Ecotourism in Fiji

Forest and Bird, Issue 291, 1 February 1999, Page 17

Ecotourism in Fiji

forested Fijian highlands, a diverse group — including cycling tourists from New Zealand, British expatriates from Suva, an American yachtie and two Swiss backpackers — pause in their after-dinner conversation, and marvel at the incredibly noisy clamour of insect life resounding from the night-time forest. Next morning, the same group shares amazement when the coque, or barking pigeon, adds its peculiar ‘woof’ to the highland dawn chorus. Ecotourism — a means to conserve the natural environment and supplement local economies — has this great by-product; the bringing together of like minded ‘eco-tourists’ from throughout the world, to share the world's special natural places. After some initial delays, significant progress is now evident in two Fijian ecotourism programmes being currently developed with input from the New Zealand Official Development Assistance (NZODA) Programme. The two projects are at Koroyanitu Natural Heritage Park (home of the barking pigeon) in the highlands of Viti Levu, and Bouma, on Fiji's ‘garden island’ of Taveuni. Both projects have enjoyed increased visitor numbers this year and there is talk of nominating Bouma Natural Heritage Park — a 15,000 hectare tract of pristine : n a tourist lodge high in the

rainforest — as a World Heritage Area. Perhaps most encouraging has been the recent initiative of villagers within the Bouma region to declare a local area of heavily fished reefs as a marine park. While no formal legal protection exists the people of Waitabu Village have made a written commitment to stop fishing the designated area with the dual-purpose goals of conserving the reefs and, eventually, to encourage tourism through snorkelling. According to a marine survey conducted by NZODA, if the reefs are left alone fish stocks could recover to a reasonably healthy level within two years and the corals would recover within five to ten years. This Waitabu marine park would add a fourth ‘product’ to the three land-based ecotourism activities already developed within Bouma National Heritage Park. Currently 6,000 to 8,000 people visit the Bouma Falls each year. A further 1200 venture along the two-hour Lavena Coastal Walk. The longer (full day) guided Vidawa Forest Walk is a relatively new development. There are locally run visitor centres at Korovou (near the Bouma Falls) and Lavena. The Bouma forest is the largest remaining tract of rainforest in Fiji. It is protected by reserve status and supports exceptional birdlife (species such as the jungle fowl, banded rail and purple swamp hen which are now extinct on the larger Fiji islands), two endemic species of bat, the Fijian ground frog and the Taveuni beetle. The other project is at Koroyanitu National Heritage Park, the last remaining area of unlogged tropical montane forest and cloud forest in western Viti Levu. Ecotourism activity is concentrated mainly around the village of Abaca (Ambatha), where increasing numbers of visitors (1500 this year) enjoy the Savuione Waterfall Walk, open grasslands, montane forest, waterfalls, swimming holes and traditional village lifestyle. Currently under development is the Abaca to Navilawa overnight trek which traverses Mt Batilamu, the highest point of Viti Levu. — Kathy Ombler