A total of 500 trees were planted by members of the Samoa Conservation Society to commemorate Biodiversity Day over the weekend.
On Saturday May 23 around 50 members and friends of the organization met at the Malololelei Recreation Reserve to learn about the work that SCS and the MNRE are doing to save Samoa's biodiversity.
A range of short presentations were given by Leilani Duffy, James Atherton, Moeumu Uili, Jane M Va'afusuaga, Eugene Meleisea and Laulu Lei Enoka on the rat management work at Malololelei.
The organisation also held talks about the Manumea conservation work including the new Manumea mural at Malololelei, how to identify native birds and the importance of trees and forest restoration for biodiversity, carbon capture, cyclone resilience and the provision of ecosystem services.
The group then planted around 500 native trees in an open and degraded area in the nearby reserve owned by Faamausili Andrew Ah Liki.
SCS said it is also grateful to Faamausili Andrew Ah Liki for his conservation leadership, MNRE for the ongoing partnership and all the SCS members and friends that turned up on the day to do practical conservation action.