Climate Resilience Literacy through Nature-based Solutions��

Presenters: PhD Scholars

Salote Sevuti Nasalo

Jasma Devi

Part 1: Why it Matters?�Connecting with our Roots- Symbolic and Totemic Significance of Mangroves in Ba Province�

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A vivid narrative from the Ba Province highlighting mangroves’ symbolic and totemic role in protecting communities.

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Story time……

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The symbolic, cultural, and totemic significance of mangroves in the story of “The battle of Dakuwaqa (the shark god) and Rokobakaniceva (the octopus god)”

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(source: Myths and Legends of Fiji)

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Bridging Tradition and Science: The Foundation of Project Halo

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• Mangrove forests in Fiji are extensive and acts as a bridge from the land to the sea, Fiji is estimated to have ~38,000 to 46, 000 hectares of mangroves.
• Fiji is ranked one of the most significant in the Pacific. Providing nursery habitats for fish and crustaceans which are key prey for octopus and protection of coastal ecosystems, reducing erosion and improving water quality.

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Restoring Our Shores: “Enhancing Mangrove Restoration Success through a Lifecycle Approach to Physical Stressors”

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Objective: Enhance the lifecycle model through laboratory and field studies to quantify mangrove environmental thresholds.�Activity: To empirically determine the tolerance ranges and critical thresholds for mangrove species across different life stages. This includes controlled experiments and in situ observations to refine the model’s accuracy and applicability to real-world restoration scenarios.

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Left: Adopting the conceptual framework of the mangrove life cycle of A. marina model by Henderson and Glamore (2024) to design R. stylosa and B.gymnorhiza. Middle: Experimental setup concept for the desiccation sampling trials by Kusmana et al. (2018). Right: Inundation threshold Experimental Setup adopting Wang Q et al. (2024).

Why Ecosystems Matter

Project Halo: Why Our Work Matters

Part 2: Seeing It in Action: Our Model

The mini-Wave Flume: The Mangrove Overtopping Attenuation Model or MOAM

A hands-on experience to increase literacy and promote curiosity

Hands-On Science: Kids in the Wave Flume!

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You Can Be a Climate Hero!

Vinaka Vaka Levu! Thank You Very Much!!