NES and the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) hosted the Pacific Invasive Learning Network (PILN) 6th regional meeting in Rarotonga this month at the Edgewater Resort & Spa. The ceremony was officially opened by our Honorable Deputy-Prime Minister Mr. Albert Nicholas.
The PILN is a collaborative response by Pacific Island nations under the Pacific Region Invasive Species Management Support Services (PRISMSS) programme who have established a network of expert representatives throughout different Agencies to address common invasive issues that pose a risk to our environment and eco system in the pacific.
During this event the sharing of knowledge and stories that each pacific nation is currently dealing with was quite interesting as we all faced similar issues on our respective islands.
Working through strategies and different methods also empowered us to understanding throughout each Island nation’s presentation that the fight against Invasive species is a whole Nation issue that must be addressed immediately to reduce the negative impact towards our Environment.
This being the very first time the PILN event has come to our shores. The Cook Island government as per custom hosted a special evening reception to our PILN team and special invited guest speakers to speak upon some of our very own success stories projects carried out against Invasive species here.
The Palmerston Island “Rat eradication” and Atiu island “Myna bird eradication”. These stories gave everyone a true understanding “Teamwork makes the dream work”.
We also visited several sites on Rarotonga such as the Takitumu Conservation Area (TCA) to look at areas under management of the current Invasive species issues faced by using biocontrol The African Tulip, Ballon Vine, Taro Vine, Merremia and Red Passion Fruit were along some of the Invasive species we looked at.
The success of PILN is built by the many great individuals who bring a well diverse team to the table that have expertise in wide range area to have their input towards Invasive issues we face.
The Cook Islands thanked the Secretariat of the Pacific Region Environment Programme (SPREP) and Pacific Region Invasive Species Management Support Services (PRISMSS) for continuing to embark on this significant journey for the Pacific region.
“This sixth Pacific Invasives Learning Network (PILN) meeting will bring together over 70 invasive species professionals and practitioners from across the Pacific region to share and celebrate their successes, identify possible sustainable solutions to challenges, address critical issues related to invasive species management and discuss ways to invigorate future networking and collaboration between PICTs in sharing technical expertise, information, and successful management approaches.
The PILN meeting co-hosted in Rarotonga, by the Government of Cook Islands and SPREP from 12 to 16 August, 2024 is made possible with funding support from the Global Environment Facility funded GEF 6 Regional Invasives Project, the European Union funded PROTEGE project, the New Zealand Government funded Managing Invasive Species for Climate Change Adaptation in the Pacific (MISCCAP) project, and supported by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) through the Pacific Regional Invasive Species Management Support Service
(PRISMSS) programme”
I te ra 12 o Aukute 2024, kua akamata atu tetai iriiri kapuanga koia oki kote Pacific Invasive Learning Network no teia mataiti 2024. E tai epetoma teia iriiri kapua ite raveiaanga ki ko i te otera o Te Pae Tai Nui (Edgewater Resort and Spa).
Te akakoro anga maata o teia uipaanga koia oki, uriuri manako no runga i te au katiri (invasive) kikino, te au manumanu kino e koropini nei i to tatou moana patipika, tei riro i te takinokino atu i te au mea memeitaki e takapini nei i te Kuki Airani, pera katoa te au enua i vao ake ite Kuki Airani.
I runga nei ia Rarotonga kua karokaro matatio iatu tetai au katiri e takinokino nei i tetai au pu rakau me kare tetai au ngai puapinga mei te; African Tulip, Ballon Vine, Taro Vine, Air Potatoes, Merremia, Red Passion Fruit. Te kitea ia nei te totoa nei teia au katiri i runga nei ite enua, e te riro nei ratou ite takinokino atu i tetai au pu rakau nunui me kare meangiti tei vaitata atu kite pae. Inara te ta’angaanga ia nei tetai au vairakau ki runga i teia au katiri kino note akaiti mai i to ratou tupuanga. E ka akapeea tatou ite paruru atu anga, koia oki, na roto ite akakitekite, akamatakite atu ite iti tangata Kuki Airani no runga i teia au katiri kino. Ina! Uipaanga kite enua, oire tangata, na runga ite ratio, te pia tutu, te matapuka e te vai atura kia kite te iti tangata Kuki Airani eaa teia au katiri kikino e taiku ia nei.
I roto i teia uipaanga e rua ngauru tu ma enua no vao mai to tatou basileia tei atuitui mai ki roto i teia iriirianga kapua, ite karokaro me kare kimikimi atu i tetai au ravenga note aka iti atu anga i te katiri kikino e toto’a nei i Rarotonga, Pa Enua e pera katoa te enua i vao ake ite Kuki Airani.
Na roto i teia uipaanga, kua kitea mai te au tareni tuketuke o te tangata tei matua puru mai ki teia iriirianga kapua, na roto i ta ratou akaariarianga (presentation), te ngakau tauturu e pera te oonu anga o te manako, kia rauka mai tetai ravenga me kare tauturu ki to tatou enua tatakitai ite akaiti me kare takore takiri i teia au katiri kikino e takapini nei i to tatou moana patipika, kia vai ruperupe to tatou A’o Natura note uki o apopo. ““Mataora, reka te akarongo ite au puapii ta ratou i kite me kare tamou mai no runga i te katiri kino, ka riro teia ei tauturu iaku i runga i taku ngai anga’anga pera katoa toku iti tangata Akatokamanava” na Tuaine Oa’ariki ei.
Kua turuturuia teia uipaanga maata e te South Pacific Regional Environment Program (SPREP), e pera te patana i raro ake i teia putuputuanga koia kote PRISMSS. Tauturuia e te Tu’anga Taporoporo e pera te Tu’anga o te Pae Tanu.
Irinaki au e kua rauka mai te au kimikimi’anga ravenga ite takore atu me kore ra ite akaiti mai I teia au katiri kikino, e kia vai ruperupe uatu rai to tatou Pa Enua Moana Patipika, kia kite inga ina potea.
