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Panel 8. Paper 8.3: Address Flood Threats To Protect Rural Landscape Heritage And Enhance Cultural Tourism, Dexell Aita, Diane Menzies

ISCCL Scientific Symposia and Annual General Meetings // Symposiums scientifiques et assemblées générales annuelles de l'ISCCL // Simposios científicos yy las Asambleas Generales Anuales

Apia has repeatedly been hit by floods exacerbated by climate change. Apia is the capital of the small island nation of Samoa, in the Pacific. The floods from three watersheds start high in the steep rural areas through which the streams traverse. The streams become rushing torrents, destroying the subsistence farms, soils, homes, crops and properties upstream. Downstream flooding impacts buildings, businesses and tourism in the small city as well as the ecology of the harbour, through repeated silt deposits.

A flood management project, which binds Fa’a Samoa, (Samoan cultural practices) to technical landscape management practice, can also lead to …