This collaborative initiative focuses on co-developing culture-based environmental education programs, biodiversity research, and community science training. After a challenging 44-hour sail from Samoa, the team received a traditional welcome from the Atafu Taupulega (Council of Elders) and government ministers.
Supported by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), the initiative will use cutting-edge techniques and immersive virtual reality to create educational resources for Tokelauan schools, bridging traditional knowledge with modern conservation science.
The expedition represents a critical follow-up to research sites that haven’t been surveyed in 13-20 years, employing cutting-edge techniques including bird and invasive species monitoring, fish surveys, photogrammetry, environmental DNA sampling, and citizen science training.
