Environment Tonga

The meeting was chaired by the CEO of MEIDECC, Paula Ma’u.

Ma’u said, “There were updates from various implementation activities including Compliance Program and Blue Economy.”

“Karen Stone of VEPA/ Waitt Institute provided update on the Communications Strategy.”

Tonga Marine Spatial Planning Programme acknowledged the continuous commitment from Oceans 7 and the on-going support from our donor partners, IUCN, VEPA and Waitt Institute.

Communications Officer, Iliesa Tora said Toloa Rainforest is in need of urgent attention.

“The deliveries are part of the conservation work being planned and implemented by the Department of Environment through the Invasive Species project.”

“Part of the work is securing seedlings that can be planted in the rainforest.”

The Toloa Rainforest Reserve is the largest of these remaining patches.

It contains more than 200 plant species and two threatened bird species (the Pacific pigeon and the red shining parrot).

 Organiser Eleni Levin Tevi posted photos of the initiative on Facebook, which were later shared by the Department of Environment.

Environment’s Communications Officer, Iliesa Tora said, “Malo aupito No Pelesitiki and Fasi youths for the clean-up...Let us keep Tonga clean.”

Members of the youth group were seen clearing mega plastic wraps from the coastal areas and picking up rubbish along the way.

The members also participated in a swimming exercise after cleaning up at the wharf and the shores.

The office has reopened for business following the 3 week lockdown because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The department’s office is located on Vuna Road in Nuku'alofa

The NEWS is going to be housed in the new Tonga Broadcasting Commission building being built in Fasi.

With the latest in technology, the new system is expected to cover 100 percent of Tonga and will be able to send out tsunami warning sirens through special radios that have also been distributed countrywide.

The system will also be able to reach out to all radio wavelengths in the Kingdom.

The new system will be able to send out warning signals and sirens within 8 minutes, compared to the 90 minutes it currently takes to do that.

The programme which is aimed at helping to conduct the ecosystem risk assessment of Tonga’s Mangrove Ecosystem and develop monitoring system, is being coordinated by the Department of Environment, under the Ministry of MEIDECC

The ‘Tonga Red List of Ecosystems – Expert Data Workshop’ will be held on 22-24 October at the MEIDECC Conference Room.

The project aims to enable the documentation of the role of bidioversity in disaster risk management and convening related capacity building development in the Pacific.

The 24 year old, originally from Oregon in the United States of America, said she “desired” to extend “my service and work with the Department of Environment in particular because I have a true passion for environmental and climate change matters and I wanted to work alongside others who share this passion”.

“I hold great value for the environment and believe it is our responsibility as humans to care for and respect the earth, for ourselves, future generations, and all other life,” she said.

She will be with the Department of Environment until December 2020.