Up until the 1990’s, ocean areas within Tonga were declared as open access for all Tongans, in the hopes of allowing everyone equal and fair sharing of its resources. Over the years this caused a serious downfall in the status…
Vava'u Environmental Protection Association
Conservation – Education – Community – Future
Welcome: Malo e lelei
Our Mission Vava’u Environmental Protection Association (VEPA) is dedicated to the conservation of Vava’u’s natural beauty through educational awareness, sustainable development and collaboration. Taumu’a Ngaue Ko e Malu’i pe Tauhi ko ia ‘o e ‘Atakai ‘o Vava’u pe koe…
Current Projects
VEPA designs and co-ordinates its projects to ensure ownership by the communities of their environment and ecosystems. We engage all social groups within communities in Vava’u through media and education, hands on projects, as well as collaboration with National Government…
Support Our Programs
All of the projects we run at VEPA are designed with community involvement from the start through to the completion and ongoing monitoring. Donations to VEPA are spent directly and wholly on conservation and awareness based programs.
Latest News
Beyond the Reef: Ocean Areas
Malo e lelei we are excited to introduce a new Ocean themed awareness campaign that will be soothing the radio waves over the next few months as well as being posted on bogs and websites. In order to ensure the…
Fakamuna- An interview with nQako Concepts.
Story and photos by Aneira Hasson…. “I chose this design based on what Tongan’s call ‘tauhi vā’, which is the idea of special awareness. The coconut leaves of the structure are bound – similar to how a traditional Tongan house…
Reducing the Plastic Footprint in Vava’u Communities
INTRODUCTION The Vava’u Environmental Protection Association (VEPA) is a NGO based in Neiafu, Vava’u dedicated to the conservation of biodiversity, increasing community knowledge of environmental issues and securing sustainable livelihoods for future generations. VEPA operates a range of terrestrial and…
Beyond the Reef: Ngaahi ‘elia ‘o e ‘Oseni
Ngaahi ‘elia ‘o e ‘Oseni ‘I he’etau hiki atu mei he ngaahi matafanga pea mo e ngaahi nofo’anga hakau feo ‘I he tahi mamaha, tongo pea mo e ngaahi ‘elia matatahi, ‘oku liliu ‘e ‘oseni hono fotunga ha mai (maama(…
Beyond the Reef: Ocean Layers
As we leave the shorelines and the shallow water habitats of coral reefs, mangroves and intertidal zones, the ocean changes its physical (light (photic), temperature and pressure) as well as biological and ecological characteristics. Within the deep ocean there are…
