Vanuatu is a small country that is developing fast and so local natural environment is susceptible to degradation to habitat modification to development. The increasing deforestation for settlements and gardening increasing into watershed areas and basins that freshwater ecosystem, the streams and rivers of the isalnds are drying up. Thesw watershed areas are shared boundaries of landholders and land users. In Efate Island the upland areas which is a basin of main water supply for the main town of Port Vila is showing decline in running which could be a problem of sedimentation into water sources or a natural recharging failure.

The project is to mobilise local communities whom are main land users and holders within the watershed to implement environmental friendly activities at the local grass roots that support the protection of Watershed areas on Efate, the ELMA Initiative.