A reforestation programme has seen the planting of Lakeba's hills (formerly partially denuded by deforestation) with Caribbean pine (Pinus caribea) trees.

The head of this clan takes the title of Tui Nayau, and is the Paramount Chief of the Lau Islands.

Lakeba lies on a historical faultline between Fiji and Tonga, and Tongan influence is seen in many aspects of Lakeban culture.

Large enough to house 2,500 people (more than the total population of the island), the fortress is believed to have been built as a bulwark against Tongan invaders.

Terrestrial mammals, not originally native, have been introduces as livestock or stowaways, and today the island has horses, pigs, cattle, dogs, cats, and Polynesian (Rattus exulans) as well as black rats (R.

Quite commonly seen are the white-rumped swiftlet (Collocalia spodiopygia), Polynesian starling, (Aplonis tabuensis, either the West Fijian subspecies vitiensis or the subspecies tabuensis from the southern Lau group and Tonga), Vanikoro flycatcher (Myiagra vanikorensis), and the slaty monarch (Mayrornis lessoni) which is endemic to Fiji.

The collared lory (Phigys solitarius), endemic to Fiji in modern times, also frequents this habitat, but is a rather rare species on Lakeba.

A hitherto undescribed Gallirallus rail also inhabited Lakeba and Aiwa in the past; as this bird was flightless it represents an endemic species.

[2] However, on Aiwa a single bone was found, probably referrable either to the Viti Levu scrubfowl (M. amissus) or the pile-builder megapode (M. molistructor); the latter species occurred on Tonga and New Caledonia, while the former, which lived on Viti Levu and perhaps Kadavu of the western group of Fiji, possibly survived to modern times.

In addition, there remains a batch of songbird bones from several species that have not been identified; these might be of birds not found on Lakeba anymore but it is not too likely that they contain any entirely extinct forms.

Peale's imperial pigeon (Ducula latrans), the Southwest Pacific peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus nesiotes) and the Fiji shrikebill (Clytorhynchus vitiensis) breed on much smaller Aiwa but not on Lakeba; though no bones of these species have been found here to date, it is likely that they formerly occurred on Lakeba too.

[2] The former upland forest was largely cleared after the initial settlement to make room for agriculture; only about 5 km2 (1.9 sq mi) of it remain.

longisepala, Dysoxylum tenuiflorum, Elatostema tenellum, Eragrostis scabriflora, Ficus fulvo-pilosa, Ficus masonii, Geissois ternata, Geniostoma uninervium, Glochidion seemannii, Homalium pallidum, Maniltoa floribunda, Melicope cucullata, Melochia vitiensis, Myristica gillespieana, Phaleria pubiflora, Polyalthia laddiana and Psychotria cf.

Plants tentatively identified as the Fijian endemics Barringtonia seaturae, Citronella vitiensis, Cyathocalyx insularis and Elaeocarpus storckii grow on Lakeba, but whether it is really these species requires confirmation.