ʙᴜɪʟᴅɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀᴘᴀᴄɪᴛʏ ᴏꜰ ᴍɴʀᴇ ꜱᴛᴀꜰꜰ ɪɴ ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱʜᴀʀɪɴɢ ɪɴᴠᴀꜱɪᴠᴇ ꜱᴘᴇᴄɪᴇꜱ ᴅᴀᴛᴀ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴀᴍᴏᴀ ɴᴀᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ɪᴀꜱ ɪɴꜰᴏʀᴍᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ꜱʏꜱᴛᴇᴍ

Representatives from the Ministry’s Division of Environment Conservation, Forestry Resources Division, Water Resources Division and ICT Division took part in a two-day training on data management and use of the Samoa National IAS Information system. The workshop took place on the 4-5 June 2026 at the MNRE Learning centre in Apia. The training was organized through the GEF-7 Samoa IAS Project currently co-implemented by the Ministry and the UNDP in Samoa, Cook Islands, Tokelau & Niue

“Invasive Species are one of the factors that negatively impact Samoa’s Biodiversity and with the IAS database, this tool will help monitor, identify and safeguard our country’s boarder from IAS. This tool will benefit the not only me but everyone who are in the fight to protect our environment from IAS” said the MNRE Terrestrial Biodiversity Conservation Officer, Mr Alfred Peters.

The IAS Information system is focused on Strengthening decision-making, improving cost effective management, furthering baseline information on the status and local distribution of invasive species, and strengthening risk assessment processes. The training focused on building the capability of the Ministry’s environment and biodiversity conservation practitioners in updating the National IAS information System with data specific to Samoa including detailed information on both established pests and pests with high risk of invasive probability.

The system provides scientific information on each known invasive species and pest found in the country, their impacts and established range within the country through an interactive map feature. The “Report a Sighting” feature will enable the public to report on any novel species which should be reported to authorities as they might be harmful pests that have newly arrived and should be acted on. The “Report a Sighting” feature will also assist the Ministry of Natural Resources & Environment (MNRE) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) in the activation and implementation of the Samoa Invasive Species Emergency Response Plan (SISERP) 2025-2030.

The Information system is housed under the Ministry of Natural Resources & Environment and managed by the Ministry’s ICT Division and the Division of Environment Conservation. The Ministry would like to acknowledge once again, the technical support from the Samoa National Invasive Species Task Team (SNITT) in the review and finalization of the IAS information system.