How does customary tenure affect access to nature areas in Solomon Islands?

Customary owners, clans, tribes, chiefs and local communities commonly control access to land, inshore waters and islets. Entry, fishing, collection, research and tourism may require local permission and compliance with kastom, tabu, closed-area or management rules.

How are protected areas established for nature conservation in Solomon Islands?

The process can include a proposal by the responsible Director, consultation with owners and communities, provincial and ministry review, field appraisal, verification of rights, public notice of at least 30 days and a ministerial declaration. Community-recognised areas may conserve nature without having the same legal status as a nationally declared protected area.

What should travellers check before visiting a nature site in Solomon Islands?

Travellers should confirm transport, weather, local owner consent, guide arrangements, site rules and any applicable provider charges. East Rennell is particularly remote, with infrequent or unreliable air service and difficult road access.

Which nature-related activities require environmental approval in Solomon Islands?

Projects such as logging, mining, fishing or marine-product development, infrastructure and airports can require environmental assessment and development consent under the Environment Act. Published consent fees are SBD 10,000 for logging, mining, fishing or marine products, SBD 5,000 for infrastructure and SBD 8,000 for an airport.

What must be checked before exporting wildlife or plants from Solomon Islands?

The exporter should contact the Environment and Conservation Division to determine whether the species or product is regulated and which CITES or national permits apply. Listed protected and endemic fauna and flora may require an approved person, an approved management plan and permits before international transport.

Nature in Solomon Islands

Nature in Solomon Islands includes tropical forests, mangroves, coral reefs, seagrass, wetlands, freshwater systems and the species that depend on them. Customary land and marine tenure shapes access, conservation and resource use across more than 992 islands. National laws protect selected areas and wildlife, while community conservation, sustainable fishing and local closures cover many other sites.

Tip

Treat customary permission, site-specific rules and environmental approval as separate checks before visiting, using or developing a nature area in Solomon Islands. Community conservation may offer the most workable protection where local owners lead management, while a national designation may provide a stronger formal framework but requires consultation, evidence and administration. Plan for difficult transport, changing weather, limited enforcement capacity and possible conflicts with livelihoods.

byHellen&Michael

Solomon Islands lies in the Coral Triangle and contains lowland and montane rainforest, mangrove, coral reef, seagrass, estuary, lagoon, freshwater and swamp ecosystems. These environments support subsistence gardening, fishing, hunting, forest products, building materials, medicinal resources and tourism. More than 80% of land and more than 90% of inshore coast and islets are under customary tenure. Clans, tribes, chiefs and other customary owners therefore influence who may enter an area, collect resources, fish, hunt, build facilities or conduct research. Local rules may use kastom, tabu or closed areas and can be more directly decisive than a national designation. The Environment Act 1998, Protected Areas Act 2010 and Protected Areas Regulations 2012 provide the main national framework for protected areas. Legal categories include nature reserves, natural parks, nature monuments, Resource Management Areas, closed areas and World Heritage Sites. Community-recognised protected areas, clan or tribal forest areas, locally managed marine areas, marine protected areas and marine managed areas can perform similar conservation functions even when their legal status differs. The Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology, including its Environment and Conservation Division, works with provincial governments, customary owners and other ministries. A national declaration generally involves a proposal by the Director, consultation with owners and communities, provincial and ministry review, field appraisal, verification of rights and interests, assessment of management options, public notice for at least 30 days and a ministerial declaration. The application fee for a protected area was not located in the available national information, and visitor fees and opening times are generally site-specific rather than set by one national tariff. East Rennell illustrates the difference between international recognition, national administration and local authority. It is the largest raised coral atoll, with an island area of about 87,500 hectares and Lake Tegano covering about 15,000 to 15,500 hectares. The World Heritage property covers 37,000 hectares and a marine zone extending 3 kilometres offshore. The lake is brackish and contains karst formations and islets, while dense indigenous forest supports endemic and restricted species. The site includes four villages, customary ownership, 11 bat species including one endemic species, 43 breeding land and water bird species including four endemic species and nine endemic subspecies, 27 land-snail species including seven endemic species, about 730 insect species, more than 300 diatom and algae species and an endemic lake sea snake. East Rennell has been on the List of World Heritage in Danger since 2013. UNESCO retained that status in 2026 and extended the desired state of conservation process to the end of 2028. A 2025 management plan covers 2025 to 2030, but full application of the Protected Areas Act still depends on customary consent and administrative arrangements. Access is remote, air service can be infrequent or unreliable, and road travel can be difficult. The Marovo-Tetepare Complex is on the Tentative List for World Heritage, submitted in 2008, but it is not a World Heritage Site and does not automatically have national protected-area status. The mixed natural and cultural area covers more than 1,600 square kilometres and includes the Marovo double-barrier lagoon, Tetepare's intact lowland rainforest, mangroves, reefs, seagrass and transitions toward montane environments. Waihita and Pamahima were gazetted in 2024, Pamahima Tribal Forest Protected Area covered 350 hectares when launched in 2025, and Yato Protected Area was declared in 2026 and described as the largest forest protected area. The national protected-area network combines legally declared and community-recognised areas. The 2025 National Protected Areas Network roadmap gives particular attention to Guadalcanal, Malaita, Rennell-Bellona and Temotu. Marine conservation is expanding through customary governance and locally agreed management. The government announced a target of protecting 15% of marine areas, approximately 59 million acres, by 2030. Planned multi-zoned marine protected and managed areas in Temotu and Makira cover about 27,400 square kilometres. This is a planning target, not blanket current legal coverage. Local consent, free, prior and informed consent, management rules and enforcement capacity determine how a marine area works in practice. Community fisheries management plans can recognise customary fishing, establish closures, restrict harmful methods and regulate habitats such as mangroves. The Fisheries Management Act 2015 supports long-term conservation and sustainable use. Solomon Islands has about 4,500 plant species according to national biodiversity sources. An official tourism inventory records 302 bird species, including 102 endemic species. Priority fauna include hawksbill, leatherback and green turtles, dugongs, saltwater crocodiles, endemic flying foxes, endemic birds and the Solomon Islands prehensile-tailed skink, Corucia zebrata. The Arnavon community marine protected area is known for hawksbill turtle conservation. East Rennell's indicator species include the Rennell Shrikebill, also called Ghoghoviu, endemic land snails, flying foxes, Australasian Grebe subspecies and the Lake Tegano sea-krait. Wildlife collection and international trade are controlled by the Wildlife Protection and Management Act 1998 and Regulations 2008, together with CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, to which Solomon Islands has been a party since 2007. The Environment and Conservation Division leads CITES work, while fisheries, agriculture and forestry authorities also have roles. Import or export of listed fauna and flora follows an approved-person and approved-management-plan system with permits. Anyone planning to transport wildlife, plants or products across an international border should contact the Environment and Conservation Division before making arrangements. Protected and endemic species receive particularly strict treatment. Nature-based recreation includes birdwatching, diving, snorkelling, surfing, fishing and guided forest activities. Tourism Solomons lists seven birdwatching providers and highlights about 495 coral species and 249 visible fish species. Marovo, Gizo, Munda, the Central Islands and Honiara are key areas for nature experiences, while Arnavon, Tetepare and East Rennell offer more specialised conservation and ecotourism opportunities. Surfing is generally associated with October to April. Owner consent, local guides, transport, weather and site rules can determine whether a visit is possible. Facilities and prices differ by island and provider; no uniform national nature-recreation fee was verified. Nature also involves hazards and conflicts. Tropical cyclones, heavy rainfall, floods, drought, coastal erosion, sea-level rise, saltwater intrusion, warming and coral-reef stress affect food gardens, fisheries, freshwater and biodiversity. In East Rennell, changes in Lake Tegano's level and salinity can affect taro and coconut production. Biosecurity concerns include black rats, coconut rhinoceros beetles, invasive plants, giant African snails, yellow crazy ants and red fire ants. The Renbel Biosecurity Plan was finalised in 2026, although implementation capacity remains limited. Logging, mining, agriculture, fisheries, wildlife trade, tourism infrastructure and conservation restrictions can create competing claims over land, reefs, livelihoods and cultural rights. UNESCO reported that the Lavagu-Hutuna road began without a noted environmental and social impact assessment, while a proposed East Rennell airport requires assessment and approval. The SAPOR 2302 barge grounding in 2021 left ecological and community compensation issues unresolved. West Rennell mining leases and tourism development also create continuing pressure on conservation values. Environmental impact assessment requirements arise under the Environment Act. Published fees include SBD 200 for an environmental proposal, development licence, project review or environmental impact statement; development consent fees include SBD 10,000 for logging, mining, fishing or marine products, SBD 5,000 for infrastructure and SBD 8,000 for an airport. Environmental awareness work reaches schools, communities and media. Biodiversity targets include early-childhood, primary and secondary education, while Solomon Islands National University offers natural-resource courses. School materials produced in 2024 covered marine biodiversity, pollution and sustainable seafood and were translated into Solomon Islands Pijin. Ranger monitoring, local-knowledge programmes, food-security work and conservation training are also supported by organisations including EREPA, BirdLife, UNESCO and Live & Learn.