The Waimanu river catchment is threatened by logging and, in places, by mining, states a report prepared by Conservation International.
The report “Rapid Resource Assessment Report of the Waimanu River Catchment, Fiji” was for the Ministry of Environment and Waterways and produced and published by GEF Pacific International Waters Ridge to Reef Regional Project based out of the Pacific Community (SPC).
The report states through the Water Authority of Fiji (WAF), the Waimanu river catchment supplies water to the Tamavua and Waila water treatment plants that feeds the greater Suva area with a population of 244,000.
It also states although the Ministry of Forestry has no records of issuing logging licenses to landowners in the catchment, small-scale localised logging activities occur across the catchment.
“Associated threat from localised logging is the intrusion of invasive species in the clearing created opportunistic invasive alien species such as mongoose, black rats and introduced birds as well as African tulip trees are evident from the survey results,” states the report. The report states logging from the Waidina Tikina happened around 30 to 40 years ago.
“Some of the logging roads associated with previous activities are still used by the community to access the Waimanu River for hunting and fishing.
“The potential for re-logging is a real possibility and it may pose a threat to the proposed Waimanu catchment.
“Infiltration of invasive species is driven by development such as logging, agriculture expansion, road construction and others.
“Freshwater bodies are affected by logging, deforestation, reforestation, poor agricultural practices, and poor land management practices.
“Water catchments need to be managed actively based on sustainable land use.”
