This project entails to strengthen the conservation initiative of the people of Malaulalo Island, which is part of the Three Sisters group of islands, located in the Eastern part of Solomon Islands. In 2010 the Island Trustees placed it under conservation due to occasional human predatory disturbances by surrounding island communities. Legal intervention by the Island Trustees managed to save the island from complete annihilation of some of the marine species, like the turtles of which this project is focused on.

Malaulalo is seen as a last frontier for turtle breeding in Eastern Solomons. The surrounding communities lack the understanding and commitment to conserve turtles. The need now is in educating them of the significance of this initiative, as well as in supporting relevant processes of monitoring, evaluation and surveillance.

This project will involve data collection, advocacy and monitoring & surveillance. The data collection phase will require a group consisting of an environmentalist and a marine biologist to collect information and data about turtles on the island. The scope of research will depend on the necessary information required for this conservation initiative. Relevant government ministries like the Ministry of Fisheries and Environment & Conservation, and/ or other private bodies will be sought assistance when required. Information acquired from this research or data collection will be used in the second phase of the project which is advocacy and awareness.

The advocacy phase is the prime component of this project whereby an awareness campaign will be launched for the surrounding islands and communities to make them aware of this conservation initiative. A total of 4 major island communities are expected to be covered in our region to an expected population of more than 20,000 people. The use of the media will enable us to inform the entire country of more than 500,000 people of this initiative. Further links through the social media may make this an international undertaking.

The monitoring aspect of this project is the final part which will assist the trustees and the island community to continue to support and sustain this commitment. With the appropriate knowledge and resources, this conservation initiative is set to go a long way into the future. A couple of workshops will be held for the resource owners and implementers of this conservation programme. This whole exercise under this funding is expected to be covered within a period of one year.