By Tupuola Terry Tavita

The Catholic Church has agreed to allocate over 1,500 acres of Church land up at Malololelei and Lepiu for a national reserve.

According to Church spokesman, Fr. Penitito Mauga, negotiations are well underway with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to this end.

“Over a thousand acres in the water catchment area will be given to government, but tied to certain conditions including compensation. Another 500 acres and more – which is identified as crucial watershed areas including gullies and waterways – will be held in a Trusteeship between government and the Church.�?

“The fear is governments come and go and the Trust is a necessary safeguard that the land remains under its intended purpose.�?

Father Penitito said the Church is aware of the importance of the Malololelei catchment area, particularly, to the Afulilo reservoir downhill from there.

“Afulilo supplies water to the whole of the town area. Malololei has to be reserved to ensure a reliable supply of water to Afulilo for years to come.

“There are also pockets of native woods like Ifilele and Tava up there that the Church wants to protect. As well as birdlife sanctuaries and the area’s unique ecosystem.�?

The Catholic Church owns over 2000 acres of land in the Malolelei catchment area.

“It is land that was ceded to the Church by the surrounding villages around about the 1850s, shortly after the Church arrived in 1845. The first priests who came here had conservation and botanical inclinations.�?

Government is also negotiating with the Methodist Church who also own tracts of land at nearby Lake Lanoto’o.

A submission is expected to be submitted to Parliament for its approval soon.

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