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VANUATU CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS (CSO) CLIMATE CHANGE AND REDD+ CONSULTATION & OUTREACH REPORT 17th – 18th FEBRUARY 2017 CHURCH HALL, BONGIL VILLAGE, SOUTH WEST ERROMANGO, TAFEA PROVINCE

REPORT COMPILED BY: JILL HORRY

(CSO REDD+ COORDINATOR) &

JEANETTE RAUPEPE (CSO

NATIONAL PLATFORM MEMBER) –

1st March 2017

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CONTENT Title Page……………………………………………………………………..1

Content Page………………………………………………………………....2

Acknowledgement…………………………………………………………...3

Introduction…………………………………………………………………4

Day One: Friday 17th February

Welcome Session…………………………………………………………….9

Presentation: Climate Change & Its Impacts………………………………...9

Presentation: What is REDD+? Drivers of Deforestation &

Forest Degradation………………………………………………………….10

Presentation: Ecosystems & Its Services to People…………………………..16

Feedback from Participants………………………………………………....21

Day Two: Saturday 18th February Presentation: Agro-Forestry………………………………………………...22

Feedback from Participants………………………………………………....24

CSO Climate Change & REDD+ Networks Setting up……………………....24

Erromango CSO Climate Change & REDD+ Network Members…………...25

Handing Over Facilities for CSO Network Executive……………………....27

Recommendations & Follow Up Activities………………………………….28

Conclusion………………………………………………………………….29

Annex One: List of Names of Participants………………………………….30

Annex Two: CSO Climate Change & REDD+ Consultation Programme…..31

Annex Three: Questions & Answers……………………………………….33

Annex Four: Setting up Associations Form………………………………..34

Annex Five: Powerpoint Presentations………………………………..35 -38

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A) Acknowledgement

We wish to convey our acknowledgement to the following people for their support towards the implementation of the fifth Civil Society Organization (CSO) REDD+ Consultation that took place at the Church Hall of Bongkil village, South West Erromango island, on Tafea Province:-

1. The FCPF through the World Bank for funding towards this event that took place on the 14th – 18th February 2017 on Erromango Island.

2. The Vanuatu Government through the Department of Forestry for highly recognising the role of CSOs and in some cases rely on the competence of the CSO sector for delivering support of the National REDD+ Project to community level.

3. Mr Ioan Viji – The National REDD+ Coordinator for the support in assisting towards the planning and the implementation of the CSO REDD+ program, and also to the REDD+ Extension Officer, Mr Samson Lulu who had worked tremendously to create designs and uniform T- shirts, posters, pamphlets and flyers for visual aids at this CSO REDD+ Consultation.

4. The Council of Chiefs of Erromango, the Organizing Committee with the leadership of Mr Samuel Lokre (Forestry Officer, Ipota), Mr Russel Louvu ( Forestry Officer, Tamsal) and Bongkil Community for hosting the CSO REDD+ Consultation workshop in their village.

5. Participants:-Thirty - nine (39) participants who are mainly farmers of sandalwood growers and kauri growers and conservation, community leaders (Chiefs, Pastors, Women and Youth) who attended this CSO REDD+ Consultation Workshop. Some of these participants had travelled from very far distances from the North of Erromango by small outboard motors. We acknowledged the fact that if it wasn’t for these people, this event wouldn’t have taken place. They have enthusiastically participated in group discussions and presentations, telling their real life stories and experiences about their activities in relation to REDD+ and how they are engaging in protecting their forests and managing their forests sustainably. They have showed their eagerness to learn more about reforestation and to protect the forest, it is evidential that they have absorb a huge amount of learning during the short period of the REDD+ Consultation Workshop.

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B) Introduction

This report presents an overview of the Civil Society Organizations (CSO) consultation workshop on Climate Change and REDD+ that took place at Bongkil village on the island of South West Erromango in Tafea Province. The consultation workshop was supposed to take place on the 15th -17th February but due to some constraints that were encountered by the facilitating team when preparing their mission to Erromango, the consultation only took place on the 16th – 18th February 2017. Firstly, the team which was comprised of the CSO National Coordinator, a CSO National Platform for Climate Change & REDD+ member and the Grievance Redress Mechanism Consultant – Mr Frank Williams missed their flight for travelling from Port Vila to Dillons Bay Airport on Tuesday 14th February. So they had to re-book for Thursday 16th February which found that their flight schedule was to transit at Whitesands, Tanna and then fly to Dillons Bay at 4.30pm. Secondly, the weather was windy and rainy. The clouds were very low and the seas was very rough so the team had to spend a night in Dillons Bay before travel to Bongkil early next day on 17th February.

A little information about Erromango Island:

Erromango is the largest island in Tafea Province and it is the fourth largest island in Vanuatu archipelago. Its largest villages are Port

Rainy and Windy, Low dark

clouds over the island of the

south of Erromango on the

16th February 2017. Despite of

this unpleasant weather, the

skilful lady pilot landed

successfully on Dillons Bay

airport at 5:15pm.

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Narvin and Dillon’s Bay (Upongkor). Erromango is largely unpopulated and undeveloped.

It was formerly known as Martyr's Island by the Presbyterian missionaries in the 19th century, because of the alleged risk of missionary activity there. Erromango today has only a few small villages along the coast. Upongkor village, eight kilometers south of Dillon's Bay airstrip, has the island's only guest house. The village is beautifully situated at the mouth of the Williams River facing Dillon's Bay.

The total area of Erromango is 891.9 km². It measures approximately 48 km from the north-west tip to the south-east, and is between 20 and 30 kilometres wide. Its highest point is Mount Santop, at 886m. The island is part of the Vanuatu rainforests ecoregion, within the East Melanesian Islands biogeographic region. Dense evergreen forest covers nearly three-quarters of the island on the windward (eastern) side, while a combination of grassland and woodland occupies the north-west. Cloud forests exist at higher elevations. Much of the vegetation on the island is secondary growth.

Formerly it was known as a source of sandalwood in the 19th century, and much of it was depleted. It is also home to the kauri and tamanu trees. There has been extensive logging, but most of the area is recovering, and efforts have been taken to try to make the industry sustainable. With European Union support, there is a protected Happy Lands Kauri Reserve and other conservations on forests and sandalwood reserves are existed recently by local people and land owners.

The CSO Climate Change & REDD+ Community Consultation that took place on the 16th – 18th February 2017 at Bongil village had the following objectives that needed to be met after the activity has been done:-

At the end of this Consultation, participants should be able to:

o Increase knowledge & understanding on the concepts of REDD+ and why it is important to protect forests.

o Be able to identify drivers of deforestation and forests degradation and understand how they will address the issues through upgrading their knowledge & skills in learning how to develop strategic options, and governance structures / Benefit Sharing.

o Be familiar with the Vanuatu REDD+ Programme and understand their roles and responsibilities to engage their local communities in participating in REDD+ process and policies.

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o Set up networks that will enable them to mobilize in their local areas for information sharing and reporting of activities.

Basically, this CSO REDD+ Consultation provided the participants with an introduction to some basic concepts of Climate Change and REDD+ and why it is important to conserve and protect their forests, to manage their forests and natural resources sustainably, plant more trees, replant trees and do reforestation in areas that are being degraded and deforested.

This report will present a summary of the presentations done during the two and a half days of the CSO REDD+ Consultation at Bongkil village. It will also convey the discussions feedback and the outcomes from the participants from the activities that were implemented during the Consultation. The activities that were implemented during the consultation were such as; power point presentations, group discussions, group presentations, and forming up of Erromango island CSOs REDD+ Networks. The uniqueness from this workshop is the fact that the participant’s discussions on the different topics were based on their real life experiences and practices of their livelihood which empowered their learning throughout the sessions.

THURSDAY 16th FEBRUARY 2017 All the selected 30 participants and 9 PTAC members had arrived at the Bongkil village (Venue) on Tuesday 14th February 2017. The Bongkil Community had started hosting the participants in terms of providing food and accommodation while waiting for the facilitating team to arrive. After missing their flight from Port Vila to Dillons Bay Airport on Tuesday 14th February 2017, the team had to re-schedule their flight for Thursday 16th February 2017 which led them to transit at White Grass Airport on Tanna. The team arrived on Tanna at 8.30am and had to wait for the flight to Dillons Bay airport until 4.30pm. The team arrived at Dillons Bay at 5.15pm and because of rough seas, they had to stay overnight at Dillons Bay village until 6am on Friday 17th February, they travelled by a boat to Bongkil village.

While waiting for the facilitation team to arrive at Bongkil village on Friday 17th February 2017, the participants were led by the CSO National Platform member on Erromango, Mrs Hellen Naupa to work in groups to draw the map of Erromango island and show the different locations on the island as shown on the photographs:-

Where there is existing forests which are vacant and untouched by human activities.

Conservation areas such as kauri and sandalwood reservations Replanting tree areas such as coffee projects, kava projects, sandalwood projects.

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On the maps, they also showed the locations of cattle farms, villages and settlements, roads, airstrips, Fish ponds, grasslands, education (schools) and health centres.

The purpose of this activity was for the participants to identify and map out the existing natural resources on Erromango Island. Then it will lead them to identify the deforestation areas and forests degradation areas so that they can list down the main drivers of deforestation and forests degradation on Erromango. During their presentations, the participants emphasized that Erromango Island is rich of natural resources, especially in terms of vacant forests, sandalwood, kauri, whitewood, tamanu, mahogany, rivers and water resources. They have kauri reservations such as in Happy Land, Nompun Ward, Nompun USWO, Nompun, Nompun Mango and in Cooks Bay. Happy Land Kauri reserve is the largest reserve.

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The problems and constraints that they are facing were as follows;-

All community people on Erromango do not have proper built road infrastructure. People walk on foot in land for very far distances and more development in terms of access to communications and land transports is needed.

There is available sea transports by Fibber Glass Out Boat Motor around the island, thus because of long distances from one village to the other, the fares are always expensive for the local people because fuel sale is also expensive for local boats owners. Most times, the sea is rough and boats cannot do their services.

FRIDAY 17th FEBRUARY 2017

The arrival of the facilitating team at Bongil village at 10am:-

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Welcome Session

The programme of the day consisted of an opening session, introductions to climate change and its impacts upon the lives of the people in communities and the natural world, as well as introduction to the concepts of what is REDD+ and what are ecosystems and its services?

Presentation on Climate Change and its impacts on the Lives of people today

CSO REDD+ Coordinator presented an overview of what climate change is and the signs that indicates that the natural climate is changing and what are its impacts on the lives of people in the world and on the islands. She explained the differences between weather and climate and between climate variability and climate change, emphasizing the importance to understand he greenhouse gases, its effects and causes. She mentioned the major contribution

Community women standing to welcome the facilitating team and the participants with flower laces.

Welcome speech by the Chief of Bongkil – Chief Donald Naling

Speech by the CSO REDD+ Coordinator – Mrs Jill Horry

Speech by the Forestry Officer on Erromango Island – Mr Russel Louvo. He officially opened

the consultation workshop.

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of human activities to the rise in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and the global temperature. Climate impacts on the lives of people of the world, Pacific and on the islands causing vulnerability on the lives of people in terms of economic, Agriculture, environmental, Health, socially and through other new species of fauna especially birds and fishes were discussed. For example; there is an increase in frequency in climate events such as heavy rains, floods and cyclones.

Presentation on “What is REDD+? What are the Main Drivers and Indirect Drivers of

Deforestation and Forest Degradation?

The CSO REDD+ Coordinator continued to present on what REDD+ is. A few people on the island is now wearing the REDD+ t-shirt that is being produced at the National REDD+ Unit Office and distributing the t-shirts out to many community members which indicates that people have heard about REDD+. This presentation aims at:-

Conveying REDD+ Key Messages to the participants to understand more about the meaning if the acronym “REDD+” in simple Bislama language and help them understand about the three activities on the “+” sign of the acronym.

Identifying main drivers and indirect drivers on the island of Erromango and selecting the one they felt was having the biggest impact now and in the future,

Developing strategic options to address these drivers, Developing the governance structures to manage their selected strategic option, Developing the Benefit Sharing structures to manage their selected strategic option.

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Firstly REDD+ stands for: R-Reducing / Daonem, E – Emissions / ol rabis kas we I stap ko antap long atmosfer, D – Deforestation / tru long fasin blong katem taon o bonem tumas tri o bush mo, D – Forest Degradation / bush we ino kat fulap bigfala tri I kro long hem. ‘+’ (Plus sign) Do activities like / Mekem ol aktiviti olsem;- Conservation / Lukaotem mo protektem gud bush, Sustainable management of forest. Usim gud ol bush risosis mo protekem gud blong fuja genarasen. Enhancement of Carbon Stock / Planem moa tri blong holem tait plante moa kabon ( rabis kas). The presenter went on to explain that REDD+ is a mechanism to create an incentive (i.e. revenue or benefits) for developing countries to protect and better manage their forest resources, contributing to the global fight against climate change. The United Nations that Vanuatu is a member of there are climate change policies about what the world would do to reduce climate change. A body that is exists in the United Nations called United Nations Framework on Conventions on Climate Change organised ol member countries of UN to design REDD+ program to be a component activity of reducing climate change. REDD+ Agreement was made and becomes an adaptation and mitigation Action to Reduce Climate Change. The above information was presented in a very simple Bislama Language and the participants understood well. The presenter went on to introduce the role of forests in climate change and the role of REDD+ as seen through the UNFCCC. Then the participants were divided into two small groups and were led to develop the various stages of REDD+ readiness in a simplified way. In doing this, participants were able to think more deeply about how REDD+ could work on their island of Erromango. GROUP ONE:

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GROUP TWO:

Activity: 1) Identifying Direct /

Main Drivers and Indirect drivers

On Erromango Island. Choosing

The main driver.

2) Developing the strategic Options

To address these drivers.

3) Developing the governance

structure and Benefit Sharing

structure to manage the strategic

Options.

After working in small groups to discuss and mapping out the three of four main components of REDD+ Readiness in Vanuatu, each groups presented their findings as follows:-

Group One & Group two findings were same and said that these are obvious on the island:-

1) Main Drivers of deforestation and forest degradation are:- Slash and burn on very large areas of inland of Erromango. Large scale logging by local people Foreign Logging Companies on the island. Traders exploiting the sandalwood in 1800s Cyclones

2) Indirect Drivers:- Clearings – slash and burn practices to develop and grow Sandal wood

plantations. Gardening for livelihoods needs ( Food Security – local people depend on

garden foods because canteen stores are limited) Small scale logging to produce timber for sale to meet every day needs in terms

of finances. (Schools fees, home groceries, transportation and buildings etc…) Foreign logging – to export to overseas.

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3) Developing Strategic Options to address the drivers of deforestations and Forest degradation on Erromango:-

Both of the two groups presented that seeing that deforestation activities can contribute very much to emitting carbon into the atmosphere and also degradation of forests does not hold much carbon as the Mama Dark Bush or original untouched forest can hold much carbon. Much of the forests on Erromango has been degraded by the traders’ activity in exploiting a lot of sandalwood forests that has been growing naturally. And due to the fact that, the other drivers has left a trace on disturbed forests, the participants decided that they should encourage the following strategic options to the communities on the island:-

Continue to conserve forests, protect forests that are vulnerable to human activities and continue to sustainable use the forest for future generations and plant more economical trees.

Use agro forestry techniques to Increase Food Security by planting root crops and vegetables in Planted Sandal wood Plantations to minimize land clearings for Gardening.

Encourage other options like; Silvi pastoral (small Livestock farming), Aqua marine (fish farming of Tilapia) and Conservation of Bio – Diversity of Land & Water (River) & Protected Areas.

Strengthen Eco-Tourism activities on conservation areas to stop conservation areas from being cut down.

Continue to encourage kauri and sandalwood reservations on Erromango.

4) Benefit Sharing ideas The participants discussed and presented that the benefit sharing for Erromango people is still something that if the National REDD+ program would consider more realistically for them because they still have not much source of income for livehood that runs well for economic. They would like assistance in the followings:-

Good roads infrastructure for trucks to run businesses so as to allow the local people to move on with conservation of forests and eco-tourism services, develop more kauri, sandalwood and mahogany reservations and large plantations of agro forestry and agri-tourism services.

Good and proper built wharfs for inter - island coasters to provide services for transportation for the local supplies to Tanna, Port Vila and other places. They stress that the local people are producing large farming for root crops,

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vegetables and economical trees, thus, there is not enough available transportation for further upgrading economic for their produce.

The participants also stressed that the CSO Climate Change and REDD+ Network Committee which will be elected and established during this workshop will be the committee which must work tremendously to channel the REDD+ Benefits from the National to the community level and from the community level to the National & Regional level.

The participants also asked how they would access some available funds to assists them in their local CBOs to develop more in their activities for the strategic options for the drivers of deforestation and forests degradation.

5) Developing the Governance Structures of these strategic options:- The participants were encouraged to return home after this consultation and establish their local Associations and Community Based Organizations, identify a project activity under the strategic options that they have listed above, which would be run by their local Associations or CBOs and develop their governance structures. Furthermore to this planning, they need to be legally set up in terms of registering their local associations and CBOs in Vanuatu Associations of Non- Government Organizations (VANGO) and the Vanuatu Financial Service Commission. In this way, they will be eligible to tap into resources from different funding agencies in future for their projects development. After group discussions, the participants presented that the following outline structure would be Erromango Island’s channel of benefit sharing of resources like funds, information, and news from the REDD+ Unit.

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Erromango Island participants designed their Governance structure of Governance and Communication as follows:-

Erromango Associations shown above are the existing ones and need to be strengthen in terms of funding resources. New associations and CBOs are encouraged to be established and to be shown in the governance structure.

FORESTRY DEPARTMENT &

REDD+ UNIT NATIONAL COORDINATOR

REDD+

Technical

Specialist

REDD+ Extension &

Information Officer

CSO National REDD+

Coordinator

CSO National REDD+ Platform

ERROMANGO CSOs CLIMATE

CHANGE & REDD+ EXECUTIVE /

NETWORK COMMITTEE

TRU

ASSOCIATION

EWTT

ASSOCIATION

TARU

ASSOCIATION

PUNARAI

ASSOCIATION

JOINT VENTURE

ASSOCIATION

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Presentation on “Understanding Ecosystems and the Services they provide for Human

Well-being”

The presenter (CSO REDD+ Coordinator) gave a brief overview of what are ecosystems and what services do they provide in a very simple Bislama language – power point slides with pictures. First of all, an explanation of “What are ecosystems?” An ecosystem is a group of plants and animals that lives and grow together in a specific place within a particular environment, For example; forests ecosystems, coral reefs ecosystems, wetlands and rivers ecosystems, mangroves ecosystems, dry lands and grasslands ecosystems.

The objectives of this presentation was to help the participants to:-

Understand the diverse relationship between people and their environment.

Understand the different types of ecosystems and the services they provide for human well-being and livelihoods.

Understand the current threats to ecosystems from natural or climate change and human impacts.

Understand how the REDD+ Program through the National Government and communities can work to reduce impacts and some approaches used to protect ecosystem health and services.

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Group Activities on Ecosystem Services:- The participants were divided into small groups. Each group discussed and jotted down their ideas on flip chart paper as follows:

1) List down some ecosystems that you know exists on Erromango. 2) Choose one ecosystem and list the services that the ecosystem provide for you on

Erromango.

The characteristics of these areas –its soil, rocks, water, trees and all the undergrowth make up the environment. An ecosystem is a balance in nature which its plants and animals living in that place have a relationship with each other and their environment that suits them. The services that they provide for the people are the resources benefit people and support their livelihoods like:

Food, water, timber, house materials and medicine for daily needs.

Economic development such as; logging, fisheries, tourism, non-timber forest products and hydropower.

Controlling floods, disease, waste and water quality. Providing nutrients to the soil and water systems. Providing cultural services which are a source of beliefs,

traditions and enjoyment.

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3) What are the impacts or problems that are happening to the ecosystem services on Erromango?

4) What can the National Government do? What can the communities on Erromango do to manage the ecosystems well for future generations?

The results of Groups Presentations:- Group one presented on:

1) List down some ecosystems that you know exists on Erromango.

ECOSYSTEMS on Erromango THE SERVICES THEY PROVIDE FOR THE PEOPLE 1. Forests Local materials for building house

Sources of income from timber and non-timber products like thatch roof leaves.

Leaf Medicine Support drinking Water and crops Provide habitat for Wild animals, insects, other

wildlife that pollinate plants & birds

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Oxygen to breathe and creating a cooling environment and increasing rainfall.

Energy (fuel / Firewood) Food supplies (fruits, wild cabbages & protein

food) Produce clouds over the island. Protect soil erosion.

2. Grassland areas on Erromango

Habitat for insects and wild horses, wild pigs and wild bullocks.

Maintain soil fertility Seeds dispersal. Reduce flood and drought damage Provide erosion control to protect homes and

agriculture. 3. Mountains and hills Clean water for drinking

Water starts running from the mountains to the rivers to the sea.

The forests plants grow well from the soil which get water from the mountains.

4. Rivers & other Wetlands Flowing rivers that provides fresh water Use water for swimming and enjoyable

recreational activities. Provides habitat for fishes, eels, water prawns

and shells for food. Reduce drought and maintaining flow for

hydro-electric plants. Rich in bio-diversity reservoirs

5. Coral reefs Habitat for fishes, shells, and other sea food Protect against storm surge Breeding places for all sea creatures.

Group Two presented on:-

5) What are the impacts or problems that are happening to the ecosystem services on Erromango?

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6) What can the National Government do? What can the communities on Erromango do to manage the ecosystems well for future generations?

ECOSYSTEMS CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS / HUMAN ACTIVITY

PROBLEMS /CHALLENGES

SOLUTION BY GOVERNMENT / COMMUNITY

River, Pools and Wetlands and the sea Ecosystems Services

Human activity Too much logging Stop or reduce logging near rivers or water areas.

Seriously replant trees.

Get policies or laws from the Government.

Gardening on very large piece of land on the sides of rivers.

Stop doing gardening near the river sides.

Over harvesting resources from the rivers & pools or the sea.

Proper planning & control by village chiefs, community leaders make bio-laws

Seek advice from Fisheries Department & Environmental Unit.

Climate Change impacts

Land slides Do not cut down trees on coastlines areas and river sides.

Community Bio-laws.

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Replant trees & set boundaries.

Climate Change impacts

Strong Sun – Hotness

Human support – strategic planning.

Feedback from the participants about today’s sessions:- 1. Climate Change is the result of a lot of emissions from deforestation activities and

factories activities throughout the world over a hundred years ago until today. We on the islands will be the ones who facing the worst impact of climate change. We must understand well and know the REDD+ activities will be best to save us and our islands. We need to use and manage our forests and other natural resources sustainably. We need to look after and protect our forests well because forests ( as we have learnt today that) are carbon sink and will continue to pull down more carbon from the atmosphere.

2. The people on Erromango must continue to plant more trees. There is a need to implement more strategic options like planting more sandalwood trees and other hardwood trees in the forest degraded areas.

3. After this workshop, we need to run more awareness to our community people to know and understand that trees, plants and forests are storing carbon so we need to reduce our ways of doing gardens by slash and burn and do other ways like Agro-forestry. So we need to know different ways of doing food security. We need to know how to do food preservations.

4. REDD+ National Program comes to Vanuatu to assist us to make money and income without cutting down a lot of trees and doing slash and burn for our food crops.

5. Forest degradation causes a lot of different plant species grow all over the place. Some are harmful to human and some are harmful to our forest animals and cam cause our birds and animals to migrate to other places. This also destroy the ecosystems and the habitats of our endemic species.

6. We must help stop Climate Change and this could be by; protecting our forests and trees and planting more trees. Our agriculture ways of farming and gardening must change. The main drivers and indirect drivers of deforestation and forest degradation on Erromango means that we must think of ways that will help reduce the drivers.

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We must change our behaviours and we must do activities that is not normal for us for a very long time and we change our ways.

7. The kind of activities that we need to do instead are activities that; agro-forestry, Silvi-pastoral, re-foresting the grassland areas, ecotourism activities, aqua-culture, and we must strategically planning for those activities. We must have funds for it and at the end of it we have benefits from it.

SATURDAY 18th FEBRUARY 2017 Today’s sessions started at 11am because we have to leave enough for Sabbath keepers to do their quiet time and worship.

Presentation on Agro – Forestry Techniques to help address Climate Change by Jeanette

Raupepe (National CSO REDD+ Platform Member)

The purpose of this presentation was to help participants to understand about:-

What is Agro-Forestry? Why Agro-Forestry is one of the best Strategic Options for the drivers of deforestation

and forest degradation and also a best aid for local farmers to address climate change. Agro – Forestry techniques in dry lands and wet lands To hear from Erromango participants about what would be best for them.

The presentation led the 39 participants to know that Agro-Forestry refers to land use systems in which trees are grown on the same land with the agricultural crops or animals and the technical resources to create a more integrated diverse, productive, profitable healthy and sustainable land use systems. It is simply planting the right trees and crops or vegetables or animals and the technologies in the right place for right reasons. Agro-forestry techniques is suited on our islands because it reduces the land use systems which people often do agricultural activities in land every year by slash and burn and planting one kind of a root crops at a time. With Agro-forestry techniques, agriculture and forestry are intergraded.

It addresses climate change impacts in a way that when economical trees are grown on a piece of land, there good things about it because

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the trees continue to reforested the land and also holds tight carbon, protects soil erosion and shelters the crops grown within the land. The facilitator continues to presents that the kind of trees that could be used for agro-forestry and that, they are kinds of trees that are being encouraged by the Forestry Department are; sandalwood, mahogany, nangai, natapoa and whitewood. She also emphasized the spacing of each of the trees if the participants or farmers would like to use on Erromango. The spacing of the growing trees combined with root crops or vegetables is important because of the fact that both parties need to share nutrients equally, the crops growing underneath the trees must have sunlight and much water and enough shade. Also the Roots space for the trees need to be considered while planting.

The economical trees used for Agro-Forestry and its spacing are as follows:-

1) Mahogony: 5 x 6m 2) Sandalwood: 5 x 5m 3) Natapoa: 7 x 7m 4) Nangai: 7 x 7m 5) Whitewood: 6 x 6m

Doing Agro – Forestry activities on dry lands and wet lands both have worked well for Ni-Vanuatu people and have provide for them good benefits.

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Feedback from the participants for what is best for the people of

Erromango:- o The participants said that now they understand what is Agro-Forestry and they

came to realise that they have been doing such activities without knowing that they are doing agricultural activity that is suited for climate change according to researched and findings. They are happy with what they learnt today and said that they will continue to do Agro-Forestry activities.

o They said that they will need to continue to protect their untouched and vacant forests by running awareness to all community villages that exists on Erromango. By doing Agro-forestry activities would help them conserve and protect much forests and land.

o On Erromango, the landowners must think carefully and start doing strategic planning before they allow their land and forests for logging activities.

o The participants raised their concerns that logging has been happening for many years on their island and nothing has been done to replant trees which left a huge area of forest degradation and somehow some parts of the island has been changed into grassland.

o Some participants who are landowners said that they need some funding resource for doing these activities such as Agro-Forestry, Conservation of Forests, silvi-pastoral, eco-tourism and acqua –culture activities which are strategic options for the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation.

Setting Up of the Civil Society Organizations (CSO REDD+ Networks) on Erromango Island

by Jill Horry (CSO REDD+ Coordinator).

The participants were introduced to the idea of setting up the CSO Climate Change and REDD+ Networks on Erromango. The purpose of setting up the CSO REDD+ networks are that:-

o REDD+ flow of information from the National REDD+ Unit to the Provincial Technical Advisory Committee down to the CSOs Network for the community level – a top to bottom and bottom to top approach for the flow of information.

o The CSO Climate Change and REDD+ Networks will work together with the PTAC members to implement REDD+ activities on the island.

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o Climate Change and REDD+ Networks advocacy and awareness raising at the community level.

o Preparation for community involvement in SESA and analytical studies to be done in future.

The participants emphasized that for Erromango, they have difficulties in roads infrastructure and they still encounter poor communications via mobile phones that sometimes, they do not have access to receptions in many areas on the islands, especially due to the unpredictable weather patterns. Because of this, they suggested that there should be two groups of CSO REDD+ Networks on the island of Erromango. The results below shows the members of the two networks:-

ERROMANGO -CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATION (CSO) REDD+ NETWORK

MEMBERS:

CSO NETWORK ONE: NORTH ERROMANGO CSO REDD+ NETWORK

POSITION IN CSO REDD+ NETWORK

NAME VILLAGE PHONE CONTACT

CHAIRMAN CHIEF JOE JAMES RUNGU –

PORT NARVIN 7764018

VICE CHAIRMAN TOM NAUTA IPOTA

SECRETARY ROBERT NOWAI PORT NARVIN 7315516

VICE SECRETARY ANGELA NORWO IPOTA 7314894

TREASURER JOE NETAI PORT NARVIN 7763966

VICE TREASURER ROM NALING COOKS BAY 7782297

MEMBERS PAULINE NARUA COOKS BAY 7304154

WILLIE NALING COOKS BAY

CHARLIE NARWA PORT NARVIN 7736918

SAMUEL LOKRE IPOTA 7761377

North Erromango

CSO Climate

Change & REDD+

Network Excutive

members

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CSO NETWORK TWO: SOUTH ERROMANGO CSO REDD+ NETWORK

POSITION IN CSO REDD+ NETWORK

NAME VILLAGE CELL PHONE NUMBER

CHAIRMAN JONNAH NOMPUAT HAPPY LAND 7341391

VICE CHAIRMAN KENNETH WOLU WILLIAM’S BAY 7332325

SECRETARY REHALF TOMPU WILLIAM’S BAY 7115612

VICE SECRETARY BEBEN NATUM ONAVURU 5444433

TREASURER TORE KILLION SOUTH RIVER 5667465

VICE RIVER DAVID NALING ANTIOCH 7105759

MEMBERS CHIEF SIMON YAVYONG

WILLIAM’S BAY 7767090

SILAS YALIMYAU ANTIOCH 7736614

JONAH NOMPUAT

CHIEF PETER NALIAL POTRASAK 7730785

ANJELIN ADNEIO HAPPY LAND 7119848

CHIEF MAMICK NOVWAI

BONING 7770689

CHIEF NALIAL LEVAI BONGKIL 7115689

ESTA NONGRO PORT LUCY 7513789

JAMES LOVO SOUTH RIVER 7335875

JAFFET NARAI ANTIOCH -

ERICK ADNELO HAPPY LAND 7755411

TONEY NALING HAPPY LAND -

KIVAN NELWO HAPPY LAND -

ROBERT NATUM SOUTH RIVER 7341391

SOUTH ERROMANGO CSO REDD+ NETWORK MEMBERS set up on 18th February

..2017

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HANDING OVER THE FACILITIES TO THE CSO NETWORKS ON ERROMANGO

After the CSO Climate Change and REDD+ Networks was set up, the following assets were handed over to the chairman of the North Erromango, Mr Jonnah Nompuat on behalf of the Director of Forestry Department and the National REDD+ Coordinator from the REDD+ Unit:-1 HP Computer Laptop, 1 Nikon Coolpix digital Camera, 1 Small (black) Camera case and 1 16 GB SD Card. The Chairman and his executive members will be using the facilities to guide the work of the CSOs REDD+ on Erromango.

Photoes shown as evidence:-

Signing of the

Agreement

letter with the

Department

of Forestry

and the

REDD+ Unit

Handing over the

Laptop Computer,

the camera & the

camera case to

the Chairman of

Erromango CSo

REDD+ Network

by the CSO

Coordinator on

behalf of the

National REDD+

Unit.

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RECOMMENDATIONS AND FOLLOW UP ACTIVITIES:

This part of the report presents the recommendation proposed by the participants and the facilitators. It also presents a brief proposed outline for what is needed for a follow up activities for the CSO Climate Change & REDD+ activities for the CSOs REDD+ Networks on Erromango:- The following recommendations are made by the CSO participants and they have requested that the National REDD+ Unit must consider for the future of the implementation of REDD+ activities on the islands:-

1. The newly formed CSO Climate Change and REDD+ Networks Executive would like to thank the National Coordinator for the REDD+ Unit for recognising the island of Erromango as part of the five REDD+ selected islands in Vanuatu. And they would like to thank the REDD+ Unit especially for their office facilities and would recommend that if the REDD+ Unit could continue to facilitate them with funds for their mobilization in between communities to run climate change and REDD+ awareness.

2. The CSO Coordinator and team spotted and have experienced that this part of Erromango is a kind of a remote area in terms of having the easy access to communication, health facilities, education and proper roads infrastructure. We would like to recommend that if Erromango Island is to be selected as part of the REDD+ implementation program, then the whole needs and constraints are to look into for the development of the community people. In regards to health facilities, it is evidential that women and girls of teenages are having babies without receiving proper medication and health facilities. This needs improvement for healthy lives of men, women and children according to article 7 for the International Human Rights Convention, the local people should be considered to receive the same treatment as it is observable that the local people are already vulnerable.

3. The people are rich of their agriculture products and forests products. They are also rich of the sea resources nearby the coastline areas and they are seeking assistance to the Vanuatu Government for finding ways for transports fish markets and so on.

4. The participants asked to know how Mrs Helen Naupa and Mr Charlie Narwa were selected to become part of the CSO National Platform members as some other representatives on Erromango could be selected to attend trainings and do much awareness on the island.

5. The community people need some funding to continue develop their conservation projects.

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6. The participants recommend if the National REDD+ Unit should make frequent visits to the island to visit the CSO Climate Change and REDD+ Networks on Erromango.

7. The newly elected Erromango CSO REDD+ Network Executive members raised the issue of REDD+ benefits for Erromango if this could be directed to Erromango CSO REDD+ Network Executive instead of it being passed through Tafea Province.

8. Stress the need to properly set the REDD+ Office in Ipota for REDD+ activities.

CONCLUSION:

The CSO REDD+ consultation was implemented successfully on the island of Erromango despite of the constraints that were encountered by the CSO REDD+ Coordinator and team when reaching the island. Even though all the sessions that were being planned to be presented were not done but the team were able to collect a lot of information through a few sessions that were presented within two and a half days. The quality still remains and evidential that the participants left the workshop venue and felt satisfied with what they have learnt and achieved.

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ANNEX ONE: LIST OF PARTICIPANTS’ NAMES WHO ATTENDED THE CSO

CLIMATE CHANGE & REDD+ COSNULTATION

NO NAME GENDER ORGANIZATION / WHAT YOU DO ON GROUND

VILLAGE / AREA ON ERROMANGO

1. ANGELA NORWO F FARMER IPOTA

2. ANGELINA ATNELO F WOMEN REP HAPPY LAND

3. BEBEN NATUM M ARTS & CARVING UNAVORU

4. CHARLIE NARWA M NATIONAL CSO PLATFORM MEMBER

PORT NARVIN

5. DAVID NALING M LANDOWNER ANTIOCH

6. DONALD NALING M CHIEF BONGKIL

7. ESTHER NERUK F WOMEN REP PORT LUCY

8 ERICKSON ATNELO M FARMA HAPPY LAND

9. HELEN NAUPA F NATIONAL CSO PLATFORM MEMBER / EWTT

PORT NARVIN

10. JONAH WALILO M CHIEF HAPPY LAND

11. JONAH NOMPUAT M LANDOWNER ANTIOCH

12. JOE JAMES M CHIEF & LANDOWNER PORT NARVIN

13. JOE NETAI M FARMER PORT NARVIN

14. JEFFET NARAI M FARMER ANTIOCH

15. JONAH NONPUAT M FARMER HAPPY LAND

16. JAMES l M FARMER SOUTH RIVER

17. KIVIN NILWO M FARMER HAPPY LAND

18. KILION NAMBON M CHIEF SOUTH RIVER

19. KENNETH WOLU M YOUTH REP WILLIAM’S BAY

20. LEVAI LOVO M CHIEF BONGKIL

21 MASE JIM M FARMER HAPPY LAND

22. MOLIEL ALULO M LANDOWNER HAPPY LAND

23. MAMICK NOVWAI M CHEIF BONING

24. NOELYN LOVO F WOMAN REP ANTIOCH

25. PAULINE NARUA F WOMAN REP COOK’S BAY

26. PETER NALIAL M CHIEF / FARMER POTRASAK

27. ROBERT NATUN M FARMER SOUTH RIVER

28. ROM NALING M FARMER COOK’S BAY

29. ROBERT NOWAL M LANDOWNER POORT NARVIN

30. REHAP TOMBU F WOMEN REP WILLIAM’S BAY

31. SAMUEL LOKRE M FORESTRY OFFICER IPOTA

32. SILAS YALIMYAU M CHIEF ANTIOCH

33. SIMON YANYONG M CHIEF / LANDOWNER WILLIAM’S BAY

34. TOM NAUTA M LANDOWNER IPOTA

35. TONNY NALING M FARMER HAPPY LAND

36. WILLIE NALING M CHIEF COOK’S BAY

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ANNEX TWO: CSO CLIMATE CHANGE & REDD+ CONSULTATION

PROGRAM ON ERROMANGO

Civil Society Organization (CSO) Consultation On: Climate Change & REDD+ Bongil Village, South West Erromango

15th – 20th February 2017

Objectives: At the end of this Consultation, participants will:

Increase knowledge & understanding on the concepts of REDD+ and why it is important to protect forests and other natural resources.

Be able to identify drivers and indirect drivers of deforestation and land degradation and understand that these environmental issues can be address by their normal practices of Sustainable management and protection their forests & other natural resources.

Upgrade their knowledge & skills in learning how to develop strategic options through governance structures & Benefit Sharing through the activities they are currently doing in their communities.

Be familiar with the Vanuatu REDD+ Programme and understand their roles and responsibilities to engage their local communities in participating in REDD+ process and policies.

Set up networks that will enable them to mobilize in their local areas for information sharing and participating in REDD+ Technical Activities such as MRV & REF.

Day One: Friday 17th February 2017 – Bongil Village. Note Taking: Jeanette Raupepe

Time Session Facilitator Designation

10:00am -10:15am

Registration of Participants & Distribution of Name Tags & Folders

Morning Devotion

Introductions – Participants & Facilitators

Logistics & Rules

Objectives of / Expectations for Training

Jeanette Raupepe

CSO National Platform Member

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Day Two: Saturday 18th February 2016– Bongil Community Hall, South West Erromango. Note Taking: Jeanette Raupepe.

Time Session Facilitator Designation

11:00am –

11:15am

Welcome / Morning Prayer

Registration

Re-cap on yesterday’s lessons

Jeanette Raupepe

CSO National Platform Member

11:15am Session 4: Agriculture & Forestry

Presentation on Agro-Forestry

Jeanette Raupepe

CSO National Platform Member

Participants – Self Assessment (BEFORE)

J Horry

( CSO REDD+ Coordinator) CSO REDD+ Platform Members

10:30am –

Session 1: Introduction to What is Climate Change:

What is Climate Change?

How does it affect me?

What causes Climate Change?

What can we do about it?

Responding to Climate Change:-

Discussions & Questions

Jill Horry CSO REDD+ Coordinator

MORNING TEA BREAK: 9:30 AM

10:35am

Session 2: Introduction to What is REDD+?

What is REDD+?

Role of Forests

Drivers of Deforestation & Forests Degradation & the strategic Options

Why it is important to Plant Trees?

Group discussions & presentations

Jill Horry

CSO REDD+ Coordinator

LUNCH BREAK: 12:00 NOON

1:00pm Session 3: Ecosystems Services

Understanding the ecosystems & the services they provide to people.

o Group discussion & presentations

J Horry CSO REDD+ Coordinator

3:00pm Group discussions & presentations continued

Jill & Jeanette National Platform Member

6:00 pm Wrap & End of Day Two!! Jeanette Raupepe

National CSO Platform Member

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How Agro - Forestry can be implemented by Local Communities to address Climate Change Impacts & Drivers of Deforestation.

Group discussions & presentation

Lunch / 12:00 – 1pm

1:00pm More discussions on Agro – Forestry Techniques

Group presentations

Jeanette R National CSo Platform member

Afternoon Tea / 2:30pm – 2:45pm

2:45pm – 10:00pm

Session 10: Setting Up Of CSo REDD+ Networks

Jill Horry

10:30pm -

Wrap Up & end of Consultation Jill Horry CSO REDD+ Coordinator

ANNEX THREE: QUESTIONS & ANSWERS by the participants

QUESTIONS POSED BY PARTICIPANTS RESPONSES PROVIDED BY CSOs FACILITATORS

1. What is the work / responsibilities for REDD+ Provincial Technical Advisory Committee (PTAC)

The work of the PTAC on the five REDD+ selected islands is basically to oversee the implementation of REDD+ activities on their respected islands and provide technical advice.

2. How is Live - stock important to forestry? Live –stock is important to forestry for these few reasons but you can always call the DoF to clarify more on your question:-

Many landowners think that combining livestock grazing in forests or woodland is important because in economic, many landowners do not want to wait for 20 -50 years for their trees grow mature to produce timber for income. Instead, livestock can provide yearly income much quicker than trees.

Trees also provide shade and weather protection for livestock.

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3. How many years has taken Climate to be changing?

We don’t know exact how many years, but all we can tell you is that the natural climate has been changing for over a long period of time, which means about 100 years ago.

4. How long will REDD+ activities be implemented on the island of Erromango?

The island of Erromango has been selected as one of the five REDD+ implementation islands in Vanuatu because of its history in Logging activities that has left a lot of forest degradation and it will take about 4-5 years of implementing REDD+ activities.

ANNEX FOUR: ERROMANGO CSO REDD+ CONSULTATION – 17th – 18th

FEBRUARY 2017. SETTING UP OF ASSOCIATION FORM

1. NEM BLONG YU MO KONTAK BLONG YU

2. NEM BLONG ASSOCIATION O OKANAESASEN BLONG YU

3. LOCATION O VILLAGE BLONG YU WE YU STAP LONG HEM?

4. WANEM KAEN AKTIVITI NAO YU STAP MEKEM LONG ASOSIASEN BLONG YU? O YU ENTERES BLONG MEKEM LONG SAED BLONG REDD+?

5. MEMBASIP BLONG YU LONG WAN NAESENEL BODI

35

ANNEX FIVE: POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS

1) PRESENTATION ONE: CLIMATE CHANGE & ITS IMPACTS IN THE LIVES OF PEOPLE

36

2) PRESENTATION TWO: REDD+ & THE DRIVERS OF DEFORESTATION & FOREST

DEGRADATION

37

PRESENTATION 3: ECOSYSTEM AND ITS SERVICES TO PEOPLE:

38

PRESENTATION 4: AGRICULTURE & FORESTRY- WHAT IS agro-forestry?

39