𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐔 𝐀𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐇𝐲𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐢𝐭𝐞

𝟏𝟓 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓

Eight academic staff from the Faculty of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (FAFF) at the Solomon Islands National University (SINU) conducted a site consultation at the Tina Hydropower Development Project site this week as part of a broader ecological restoration initiative.

The team comprised specialists from the Forestry Department (covering forest ecology, silviculture, and agroforestry), a soil laboratory technician from the Agriculture Department, and a lecturer in land management and planning from the Environment Department.

The purpose of the visit was to assess vegetation clearance zones and disposal sites affected by construction activities. This fieldwork will play a critical role in shaping a restoration proposal being developed by the FAFF team, designed to support revegetation efforts in accordance with the Tina Hydropower Development Project Core Land Conservation Area Management Plan.

The proposal will include techniques such as:

• Planting of pioneer and secondary succession species

• Slope stabilisation

• Aftercare strategies for forest regeneration

These methods aim to restore the affected areas to mature forest conditions using approaches that are ecologically appropriate and locally informed.

Mr. Carlos Hiro, Head of the Forestry department at the Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries who led the team said the project provides a valuable real-world opportunity for academic engagement: “This is a valuable opportunity for our staff and students to apply their scientific knowledge and technical skills to aid the ecological restoration of a nationally significant development site.”

He added,“we are not just collecting data, we are contributing to a vision of restoration that is practical, rooted in local realities, and motivated by the need to care for our environment for future generations.”

This initiative underscores SINU’s mission to deliver impactful research, strengthen national development, and support environmental stewardship through academic collaboration and applied learning.

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