efate have been positioned and established for future monitoring purposes. Future monitoring objectives would be to determine if sea level is rising within the mangrove pilot sites and also change detection of mangrove vegetation within the three pilot sites.
COMPOSANTE 2C – Projet 2C2
Amélioration de la connaissance de la biodiversité – Taxonomie
Mars 2007
L’inventaire est donné à l’Annexe I, et la totalité des échantillons a été étudiée. 90 % des
taxons ont pu être identifiés au niveau de l’espèce. Parmi les 10 % restant, au moins 7 espèces
sont encore inédites.
On compte 284 espèces dont 8 phanérogames marines, et 4 cyanobactéries. Les 272 espèces
d’algues se répartissent en 164 Rhodophyta, 82 Chlorophyta et 26 Ochrophyta.
Report. 136p. pdf.
The Republic of Vanuatu is an island nation located in the Western Pacific Ocean. The country is an
archipelago of over 80 islands stretching 1,300 kilometres from North to South. Vanuatu’s terrain is
mostly mountainous, with narrow coastal plains larger islands are characterised by rugged volcanic
peaks and tropical rainforests. Vanuatu is located in a seismically and volcanically active region and
has high exposure to geologic hazards, including volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis and
landslides.
A chapter in the Santos expedition