Protecting nature through science, partnerships and fieldwork
For over 20 years, Conservation International-Samoa has worked alongside the government, local communities and civil society to protect the nation’s ocean and biodiversity.
As a partner in the Samoa Ocean Strategy, Conservation International-Samoa is supporting the nation's vision to conserve 30 percent of its ocean and ensure 100 percent sustainable management.
Conservation International-Samoa partners with the Samoa Voyaging Society and Ministry of Education to deliver environmental education, using traditional voyaging to inspire young people as stewards of Samoa’s ocean. We also support sustainable finance initiatives, strengthening local fisheries and helping Indigenous and local communities build climate resilience.
On land, Conservation International-Samoa is assessing the impacts of climate change on upland forest ecosystems and working to stop deforestation in the Samoan cloud forest — home to the critically endangered tooth-billed pigeon, Samoa’s national bird. Protecting these vital ecosystems ensures a future for Samoa’s rich biodiversity and the communities that depend on it.
By integrating science, culture and policy, Conservation International-Samoa is helping the people of Samoa protect their natural heritage for generations to come.
2006
YEAR FOUNDED
5M
METRIC TONS
of irrecoverable carbon in Samoa1
10
VERTEBRATE SPECIES
that are endemic to Samoa2
99
SQUARE KILOMETERS
of marine protected areas within Samoa’s waters3
Areas we work
A strategy of protection and sustainability for Samoa’s waters
Launched in 2020, the Samoa Ocean Strategy (SOS) is a national policy framework created by and for the people of Samoa to protect 30 percent of the country’s seas and ensure sustainable management of its marine resources.
Alongside the national government and the Waitt Foundation, Conservation International-Samoa has been instrumental in the development and implementation of the SOS, including securing financing to support the long-term health of the initiative.
The SOS has driven major conservation milestones, including the recent release of Samoa’s first Marine Spatial Plan — a landmark strategy to sustainably manage Samoa’s 120,000-square-kilometer Exclusive Economic Zone. The plan establishes an ocean management framework that fully protects 30 percent of Samoa’s waters through a network of marine protected areas while ensuring that sustainable economic activities like fishing and tourism can continue.
References
- Conservation International (2021, November). Irrecoverable Carbon. Retrieved January 2025, from https://www.conservation.org/irrecoverable-carbon
- The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. (2024). Table 8a: Total, threatened, and EX & EW endemic species in each country [Fact sheet]. https://www.iucnredlist.org/resources/summary-statistics#Summary%20Tables
- 30x30 SkyTruth. (2024, October). Marine Conservation Coverage. https://30x30.skytruth.org/progress-tracker?layers=6,144,7,145&settings=%7B%2522bbox%2522:%5B-167.96,-61.4,167.96,61.4%5D,%2522labels%2522:true%7D