SIELA – Supporting Nature-Based Solutions Through Protected Areas Framework in Solomon Islands.

Blog Post | Kenya Kenieroa and William Kadi

Brief background.

Solomon Islands Environmental Law Association (SIELA) is made up of passionate individuals from diverse backgrounds based in Honiara, Solomon Islands. Amidst the myriad of non-government organizations (NGOs) that exist in Solomon Islands, SIELA aims to bring more awareness about environmental law to communities while also collaborating with key government stakeholders and NGOs to discuss protected areas options and natural resource conservation issues confronting our rural communities and people. SIELA continues to work behind the scenes with rural communities and has made some important milestones over the years.

In this article, we reflect on some of the achievements and engagements that SIELA did under the leadership of Kenya Kenieroa and team. Kenya joined SIELA in 2020 preceded by Steneth Kaniki who started the work on SIELA’s protected areas toolkit – a guide manual for educating rural communities in Solomon Islands when applying for protected area status under the Protected Areas Act 2010 and Protected Areas Regulations 2012 (PA framework).

All of the programs and projects carried out by SIELA are financed through donor fundings and some field affiliations are on voluntary basis.

SIELA Program Updates.

Ahetaha community in East Are’Are, Malaita Province is one of SIELA’s ongoing focus and partnership. The Ahetaha community is progressing towards the final stages of their protected areas application process. On 28^th-29^th December 2022, SIELA conducted a workshop in the community to review the management plan and check with consistency under the national PA framework.

On 10^th-12^th June 2023, SIELA collaborated with Boeboe community in Choiseul Province. Boeboe community has an existing local resource management area where they practiced customary knowledge on conservation and resource management. However, the community faced numerous challenges including the lack of knowledge on how to ensure their community program can be elevated to a national protected area status.

SIELA’s toolkit enabled convenient community engagement so far. A key outcome from the community engagements is the identification of roadmaps for further partnerships and a willingness from the communities to explore protected area pathways as alternative development approach through use of nature-based solutions. One of the recommendations commonly received from the communities SIELA engaged with is a call for further assistance and partnership with key government stakeholders as a way forward in their aim to attain protected area status.

Challenges.

Understanding of environmental law and the perspectives of communities needs to be harmonized and contextualized to suit local community needs. In addition to that, perceptions of development including logging are mining hold much more value than protecting the natural resources due to the tangible income and benefits generated. The idea of protecting the environment and natural resources does not provide a sense of tangible benefit considering the pressing demands faced by communities to sustain and support their daily lives.

Another challenge in dealing with communities is trying to get hold of their schedules. Communities live and operate in their own schedules and sometimes workshops clash with community programs, and this normally would result in very poor turn outs to attend such important events that aim to support local communities in ways that can connect their resource management efforts to the national framework.

Community opposition is also a significant barrier. Some communities are exposed and experience the benefits brought in by logging and mining and therefore the idea of a protected area does not provide a tangible prospect of benefits for the community.

Way forward.

SIELA aims to continue and collaborate with community-based organizations that have developed strong interest and taken the first steps for the protection and conservation of resources. SIELA will continue to work closely with these communities and develop innovative approaches to ensure the process for protected areas is met on time and with the available resources available.

Stakeholder partnerships and engagement are crucial to facilitate the steps required for consent and approval of protected areas application. Key government stakeholders to partner with include the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, and Disaster Management (MECCDM), the Ministry of Mines, Energy, and Rural Electrification (MMERE), Ministry of Forestry, Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR), Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Survey (MLHS).

In the meantime, SIELA will also continue to advocate on the rights of resource owners and how they can enforce their rights when dealing with developers, particularly, the extractive industry.

Contacts.

For more information on how you can communicate with SIELA, you can email Kenya: kayniakenieroa@gmail.com and Seno Mauli: saemauli007@gmail.com who is the chairperson of SIELA.