The Babatana Rainforest Conservation Project has another protected area under its fold as the Lukulobere Tribe celebrates the official declaration of 563 hectares of forest this week.
The declaration event was held in Honiara on 29 July, with a community event in Choiseul to follow.
Chief Jeffrey Damusoe Sipuda says this moment “means a lot when reflecting back on our challenges but, finally, we succeeded. This milestone has made us secure and protects our land and resources from outside threats for our future generations.”
Lukulobere’s journey towards conservation was rocked by very real logging threats along the way. As recently as July 2024, a logging company entered Lukulobere’s forests and started operations against the wishes of the landowners, who disputed the validity of the logging concession.
Young rangers from Lukulobere camped along the boundary for weeks to try and stop them, but ultimately the logging machines crossed. However, opposition by the landowning tribe led to a high court case and logging operations eventually withdrew from Lukulobere’s land — though not before clearing about 30 hectares of rainforest.
Local Lukulobere advocate Emily Qoloni was key in working with her local government to stop the logging.
“We keep on fighting to save our land — we don’t want logging. It means a lot to me and my tribe that our forest is now legally protected and conserved from unwanted development,” she says. “Our forest continues to remain intact as it is the source of our livelihood. Our forest is the store where we get our traditional medicine and food.”
To have the forest legally protected under the Solomon Islands Protected Area Act is a big moment for Lukulobere and the forest. They’ve been supported in their journey by the Lauru Land Conference of Tribal Communities, an Indigenous organisation owned by the people of Choiseul which looks after the affairs of Choiseul people advocating for sustainable environmental practices, forest management and culture.
General Secretary of the land council, McClean Biliki, says: “We celebrate the Lukulobere Tribe’s protected area declaration — a vital commitment to preserving the forests, the water and the cultural identity that sustains their community and tribe.”
Lukulobere are also supported by the Natural Resources Development Foundation (NRDF), Nakau, and the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. They received critical development support from Bread for the World and GIZ from 2023–2025.
NRDF Project Coordinator Fred Tabepuda says “although NRDF and partners are part of this journey in achieving this milestone, it’s the tribal resilience and commitment which is extraordinary. Lukulobere deserves this moment.”
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