National Trust of Fiji Islands

17/08/2026

🌿 W**D WARRIORS AT THE DUNES 🌿

159 invasive plants pulled. 31 young rangers. One forest breathing a little easier.

On Saturday 15 August, our HiYH Trainees traded pens for hand spades and headed deep into the Driodrio Forest at Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park on a mission: hunt down the asparagus fern quietly choking out our native trees.

But before the digging started, the day began with a simple question: what does the word "invasive" even mean to you? Trouble. Bad. Pest. W**d. Something that causes harm. Turns out our Trainees already knew — and that's exactly the instinct we want conservationists to trust.

After a native-vs-invasive showdown game, a lecture, and a National Geographic deep-dive into invasive species wreaking havoc worldwide, it was time to get hands dirty. Guided by Senior Ranger Ranadi of our Kiwa invasive species team, four teams — Sese, Manu, Kikau and Reba — combed the forest floor, learning the ranger technique of softening the soil to pull each w**d out roots and all.

The final tally? 🏆 159 asparagus fern removed — Team Sese leading the charge with 55!

The day wrapped with our Trainees turning what they'd learned into art — bold "Voices for Plants" posters now lining our Learning Gallery walls.

🌍 Why this matters for climate change

It's easy to think of invasive species and climate change as separate problems. They're not.

Warmer temperatures and disrupted weather patterns help invasive plants spread faster and further, often outcompeting native species that are slower to adapt.
Healthy native forests are carbon sinks — every asparagus fern choking out a native tree is one less leaf pulling carbon out of our atmosphere.
At the Sand Dunes specifically, native vegetation holds the dune system together, buffering our coastline against the erosion, storm surge, and sea-level rise that climate change is making worse. Losing native plants here doesn't just hurt biodiversity — it weakens our natural defence against a changing climate.
Resilient ecosystems are our best climate adaptation tool. A forest full of diverse native species can bounce back from drought, storms, and disease far better than one dominated by a single invasive w**d.

So when our Trainees dig out 159 w**ds by hand, they're not just tidying a forest — they're actively defending a natural climate buffer for the whole Nadroga coastline.

This is what climate action looks like when you're 10 years old and holding a hand spade. 💚

📍 Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park 🤝 Proudly supported by the Kiwa Initiative – Building Coastal Resilience: Dune Ecosystem 🌱 National Trust of Fiji | Heritage in Young Hands

**dWarriors

07/08/2026

🌿 Waisali Community Restores Scenic Lookout in Clean-Up Effort 🌿

From Wednesday through to Friday, Senior Ranger Lekima and a dedicated team of youths from the Waisali community joined forces to restore the scenic rest stop near the Waisali Rainforest Reserve Outpost.

Perched high in the mountains, the lookout offers travellers breathtaking views across seemingly endless forests. However, despite being marked as a scenic viewpoint, the area had become overgrown and was increasingly being used as an illegal dumping site.

Armed with cane knives, garbage bags, and plenty of community spirit, the volunteers cleared overgrown vegetation and collected large amounts of rubbish. All waste was transported and properly disposed of at the Savusavu rubbish tip, helping return the site to the beautiful lookout it was intended to be.

💬 "It is sad to see rubbish here because this area is part of our landowning community and also a protected area," said Lekima. "The rubbish reflects the littering challenge we face. We ask everyone who stops here to be respectful, enjoy the view, and leave no trace of their presence."

Demonstrating his commitment to the area, Lekima has also volunteered to include the scenic rest stop in his regular grass-cutting rounds outside the reserve fence, even though the roadside area falls under the responsibility of the Fiji Roads Authority (FRA). The site has been overgrown for several years, contributing to its use as a dumping ground.

👏 The National Trust of Fiji acknowledges and sincerely thanks the Waisali community volunteers for their support and hard work throughout the two-day clean-up. Their efforts are a powerful example of community stewardship and pride in protecting Fiji's natural heritage.

The Waisali Forest is home to unique plants and wildlife and remains one of Fiji's important protected areas. Keeping places like this clean and beautiful is a responsibility we all share.

🌏 Enjoy the view. Respect the place. Take only photographs and leave only footprints.

🌿🇫🇯

01/08/2026

Thank you Tourism Fiji for this wonderful commemoration and for showcasing the amazing work our rangers do.

Thank you so much Ranadi and our fellow rangers in Fiji, across Oceania and the world for your service and commitment.

We stand with rangers always!

30/07/2026

🌍 Happy World Ranger Day 2026
Rangers: Guardians of a Changing Planet

Today, we pause and look to the forests, mountains, rivers, oceans, deserts, wetlands, and sacred places of our world.

There, often unseen, a ranger begins another day.

Before the sun rises, they are already walking the trails, watching the tides, listening to the forest, and standing guard over the places that cannot speak for themselves. They protect endangered wildlife, safeguard cultural heritage, support communities, guide visitors, respond to threats, and care for landscapes that hold the stories of generations.

A ranger's work is not measured by applause. It is measured in healthy forests, thriving wildlife, protected heritage, and hope for the future.

To every ranger around the world, thank you.

Thank you for your courage when the path is difficult.
Thank you for your dedication when the work goes unnoticed.
Thank you for your resilience in the face of change.
Thank you for being the steady hands and watchful eyes that protect the wonders of our planet.

You are guardians of nature's beauty and keepers of humanity's shared heritage.

You remind us that conservation is not only about protecting places. It is about protecting the stories, cultures, species, and futures that depend on them.

As the world continues to change, your commitment remains a beacon of hope.

May the forests continue to whisper your footsteps.
May the oceans reflect your stewardship.
May future generations inherit a world made richer because you chose to stand and protect it.

A ranger is many things: guardian, teacher, leader, storyteller, scientist, and friend to Nature.

On this World Ranger Day, the National Trust of Fiji proudly stands with rangers everywhere and celebrates the extraordinary work you do for our planet and its people.

🌿 Vinaka Vakalevu, Rangers.
Protecting Our Planet. Inspiring Our Future.

30/07/2026

🌿 WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A RANGER

What does it mean to be a ranger?

Many people see the uniform and think a ranger's job is simply to patrol a protected area. But being a ranger is so much more.

A ranger is a guardian of nature and heritage. A ranger is an educator, sharing knowledge with school children and visitors. A ranger is a leader, working alongside communities to protect the places they call home. A ranger is a storyteller, bringing the history, culture, and natural wonders of a place to life. A ranger is a scientist, collecting information that helps guide conservation decisions. And above all, a ranger is a friend to nature.

At the National Trust of Fiji, our rangers wear many hats. One day they may be conducting biodiversity surveys in the field, the next they may be planting native trees, leading a school visit, guiding tourists, supporting community projects, monitoring wildlife, or protecting an important heritage site.

Their work is not always visible, but its impact is felt every day in the landscapes they protect and the people they inspire.

As we celebrate World Ranger Day, we thank our rangers for their dedication, resilience, and passion for conservation.

"A ranger is many things: guardian, teacher, leader, storyteller, scientist and friend to Nature."

Happy World Ranger Day to all who proudly serve as guardians of Fiji's natural and cultural heritage.

💚 Vinaka vakalevu, Rangers.

30/07/2026

🌏 WORLD RANGER DAY 2026
Rangers: Guardians of a Changing Planet

Today, on World Ranger Day, we join the global conservation community in celebrating the dedicated men and women who stand on the frontlines of protecting our planet.

This year's theme, "Rangers: Guardians of a Changing Planet," recognises the critical role rangers play in responding to some of the greatest challenges of our time, including climate change, biodiversity loss, habitat degradation, invasive species, and increasing pressures on natural and cultural heritage.

In Fiji, National Trust Rangers work across forests, wetlands, marine environments, and heritage sites to safeguard places of national significance for future generations. They monitor biodiversity, restore degraded ecosystems, support communities, provide environmental education, respond to emerging threats, and help build resilience in a rapidly changing world.

As guardians of protected areas, rangers are often the first to witness environmental change and among the first to take action. Their work reminds us that conservation is not simply about protecting places, but about protecting the people, cultures, and livelihoods that depend on them.

Today, we honour all rangers in Fiji and around the world for their courage, dedication, and unwavering commitment to caring for our shared planet.

Vinaka vakalevu to all Rangers.

🌿 Protecting Fiji's Natural and Cultural Heritage, One Day at a Time.

30/07/2026

🌿💚 Wellness Wednesday: Caring for Our Dunes, Caring for Our Community 💚🌿

On Wednesday 29 July 2026, teachers from Kulukulu Public School, National Trust of Fiji rangers, volunteers, and members of the NTF Headquarters team came together for a special Wellness Wednesday Community Clean-Up at the Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park.

While waiting for the teachers to arrive, the NTF team got an early start by collecting rubbish at the base of the dunes. Once everyone had gathered, Senior Ranger Ranadi welcomed participants and shared an important reminder about the need to keep the dunes clean and protect the park's fragile and unstable dune systems. She also explained why accessing the park from the unstable dunes is both dangerous and illegal.

Following a warm-up session led by Ranger Iliesa, participants were equipped with gloves and rubbish bags before making the climb up the majestic dunes. Along the way, everyone helped collect litter scattered across the landscape. By the end of the afternoon, the team had removed an impressive 34.30 kilograms of rubbish, most of it consisting of plastic bottles, styrofoam, food containers, and other plastic waste.

The National Trust of Fiji was pleased to welcome nine teachers from Kulukulu Public School, including Head Teacher Mr Ram, who expressed his appreciation for the dedication of the park rangers in caring for this national treasure. He noted his surprise at the amount of litter left behind after visitors had enjoyed the breathtaking scenery of the dunes.

🌱 "We teach our children to care for their environment. Yesterday, teachers and rangers led by example."

This initiative is about much more than collecting rubbish. It strengthens the growing partnership between the National Trust of Fiji and Kulukulu Public School, encourages community service, raises awareness about littering and illegal dumping, and promotes health and wellbeing through outdoor physical activity.

The clean-up also forms part of the National Trust of Fiji's Kiwa Initiative Project, "Strengthening Community Resilience and Restoration of the Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park and Surrounding Landscapes." Through community engagement activities such as this, the project is helping to build stronger partnerships with local communities, encourage environmental stewardship, and protect the dunes that play an important role in biodiversity conservation, cultural heritage preservation, and community resilience.

While school commitments may not allow teachers to participate every Wednesday, the team looks forward to joining future sessions whenever possible and continuing to support conservation efforts in their local community.

A heartfelt Vinaka Vakalevu to the teachers of Kulukulu Public School for their enthusiasm and commitment, and to Shangri-La Yanuca Island, Fiji for supporting the activity through the generous donation of gloves and garbage bags.

Together, we are building cleaner dunes, healthier communities, stronger partnerships, and a more resilient future for Fiji.

We look forward to many more Wellness Wednesday activities in the months ahead!

🌿♻️🇫🇯💚

24/07/2026

What does a ranger actually do? The real question is: what don't they do? 🌿🇫🇯

As we continue building the hype for on July 31st, we’re excited to share Episode 2 of the International Ranger Federation's special video series! 🎥✨

From biodiversity monitors and environmental educators to firefighters, search-and-rescue specialists, and cultural guardians — rangers wear countless hats every single day.

Here at home in Fiji, our National Trust of Fiji rangers carry that exact same multi-faceted passion. Whether they are:

🏖️ Safeguarding ancient Lapita archaeological sites and native dry forests at the Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park

🦎 Protecting critically endangered endemic species like the Fijian Crested Iguana at Yadua Taba

🌳 Leading community tree-planting efforts and mentoring our Junior Park Rangers

🌊 Preserving Fiji’s rich natural and cultural heritage for future generations
..our rangers are on the frontlines every day, standing up for our land, ocean, and communities.

Check out Episode 2: Roles of a Ranger to see the incredible skill, courage, and dedication rangers bring to their work across the globe 🌏👇

Let’s show our rangers some love as July 31 approaches! Leave a 💚 in the comments to stand with our rangers in Fiji and around the world.

What are the roles of Rangers? What do rangers do?

The better question might be... what doesn't a ranger do?

Every day, rangers take on an extraordinary range of responsibilities to protect nature, wildlife and people. They are:

🌍 Conservationists
🦏 Wildlife protectors
🚒 Firefighters
🚑 First responders
📊 Scientists and biodiversity monitors
🎓 Environmental educators
🤝 Community partners
🐾 Wildlife rescuers
🚁 Search and rescue specialists
🌱 Habitat restoration practitioners
📋 Law enforcement officers
💚 Champions for our planet

No two days are ever the same, but one thing remains constant: rangers are on the frontlines, working tirelessly to safeguard the natural and cultural heritage we all depend on.

As we build towards on 31 July, take a moment to discover the many roles rangers play in protecting our changing world.

🎥 Watch Episode 2: Roles of a Ranger here:
http://www.internationalrangers.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Episode-2-Roles-of-a-Ranger.mp4

This World Ranger Day, let's recognise not only the dedication of rangers, but the incredible diversity of skills, knowledge and courage they bring to their work every single day.

💚 Stand with the world's rangers.

23/07/2026

🤭 This post is a little overdue, but good stories are always worth telling.

🌿🇫🇯 One Team, One National Trust 🇫🇯🌿

For five days, from 6–10 July, the Reverend Jovilisi Meo Hall at the Jovili Meo Mission Centre (JMMC) within Pasifika Communities University (PCU) in Suva became more than just a meeting venue. It became a place of reflection, learning, planning, and reconnection as the National Trust of Fiji family gathered for our Annual Staff Workshop.

From the rugged slopes of Yadua Taba Crested Iguana Sanctuary 🦎, to the lush forests of Waisali Rainforest Reserve 🌳, the quiet refuge of Nakanacagi Bat Sanctuary 🦇, the shifting landscapes of Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park 🏜️, the historic grounds of Momi Battery Historical Park 🏛️, the vast wilderness of the Sovi Basin Protected Area 🌿, the heritage heart of the Levuka Community Centre ⛪, and our Headquarters team 🏢—staff travelled from across Fiji to come together as one team.

This year's workshop carried special significance as it was our first annual gathering under the leadership of our new Director. It provided an important opportunity for him to share his vision for the National Trust of Fiji—one rooted in teamwork, strong communication, accountability, continuous improvement, and a shared commitment to protecting Fiji's natural and cultural heritage.

The first two days were dedicated to storytelling from the field. Rangers and staff took turns sharing updates from their sites, highlighting achievements, discussing the work being undertaken on the ground, and openly sharing the challenges that continue to test conservation and heritage management efforts.

These presentations sparked meaningful discussions. While our sites differ greatly in geography, biodiversity, and heritage values, many of the challenges we face are remarkably similar. Through these conversations, our Director and staff identified common strengths, shared opportunities, and practical solutions.

Most importantly, we were reminded of a simple but powerful truth: 💚 We are all on the same team.

A success at one site is a success for the entire National Trust. A challenge at one site should never be faced alone.

Group work followed, allowing staff to identify priorities, gaps, solutions, and opportunities for greater collaboration and support across our network of protected and heritage sites.

Wednesday and Thursday turned our attention to the future as we began developing our 2026–2027 work plans. Rangers started by presenting plans for their own sites before moving around the room to review and contribute to the plans of others. The process encouraged cross-pollination of ideas and highlighted opportunities to work together more intentionally.

This means more collaboration. More site-hopping. More island-hopping. More sharing of expertise, skills, and experiences.

And that is exactly what we want.

Because when we work together, we share successes 🎉, share challenges 💪, exchange knowledge 🧠, and strengthen each other along the way. Most importantly, we grow together as a stronger National Trust of Fiji 🌿🇫🇯.

Several key themes emerged as priorities for the new financial year:

🔹 Site Maintenance
🔹 Data Management
🔹 Visibility
🔹 Ranger Capacity
🔹 Technology

These priorities will guide our efforts as we continue strengthening our sites, our staff, and the services we provide to communities, visitors, partners, and future generations.

After four days of presentations, planning, discussions, and strategy sessions, Friday was reserved for something equally important—team bonding. It was a chance to laugh together, strengthen relationships, and celebrate the people behind the work.

As everyone departed the Reverend Jovilisi Meo Hall and began their journeys back to their sites across Fiji, they carried with them more than just workshop notes and work plans. They left with renewed purpose, fresh ideas, and a stronger appreciation that no matter where we work, we are connected by a common mission.

🌺 One National Trust. One Team. One Shared Responsibility to protect Fiji's natural and cultural heritage for present and future generations. 🌏💚

🇫🇯🌿🦎🦇🏛️🌳✨