This is part of a regional activity designed to further develop organic agriculture in the Pacific.The objective is to promote sustainable, economically-sound business that is appropriate for island environments. It has three components :

1/ Promoting and developing organic farming in the three French-speaking Pacific island OCTs
- Improve organic farming techniques; and
- Strengthen POETCom (Pacific Organic and Ethical Trade Community), the regional organic-farming promotion network, and French-speaking OCT participation in the network.

This has involved setting up three pilot organic farms, i.e. one in New Caledonia at Do Neva Agricultural High School, Houaïlou, another on Wallis & Futuna at Wallis Agricultural High School and a third in French Polynesia at Opunohu Agricultural High School. Farm trials, technical and vocational training sessions, and feedback meetings are held. The results will be maximized Pacific-wide and discussed during regular regional exchanges.

In New Caledonia :

2/ Conducting soil-fertility, crop-disease, crop-pest and genetic-material trials at the Do Neva Agricultural High School’s organically-certified farm in Houaïlou and the Houaïlou growers network’s farms, which are also organically-certified. Joint funding was provided for equipment, two part-time high school technicians, the Biocaledonia Association and technical consultants ; 

3/ Providing feedback and technical and vocational training are being facilitated for growers, students and professional players at the rate of one session a year.

Provisional Amount : XPF 21 million/ € 175 896

Operators : New Caledonian Chamber of Agriculture, Biocale- donia and Do Neva Agricultural High School

For more details, consulte Activity statement

Synthesis of planned activities :

This activity aims to develop a climate-change adaptation strategy in New Caledonia and incorporate the territory into regional networks dealing with this area. The main element is a PhD thesis on climate projections jointly supervised by IRD and Météo France (French Meteorological Office). Jointly funded by INTEGRE to the tune of XPF 10.1 or EUR 85,000 and funding a climate-change adaptation strategy study.

Provisional Amount : XPF 12 million/ € 100 000

Operators : IRD and the Government of New Caledonia

Synthesis of planned activities :

This activity is driven by the Wilderness Conservation Agency (CEN) and provides support to pilot sites. It consists of three components :

1/ Organising management committee forums Scheduled for 2015 with a budget of XPF 8 M (EUR 67,041). Contributed 40% of the budget, i.e. XPF 3 M (EUR 25,140).

2/ Experience exchanges between management committees Budget: XPF 1 M (EUR 4000 over two years).

3/ Training for management committee members, field facilitators and provincial technicians working in the area Tailor-made training every two years based on needs expressed.

Provisional Amount : XPF 8,5 million/ € 71 230

Operator : CEN

For more details, consulte Activity statement

Synthesis of planned activities :

Target Groups : 

Communication efforts should be aimed at a specific audience, such as partners, experts and decision-makers, but also the general public that is increasingly concerned about environmental issues. Communication is designed for consumption at local pilot-sites, territory-wide, regionally in the South Pacific and internationally in Europe. As a result, the target groups are varied :

• Local project partners, e.g. management committees, operators, staff and CEN
• All stakeholders living or working on pilot sites or nearby, such as the community, traditional leaders, business people and local associations
• Local decision-makers and government authorities that are directly or indirectly concerned by the project and their departments, i.e. the three provinces’ departments, municipalities, elected officials in government, congress or the customary senate, New Caledonia’s French MPs and sen- ators, representatives of the French national government, the French ministry of overseas territories and the European Union
• Local stakeholders involved in similar environmental projects, to facilitate exchanges and feedback in both directions, i.e. local environmental and cultural associations, donors, project leaders, the scientific and academic community, the educational community, tourist information bureaus and NGOs
• Departments and associations dealing with culture, agriculture and the environment, such as the Kanak Cultural Development Agency (ADCK Tjibaou Centre), Chamber of Commerce and Environmental Observatory (OEIL)
• Local, regional, French overseas and international media, whether web-based, paper press or television
• Environmentally-aware general public and schoolchildren
• Economic stakeholders operating in the coastal-area pilot sites, e.g. mining companies, fishers and hotels
• Regional project partners and groups formed for project purposes so as to learn lessons from everyone’s experience and develop regional cooperation
• Regional and European organisations that are directly or indirectly involved in the project, such as regional cooperation departments, the French departments of overseas territories and Europe-Pacific cooperation, SPC, Pacific Island Forum, European Union, SPREP (Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme)

Messages : 

Depending on the target groups, the messages will cover the following concepts :

• New Caledonia has an outstanding coastal heritage, particularly in the UNESCO World-Heritage areas, which must be fully preserved for future generations
• Integrated coastal management is an appropriate, tried and tested solution for sustainable development in South Pacific islands. It is environmentally sound and benefits local communities
• The communities of Ouvea, the north-eastern coast and Far South are closely involved and play an active part in decisions and initiatives for preserving and using their environment so as to introduce sustainable solutions
• Solutions and initiatives that have been successfully tried in New Caledonia can be used as examples and replicated elsewhere, particularly in the Pacific region and other French-speaking territories
• INTEGRE provides assistance for local integrated management policies so as to strengthen and improve the process behind shared management of the environment. The three provinces, which are responsible for the environment, are also special project partners
• Natural environment conservation helps society become more resilient to global change and natural disasters. It also helps maintain traditional culture and fosters greater harmony
• It is beneficial for OCTs to cooperate with each other and other Pacific territories when introducing regional solutions to environmental and sustainable-development issues. The European Union and SPC provide them with support for de- veloping their projects

INTEGRE Project was working towards the following objectives :

• Maintain the integrity of UNESCO World-Heritage-listed sites
• Give fresh impetus to the participatory management process and involve local stakeholders more effectively
• Help sustainably manage the sites and control human-induced threats

The balance of the activities is the following one :

- NC - C2BIO : Creation of a network of organic agriculture pilot farms in Houaïlou

The project has made it possible to create a real network dynamic between the Caledonian actors of " organic " (high school of Houaïlou, Biocalédonia, research organizations, provinces), and we have observed a knock-on effect, with the launch of experimentation in organic agriculture by the South province and Adecal. The approach adopted to link farmers' demands with technical experimentation is a model that is now being followed.

Capitalization was done through meetings, technical sheets and local sustainability of activities (organic yam conservation and composting). The 11th EDF will make it possible to continue the dynamic of organic farming in New Caledonia, by retaining the philosophy of INTEGRE: involve farmers to be as close as possible to their problem.

The project faced significant difficulties, limiting the results obtained :

At the end of November 2016, torrential rains fell on Houaïlou causing floods, landslides and human losses. The school, where the pilot farm is based, has been hit hard, causing many material losses and leading to a halt to ongoing experiments, with significant losses particularly concerning maize and yams.

The experiments are very time-consuming and the activity had not been correctly sized at the beginning.

In addition, there is a lack of skills to conduct meaningful tests. An additional budget has been allocated to Biocalédonia to allow them to spend their technician from one quarter to one half time on the project and to launch a technical support mission for the drafting of technical sheets.

For more details, consulte Activity statement : NC - C2.BIO Réseau de fermes-pilotes en agriculture biologique à Houailou

- NC - C2CCA : support for the implementation of a climate change adaptation strategy in New Caledonia

The issue, still relevant, must be re-appropriated by the Government of New Caledonia to finalize the strategy. It should be noted that it has been validated in the roadmap, to concentrate the first efforts on the issue of water resource management which is likely to be particularly under pressure with the global changes to come.

As this theme has been chosen within the framework of the 11th EDF, this is a good opportunity to work on this strategic dossier again.

For more details, consulte Activity statement : NC - C2.CCA Soutien à la mise en place d'une strategie d'adaptation au changement climatique en Nouvelle-Calédonie

- NC - C2CEN : Supporting World Heritage dynamics throughout New Caledonia

The activities were carried out in accordance with the programme. Supporting a "country structure" like CEN is essential to encourage exchanges and optimise certain actions such as training.

With very positive feedback and strong demand, the budget for this activity was increased during the project to :

• Strengthen training: in 2016, training on associative management and project management was renewed in 2016 and the budget was made available for projects to offer new training in 2017, this time with a more technical content.
• Renew support for the organization of the Management Committees Forum in 2017.

Only the organisation of exchanges between management committees has a mixed record. Several initiatives were unsuccessful either because of a lack of candidates or because of difficulties in the field. Greater coordination between the provinces and the CEN to provide feedback on exchange opportunities would undoubtedly have facilitated the implementation of this action initiated at the request of the management committees.

These activities complement the actions of the pilot sites and enable the members of the committees and associations involved in the management of the World Heritage site to develop their skills. It is an essential mechanism for the implementation of a participatory approach on World Heritage sites by enabling the actors to become autonomous in the implementation of their own initiatives.

For more details, consulte Activity statement : NC - C2.CEN Appui à la dynamique Patrimoine mondial à l'échelle de la Nouvelle-Calédonie

Documents of New Caledonia

Guide des tortues marines

Atelier régional sur l’agriculture biologique : en Nouvelle-Calédonie

Poster Igname Nom varietal en Ajie

Rendement pondéral Igname

Fiche technique Bio-pesticides

NC - Activity statement

NC - C2.BIO Réseau de fermes-pilotes en agriculture biologique à Houailou

NC - C2.CCA Soutien à la mise en place d'une strategie d'adaptation au changement climatique en Nouvelle-Calédonie

NC - C2.CEN Appui à la dynamique Patrimoine mondial à l'échelle de la Nouvelle-Calédonie

NC - Development of a composting unit in Houailou

Development of a municipal composting unit in Houailou - Synthetic market study

NC - Support for the implementation of integrated coastal zone management in INTEGRE project sites in New Caledonia

Appui méthodologique à la mise en place d'une gestion intégrée des zones côtières dans les sites du projet INTEGRE en Nouvelle-Calédonie - Séminaire prospectif "la participation dans la gestion des sites patrimoines mondial : finalités et opérationnalité du processus" - Note d'analyse des travaux et débats

NC - Climate Change Adaptation Tool

Outil d'adaptation au changement climatique - Cadre méthodologique d'élaboration

NC - Coral Reef Observation Network of New Caledonia

Réseau d'Observation des Récifs Coralliens de Nouvelle-Calédonie (RORC) - Campagne de suivi 2016-2017 - Etat de référence des stations d'Iaaï - Fiches descriptives

NC - The ERC sequence in New Caledonia

La séquence "ERC" en Nouvelle Calédonie - Etat des lieux et enjeux

Guide méthodologique de l'étude d'impact environnemental des projets et de la mise en oeuvre de la séquence ERC en Nouvelle-Calédonie

NC - Study on waste management experiences from environmental asbestos

Etude prospective sur les expériences de gestion des déchets issus de l'amiante environnemental / Proposition de solutions adaptées à la gestion des déchets amiantifères en Nouvelle-Calédonie

Geography :

Biodiversity :

From kagus to kauris through palm trees, humpback whales, humphead wrasse, nickel hyperaccumulator plants and flax snails, the Great Southern Lagoon’s biodiversity includes an assortment of iconic rare and endangered species. On mine scrubland, for example, the ende- mism rate can reach up to 90%. Because of this outstanding environmental value, the Great Southern Lagoon area has been identified as being of "universal conservation value”, as borne out when it was UNESCO World-Heritage-listed in 2008 and the "Plaine des lacs" area RAMSAR-listed in 2014 as wetlands of international importance. Within the Province, 19 marine reserves and 11 protected land areas, including the Blue River Provincial Park, have been set up and are managed by the Southern Province Department of the Environment.

Economy :

The coastland and mountain areas host a wide range of economic activities. Mining is prominent with several nickel mines and orphan (disused) mines as well as large, coveted, but unmined, deposits. In and around Prony, there is the huge Vale New Caledonia industrial complex with a metal processing plant, international harbour and power station, as well as 1900 ha of active mines and a revegetation nursery producing 500,000 seedlings a year. The complex located 80 km from Noumea provides 3000 jobs, 1300 of which are direct, with many workers housed on site, plus 600 local sub-contractors.

There is considerable development potential for tourism. The Isle of Pines is a leading tourist destination in New Caledonia with 135,000 cruise-liner passengers visiting every year. Tourist spots on the main island’s southern tip, such as Blue River Provincial Park, whale watching and Cape N’Dua, attract 50,000, mainly local, visitors a year. Seasonal appearances of humpback whales in Prony Bay have generated a whale-watching industry that is becoming increasingly organised with its own whale-watching charter. While there is some commercial fishing, catching fish is more of a leisure activity and subsistence practice for people from the greater Noumea area and the coastal tribes. The pilot site is also home to a burgeoning forestry industry, low-key fish farming (one rabbitfish farm), very little market gardening, but relatively productive subsistence farming in the tribal areas.

Environmental Pressure :

Several factors are a threat to environmental quality in the Great Southern Lagoon, including :

• Mineral deposits that destroy biodiversity and fragment na- tural habitats when mined ;
• Fire that also depletes soil biodiversity and causes fragmentation ;
• Exotic invasive species that prey on and compete with indigenous biodiversity ;
• Lagoon pollution from soil erosion on former mining and logging areas causing undue silting in the lagoon during heavy rainfall ;
• Increased tourism and visitor traffic to certain sites placing heavy pressure on some resources, such as flax snails and fish, and leading to damage to landscapes and the environment and conflicts over uses with local communities.

Local Governance Arrangements :

In terms of site governance and management, a number of bodies have been set up. With the Great South Lagoon being UNESCO World-Heritage listed and a high-risk processing plant located there, lengthy local discussions were held to structure governance and strive towards the common objective of miti- gating impacts and developing the environment. As a result, an integrated management approach was adopted, driven by the Southern Province, harmonising the work of the various stakeholders and bodies, including the provincial, municipal and territorial departments, scientific experts, Environment Observatory (OEIL) and local communities.

They are as follows :

• Three local management committees (LMCs), namely the Ouen island, Isle of Pines and Goro LMCs. A local management committee union was set up in 2011 to coordinate discussions for the whole far-southern area with environmental associations, industry federations, OEIL (environmental observatory) and mining companies playing a consultative role. The 2013-2017 site management plan was approved in 2013 ;
• The Far South Sustainable Development Pact signed in 2008 by Vale New Caledonia and the local communities for a 30-year term requiring the mining company to develop and implement specific measures for assisting the sustainable development of the main island’s southern tip. It is managed by three bodies, namely the Vale Foundation, Traditional Leaders’ Environmental Consultative Committee (CCCE) and the reforestation association ;
• The biodiversity protection agreement, signed in 2009 by the Southern Province and Vale that aims to prevent, mitigate and offset impacts on biodiversity on the main island’s southern tip ;
• The Environmental Observatory (ŒIL), an association set up in 2009 to monitor the environment and regularly update decision-makers and the general public on its status.

A regional methodology workshop was held in February 2014 with all project partners. A SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis was carried out as the project’s evaluation and planning aid, as presented below :

An action plan was developed to achieve the objectives based on three main activities.

Activity 1: Strengthening participatory management in the Great Southern Lagoon

The aim is to make all three committees more effective in their operations, improve their ability to act and help them implement part of the Great Southern Lagoon management plan. Two facilitators were hired and will be working throughout INTEGRE’s term. Funding was also allocated to develop the concrete activities that they initiate, such as building a native-species nursery for replanting operations and eradicating the Caribbean pine, an invasive species

Provisional Amount : XPF 27.8 million/ € 231 288

Operators : Southern Province and Isle of Pines, Goro and Ouen Island management committees

For more details, consulte Activity statement

Activity 2: Help reduce visitor pressure on marine and coastal environments

This involves :

• assessing the threat level from visitor traffic (tourism and subsistence fishing and hunting) ;
• setting up facilities on offshore islands and the shoreline to strike a balance between visitor traffic and conservation concerns ;
• providing awareness training and information to local communities and greater Noumea area residents.

Provisional Amount : XPF 25.4 million / € 212 852

Operators : Southern Province and Isle of Pines, Goro and Ouen Island management committees and SCO

For more details, consulte Activity statement

Activity 3: Develop policy and environmental-management guidelines for the Great Southern Lagoon

This involves introducing more consistency and strategic vision to environmental policy implemented in the area, as there are many initiatives, which are sometimes scarcely or poorly coordinated due to a lack of cross-sector resources. These include UNESCO World Heritage, RAMSAR listing, marine reserves, land protected areas, damaged site restoration, offset measures and the Environmental Observatory (OEIL). A project officer was hired by the Southern Province to carry out facilitation and discussion work throughout the project term. RESCCUE will provide extra expertise for this area.

Provisional Amount : XPF 19.4 million / € 162 572

Operators : Southern Province

For more details, consulte Activity statement

Synthesis of planned activities on the site : 

INTEGRE Project was working towards the following objectives :

• Maintain the integrity of UNESCO World-Heritage-listed sites
• Give fresh impetus to the participatory management process and involve local stakeholders more effectively
• Help sustainably manage the sites and control human-induced threats

On the site of Great Sud, the balance of the activities is the following one :

- NC - C2S1 - Strengthening participatory management of the World Heritage site

Proposing participatory environmental management requires strong involvement on the part of the volunteers involved in this process. Technical support and animation as close as possible to the field are essential to the success of this process and it can be seen that the people involved today are not sufficiently available or trained. The support of the animators proves to be crucial and allows to maintain a mobilization of the members, motivated by the launching of concrete actions. They also allow exchanges between the administration and the local population.

However, in view of the local authority's budgetary situation, it has not been possible to maintain the posts created under the INTEGRE programme. This economic difficulty is likely to significantly hamper these local initiatives. Despite local capacity building, management committees have not reached sufficient maturity for full autonomy. There is therefore uncertainty as to the sustainability of the actions initiated by the INTEGRE programme.

On Ouen Island, a field worker remains in place for 3 years as part of a job supported by the southern province. Arrangements are being studied for a financial relay from the reforestation association which should ensure the sustainability of the pines eradication action. The situation on the Isle of Pines is less advanced and, without a field animator, the dynamics that have been set up are in danger of waning.

The Isle of Pines like the Isle of Ouen are also potential candidates to benefit from funds from the 11th EDF on the theme of integrated water management.

For more details, consulte Activity statement : NC - C2.S1 Renforcement de la gestion participative du site patrimoine mondial

- NC - C2S2 : Participation in the management of frequentation pressures on GLS marine and coastal environments

This activity provided concrete support for the implementation of the management plan for the great southern lagoon inscribed on the World Heritage List. On this site, the pressure of tourist frequentation and fishermen's abstractions are among the main threats identified.

The design study of a fishing observatory is a very important step to better understand and monitor the pressures on the resource in the south but also throughout the province, even New Caledonia. The implementation of this observatory is planned within the framework of the 11th EDF and will allow with its first results to adapt the regulations if necessary and to better manage the resource.

The action on seabirds, led by the COS, could not be finalized because of the financial difficulties of the association.

This situation reveals the fragility of the associations in New Caledonia which depend on the support of few donors; the main funders being the provinces which, when they decide to reduce their support, can sign the cessation of the professional activities of these actors. Thus, the support of donors such as the European Union is essential to maintain the vitality of civil society in the OCTs.

For more details, consulte Activity statement : NC - C2.S2 Participation à la gestion de pression liée à la fréquentation sur les milieux marins et cotiers du Grand lagon Sud (GLS)

- NC - C2S3 : Environmental management guidelines for the Great South

RAMSAR management plan remains pending because the province does not currently have the means to allocate dedicated resources.

This activity was carried out in synergy with the RESCCUE programme for the pilot site of the Great South. The Southern Province wanted additional data through the RESCCUE program to produce strategic documents and management plans needed to implement community directions. Even if these documents were produced by a consortium of design offices having the project management of the RESCCUE programme, their follow-up by the coordinator Great South INTEGRE was decisive.

Indeed to have a half-time on this activity made it possible to follow as well as possible the realization of the documents with regard to the expectations of the community. The coordinator has made it possible to reorient expectations with regard to these various documents in the light of current discussions. In addition, it had a focal and facilitating role for the various services of the Environment Directorate, but also for the other provincial directorates: economy, rural development, land, youth and sport.

This synergy between the two programmes will therefore have provided the community with additional expertise, but regular monitoring has been carried out by the INTEGRE coordinator. The implementation of the Integrated Management Plan for the Great South Lakes, the network strategies for protected areas and restoration of degraded sites, and the massive Great South plan will enable better territorial management of the Great South.

For more details, consulte Activity statement : NC - C2.S3 - Schéma d'orientations de gestion environnementale à l'échelle du grand Sud

Documents of New Caledonia

La province Sud en action pour la préservation et la valorisation du Grand Sud - Pour un développement durable du Grand Sud

Panneaux Régénération corallienne zone à protéger - Baie de Kanuméra

Panneaux Coral Reef regeneration protected area - Kanumera Bay

Flyer Régénération corallienne zone à protéger - Baie de Kanuméra

Flyer  Coral Reef regeneration marine protected area - Kanumera Bay

Flyer  Coral Reef regeneration marine protected area - Kanumera Bay in japonese

Flyer Les récifs coralliens et les herbiers marins sont des écosystèmes fragiles et d'une importance majeure en Nouvelle Calédonie

Flyer Coral reefs and seagrass beds are fragile ecosystems of major importance in New Caledonia

Flyer Coral reefs and seagrass beds are fragile ecosystems of major importance in New Caledonia in Japonese

Maquette du jeu du parc du Grand Lagon Sud

Cartes du jeu du parc du Grand Lagon Sud

Cartes du jeu du parc du Grand Lagon Sud (dos)

Ile des Pins

Plantes de l'île des Pins

Ile Ouen

Maquette de jeu île Ouen

Présentation de la maquette de jeu - Ile Ouen

Panneaux pépinière Ile Ouen - Reconquête de la biodiversité

Panneaux pépinière Ile Ouen - espèces communes et rares

NC - Activity statement

NC - C2.S1 Renforcement de la gestion participative du site patrimoine mondial

NC - C2.S2 Participation à la gestion de pression liée à la fréquentation sur les milieux marins et cotiers du Grand lagon Sud (GLS)

NC - C2.S3 - Schéma d'orientations de gestion environnementale à l'échelle du grand Sud

NC - Study for the design of a fisheries observatory in South Province

Etude pour la conception d'un observatoire des pêches en province Sud - Rapport final

NC - Reef Communities of 5 miles reef - Municipality of Mont-Dore

Suivi temporel des communautés récifales du récif des 5 miles - Commune du Mont-Dore - Nouvelle-Calédonie

Perceptions du plateau des Cinq Miles et perspectives de mise en protection

NC - Integrated Management Plan for the RAMSAR Great Lakes Lakes Site

Plan de gestion intégrée du site RAMSAR des lacs du Grand Sud

NC - Coastal sedimentary dynamics Ile Ouen

Note d'expertise - Dynamique sédimentaire littorale Ile Ouen (Province Sud - Nouvelle-Calédonie)

NC - Ornithologic mission GLASOM I

Mission ornithologique GLASOM I - INTEGRE - Grand Lagon Sud

NC - Diagnosis of the tourism and cruise industry on the Isle of Pines

Diagnostic territorial de l'industrie du tourisme et de la croisière à l'ile des Pins - Partie 1 : Etat des lieux - Axe économique

Diagnostic territorial du tourisme de l'ile des Pins - Axe environnemental

Diagnostic territorial de l'industrie du tourisme et de la croisière de l'ile des Pins - Partie 1 : Axe social

Diagnostic territorial de l'industrie du tourisme et de la croisière de l'ile des Pins - Annexes

NC - Plants of the Isle of Pines

Plantes de l'île des pins - une sélection d'espèces des plus menacées aux plus communes

Geography :

Ouvea Island is a large isolated atoll opening onto the ocean, averaging 20 metres deep and free of sedimentary input, which is why the lagoon is famous for its crystal-clear appearance. The continuous, emerged land forms a crescent with slender centre and is approximately 50 kilometres long by six wide. It is a low island rising only to 46 m. The island is extended at both ends by a string of smaller islands called the Southern and Northern Pleiades. There is an underground river system with fresh water running through a vast maze of coral karst cavities. Ouvea is the only inhabited atoll of the two with approximately 3400 population (2014 census) living in 21 tribal areas. Land tenure is exclusively traditional. There is no real urban centre, but the more populated, administrative area is Fayaoue.

Biodiversity :

Ouvea and Beautemps-Beaupre Atolls have several unique biological and ecological features. In terms of land biodiversity, for example, they are home to the Loyalty Islands’ only mangroves and swamp. They have a fairly well-preserved primary forest with a small micro-endemic green parakeet, endemic giant snails and fruit bats. The coast is lined with many coconut plantations that are home to the coconut crab and host large seabird colonies of wedge-tailed shearwaters, terns and boobies. The Pleiades are a green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) spawning ground. The islands are free of one major invasive species, i.e. the black rat, but other invasive predators such as the mice, feral cats and Pacific rats are found there.

In marine biodiversity terms, an IFREMER survey carried out to prepare the World Heritage application listed 675 reef fish species, some of which were found in reasonable densities, such as humphead wrasse, parrotfish, common stingrays and sharks. In September-October, the lagoon is the scene of a majestic gathering of giant oceanic manta rays. Ouvea and Beautemps-Beaupre are free of ciguatera (fish poisoning) microalgae that contaminate the flesh of some fish and cause food poisoning.

Economy :

Many Ouvea Islanders emigrate to the greater Noumea area in search of more varied and numerous jobs. Despite the “exodus” (they regularly come home to work in their food gardens and take part in traditional ceremonies), the wealth earned by these “expatriates” directly benefits the island, as many redistribute their income by investing on Ouvea, building houses and buying cars, etc.

The island’s direct economy is mainly driven by the tertiary sector, i.e. health, education, public service and retail, as well as farming, tourism and fisheries.

• Tourism consists of a few guest houses, a major hotel and several small homestay arrangements in tribal communities. Ouvea ceased to be a cruise ship destination in 2007 when excessive damage was observed on reefs caused by ships’ anchors and a major risk of ciguatera developing and spreading on the atoll was feared.
• Commercial fishing is carried out by a fishers’ guild holding some 15 licences, which supplies a seafood packing plant at Takedji in the island’s north. Fish from Ouvea and Beautemps-Beaupre atolls is ciguatera-free.
• Extensive mixed farming tends to specialise in high added-value products such as sandalwood and copra with the Wadrilla oil mill and soap factory and vanilla.

Environmental Pressure :

There are several threats to environmental quality on Ouvea and Beautemps-Beaupre :

• Shoreline erosion related to coastal development and coral quarrying (sand, coral rubble and lime gravel) for human construction and facilities ;
• Invasive species harming native fauna and crops. Health checks at the entry points to the atolls are vital to prevent any further pests from entering, particularly black rats ;
• Localised overfishing and unsuitable fishing methods. There are no marine protected areas yet, although eight traditional reserves (i.e. “taboo” locations) have been listed and are governed by traditional regulations ;
• Waste, which causes pollution and nuisance issues, is not efficiently managed or disposed of ;
• Deforestation and forest habitat depletion. Ouvea has poor fire-fighting facilities.

Local Organisations :

The Loyalty Islands Province (PIL) Department of the Environment is tasked with managing the environment. In 2007, PIL and the Ouvea traditional chiefs signed a joint declaration recognising each other’s legitimacy in matters relating to jointly preserving the World-Heritage listed property. The traditional leaders incorporated in 2009 as a special-law grouping known as Bomene Tapu (sacred island) GDPL, a legal entity that manages development on custom land.

The GDPL has 34 members. Its purpose is to “develop and protect traditional natural-resource management practices on Ouvea and Beautemps-Beaupre insofar as they constitute sustainable natural-resource protection and conservation methods for the benefit of present and future generations.” So public authorities work on this basis to jointly manage the site.

Conservation International provided support for developing a governance method and the management plan that is now running for five years (2012-2017) with activities being re-adjusted yearly.

Joint management is provided by technical groups who involve all the public and private stakeholders. They are tasked with implementing the action plan based on a participatory approach through local stakeholders or outside experts with an emphasis on greater autonomy.

A regional methodology workshop was held on 20 March 2014 for all project partners and a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis was conducted as a project diagnostic tool and planning aid. It is presented below :

An action plan was developed to achieve these objectives based on three main activities.

Activity 1. Strengthen Ouvea and Beautemps-Beaupre lagoon governance and participatory management

The aim is to make the joint management committee operate more efficiently, improve its ability to act and help it implement its management plan. A facilitator has been recruited and will work throughout the INTEGRE project term on setting up joint lagoon surveillance by the Loyalty Islands Province (PIL) and the commercial fishers and strengthening participatory reef monitoring.

Provisional Amount : XPF 29.5 million / € 247 210

Operators : PIL, Bomene Tapu GDPL, fishers’ union

For more details, consulte Activity statement

Activity 2. Set up an ecotourism development unit in Mouli District to showcase its natural and cultural heritage

This involves building various tourist facilities, such as a na- ture trail, picnic area, underwater trail and awareness and rule signage.

Provisional Amount : XPF 20 million / € 167 600

Operators : PIL, Bomene Tapu GDPL, fishers’ union

For more details, consulte Activity statement

Activity 3. Organise Lekiny-Fayava traditional reserve management

This reserve is covered by the Loyalty Islands Province environmental code and is a pilot site for applying some new provisions contained in the code for local management committees and a management plan. Studies are underway to describe the shoreline and improve development on the landward mangrove fringe.

Provisional Amount : XPF 7,2 million / € 60 336

Operators : PIL, Bomene Tapu GDPL, Lekiny tribal community, University of New Caledonia, French Museum of Natural History

For more details, consulte Activity statement

Activity 4. Invasive species control

This involves exterminating rats on a trial island to alleviate the danger to seabird colonies and develop an international consultancy for strengthening Ouvea’s biosecurity.

Provisional Amount : XPF 1,8 million / € 9 504

Operators : ASBO, PIL, Bomene Tapu GDPL

For more details, consulte Activity statement

Activity 5. Compile a teaching material bank for heightening commu- nity awareness on lagoon protection issues by using existing aids and creating fresh material that is adapted to Ouvea and Beautemps-Beaupre’s specific characteristics.

There are also plans to help with school projects dealing with lagoon protection.

Provisional Amount : XPF 4.5 million / € 37,710

Operators : PIL, Bomene Tapu GDPL, GIE, primary and junior secondary schools

For more details, consulte Activity statement

Synthesis of planned activities on the site :

INTEGRE Project was working towards the following objectives :

• Maintain the integrity of UNESCO World-Heritage-listed sites
• Give fresh impetus to the participatory management process and involve local stakeholders more effectively
• Help sustainably manage the sites and control human-induced threats

On the site of Ouvea and Beautemps-Beaupre Atolls, the balance of the activities is the following one :

- NC - C2I1 and 5 : Strengthening participatory management / awareness raising and communication

Although not all the actions planned have been carried out, in terms of awareness raising or partnership with fishermen, the participatory dynamics of World Heritage site management have been greatly strengthened. The arrival of two additional human resources and the commitment of all stakeholders (provinces, associations, town halls) has enabled concrete management, monitoring or awareness-raising actions to be carried out.

The sustainability of this system should make it possible to pursue this dynamic. However, it will be very important for the Islands Province to become more involved in strategic and project framing, particularly with the GDPL.

For more details, consulte Activity statement : NC - C2.I1 et 5 Renforcement de la gestion participative - sensibilisation et communication

- NC - C2I2 : Structuring of an ecotourism development centre in the Muli district

The result of this activity is disappointing. This is largely due to delays in its implementation due to the low capacity of the Loyalty Islands Province to absorb a significant additional workload. This element should be taken into account for future projects with small administrations.

Moreover, in Ouvéa more than elsewhere, the preparatory work for the developments is substantial, the customary and "owners of the places" having to give prior authorization for their realization (we are in Ouvéa on customary lands). This is why the work was carried out jointly with the Loyalty Islands Province and the GDPL, but the lack of time for discussions and obtaining agreements penalized the land trail project. As a representative of the province of the islands said at INTEGERE's closing workshop, the time of the European project is not the time of customary people and premises...

The direction of the integrated economy of the province of the Loyalty Islands will take over the development of the ecotourism pole. She had the funding validated for the construction of a new trail on the development contract envelope and the funding of a space for the underwater trail equipment. In addition, the Youth and Sports Department is responsible for training underwater guides for the underwater trail.

For more details, consulte Activity statement : NC - C2.I2 Structuration d'un pole de développement écotouristique dans le district de Muli

- NC - C2I3 : Management of Lekiny-Fayava Nature Reserve

The adoption of the environmental code by the province of the Loyalty Islands is a process that mobilizes the environmental service enormously, accentuated by the choice of a methodology agreed with the inhabitants of the four islands of the province. The delay is therefore very significant with regard to the initial estimates concerning the official recognition of a reserve at Lekiny and the implementation of its management plan.

Coastal erosion is a major concern for the population of Ouvéa because it directly threatens certain inhabited areas. Moreover, in Ouvéa, land is entirely of customary status, which means that urban planning rules do not apply and that development decisions are taken directly at the tribal level. Matthieu Leduff's work, carried out in partnership with the island's mayor's office, customary people and associations, has provided the population and decision-makers with tools to understand erosion phenomena. It will be continued with financial support from the Islands Province and technical support from the University and the DIMENC through the OBLIC (Caledonian Coastal Observatory) scheme and by relying on a network of people now trained. All actors are convinced of the usefulness of this work. However, without a facilitator like Matthew, there is a risk of progressive interest lost.

For more details, consulte Activity statement : NC - C2.I3 Gestion de la reserve naturelle de Lekiny-Fayava

- NC - C2I4 : Control of invasive species

These two actions have benefited from the good involvement and establishment of the ASBO, a local association whose principle is to make local guides work for the realization of its actions, thus combining environmental protection, awareness and local development.

For the implementation of the biosecurity plan, which benefits from good technical and political support from the province of the Loyalty Islands, it will be necessary to create a post of animator of this plan at the PLI. The province's financial possibilities are weak today and implementation of this plan is still pending.

For the deratting of the atoll, several factors can explain the failure but we must first remember that these are difficult operations in tropical environments where rats reproduce all year round. A new operational plan has been proposed but significant financial resources are needed.

The sustainability of these two activities is not yet guaranteed. To continue the ASBO's outstanding work on the deratting of BB, funds will again have to be mobilised to undertake a new deratting trial in 2018. The 11th EDF could be a possible source of funding.

For more details, consulte Activity statement : NC - C2.I4 Lutte contre les espèces envahissantes

Documents of New Caledonia

Plan de biosécurité pour l'atoll d'Ouvéa, île Loyauté (Nouvelle-Calédonie)

Biosecurity Plan for Ouvea Atoll, Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia

Poster Poissons du lagon d'Ouvéa

Poster Poissons du récif d'Ouvéa

Poster Autres animaux marins d'Ouvéa

NC - Activity statement

NC - C2.I1 et 5 Renforcement de la gestion participative - sensibilisation et communication

NC - C2.I2 Structuration d'un pole de développement écotouristique dans le district de Muli

NC - C2.I3 Gestion de la reserve naturelle de Lekiny-Fayava

NC - C2.I4 Lutte contre les espèces envahissantes

NC - Pedagogical and tourist footpath

Conception et suivi de réalisation d'un sentier pédestre pédagogique et touristique - Compte rendu final

Le peuplement de l'archipel

La pêche traditionnelle

NC - Erosion control measures - Ouvea

Mission d'expertise sur les mesures de lutte contre l'érosion pouvant être prises sur 3 sites à enjeux, Ouvéa (Pronvince des îles Loyauté) et île Ouen (Pronvince Sud) - Nouvelle-Calédonie - Partie 1 : Ouvéa

NC - Collection of Traditional Knowledge - Lekiny-Fayava Reserve

Rapport sur la collecte des savoirs traditionnels autour des usages du lagon dans la réserve de Lekiny-Fayava

NC - Biosecurity plan - Feasibility study on the eradication of rats on Beautemps-Beaupré Island

Plan de biosécurité pour l'atoll d'Ouvéa, îles Loyauté (Nouvelle-Calédonie)

Biosecurity Plan for Ouvea Atoll, Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia

Protocole de l'éradication du rat du Pacifique sur Beautemps-Beaupré

The feasibility of eradicating Pacific rats from Beautemps-Beaupré Island, Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia

Geography :

The north-eastern coastal area pilot site encompasses all the watersheds and lagoons in the municipalities of Poum, Ouegoa, Pouebo, Hienghene, Touho and Poindimie. The north-eastern coast is historically significant for New Caledonia, as this is where James Cook discovered the island and France claimed posses- sion in 1853. The first mineral prospection and Kanak evangelisation campaigns took place on the banks of the Diahot River.

Today’s population in the north-eastern coastal area municipali- ties totals nearly 18,000 and is in large majority Kanak.

This part of the east coast of the main island from Poindimie to Pouebo is very mountainous. The central mountain range runs along it and New Caledonia’s highest peak, Mount Panie in Hienghene municipality, rises to 1629 m. It is also covered by New Caledonia’s largest unbroken rainforest (330 sq. km). The slopes are very steep and drained by a river system that flows into several major watercourses, including the Ouaieme, Diahot and Tiwaka. The northern end in Poum has a hilly landscape dotted with damaged vegetation and disused mines. The ocean coastline is deeply indented and the barrier reef broken up.

Biodiversity :

The marine area is exceptionally well-preserved, containing a variety of habitats in a small area, including fringing reefs, barrier reefs, seagrass beds and mangroves and holds remarkable biological and environmental features such as double coral reefs, micro-endemic fish, green sea turtle spawning grounds, dugong congregations, humpback whale nurseries and shark breeding grounds. The Diahot Estuary is also host to New Caledonia’s most extensive and diverse mangroves.

Sediment yields attract a larger fish biomass making the north-eastern coastal area’s marine biodiversity undoubtedly one of New Caledonia’s richest in terms of algae, invertebrates and fish.

On land, Mont Panie’s forests have a high endemicity rate for plants (64%), insects and freshwater fauna and make up an official nature reserve.

Economy :

Some 80% of the region’s population lives in tribal areas that are sometimes very isolated. Most engage in subsistence farming, fishing and hunting with no fewer than eight in ten persons older than 16 involved in these pursuits. They do not sell their produce, but eat it themselves or donate it in customary ceremonies. The tourist industry is growing and consists of small-scale accommodation, such as tribal homestays, guest houses and medium-capacity hotels. Ecotourism for experiencing natural and cultural heritage offerings is attracting increasing numbers of visitors in search of natural beauty and authenticity. Beside the Poum mine, there is no industry or mining and commercial farming is small-scale (no wholesale markets).

Environmental Pressure :

There are several threats to the north-eastern coastal area’s environmental quality, including :

• Biodiversity erosion and damage to land environments. This is caused by fire, due in part to inappropriate farming and pasture methods and very harmful invasive species. Ungulates, specifically deer and pigs, graze on or trample over young shoots, jeopardising forest regeneration, for example;

• Watershed erosion and soil leaching have increased the watercourses’ sediment loads. Such erosion is due to development work, such as dirt roads, fords, and riverside vegetation cleared for farming, that has reduced plant cover, fire, invasive species that graze and trample on young shoots; and current and past mining in Poum and Poindas, respectively. This has led to damage to marine areas near rivers and particularly to fringing reefs. Erosion has also caused soil fertility to gradually diminish, jeopardising food production and encouraging slash-and-burn agriculture, which further compounds the problem; and

• Localised overharvesting of marine invertebrates, such as giant clams and sea cucumbers and unsupervised household waste dumping.

Local Organisations :

With regard to site governance and management, there currently several organisations and legal instruments.

• Having the New Caledonia lagoon serial property UNESCO World-Heritage listed led to various measures for managing the It is overseen by the Northern Province’s Department of Economic Development and the Environment (DDEE) which elected to work at the municipal level. The north-eastern coastal area municipalities, therefore, underwent a participatory environmental baseline study to set up a management plan for the area. The related management committees were set up in 2009 and 2010 and produced two management plans. The Northern Province also provides support to two associations that emerged from the management committees and are tasked with implementing the management plans, i.e. the Ka Poraou Association and the Hyabe-Le-Jao PMA Association.

• Mount Panie Nature Reserve (5400 ha in an IUCN protected area category) has seen a number of activities over the past 10 years, including rodent and ungulate population regulation, botanical trails and awareness in schools, through the local Dayu Biik Association made up of Hienghene area tribal It employs three permanent staff and calls on the services of a further dozen people from time to time. The reserve has a 2012-2016 management plan that was approved by the Provincial Assembly on 26 October 2012.

There are three marine protected areas, Hyabe-Le-Jao Sustainable Resource Management Area (7080 ha) in Pouebo, Dohimen Wilderness Reserve (3712 ha) and Yeega Provin- cial Park (656 ha) both in Hienghene.

A regional methodology workshop was held in February 2014 for all project partners and a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis was conducted as a project diagnostic tool and planning aid. It is presented below :

An action plan was developed to achieve these objectives based on four main activities.

Activity 1. Strengthen participatory management throughout the north-eastern coastal area and foster networking

The joint management committees and related associations, World Heritage participatory management in the north-eastern coastal area is municipality-based with a management committee and related management association for all six municipalities. The aim is to strengthen facilitation so as to :

• help management committees set up their management plans ;
• make the World Heritage process consistent and have.

The various organisations networking. A coordinator was recruited by the Northern Province for this and will serve throughout the project term. Networking resources have been set up and cross-sector activities implemented.

Provisional Amount : XPF 32.35 million / € 271 093

Operators : Northern Province and North-eastern Coastal Area World Heritage management committees and associations.

For more details, consulte Activity statement      

Activity 2. Strengthen participatory integrated management of the UNESCO property in Poindimie

A full-time facilitator has been recruited and is managing Popwadene Association and helping develop and implement a management plan.

Provisional Amount : XPF 15.25 million/ € 128 005

Operators : Association Popwadene

For more details, consulte Activity statement   

Activity 3. Collect and process end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) and car wrecks in two municipal areas

ELVs are deemed hazardous waste. They can cause pollution in groundwater and the lagoon. Two municipalities have been targeted, namely Ouegoa and Pouebo. The owners need to be identified, transfer authorisations obtained and the bulky waste disposed of.

Provisional Amount : XPF 5 million / € 41 900

Operators : Northern Province and Pouebo and Ouegoa municipalities

For more details, consulte Activity statement 

Activity 4. Protect and restore the watershed forest in a Touho mu- nicipality drinking-water catchment area

There are several invasive ungulate regulation and revegetation activities aimed at accelerating the forest cover regeneration process in the watersheds of one of the Touho municipality and Pwoi (Poyes) tribal area’s main gravity-fed drinking-water catchment systems.

Provisional Amount : XPF 19,415 millions / € 162 698

Opérateur : ONFi, Tipwoto Association and the Poyes and Tiwae tribal community council of clans

For more details, consulte Activity statement

Synthesis of planned activities on the site :

INTEGRE Project was working towards the following objectives :

• Maintain the integrity of UNESCO World-Heritage-listed sites
• Give fresh impetus to the participatory management process and involve local stakeholders more effectively
• Help sustainably manage the sites and control human-induced threats

On the site of North-East Coast, the balance of the activities is the following one :

- NC - C2N1 : Strengthening participatory management of the lagoon at the ZCNE level and networking of management committees

In the ZCNE, the management of World Heritage lagoons is based on a participatory approach conducted at the commune level. Management committees are mobilized during the reflection and decision-making phases, and associations have been created around volunteers ready to get involved in concrete management actions.

Faced with the requested investment and the lack of local capacity, local animators are recruited from the associations. When writing the INTEGRE project, the context and the evolution of animation in the management associations of the ZCNE had been envisaged with a "rise in power" between 2015 and 2017 everywhere in this zone.

Each management association (MA) should have a facilitator and coordination should facilitate support for skills development, in particular by networking these facilitators. With the context of reduced public spending in the North Province, which until now has been the main funder of MAs and their leaders, this global scheme of associative dynamics is not in place today. All MAs wish to have a facilitator with them. Most are aware that they must seek funding elsewhere to maintain or consider animation positions, but few are able to do so.

The animation of the MA Pöpwadene, Hô-üt and Kaa Porau allowed these associations to evolve positively towards more autonomy and competences, and a beginning of network work. As regards the other management associations AMP and PM of the ZCNE, Hyabe-Lé Jao (Pweevo (Pouébo), PM of Ouégoa and Mala waag î hulili malep (Pum (Poum)), the associative dynamics are very weak or in stand-by.

Today, the North Province is re-questioning this system (by relying on the methodological work carried out within the framework of INTEGRE) which requires a very important investment on the part of its agents for a result which it considers long to perceive. In fact, at the beginning of 2018, only two facilitators are in place, and only two communes have a validated integrated management plan (in progress for Poum and Ouégoa), far from the objectives set at the beginning of the project. Furthermore, the post of coordinator will not be renewed and her tasks have been distributed among the staff already in place.

For more details, consulte Activity statement : NC - C2.N1 Renforcement de la gestion participative du lagon à échelle de la ZCNE et mise en reseau des comités de gestion

- NC - C2N2 : Support for the implementation of the integrated management plan in Poindimié

It is difficult to evaluate the results of this mechanism, because the concrete activities mobilizing a part of the population of Poindimié have difficulty to emerge. This is consistent with the initial situation: a young association and a rather weak local initial mobilization in favour of the environment.

However, the two facilitators had difficulty relying on the members of their association both to help them mobilize the population and in the administration of the association itself (accounting monitoring in particular). Only a few members really get involved when they have very specific projects (mangrove, restoration of burnt sites with pinus control). 

The organisation of the association's action plan, which follows a very dense management plan, does not seem to be the most suitable tool for mobilising either.

However, the province renewed its support to continue funding the facilitator position in 2018 and the association was awarded a Nickel Award initiative to fund their projects.

For more details, consulte Activity statement : NC - C2.N2 Appui à la mise en oeuvre du plan de gestion integrée à Poindimie

- NC - C2N3 : Collection and treatment of end-of-life vehicles and wrecks

This very concrete operation makes it possible to mobilize and sensitize local people to the preservation of their environment. Historical stocks of ELV are particularly important in New Caledonia and are a proven source of pollution. Their removal is accompanied by the establishment of a regulatory and sustainable treatment chain.

However, there are many technical difficulties in conducting this type of operation :

The completion of an ELV inventory is a time-consuming step due to the territories to be covered and the accuracy of the information to be collected. Thus within the framework of a participative and integrated operation, this requires information / training of the people who must participate.

Identifying ELV owners and obtaining their consent can be difficult.

Finding service providers ready to intervene in these remote areas of Nouméa for a reasonable price can be complicated (little or no competition on the territory).

For more details, consulte Activity statement : NC - C2.N3 Collecte et traitement des véhicules hors d'usage et épaves

- NC - C2N4 : Protection and forest restoration of the catchment area of a drinking water supply system in the commune of Touho

This experience is a success and, without a doubt, a model to replicate in New Caledonia. To guarantee its long-term sustainability, the North Province will have to continue its commitment to local actors for technical and financial support. It made a moral commitment to do so.

To provide a more sustainable solution to the overpopulation of deer and pigs in New Caledonia, the marketing of bushmeat could be an effective solution. Let us hope that the current study on this subject within the framework of RESCCUE will make it possible to remove the regulatory and political obstacles to this solution.

Finally, the question of the regulation of deer and pigs is one of the priorities adopted under the 11th regional EDF. Provinces must propose pilot sites to conduct the project. It would be relevant to continue on Touho to ensure sustainability and capitalize on this successful experience.

For more details, consulte Activity statement : NC - C2.N4 Protection et restauration forestière du bassin versant d'un captage d'adduction potable sur la commune de Touho

Documents of New Caledonia

Zone côtière Nord-Est

Panneaux Bienvenue à l'association de chasse

Affiche Gestion Intégrée de la ZCNE

Guide des tortues marines

NC - Activity statement

NC - C2.N1 Renforcement de la gestion participative du lagon à échelle de la ZCNE et mise en reseau des comités de gestion

NC - C2.N2 Appui à la mise en oeuvre du plan de gestion integrée à Poindimie

NC - C2.N3 Collecte et traitement des véhicules hors d'usage et épaves

NC - C2.N4 Protection et restauration forestière du bassin versant d'un captage d'adduction potable sur la commune de Touho

NC - Haccinem catchment basins

Opérations de protections et de restaurations du bassin de captage de Haccinem - Province Nord de Nouvelle Calédonie

NC - Note on the prosecution of firefighters

Note relative à la poursuite judiciaire des auteurs de feux au Service des Milieux et Ressources Aquatiques de la DEE de la province Nord

NC - Environmental Management Plans

Les lagons et récifs de Pum - Poum - Plan de gestion environnemental pour la période 2017 - 2021

Les lagons et récifs de Tuo Cémuhi - Touho - Plan de gestion environnemental pour la période de 2015-2020

Les lagons et récifs de Pwêêdi Wiimîâ - Poindimié - Plan de gestion environnemental pour la période de 2016-2020

Les lagons et récifs de Ouégoa - Plan de gestion environnemental pour la période de 2017-2021

NC - World Heritage Letters from the North

La lettre du Patrimoine Mondial du Nord - N°1 Janvier 2017

La lettre du Patrimoine Mondial du Nord - N°2 Juillet 2017

La lettre du Patrimoine Mondial du Nord - N°3 Décembre 2017