Start small, start now: Citizen science opportunities for Guam to boost biocultural heritage | Lifestyle

As efforts increase to bring birds back to Guam, it is important to plant the native species they need to thrive.

The University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant champions native plant restoration through seed collection, propagation, and plantings. A cooperative agreement written by Else Demeulenaere, CIS associate director for natural resources, brings native plants and expertise to private landowners to increase the planting of native species throughout the island.

Full disclosure: I am one of the landowners who has signed an agreement with the funder, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, to plant and protect native species on my property. The Endemic and Endangered Plant Partnership Program, Táiparehu, will allow me to work with university and federal biologists to determine the types of plants that will grow well on my property.

The Taiparehu Program will provide the plants and directions for where to plant and how to care for them. The federally funded Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program pays for the plants. Since my property is in the savannas of Sånta Rita-Sumai, the focus will be on plants suited for the savanna habitat.

“Project Táiparehu (CHamoru for ‘unique’) aims to protect and enhance endemic plant species and their habitats by including the community, nongovernmental organizations, and the local government to strengthen the recovery of endangered species and those that provide food for wildlife,” Demeulenaere explained. “With increased development, I think it is important that we protect habitat throughout Guam, not just in preserve networks but also in peoples’ yards. This way, everybody shares the responsibility to help preserve Guam’s biocultural diversity.”

As the landowner, I will grant the biologists access to my property for assessment and planting. Once the plants are in the ground, biologists will check on the plants periodically and, if I notice anything unusual, I may contact them for assistance.

All I need to do is allow the areas with plantings to remain in place for the duration of the habitat improvement project.

At the end of the period, I as the landowner take responsibility for the plants. I am excited to increase the native plant diversity on my property and hope they will attract butterflies, birds, and fanihi.

The Táiparehu project is a win for native plants, wildlife, landowners, and Guam!

For more good news, the National Park Service is now in the planning stages of the kick-off for the Asan Restoration project slated for Nov. 16 to initiate the removal of brown tree snakes and the return of native birds and plants. Save the date and join in the fun.

Become a volunteer citizen scientist working with NPS biologists to bring back birds one snake at a time. Check out the NPS website here: https://www.nps.gov/wapa/learn/nature/brown-treesnake-research-and-control.htm

We would love to hear about your neighborhood projects where you start small and make a difference.

Olympia Terral is a program coordinator with the Basic Energy Sciences – Reaching a New Energy Sciences Workforce (BES-RENEW) grant program at the College of Natural and Applied Sciences at the University of Guam. This column will keep readers informed about important conservation work and how citizen-scientists like you can help make a difference for the islands. Contact her at olympia.uog@gmail.com.

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