Communities across Vanuatu are using local knowledge and conservation programs to tackle invasive species and restore culturally important landscapes.

The work is being highlighted at the 11th Pacific Islands Conference for Nature Conservation and Protected Areas in Nouméa, New Caledonia, where Pacific leaders, conservation workers and community representatives have gathered this week.

In Vanuatu, communities, conservation rangers, government agencies and regional partners are working together to manage invasive species threatening forests, agricultural land, waterways and native biodiversity.

At the Nusumetu Community Conservation Site on Tanna Island, communities from the Naka area of North Tanna are restoring a landscape with ecological and cultural significance.

Nusumetu was identified as a priority ecological site under the community's management plan and selected to pilot invasive species management aimed at improving ecosystem health and supporting the return of native species.

The area is also connected to the sacred "white-spotted yam" story, which has helped guide protection of the forest across generations.

Vanuatu Department of Environment Biosafety and Invasive Species Officer, Mimosa Bethel, said invasive species remained a major threat to biodiversity and livelihoods.

"Invasive species are one of the biggest threats to Vanuatu's biodiversity and the livelihoods of our people," Ms Bethel said.

"By sharing knowledge and working together, we have strengthened our ability to control and manage these pests before they cause lasting damage."

The work at Nusumetu has been supported by a wider network of community conservation rangers from across Vanuatu.

Rangers from several provinces have taken part in the PRISMSS Resilient Ecosystems, Resilient Communities Rangers Network Exchange Programme, sharing experiences and developing invasive species management plans for their conservation areas.

Training has covered invasive weed management, site restoration, predator control and community engagement while combining traditional ecological knowledge with conservation science.

Communities are often among the first to notice environmental changes, giving them an important role in detecting and managing invasive species.

Ms Bethel said the work also contributed to broader environmental and community resilience.

"Invasive species management is not simply a conservation activity," she said.

"For us in Vanuatu, it is a Nature-based Solution that helps restore ecosystem functions, supports the return of native species, strengthens resilience to climate change and safeguards our cultural and natural values that communities depend on.

"When communities lead these efforts, the benefits extend far beyond biodiversity and contribute directly to stronger, more resilient landscapes and livelihoods."

Traditional ecological knowledge from community Elders, customary landowners, women and young people is also being combined with scientific approaches to guide restoration.

Ms Bethel said both systems had an important role in conservation.

"Science provides us with the tools and evidence to understand invasive species and their impacts, while traditional knowledge provides the context, history and connection to place that helps guide successful action," she said.

"When these two systems work together, communities are better equipped to protect their biodiversity and strengthen their resilience."

At Nusumetu, community members are combining cultural values and local stewardship with invasive weed management to restore areas identified under the management plan.

PRISMSS is led by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme in partnership with Vanuatu's Department of Environment Protection and Conservation.

The program provides training, technical support, equipment and other resources to help communities manage invasive weeds threatening native forests and biodiversity.

The approach reflects key themes of the 11th Pacific Islands Conference for Nature Conservation, including community leadership, nature-based solutions, biodiversity conservation and the use of traditional knowledge in environmental management.

Vanuatu's community-led programs show how invasive species management can restore ecosystems while maintaining cultural connections and strengthening local capacity to respond to environmental change.

The 11th Pacific Islands Conference for Nature Conservation and Protected Areas is being held from September 7 to 11 at the Tjibaou Cultural Centre in Nouméa, New Caledonia.

More than 400 delegates from across the Pacific are attending the conference, which is organised by New Caledonia, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme and the Pacific Islands Roundtable for Nature Conservation with support from partners.