Projects Current projects Babatana Rainforest – Solomon Islands The Babatana Rainforest Conservation Project is part of the Nakau Programme. The project has protected over 806 Hectares of tropical primary rainforest on Choiseul, Solomon Islands. The rainforest has strong cultural importance and unique biodiversity. The Project provides an alternative finance to unsustainable industries and supports the community to be more resilient to climate change. The funds from the project support employment and are reinvested into community projects, such as WASH and new enterprises. Benefits that the Babatana Rainforest Conservation Project provides Start date January 2015 Coordinator Natural Resources Development Foundation (NRDF) Activities Improved Land Management Participants 27 indigenous households PVCs issued to-date 87,115 The detail The Babatana project established its first protected area in 2019 in partnership with the Sirebe tribe, one of the Babatana language groups living in south Choiseul province. By joining the initiative, Sirebe became the first landowner group in the Solomon Islands to participate in a forest carbon project. In addition to climate mitigation, the project has a wide range of co-benefits including the protection of watersheds and the reduction of inequality through the formation of Women’s Savers’ Clubs, which contribute to four United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The project is expected to generate an average of 17,423 tradable carbon credits every year over its duration of 30 years. Alongside carbon mitigation, one of the key project co-benefits is biodiversity conservation. The rainforest in the Babatana area has remarkable biodiversity due to its isolation and biogeography, being located within Mt Maetambe to Kolombangara River Corridor - an area identified as a Key Biodiversity Area by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The project area is home to a total of 156 plant, 58 bird, and 50 fish species. The project also enables better community governance and development, maintenance of a healthy hydrological system, and climate resilience by reducing the impact of extreme rainfall events, especially soil erosion and flooding. The forest is a fundamental part of the local tribes’ cultural identity. The Sirebe Tribe is the first in the project to stop industrial logging thanks to the establishment of a protected area, preserving the livelihood for their tribe and future generations. Following their leadership five more tribes— Siporae, Vuri, Padezaka, Garesa and Lukulombere— are currently developing forest conservation and carbon projects. The project uses the Nakau methodology, with Live and Learn being the implementing partner. PROJECT STORIES: Hello from Sirebe The documents See all documents SDG details See how the project provides benefits beyond carbon and contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals: Sustainable Development Goal How the project contributes Provides an alternative and sustainable income to the remote Babatana tribes built on payment for ecosystem services (PES). Protected rainforest along the Kolombangara River reduces water pollution ensuring access to clean water for the Babatana tribal groups. Carbon finance is being used by Babatana communities to install water tanks and WASH facilities. Community companies are established to manage the credit income and business. Company staff (Director, Operations Manager and Financial Manager) are from the community. A team of Rangers receive income to monitor and protect the Babatana protected areas. A women-led savings group is established for each community, facilitating members with a simple money saving service and providing micro-loans. Women’s savings groups are established to ensure women have a say in how community income from credits is spent. The Nakau Programme requires fair decision-making and benefit-sharing systems. All benefits from credit sales are shared equitably within the Babatana tribe communities. 108,895 tonnes of CO2 verified emissions reductions since the project commenced. Communities and ecosystems are protected from climate change-fuelled extreme weather. Protects and restores more than 806 hectares of critical rainforest ecosystem so birds, plants and animals are protected, and biodiverse rainforests remain for future generations. Manage Cookie Preferences