The objective of the project is to preserve ecosystem services, sustain livelihoods and improve resilience in Tuvalu using a ‘ridge-to-reef’ approach. To achieve this the project focuses on:

1. Enhancing and strengthening conservation and protected areas
2. Rehabilitating degraded coastal and inland forests and landscapes and supporting the delivery of integrated water resource management (IWRM) and integrated coastal management at a national scale whilst piloting hands-on approaches at the island scale (on three selected pilot islands)
3. Enhancing governance and institutional capacities at the national, island, and community levels for enhanced inland and coastal natural resource management
4. Improving data and information systems that would enable improve evidence- based planning, decision-making, and management of natural resources in Tuvalu

The project is part of the Pacific Ridge to Reef programme on 'Pacific Islands Ridge-to-Reef National Priorities - Integrated Water, Land, Forest and Coastal Management to Preserve Ecosystem Services, Store Carbon, Improve Climate Resilience and Sustain Livelihoods.'

The project will work across the nine islands of Tuvalu on assessing natural resources status (baseline analysis and data collection), rehabilitating damaged island and coastal ecosystems including forests, and improving or developing Locally Managed Marine Areas, including Marine Protected Areas governed by the eight Kaupules and Falekaupules (Island Councils).

These activities assist in the recovery of degraded corals and breeding of fish populations. By the end of the five year implementation, the project aims to:

• increase and enhance Tuvalu’s Locally Managed Marine Areas, including Marine Protected Areas, by 15% with nine formalized community management systems of marine conservation areas across nine islands equipped with functional management plans;
• enhance and/or develop a centralized GIS database system on biodiversity, natural resources, and governance systems;
• implement sustainable land management interventions and agroforestry interventions;
• carry out remedial measures for algal bloom in Funafuti Lagoon; mainstream Ridge to Reef into national policies and Kaupule budgets;
• develop and implement national standard operational procedure on knowledge management;
• and enhance awareness and build capacities on Ridge to Reef.