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