“True conservation lives in the heart of the iTaukei identity. It is who you are.”
These were the sentiments shared by the Minister for Information, Environment and Climate Change Hon. Lynda Tabuya, while speaking at the closing of the Divisional Natural Resource Owners Subcommittee Workshop in Nadi today (30:01: 2026.)
The two-day workshop brought together representatives from Ba, Ra, Nadroga, and Navosa provinces to discuss national environmental frameworks, climate adaptation strategies, and community-led conservation initiatives.
Hon. Tabuya emphasised that conservation is a sacred responsibility of custodians of land and sea, and that this responsibility does not disappear when funding ends or visitors stop coming.
“You are not beneficiaries of conservation. You are its leaders,” Hon. Tabuya stressed.
“The future of Fiji’s environment will not be decided in conference rooms alone. It will be decided in villages. In yavusa meetings. In the choices you make every day about land, sea, and legacy.
“Your traditional knowledge is not history, it is wisdom. The tabu system, rotational harvesting, and seasonal closures are not old ways. They are proven ways. And our role as government is not to replace them, but to stand beside you and strengthen them.”
During the workshop, participants raised concerns over the need for genuine representation of resource owners, confirmation of traditional titles, stronger yaubula governance, and a better balance between conservation measures and community livelihoods.
“We will work to ensure genuine resource owner representation at national decision-making tables. We will work to make green finance and funding accessible, not intimidating. We will ensure conservation is integrated into development, not treated as an afterthought. And we will insist that conservation always respects livelihoods, consent, and dignity.
“But partnership is a two-way path.”
The Minister urged leaders not to wait for the government to arrive with solutions, calling on them to organize themselves, document their practices, and be clear about their needs.
“When you do this, you empower us to support you properly.”
“Because this is not just about policy. Your children are watching. They are watching to see whether the reefs will still be alive. Whether mangroves will still stand guard. Whether forests will still shelter rivers. Whether Fiji will still feel like home.
“So let this workshop not be an ending, but a beginning. A beginning of stronger partnerships. A beginning of empowered resource owners. A beginning of conservation shaped from the ground up.”