Gau Island Research Articles

More New Zealand Storm Petrels Fregetta maoriana off Gau Island, Fiji, in May 2022

More New Zealand Storm Petrels Fregetta maoriana off Gau Island, Fiji, in May 2022

Traditional knowledge of medicinal plants on Gau Island, Fiji: differences between sixteen villages with unique characteristics of cultural value

BackgroundTraditional resource management (TRM) systems develop depending on local conditions, such as climate, culture, and environment. Most studies have focused on the TRM system itself, excluding the people who manage the system, and the relationship between the system and the people. The use of resources and people is intimately linked through the practice of TRM systems on Gau Island and this relationship needs to be understood to advance sustainable resource use.MethodsA survey was conducted on the use of medicinal plants on Gau Island, Fiji. Interviews were conducted from September 2013 to January 2015 with knowledgeable members of each community. The types of plants, prescriptions, and health problems were documented, and social and ecological factors affecting the sustainability of TRM of medicinal plants used in each of the 16 villages were statistically analysed by linear regression analysis.ResultsA total of 58 medicinal plants used on a daily basis to treat 27 health problems were identified on Gau. Two medicinal plants, Botebotekoro (Ageratum conyzoides) and Totodro (Centella asiatica), were used in all districts to treat various health problems. There were contrasts between the villages in the medical lore and prescriptions, and villages often used different traditional treatments than others for the same ailment; therefore, the status and knowledge of medicinal plants have developed distinctly in each village. Geographical and social factors have been suggested as possible reasons for the differences in regional resource utilisation among villages. Statistical analysis of the relationship between the state of TRM and social and ecological factors suggest that community solidarity has a positive impact on the sustainable practice of TRM. This study showed that traditional practices simultaneously contribute to the conservation of the natural environment and the binding of communities.ConclusionsThe results highlight the importance of understanding how TRM systems can contribute to the conservation of the natural environment. Cultural activities are essential to raise community solidarity, which has led to the sustainable use of natural resources. This suggests that merely documenting the use of medicinal plants is not enough to ensure that the skills and knowledge are passed down to the next generation.

A New Zealand Storm Petrel Fregetta maoriana off Gau Island, Fiji, in May 2017

Summary. We document a sighting of the Critically Endangered New Zealand Storm Petrel Fregetta maoriana made during a pelagic expedition in May 2017 off Gau Island, Fiji. This is the first confirmed record of this recently rediscovered species away from New Zealand, and provides evidence of long-distance dispersal by failed or non-breeders to tropical waters. It expands the known range by c.2,000 km north. Identification necessitated a thorough review of the ‘streaked storm petrels’ of the Pacific Ocean and this is summarised.

A new species of iguana Brachylophus Cuvier 1829 (Sauria: Iguania: Iguanidae) from Gau Island, Fiji Islands.

The south Pacific iguanas (Brachylophus) currently have three recognized living species in Fiji. Recent surveys have uncovered more specific variation (morphological and genetic) within the genus and have better defined the geographic ranges of the named species. One of these recent discoveries is a strikingly different iguana from all other island populations in Fiji which is restricted to Gau Island of the Lomaiviti Province. Gau is the fifth largest island in Fiji and maintains excellent upland forests in the higher elevations. We describe this population from Gau Island as a new species, Brachylophus gau sp. nov., in recognition of its type locality.

Community-based action in Fiji’s Gau Island: a model for the Pacific?

Purpose Drawing on qualitative fieldwork on a remote outer island in Fiji, this paper aims to address a shortcoming in the literature on climate adaptation in the Pacific. Internationally community-based adaptation (CBA) is recognised as a promising approach to help vulnerable populations adjust to climate change. However, with pilot projects in their infancy documented experience for Pacific Islands remains scarce. This limits the ability of the region – faced with persisting development challenges and predicted significant climate impacts – to learn from and build on previous experiences and develop robust responses to climate change. Design/methodology/approach By using a community-based initiative in response to environmental challenges and unsustainable development as a proxy, the paper interrogates the potential usefulness of the CBA framework for the Pacific and identifies potential strengths and weaknesses. Sketching out the process and its outcomes, it shows how the initiative has resulted in a diversity of strategies, ranging from pollution control measures, to improved governance of resources and community participation in decision making, to livelihood and income diversification. Findings Findings indicate that CBA could have a lot of potential for building more resilient communities in the face of climate change and other pressures associated with modernising Pacific societies. However, to be effective, interventions should pay attention to people’s development aspirations; immediate economic, social and environmental benefits; dynamics of village governance, social rules and protocols; and traditional forms of knowledge that can inform sustainable solutions. Originality/value The conclusions provide a reflection on the CBA framework in general and make concrete suggestions for practitioners on how the framework could be usefully implemented in the Pacific context.

A Pre-feasibility Study of Wind Resources in Vadravadra, Gau Island, Fiji

Gau is one of the many rugged, volcanic Islands in Fiji .Averaged 10 minutely wind speed and direction data of Vadravadra settlement was supplied by Fiji Department of Energy (DoE) and the site wind characterizing was done. Considering the surface roughness, obstacle condition and terrain information of the island, a micro-scale prediction has been done using the Wind Atlas Analysis and Application Program (WAsP) to develop an annual wind atlas and also a wind resource map which shows that at 50m height, the annual wind speed over Southern Gau varies from 8.42 to 14.69 m/s. The Southern Eastern sides of Gau appear to be promising for wind electricity generation using Vergnet 275 kW wind turbines where wind power density at a height of 50m or higher is found to be around 1128 W/m2 (average) annually. The total energy produced from using eight Vergnet 275 kW turbine generators was 13.320 GWh and the COE borne was $0.55/kWh.

Wind Energy Analysis for Vadravadra Site in Fiji Islands: A Case Study

Rising fuel costs, increased energy consumption, and growing environmental concerns have led mankind to look for alternate sources of energy apart from conventional fuels. One of the promising renewable energy sources is wind energy. For harnessing wind energy from a wind turbine or wind farm, wind resource assessment (WRA) needs to be carried out. WRA will highlight which site is optimum (in terms of economics and wind characteristics) for wind turbine installation and how much would be the estimated energy output from that particular site. This paper presents the estimate for annual wind energy yield for the Vadravadra site in Gau Island in Fiji. It also presents a method for finding the optimum wind turbine that can be installed at a site and the kind of wind turbine that should be installed at a site, where cyclone may hit the area.

Economic analysis for a wind turbine in Vadravadra Village in Fiji

With nearly 90% of all the life cycle costs (LCC) of a wind power plant being upfront, the financial and economic viability of electricity generation from wind energy is dependent on the level and extent of energy content in wind prevalent at a particular site and also on the payment expected for power generated. This paper presents a brief overview on the economics of wind energy conversion systems (WECS). This paper also presents an economic analysis on two cases: 1 for a wind turbine alone installed at Vadravadra site in Gau Island in Fiji; 2 for a hybrid of wind-diesel configuration. A number of economic related parameters were calculated for the two cases. RETScreen software was also used to perform economic analysis on the wind turbine installed at the site and it was compared with the economic analysis done using cash flow.

A case study of wind-diesel hybrid configuration with battery as a storage device for a typical village in a Pacific island country

In most of the villages in interior of Fiji and also in the remote islands of Fiji, electrical energy is provided through the diesel generator (DG) set. Since the cost of diesel price is increasing, renewable energy sources for electricity generation are becoming an attractive option. Of the many renewable energy sources there are many places in Fiji where there is good wind resource. However, due to the intermittent nature of wind, to have a reliable source of electricity for an isolated/remote site, battery storage as well as hybrid system should be considered. This paper presents the optimum configuration of wind-diesel hybrid with battery storage for Vadravadra Village in Gau Island in Fiji for different loads. The optimum configuration is worked out using HOMER software in terms of the levelised cost of energy (LCOE). The paper also presents how to have a successful hybrid system in remote villages.

Wind characteristics and power density analysis for Vadravadra site in Fiji Islands

Due to the rising cost of conventional fuel, increased demand for the electrical energy and the huge amounts of pollution that are occurring in the world today has lead human kind to look for alternative forms of power generation. One of the alternative power sources is wind energy. However, wind is intermittent and to find the economic viability of a site for wind turbine installation, wind resource assessment (WRA) must be carried out to help wind planners to make right decisions. In WRA the wind characteristics for a site must be determined so that the wind speed frequency, duration and diurnal variation in wind speed is known to wind energy planners. Wind rose and turbulence intensity for the site must also be determined. This paper presents wind characteristics and wind power density analysis for Vadravadra site in Gau Island in Fiji.

Wind modelling based on wind input data conditions using Weibull distribution

Weibull distribution can be used to model the wind speed distribution at a particular site and hence, it can help in wind resource assessment (WRA) of a site. By calculating the shape (k) and scale (c) parameters for Weibull distribution, the wind speed frequency curve for a site can be made. Once this wind speed distribution for site is determined, it can be convolved with the power curve for a wind turbine and the annual energy output from the site can be determined. This paper presents how the Weibull distribution is used to determine the wind speed distribution for Vadravadra site in Gau Island of Fiji and how closely the annual energy output from the modelled wind speed distribution matches with the annual energy output using the actual wind speed distribution. It also presents how k is related to the turbulence intensity for a site; how the c is related to the annual mean wind speed and how a formula for estimating c is derived at a new height.

Caring for the Environment and the Mitigation of Natural Extreme Events in Gau, Fiji Islands: A Self-help Community Initiative

Since 2001, the villagers in Vanuaso Tikina, Gau Island, Fiji, have collaborated with the University of the South Pacific to manage their environmental resources to prepare them for difficult and challenging times ahead. This review essay seeks to publicize this island community-based experience by illustrating a range of resource management initiatives, and some of the challenges of their implementation. The experience is instructive to the rest of Fiji and other island and coastal societies where similar initiatives can be tried or further promoted.

Rediscovery of a petrel and new faunal records on Gau Island

MacGillivray's or the Fiji petrel was known only from a single specimen collected in 1855 on Gau Island. In 1984, after months of searching, a single adult flew into Dick Watling's spotlight and collided with his head. It was examined, photographed and released. Nothing more is yet known about its status or its breeding site, although the latter is suspected to be in the cloud forests of highland Gau. In the course of his visits, the author also made other discoveries about the Island's poorly studied fauna.