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Approximately 57% of Fiji's population are indigenous Fijian, the majority of them living in rural areas, dependent on farming for subsistence and livelihood, working on land that is held under customary law, where environmental considerations are given importance both by tradition and through government legislation. Since the early 2000s, the Fijian government has actively encouraged ecotourism initiatives in rural areas such as the Upper Navua Conservation Area (UNCA) - shifting the commercial emphasis away from commercial logging and gravel extraction towards tourism recreation activities such as whitewater rafting. Operations are structured to ensure that a portion of the revenues from such activities find their way into the local economy and help fund community projects.

This beautifully illustrated and poetic children’s book combines a fairy-tale legend with fascinating facts about fairy stones. This unique picture book shares the fantastical legend of how real-life fairy stones were formed. Woodland lore has it that the cross-shaped stones came from the solidified tears of forest fairies the day they heard that Jesus died. It’s been said that fairy stones repel witches, ghosts, goblins, ghouls, and other types of ghastly fools. The Legend of the Fairy Stones takes readers on a whimsical journey through a land of joyful fairies who combat all kinds of evil with the spirit of the fairy stones. The poetic text is paired with collage-style illustrations made from public domain art and photography. Also known as Staurolite, fairy stones form naturally all over the world. The Legend of the Fairy Stones includes educational back matter about these geological curiosities geared toward STEAM and Common Core Standards.