LocationsKauhata Reforestation Project: More Than Tree Planting, It’s Community Empowerment and Knowledge Sharing
June 16, 2025
The project aims to rehabilitate forest areas severely degraded by human activities including logging through the cultivation of both exotic and indigenous tree species.
Malaita Province, Solomon Islands: In the heart of Malaita Province, a quiet but powerful transformation is underway. The Kauhata Reforestation Project, based in Wairokai, West Are’are, and supported by the UNDP’s Small Grants Programme (SGP), is not merely about planting trees—it is about restoring ecosystems, reclaiming identity, and redefining the relationship between people and their land.
Spearheaded by the Kauhata Foundation Trust Board, the initiative seeks to rehabilitate forest areas severely degraded by human activity, particularly logging. Through the cultivation of both indigenous and exotic tree species, the project is breathing new life into damaged landscapes. Community members have been central to every stage—from constructing nursery beds to transplanting seedlings and nurturing them to maturity.
“This is more than reforestation—it’s the restoration of identity, land, and purpose,” said Teiba Mamu, SGP Project Coordinator. “The Kauhata Reforestation Project demonstrates how local leadership and community ownership can transform degraded forests into living legacies for future generations.”
A distinctive feature of the project is its collaboration with the Ado Rural Farmers Association, another SGP-supported initiative in Malaita. This peer-to-peer exchange has enabled the Kauhata team to access seeds and acquire vital technical expertise in nursery management and reforestation techniques.
The project aims to rehabilitate forest areas severely degraded by human activities including logging through the cultivation of both exotic and indigenous tree species.
“We’ve learned a great deal from Ado—how to manage nursery soil, germinate seeds effectively, and engage young people in the process,” said Joe Rackets, Coordinator of the Kauhata Reforestation Project. “Their support has strengthened our efforts, and we’re eager to share our learnings with other communities facing similar challenges.”
The project’s activities—from seed sowing to large-scale field planting—reflect a holistic and sustainable approach to land rehabilitation. Community members are actively involved in field management to ensure the long-term survival and success of the reforested areas.
By combining awareness-raising with hands-on action, the Kauhata Reforestation Project is promoting sustainable land stewardship and encouraging a shift away from logging-based livelihoods towards conservation and eco-agriculture.
As the trees take root, so too does a new mindset—one that values the land not for what can be extracted, but for what can be restored, protected, and passed on.
For more information or media enquiries please contact:
Daniel Gonzalez, Communications Specialist, UNDP Solomon Islands Office, daniel.calderon.gonzalez@undp.org