The Sigatoka Sand Dunes holds a special place for many villagers of Vunavutu, Ku­lukulu and other neighboring community.

With the national park sitting on 650 acres of sand dunes and dry for­est, it has been vulnerable to illegal sand mining, fires, and careless rub­bish disposal from visitors who trek up the park.

Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park Manager, Jason Tutani said these natural resources do not just display the beauty of nature, but it is a working arm to tackling climate change for nearby villages and set­tlements.

RESILIENT PRACTICES

So, to strengthen the unique sand dune forest ecology, the implement­ing agency; the National Trust of Fiji partnered with the Interna­tional Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Kiwa initiative.

Through a two-day workshop held at the national park office in Siga­toka, discussions were to help pro­mote and build coastal resilience, forest restoration, and invasive management actions, with the rel­evant stakeholders.

The Kiwa Initiative looks at na­ture-based solutions for climate re­silience.

“The workshop connects us to the community strongly because it enables us mitigate the impacts of climate change on the dunes and work in unity with the community towards the fight against climate change,” Mr Tutani said.

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