Lake Lanoto'o

Lake Lanoto'o National Park protects three volcanic crater lakes in the central highlands of Upolu: Lanoto'o, Lanoata'ata and Lanoanea, surrounded by marsh and forest^[1]. The park covers 470 hectares in the Tuamasaga district, with Apia as the nearest city^[1]. It is also Ramsar site number 1412^[2].

The lakes are home to endangered birds such as the manumea (tooth-billed pigeon) and the mao, together with endemics including the Samoan starling, Samoan whistler, Samoan broadbill and Samoan triller^[2]. Other birds recorded include the Pacific black duck, spotless crake, red-headed parrotfinch, crimson-crowned fruit dove and flat-billed kingfisher^[1]. Goldfish have been introduced into Lake Lanoto'o^[1].

Marsh and forest ring the highland crater lakes^[1]. The endangered Samoan bush palm (Clinostigma samoense) grows at the site, and the Ramsar sheet calls the lakes one of the few remaining near-pristine crater lakes in the Samoas biogeographic region^[2].

The three lakes sit in volcanic craters in the central highlands of Upolu^[1].

Samoa has a tropical oceanic climate, with heavy rain from November to April, the months when cyclones are most likely^[3]. Cyclones Ofa (1990), Val (1991) and Heta (2004) caused major damage in the park^[1].

The surrounding land is used for cattle farms and small-scale plantations^[2]. The lakes feed the headwaters of the Fuluasou river system, an important water source for Apia, and also supply water to the south-west side of Upolu^[2].

The park was established on 29 May 2003 under the National Parks and Reserves Act 1974^[1]. It was designated a Ramsar wetland of international importance on 10 July 2004^[2]. It holds IUCN Category II status and is governed by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment^[1].

The attraction is the group of three crater lakes in cloud-forested highlands, with their birdlife^[1].

The park lies in the central highlands of Upolu, about 18 km from Apia, in the Tuamasaga district^[2].

The park is part of a larger 8,500-hectare catchment above Apia that includes the Vaisigano and Fuluasou sub-catchments^[2]. It protects habitat for the endangered manumea and mao^[2], and goldfish have been introduced into Lake Lanoto'o^[1].