Abstract The wetlands of 21 countries and territories of the Pacific Islands region are reviewed: American Samoa, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Wallis and Futuna. The regions’ wetlands are classified into seven systems: coral reefs, seagrass beds, mangrove swamps, riverine, lacustrine, freshwater swamp forests and marshes.
Executive Summary
This report is presented in 4 chapters.
Chapter 1 provides background on the process of developing the Cook Island
National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP). The Cook Islands was one
of the first countries to commit to the CBD by signing it at the Earth Summit in 1992,
and the Cook Island National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) was
one of the first to be completed for the Pacific Region. This in itself was a positive
step towards implementation of the CBD. The NBSAP was prepared based on
Summary of Wetland Situation
There are four main types of wetlands in the Cook Islands:
• Freshwater marshes and swamps: on Rarotonga, Mangaia, Atiu, Mitiaro and Mauke.
• Permanent freshwater lakes: Lake Tiriara on Mangaia, Lake Tiroto on Atiu, and Lake Rotonui and
Lake Rotoiti on Mitiaro.
• Tidal salt marsh: at Ngatangiia Harbour on Rarotonga.
• Mountain streams: on Rarotonga.
There are no mangroves in the islands.
Cook Islands 2011 Census of Agriculture and Fisheries
1988 Agricultural Census - Main Results
is country report is prepared as a contribution to the FAO publication, The Report on the State of the World’s Forest Genetic Resources. The content and the structure are in accordance with the recommendations and guidelines given by FAO in the document Guidelines for Preparation of Country Reports for the State of the World’s Forest Genetic Resources (2010). These guidelines set out recommendations for the objective, scope and structure of the country reports.
FAO Global Forest Resources Assessment 2010 COUNTRY REPORT
RAROTONGA Cloud Forest Ecosystems Synthesis Report, Key Findings and Recommendations 2015
Cook Islands Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2002. Cook Islands Government’s support of this biodiversity strategy and action plan, and we will be forming appropriate committees to escalate biodiversity conservation in the Cook Islands.
Cook Islands 4th National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity 2011
CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT AND RESTORATION PLAN FOR RAROTONGA CLOUD FOREST ECOSYSTEMS, COOK ISLANDS Contract Report No. 3567 January 2016. Prepared for National Environment Service Cook Islands Government Avarua Rarotonga
Report to the Government of the Cook Islands on Invasive Plant Species of Environmental Concern James C. Space and Tim Flynn U.S.D.A. Forest Service Pacific Southwest Research Station Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry Honolulu, Hawai‘i, USA 8 November 2002
Baseline Study for the Pacific Hazardous Waste Management Project - Healthcare Waste Whole of Project – Summary Report 2014
REVIEW OF REGIONAL E-WASTE RECYCLING Including a Model Product Stewardship Approach for Pacific Island Nations July 2013
Cook Islands Census of Agriculture and Fisheries 2000
This document was approved by the Cabinet of the Cook Islands Government on 6th March 2020 (CM (20) 060).