Photo Gallery

Education

Education plays an important role in our activities. From the start of the ACIAR forestry programme in 2008 we have worked with the Solomon Island Association of Vocational Rural Training Centres to establish demonstration plots in RTCs in various provinces around the country. These plots show the mixed species planting system we have developed, teaching the principles of agroforestry and encouraging students to grow crops between the trees when they return home.

Perhaps the most important aspect of this part of our work are the field days where we take local smallholders around the demonstration and scientific trials we have established, demonstrating the silvicultural principles underpinning all of out work. We have also held field days for RTC teachers and for Ministry of Forestry staff.

Education

Education is an important part of our work, both in the Rural Training Centres and with local growers. Here a group of smallholders attend a field day on Kolombangara

Education

Gideon Bouro is our Education Coordinator, he works with schools, the Solomon Islands National University and with communities.

Communities

The communities we work with are varied but are all rural and generally live as subsistence farmers. Teak represents a real avenue for sustainable income generation amongst these communities

Transportation: the tyranny of distance and the cost of freight

85% of the Solomon Islands population lives in rural areas, there are 400 km of sealed road in the entire country, virtually all in the major population centres on Guadalcanal and, to a far lesser extent, Malaita and western Provinces. There are logging roads that can be plainly seen from the air, but these are not suitable for normal traffic, rapidly deteriorate and return to secondary scrub and no one has vehicles to use them anyway. Remaining transport options are by air (prohibitively expensive) and by boat. Even the cheapest option of the boat is a barrier to any form of commercial operation. There are only two ports in the country (Honiara and Noro) and freight to Honiara is around SBD 1,000 per cu.m.

Transport

In a country made of 990+ islands, transport is a major issue, our equipment is moved in the project boat and the trip to site can often take up to an hour.

Transport

Many of the communities are situated along rivers presenting difficulties for getting equipment in and timber out.

Transport

Many communities still rely on traditional wooden canoes as their major form of transport. Carved from a single log, these are functional works of art requiring great skill and patience

In The Plantation

As well as the difficulty of access, there are several obstacles in the way of growers being able to access export markets. With no roads and only basic machinery the work of felling and milling is difficult and very physical. The following pictures show typical activities in the camp when we are felling and milling timber.

Teak

This is very typical of the 20+yr old teak plantations with a mixture of poorly developed trees that should have been thinned out and other trees that have reached harvestable size.

Log Arch

Green logs are heavy, the log arch is a means of moving them around the site thiough it still requires up to 6 people to move the logs.

On site

Other times, logs are simply moved using straps when the terrain is too difficult

On site

A block and tackle helps to get the logs stacked up

On site

When enough logs are stacked, the mill is transported to site

On site

A bandsaw mill is used by the project, the cut is accurate and the operation reasonably quick.

Milled Timber

First of the milled timber

Milled Timber

As the trees have matured, the grain or figure in the timber has become more pronounced, a quality that is highly regarded by the end user.

Solar Drier

timber is stacked in a solar drier to reduce weight, add stability and prevent damage prior to containerisation and export.

Where we work:

Western Province is beautiful, with lagoons and scattered islands, coral reefs and sandy beaches, here are a few pictures

Local Resident

This crocodile is one of the many that live in the Hura River on the New Georgia mainland. A top predator, it is not inclined to move too far when we pass by in the boat.

Mornings on Roviana Lagoon

It is not always as calm and peaceful as this, but Roviana Lagoon is a special place of quiet beauty.

Orchids

Orchids grow in profusion along the tracks and in the bush, they often take pride of place in the gardens around the houses.

All Natural

Many houses in rural areas are still made of bush materials as they have been for centuries.

Timber transporter

This is one of the means we have of moving timber, a flat bottomed landing craft that can access reasonably shallow water.

Plantations

The plantations are often accessed along rivers that are tidal, so timing is important when it comes to loading the timber.

Sunset at Roviana Lagoon

No finer place to end the day

Google Sites

Report abuse