Cook Islands is hosting a regional meeting this week to address the significant threat of invasive species to the country’s ecosystems, food security and biodiversity, while sharing knowledge and seeking solutions with other Pacific nations.

The Cook Islands has long faced significant challenges from the threat of invasive species.

For decades, the country’s fragile ecosystems have been under attack from non-native plants and animals that have been accidentally or intentionally introduced.

These invasive species such as the African tulip tree (ATT), the Red passionfruit and rats, have had devastating impacts, successfully competing with and displacing native flora and fauna, altering habitats and disrupting delicate ecological balances.

For the first time, the Cook Islands is co-hosting the Pacific Invasives Learning Network (PILN) meeting with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) at The Edgewater Resort this week. The sixth edition of PILN has brought together over 70 invasive species professionals and practitioners from across the Pacific region.

In his welcoming remarks yesterday, Halatoa Fua, director of Te Tu’anga Taporoporo (National Environment Service), recognised invasive species as a significant threat to native species and noted robust systems for detecting pest, and management of biosecurity required for both inter-island and into the Cook Islands.

Fua also acknowledged invasive species’ threat to food security as an important aspect of the agenda as small islands developing states.

“Biosecurity is a crucial step for us, as we’ve seen that invasive species such as fruit flies can destroy a nation’s agriculture, food production and export industry,” he said.

“As we’re confronted by the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution, this week’s networking is a good reminder to us that invasive species are one of the key drivers of biodiversity loss.”

Fua noted that the Cook Islands were prioritising invasive species, as they had allocated a significant portion of their GEF-8 allocation to combating these issues.

“Our new Environment Bill has a new article on the impact of invasive species, to strengthen its prevention and management,” Fua added.

In his keynote address, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tu’anga Taporoporo Albert Nicholas said: “Every day, our island nations are fighting unseen battles on the frontline against a vast range of invasive animal and plant species.”
Nicholas noted that over the years, the Cook Islands had worked diligently towards “removing and controlling” a number of different invasive species.

These efforts included the removal of mynah birds on the island of Atiu, eradication of rats on Suwarrow, the introduction of biological controls on Rarotonga and the development of biosecurity strategies for the northern group islands.

And with support from the Pacific Regional Invasive Species Management Support Service, Nicholas said the Cook Islands would continue in its fight against invasive species.

“Plans are currently in place to start the removal of pests on the island of Takutea, a War on Weeds Programme is being initiated and restoration sites through the Resilient Ecosystems, Resilient Community programme are being established on the islands of Mauke and Atiu,” the Deputy PM said.

“We cannot be complacent, and we all have a role to play in protecting our endemic species and food resources and must have a plan to effectively put nature on a path to recovery.

“This also requires significant investment in controlling invasive species on islands, which will assist in providing benefits to critical ecosystems for local communities, food security, protection of native biodiversity, natural resources and for activities like eco- tourism.”

Nicholas added that the Cook Islands had pledged US$1million (NZ$1.6m) towards the 8^th Global Environment Fund Regional Project, tasked with restoring ecosystem resilience in the Pacific by reducing impacts of invasive species.

David Moverley, SPREP invasive species adviser, said the purpose of this week’s meeting was to build on invasive species knowledge.

Moverley explained that last year, PILN focused on the technical information in regards to invasive species activities that were priorities for the Pacific, for example – removing rats from islands, getting invasive species biological control programmes going for invasive weeds that are widespread, and war on weeds - addressing low incidence species.

This week’s PILN focuses on the countries determining their own gaps – what they’re doing well and what they’re not. Using the navigator system where Pacific invasive species indicators are entered into by each country, participants will be providing presentations in the first few days.

Moverley said cost cutting issues would also be covered, as well as looking at disability, gender and social inclusion, traditional knowledge, health and safety and storytelling. All this information will be compiled to move forward and attract further funding for the activities throughout the Pacific.

During the meeting, the invasive species professionals and practitioners will also share and celebrate their successes, identify possible sustainable solutions to challenges, address critical issues related to invasive species management and discuss ways to invigorate future networking and collaboration between Pacific islands countries and territories in sharing technical expertise, information and successful management approaches.

The PILN meeting is made possible with funding support from the Global Environment Facility funded GEF 6 Regional Invasives Project, the European Union funded PROTEGE project, the New Zealand Government funded Managing Invasive Species for Climate Change Adaptation in the Pacific (MISCCAP) project, and supported by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) through the Pacific Regional Invasive Species Management Support Service (PRISMSS) programme.