Environment and Conservation Deficiencies in Bougainville
Patrick Nomos | 5/12/2019
With a multitude of issues facing the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) in the lead-up to the June, 2019 referendum on its future political arrangements, the issue of environment and conservation seems to have been almost completely overlooked. Noting that the ABG's structure lacks an Environment and Conservation Division, and with only one public servant assigned to oversee this important sector, it's clear that environment and conservation isn't high on the ABG's priority list.
Photo: Invasive Pagoda Flower plant growing under coconut trees, Buka Island.
The unmanaged production of timber from tall hardwood trees by loggers using mobile timber mills has resulted in a loss of environment for small mammals, birds and reptiles. Whole, smoked possums (Cuscus), once a common item in village markets on Buka Island, are now rarely offered for sale. Birds, frogs and lizards are under threat from the uncounted numbers of feral cats that inhabit the remaining stands of hardwood forest. While the lack of smoked cuscus and relatively high price of smoked fish have resulted in increased hunting of feral cats by villagers, a government-backed programme is needed to have a significant impact on feral cat numbers.
The loss of tall trees to loggers has promoted the spread of invasive species of plants, including the shade-tolerant Pagoda Flower and African Tulip Tree. Small lakes on Buka Island are now infested with the aquatic flowering plant, Water Hyacinth. It appears that the ABG has no eradication or management programmes in place for these and other invasive plants.
Photo: Aquatic Water Hyacinth plant growing in a roadside ditch, Buka Island.
Tilapia Fish ("masta pis" in Tok Pisin) that inhabit inland freshwaters are the result of a single introduction in Bougainville in the mid-1950s. The presence of these introduced fish impacts the life-cycles of native fish, including gudgeons and eels. Because of tilapia's habit of stunting in restricted water volumes, villagers must catch scores of these bony fish to make a meal.
When my late grandfather was a young man, he used bush materials to weave hand-nets that he used in streams to catch freshwater prawns ("kindam" in Tok Pisin). While these prawns are still caught during periods of dry weather when the streams are slow-flowing, the catches are a fraction of those previously taken.
With little oversight of environment and conservation, the ABG has no capacity to ban the capture and sale of wildlife. Live birds, including parrots and sea eagles are commonly carried around Buka town by their captors, in search of buyers. Until the ABG seriously addresses the issue of environment and conservation, Bougainville's wildlife will remain under threat.
Photo: Catch of stunted tilapia fish from a shallow creek, Buka Island.