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Kula Eco Park works in cooperation with The National Trust for Fiji, The Endangered Species Recovery Council of San Diego, The Parks Board of New South Wales, Australia, is a Full Institutional Member of The Australasian Regional Association of Zoological Parks & Aquaria, an Honorary Associate of the Royal Zoological Society of South Australia and has been presented the "Excellence in Tourism" award for Best Attraction in Fiji a number of times.
Imagine, if you will, a cool green forest nestled in a small valley. A stream wanders between the trees, making its way through the valley to the Pacific Ocean. Trees bearing strange fruits, nuts and blossoms have names like Dawa, Ivi, Vutu and Vesi and tower above the valley floor filtering the sun. The banks of the stream are dotted with brightly colored flowers and shrubs.
As you wander over the many bridges spanning the sparkling ribbon of water, you're greeted by the call of barking pigeons, the shrill of honey eaters and the constant, pulsing concert of unseen forest dwellers. This is the South Pacific. This is the wild side of Fiji and you've arrived at Kula Eco Park.
The helpful front desk staff will greet you on arrival and offer to explain just what they are achieving at Kula Eco Park. The reception building houses displays of insects, butterflies & moths and a host of Fiji's wonderful sea shells. Just outside on the patio you'll meet a bunch of friendly residents including "Baby", the Kadavu red breasted musk parrot. You'll have the chance of a photo session with parrots and iguanas that actually enjoy posing for you! Then it’s off along the wooden walkway and into the forest!
The forest boasts many streams, a river, and various indigenous flora and fauna which has been the source for food, medicine, clothing, tools, shelter, and many other resources for the Fijian people for centuries. The park is open to tourists, as well as anyone that enjoys observing, learning, and participating in the conservation of Fiji's natural environment.
Fabulous Fijian tropical trees and plants hold secrets of healing that have been passed down from generation to generation. Plants that have for centuries been the suppliers of food, medicine, clothing, colors or dyes, tools, shelter, fuel, drugs, cooking utensils, candy, weapons, beauty products and birth control.
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Here is an opportunity to get close to nature without getting your feet dirty
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The Park also focuses on compiling records of various flora and fauna, so that future generations will be able to identify, find sustainable use for, preserve, and eventually pass on their knowledge. Certain methods have been adopted, or are in the process of adoption, in order to achieve the above goals. Those methods include the documentation of flora found within their boundaries, the creation of a flora information database, and the creation of habitats in order to learn and research about the various species and protect from endangerment.
Fiji's wildlife is very limited; the Flying Fox Fruit Bat is Fiji's only naturally occurring living land mammal. The rest of Fiji's wildlife is composed of birds, reptiles, and insects. Past mistakes, such as introducing species into the Fijian habitat has caused serious decline in the wildlife population.
Kula Eco Park offers free classes to any child in Fiji. These classes are conducted with the goal of educating the local children in the importance of conserving the beautiful environment which they call home. Kula Eco Park gives the students a chance to spend a day with them exploring the environment, and learn how "everything fits together."
The classes consist of an introduction to the ecosystem; the importance of wildlife and the role in which it plays in the environment; a discussion of pollution, habitat damage and urbanization; and a question and answer session where the children get to ask their own questions and voice their own ideas.
So far, the Park's efforts at sustainable ecotourism have been successful. They have recently been involved in the captive breeding of Fiji's peregrine falcon and crested iguana. In addition, the education program for school children has seen the "graduation" of over a thousand members
Kula Eco Park is contributing not only to the preservation of Fiji’s flora and fauna but is also assisting in ensuring that age-old medicinal knowledge is retained for future generations.
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