The remote Fijian village of Nabubu, which is situated more than two hours’ drive over a rough dirt road from the town of Labasa, has pledged to protect both forest and ocean.
The community will protect a 560-acre marine area between the northern coast of Vanua Levu and Fiji’s Great Sea Reef, or Cakaulevu. The World Wildlife Fund calls this reef “a global treasure.” It is the third longest continuous barrier reef system in the world, stretching over 125 miles and covering more than 77,000 square miles. It is home to thousands of marine species, many of them endemic.
The community will also protect 132 acres of virtually untouched forest. The area contains many native Fijian hardwoods and is a haven for many of Vanua Levu’s 89 bird species.
A Seacology grant will help the village renovate its badly deteriorated primary school and teachers’ quarters. Because the timber used to build the school years ago wasn’t treated, it is now rotting, so everything gets wet when it rains. The blackboards, chairs, desks, and bookcases all need to be replaced. There is no running water or electricity. There is not enough space for the school’s 82 students, who come from three villages in the area.
A Seacology grant will make it possible for the community to:
- install water storage tanks
- completely refurbish the school and replace its furnishings
- add two new classrooms, and
- make the teachers’ quarters habitable.
