Location: Saipan, CNMI
NOAA Coral Reef Management
Fellowship Program 2008-2010
Saipan, Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands
Kathleen M. Herrmann, MMA
February 27, 2009
Location: Saipan & Rota, CNMICNMI is a chain of 14 tropical islands in the Western Pacific totaling less than 185 square miles, but stretching over 375 miles north to south.
Fellow Coordinates between three local agencies & NOAA: Division of Environmental Quality (DEQ),Coastal Resources Management Office (CRM),Division of Fish and Wildlife (DFW)
• Watershed Planning
• Capacity Building
• Education & Outreach
• Socioeconomic Monitoring
• Professional Development
Fellowship Goals
Targeting Behavior Change Strategies in CNMI• Serve as Project Coordinator• Assist in Conference Planning• Link to SEM-Pacifika Goals
Talakhaya Watershed Revegetation Project• Serve as Watershed Coordinator• Facilitate Project Logistics• Conduct Education & Outreach• Measure Effectiveness for Micronesia Challenge
Talakhaya Watershed Revegetation Project
Talakhaya Revegetation ProjectLuta LivelihoodsOrientation Training Community Planting FestivalOver 31,000 grass and tree
seedlings planted in 2008Coconut Fiber Pilot ProjectFuture plans
Continued Marine Monitoring Restart Water Quality
Monitoring Vegetation Transect Lines to
measure survival
Watershed Inventories• Gather data on local watersheds• Bring in experts for training on land based pollution • Work with NOAA PSC to develop NPS pollution and erosion comparison tool and the Habitat Priority Planner
Laolao Bay Economic, Laolao Bay Economic, Recreational, Cultural and Recreational, Cultural and Historical ValuesHistorical ValuesDiverse coral reef and marine ecosystemTourism – important dive site (>100 divers/day)Recreation & fishingTurtle nesting habitatHistoric sites and medicinal plants
Conservation Action Plan (CAP) and the Micronesia Challenge • Finalize CAP• Link goals to fellowship projects
Threats Identified in CAP ProcessThreats Across Targets Vegetation Coral Macroinvertebrates Fish Turtles
Overall Threat RankProject-specific threats 1 2 3 4 5
1 Runoff - High Medium Low Low Medium
2Large scale disturbance
- High Medium Low - Medium
3 Lack of herbivory - High - Low - Medium
4 Fire High - - - - Medium
5 Invasive species High - - - - Medium
6Poaching (Lack of Enforcement)
- - Medium Low Medium Medium
7 Beach Activities Low - - - Medium Low
8 Overharvesting - - Low Medium - Low
9 Development Medium - - - - Low
10Anthropogenic Light Sources
- - - - Low Low
11 Lack of baseline data - - - - Low Low
12Loss of Foraging Habitat
- - - - Low Low
13 Habitat Loss - - - - - -
Threat Status for Targets and Project
High High Medium Low Medium Medium
CAP Results to date:Completed One Year
WorkplanIncluded workplan in
NOAA CRI GrantAllowed CNMI to submit
proposal for NOAA/Obama Stimulus Package
Watershed Intern Mentoring• Host an intern each summer to train them for a future environmental career• Assist them in completing a project
LaoLao Bay Land-Based Sources of Pollution Local Action Strategy• Conduct Socioeconomic Monitoring• Assist in watershed efforts
Education and Outreach
Watershed Science Fair4th Grade Class
PresentationsLibrary ReadingsCareer DaysBeach CleanupsCommunity Events/Fiestas
Erosion and Sediment Control Contractor Training and Certification Program
Three Day Training Live BMP DemonstrationNew Field Manual Materials Expo and
Happy Hour Networking Event to bring products to CNMI!
Exam Certification Program
Professional DevelopmentMicronesians in Island Conservation (MIC) 10th Retreat in Guam
April 08. SEM-Pasifika Socioeconomic Training Workshop May 08 in Republic
of the Marshall Islands11th International Coral Reef Symposium, in Florida on July 08US Coral Reef Task Force Meeting/Fellowship Retreat, Kona, Hawaii
August 2008Fellowship Retreat, Guam June 2009
Thanks!A special thanks to Fran Castro, Brooke Nevitt, Reina Camacho, Chuck Sayon, Gary Toves, and James Manglona for their support and guidance on these projects, and to Marci Wulff for her leadership for the NOAA Coral Fellows. A big thank you also to Meghan Gombos, Kathy Chaston, Dana Wusinich-Mendez, Arielle Levine, and Christy Loper for their project support
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