Abstract
The U.S. territory of Guam is located in the Pacific Ocean at 13°28’N, 144°45’E, or approximately
3,300 miles West of Hawaii, 1,500 miles East of the Philippines and 1,550 miles South of Japan
(http://www.guam-online.com/). It is the southernmost island in the Mariana archipelago and is the
largest island in Micronesia with an area of 210 square miles (or approximately 560 km2). Guam’s
beautiful coral reef ecosystems are home to over 400 species of coral, making it one of the most
diverse US jurisdictions. They are an integral part of Guam’s culture and economy. The health of
Guam’s reefs has decline over the last few decades and they face the threats of land based sources
of pollution (sedimentation & run-off); Overfishing; Lack of public awareness; Recreational use and
misuse; Climate change/coral bleaching/disease; and development and population increase. Local
agencies have partnered together to tackle these threats and increase public awareness of the
importance of Guam’s coral reefs and the need to protect them. Wildfires being started by illegal
hunters have decimated the vegetation in the upland areas resulting in the formation of badlands
and severe erosion into the watersheds. Sedimentation caused by this upland erosion is of most
concern. Through public engagement, it is hoped that the threat of sedimentation can be decreased
to improve water quality, and help conserve Guam’s precious coral reef ecosystems.
1. Site Summary
1.1. Description of Physical Site
Definition of Site
The U.S. territory of Guam is located in the
Pacific Ocean at 13°28’N, 144°45’E, or
approximately 3,300 miles West of Hawaii,
1,500 miles East of the Philippines and 1,550
miles South of Japan (http://www.guamonline.com/). It is the southernmost island in
the Mariana archipelago and is the largest
island in Micronesia with an area of 210
square miles (or approximately 560 km2).
The northern part of the island is a forested
coralline limestone plateau. The northern
areas have more intact forest but need
management actions such as ungulate
control and out planting to enhance the
quality of the habitat. The southern half of
the island is primarily volcanic with large
areas of highly erodible lateritic soils.
Vegetation in the south is characterized by
grasslands, ravine forests and wetlands
(Fosberg 1960). A variety of reefs are
represented on Guam, patch reefs,
submerged reefs, offshore banks, and barrier reefs, and a fringing coral reef surrounds most of
the island, except in areas where bays exist that provide access to small rivers and streams that
run down from the hills into the Pacific Ocean and Philippine Sea. Additionally there are
approximately 70 ha of mangroves. (GCWCS)
Terrestrial Ecosystem types (IUCN)
IUCN 1.5
Subtropical/Tropical Dry
IUCN 1.6
Forest - Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland
IUCN 2.1
Savanna – Dry
IUCN 3.5
Shrubland - Subtropical/Tropical Dry
IUCN 4.5
Grassland - Subtropical/Tropical Dry
IUCN 7.1
Caves
IUCN 12.1
Rocky Shoreline
IUCN 12.2
Sandy Shoreline and/or Beaches, Sand Bars, Spits, Etc.
IUCN 13.1
Sea Cliffs and Rocky Offshore Islands
IUCN 14.2
Artificial/Terrestrial – Pastureland
Physical Region
The northern portion of the island is a limestone plateau, rising nearly 200 meters above sea
level in some places, which overlies rock or volcanic origin (Burdick et al 2008). The southern
half of the island is old weathered volcanic material with a cap of limestone most prominent of
the Mt. Lamlam-Alifan ridge. The highest point of the island is Mt. Lamlam, in the south, an
elevation of 406 m. The grasslands and ravine forests characterizes the vegetation in the south.
(GCWCS)
The entire island of Guam has been designated, both locally and federally, as a coastal zone.
Guam is divided into 19 watersheds in the southern half of the island. The northern Guam sub
watershed was defined as an area that has no clearly define drainage was, composed of a
shallow soil layer or permeable limestone with little or no runoff. This is the location of the
northern aquifer (GCWCS).
The climate is characterized as tropical marine. The weather is generally warm and humid with
little seasonal temperature variation. The mean high temperature is 86°F (30 °C) and mean low
is 74°F (23 °C) with an average annual rainfall of 96 inches (2,439 mm). The dry season runs from
December through June. During the dry season, humidity is relatively low and the island
experiences northeasterly trade winds (GCWCS). The remaining months constitute the rainy
season. During the wet season, humidity is high and weak southerly or southeasterly winds
occur. The highest risk of typhoons is during October and November although typhoons can and
do occur at anytime during the year. Humidity ranges from 65-90% (Burdick et al 2008).
Infrastructure around Site
Guam is divided into 19 villages.
Will add map of GUAM VILLAGES, TOWNS, ROADS, SCHOOLS, ETC. May use map of south since
this is the more affected area and can show which schools will be partnering for community
engagement efforts. These maps are already made, my agency has them, will insert here and
make notes about content once I see what they include.
1.2. Socio-Economic Characteristics of Site
Site/Park History
Given its strategic location in the Pacific, Guam has had an interesting history. Guam’s original
inhabitants, the ancient Chamorro people are believed to have been a seafaring people who
arrived in Guam on outrigger canoes from Southeast Asia. Over nearly 600 years Guam has
been occupied by many of the world’s expanding nations. The Spanish Era (1565-1898); the
American Period (1898-1941), the Japanese Occupation (1941-1944), and Liberation and US
Territorial Status which occurred in 1944 and is still the status today. http://www.guamonline.com/history/history.htm.
Land Use/Land Tenure
In Guam’s traditional systems, land was owned by familial clans as a corporate group. During
the reoccupation by the US military, almost half of the island was taken by the American
government. These acts dispossessed many Chamorros, who had few assets other than their
ancestral lands (will add reference later). The US Congress later established private ownership
of land. A lottery regulated by the Chamorro Land Trust gives Chamorros the opportunity to
own property on Guam.
Anderson Airforce base in the north and US Naval Base in the south comprise the nearly one
third of the island owned today by the US Federal Government. The Government of Guam owns
another on third in the form of parks, recreational and conservational areas. The remaining
third is owned privately either by foreign or native born landowners. (Cheryl’s summary, need
source).
Main Livelihoods and Incomes
Data from the 2000 Guam census outlines the main industries and livelihoods of the people of
Guam. The next census is expected to be conducted in 2010.
Subject
OCCUPATION
Employed civilian population 16 years
and over
Management, professional and related
occupations
Service occupations
Sales and office occupations
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations
Construction, extraction, and maintenance
occupations
Production, transportation and material
moving occupations
Number Percent
57,053
100.0
15,852
12,654
16,027
212
27.8
22.2
28.1
0.4
6,771
11.9
5,537
9.7
INDUSTRY
Employed civilian population 16 years
and over
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting,
and mining
Construction
Manufacturing
Wholesale trade
Retail trade
Transportation and warehousing, and
utilities
Information
Finance, insurance, real estate and rental
and leasing
Professional, scientific, management,
administrative, and
waste management services
Educational, health, and social services
Arts, entertainment, recreation,
accommodation and
food services
Other services (except public administration)
Public administration
Subject
INCOME IN 1999
Households
Less than $2,500
$2,500 to $4,999
$5,000 to $9,999
$10,000 to $14,999
$15,000 to $24,999
$25,000 to $34,999
$35,000 to $49,999
$50,000 to $74,999
$75,000 to $99,999
$100,000 or more
Median household income (dollars)
Mean household income (dollars)
57,053
100.0
296
5,532
1,155
1,948
7,558
0.5
9.7
2.0
3.4
13.2
4,319
1,540
7.6
2.7
3,053
5.4
4,277
8,412
7.5
14.7
10,278
18.0
2,158
3.8
6,527
11.4
Number Percent
38,769
3,110
698
1,768
2,128
4,758
4,842
6,357
7,175
3,982
3,951
39,317
49,617
100.0
8.0
1.8
4.6
5.5
12.3
12.5
16.4
18.5
10.3
10.2
(X)
(X)
Site population and neighbors
Guam of today is a truly cosmopolitan community with a unique culture, the core of which is the
ancient Chamorro heavily influenced by the Spanish occupation and the Catholic Church. Strong
American influence is also evident in the celebration of many public holidays, the form of
Government and the pride in being U.S. that is displayed by the populace. Guam’s culture has
also been influenced and enriched by the Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Micronesian
immigrants each group of whom have added their unique contributions. The present population
of Guam, 2006, is approximately 171,000 of whom roughly 37% are Chamorro, 26% Filipino, 11%
other Pacific Islander with the remaining 26% primarily Caucasian, Chinese, Korean and
Japanese, all of whom bring their cultural heritage and customs and contribute to Guam 's
unique culture and appeal. (http://www.guam-online.com/history/history.htm)
Guam is the most heavily populated island in Micronesia, with an estimated population in 2007
of about 173,500 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2007). In 2000, the U.S. Census Bureau predicted the
population growth rate to steadily decrease over the next 50 years, but this estimate did not
take into account the planned movement of roughly 26,000 additional military personnel and
dependents to Guam by 2014 (Helber, Hassert and Fee Planners, 2006). Such an influx, coupled
with associated migration to Guam by those seeking economic gain from the expansion, would
increase the existing population by up to 38% in less than 10 years, potentially pushing the total
population to over 230,000 (Guam Civilian Military Task Force, 2007).
The following populations are based on the 2000 Decennial Census: Agana Heights (5200), Agat
(5656), Asan-Maina (2090), Barrigada (8652) Chalan-Pago-Ordot (5923), Dededo (42980), Hagatna
(1100), Inarajan (3052), Mangilao (13313), Merizo (2163), Mongmong-Toto-Maite (5845), Piti
(1666), Santa Rita (7500), Sinajana (2853), Talofofo (3215), Tamuning (18012), Umatac (887), Yigo
(19474), Yona (6484)
HOUSEHOLDS BY TYPE
Total households
Family households (families)
With own children under 18 years
Married-couple families
With own children under 18 years
Female householder, no husband present
With own children under 18 years
Nonfamily households
Householder living alone
Householder 65 years and over
Households with individuals under 18 years
Households with individuals 65 years and
over
Average household size
Average family size
(http://www.census.gov/census2000/guam.html)
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
Population 25 years and over
Less than 9th grade
9th to 12th grade, no diploma
High school graduate (includes equivalency)
Some college, no degree
Associate degree
38,769
32,367
19,678
22,693
13,964
6,284
3,753
6,402
5,082
659
23,346
6,247
3.89
4.27
83,281
7,843
11,862
26,544
16,611
3,787
Bachelor’s degree
Graduate or professional degree
Percent high school graduate or higher
Percent bachelor’s degree or higher
12,774
3,860
76.3
20.0
1.3. Main Factors Affecting the Site
Known Threats to Local Biodiversity (write as a narrative)
Based on the IUCN list, Guam is facing several threats including: Habitat loss/Degradation (IUCN
1.4), Harvesting (IUCN 3.1), Pollution (IUCN 6.3), Natural Disasters (IUCN 7.2), Human disturbance
(IUCN 10.5). Guam’s reefs are facing the threats of: Land based sources of pollution,
sedimentation, run-off; Overfishing; Lack of public awareness; Recreational use and misuse; Climate
change/coral bleaching/disease; and development and population increase (DOD) with the
upcoming military build-up (Burdick et al 2008).
From the 2008 Status of the Coral Reefs Report (Burdick et al 2008):
“Sedimentation of nearshore habitats,
primarily a result of severe upland erosion,
continues to be one of the most significant
threats to Guam’s reefs. Sedimentation is
most prevalent in southern Guam, where
steep slopes, underlying volcanic rock,
barren areas and areas with compromised
vegetation contribute large quantities of
the mostly lateritic, clay-like soils to coastal waters. According to one estimate, the
sediment yield of unvegetated “badlands”
is more than 20 times that of ravine forests
(243 tons/acre/yr versus 12 tons/acre/yr), while savannah grasslands, which also cover large areas
of southern Guam, produce more than 2.5 times as much sediment as ravine forests (U.S. Dept. of
Agriculture, NRCS, 1995). The excess sediment flows into coastal waters, where it combines with
organic matter in sea water to form “marine snow,” falling to the seafloor and smothering corals
and other sessile organisms. Sediment, along with excess nutrients and freshwater, can also
interfere with or inhibit coral gamete production, release, and viability, and larval survival,
settlement and recruitment. While it is generally held that Guam’s southern reefs have evolved
under a regime characterized by a larger sediment loads than at northern reefs, an increase in
destructive anthropogenic activities, including wildland arson, clearing and grading of forested
land, inappropriate road construction methods and recreational off-road vehicle use, as well as
grazing by feral ungulates, have accelerated rates of sedimentation and appear to have exceeded
the sediment tolerance of coral communities in these areas, resulting in highly degraded reef
systems. In Fouha Bay, for example, more than 100 coral species were found along transects in
the southern part of the bay in 1978, but less than 50 were found in 2003, demonstrating a
significant loss in species richness”.
“Wildfires set by poachers are believed to be the main cause of badlands development and
persistence (Minton, 2005). Despite being illegal, intentionally-set fires continue to burn vast
areas of southern Guam. According to figures from the Department of Agriculture’s Forestry and
Soil Resources Division (FSRD), an average of over 700 fires have been reported annually between
1979 and 2006, burning over 46.5 ha (115,000 acres) during this period (Figure 15.9* Will include
this figure, need to get from source). The devastating effects of illegally-set wildfires in southern
Guam are exacerbated by the drought-like conditions associated with El Niño events.”
Other threats: Recreational Use & Misuse: The number of visitors to Guam grew from 1.16
million visitors in 2004 to 1.21 million in 2006, indicating continued growth after a 10-year low of
approximately 910,000 in 2003 (Guam Visitors Bureau, 2006). SCUBA diving, snorkelling and
related activities continue to be very popular for both tourists and residents. According to a recent
coral reef economic valuation study conducted on Guam, an estimated 300,000 dives are
performed on Guam each year (van Beukering et al., 2007). Official Pacific Association of Dive
Industry statistics cited in this study indicate that around 6,000 open water certifications were
provided in 2004; the number of certifications provided by other organizations is not known. The
number of divers and snorkelers visiting Guam’s reefs will likely increase significantly with the
additional military personnel, their dependents and others associated with the military expansion.
Overuse and misuse of certain high-profile reef areas for recreational activities continues to be a
concern.”
Coastal Development & Runoff: Although most development between 2004 and 2007 has
involved residential or other small-scale construction, several major development projects have
started recently or are planned for the near future to accommodate the growing tourism sector
and planned military expansion. Development associated with the incoming military personnel,
their dependents, and support staff, such as construction of military facilities and off-base housing
developments and road-building activities, has the potential to negatively impact coastal water
quality.” No formal stormwater regulations have been developed or adopted and there is poor
enforcement on pollution prevention programs. “The primary pollutants to most waters around
Guam – and specifically to recreational beaches – are microbial organisms, petroleum
hydrocarbons and sediment. “
A 2005 National Park Service study found that sedimentation rates in Asan Bay were among the
highest in the literature. The extremely elevated rate of sediment collection is sufficient to raise
serious concerns about the long term health and survival of Guam’s reefs (Minton 2005). See
sedimentation map figure ___ (need to find this map).





Brief overview of threat in one sentence
IUCN threat classification
Threatened species and whether species are endangered or common
Scope, Severity, and Irreversibility of threat
Underlying factors contributing to the threat
1.4. Conservation Issues
Biodiversity of Site
WILL ADD PHOTOS OF KEY SPECIES (DAWR HAS THEM)
Under natural conditions, Guam hosted a rich diversity of terrestrial and aquatic species.
Over 100 species of birds have been documented on the island including migrant, wetland,
seabird, grassland, and forest birds (Reichel and Glass 1991, Engbring and Fritts 1988*).
Three native mammals were also known to Guam, including the Marianas fruit bat
(Pteropus mariannus mariannus), little Marianas fruit bat (Pteropus tokudae) and Pacific
sheath-tailed bat (Emballonura semicaudata rotensis), although the Marianas fruit bat is the
only extant species. There are six native reptiles, five skink species, and one gecko species
that are still found in the wild. Several native tree snail species still exist in low numbers on
Guam. Two species of snails, Samoana fragilis and Partula radiolata, have been on the
candidate list of the Endangered Species Act (ESA; 1973*) for more than 10 years and
currently do not receive federal protection. Guam has more than 320 native plant species of
which six deserve greater attention, but unfortunately only one, Serianthes nelsonii, is
eligible for funding under the ESA. (GCWCS)
Guam’s coral reef ecosystems are home to over 5100 species of marine organisms,
including over 1,000 near shore fish species and over 300 species of scleractinian coral
(Burdick et al 2008). It is the closest US jurisdiction to The Coral Triangle- the global
epicenter of marine species diversity and one of the top priorities for marine conservation.
This magnificent region of the ocean covers an area of 5.7 million km2 and contains more
than one-third of all the world's coral reefs. According to the journal Micronesica, over 403
scleractinian (stony) & hydrozoan coral species, representing 21 families and 108 genera are
found in the Mariana Islands. In addition, over 120 species of non-scleractinian anthozoans
(includes anemones and soft corals) were reported (Randall 2003). This amount of diversity
is even more significant if one looks at one particular genus. For example, in Guam, over 30
species of the genus Acropora have been reported. Comparatively, for the entire Caribbean
only 60 coral species, in total, have been reported. This gives a distinct picture of the scale
of the diversity of Guam’s coral reefs, and the need to protect them. Several endemic
species of fish have been reported from the Marianas such as the Yellow Crowned
Butterflyfish (Chaetodon flavocorinatus) reported from Guam and Saipan, and the Guam
Damsel Chaetodon guamenis. (Meyers, 1999*).
Guam has over 550 terrestrial species including 26 endemic species. Please refer to Table X. Guam
has 143 species listed on the IUCN Red Data list. Refer to Table Y. The status of these species was
evaluated by BirdLife International, Mollusc Specialist Group, and Chiroptera Specialist Group – the
official Red List Authority for birds, mollusks and bats for the IUCN.
(I DO NOT HAVE THIS LIST, BUT CHERYL HAS COMPLETED IT.. WILL ADD IN HERE WHEN I GET HOME)
Conservation History
The International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), established in 1994, is a partnership among
governments, civil society and organizations seeking to stop and reverse the global degradation of
coral reefs and related ecosystems. In 1997, the Government of Guam adopted a Guam Coral Reef
Initiative to establish a policy development mechanism for the protection of Guam's coral reefs.
Through this initiative, Guam has established 5 Local Action Strategies (LAS) to address specific
threats to Guam’s coral reefs described further in current conservation programs. It is through this
program that sedimentation was identified as a major threat to Guam’s coral reefs, and funding has
been provided to address this threat through support of this campaign.
In addition to the CRI, Guam is a part of the Micronesia Challenge, a commitment by the Chief
Executives of the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of
Micronesia, the U.S. Territory of Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to
effectively conserve at least 30% of the near-shore marine and 20% of the terrestrial resources
across Micronesia by the year 2020. The MC is an important overarching project in Guam,
combining the efforts of local resource managers & current management projects into an effective
movement for conservation, and garnering support as part of a larger commitment throughout
Micronesia. Many of the areas to be conserved in this challenge are located in Guam’s watersheds,
the focal areas of the campaign. Additionally, many of the key volunteers for this project will be MC
interns who can provide technical assistance as well as recruit manpower for campaign projects.
Guam Marine Preserves: On 16 May 1997, Public Law 24-21 was implemented creating 5 marine
preserves-- the Pati Point Preserve, the Tumon Bay Preserve, the Piti Bomb Holes Preserve, the Sasa
Bay Preserve, and the Achang Reef Flat Preserve. The Piti Bomb Holes are a part of the
sedimentation monitoring for this project as it is at the base of the Piti/Asan watershed. These
areas constitute the majority of the coastline protected under the MC. The marine preserves are
part of the Fisheries Management LAS under the Coral Reef Initiative and contribute to the
overarching goals of the Micronesia Challenge.
In addition to these protected areas, Guam has several established other conservation areas
including the Anao Conservation Area, Cotal Conservation Area, Balonos Conservation Area, Federal
Conservation Areas: Haputo Ecological Reserve Area , Orote Point Ecological Reserve, National Park
Service: War in the Pacific National Historic Parks (see conservation areas map, appendix *). Of
particular interest are the War in the Pacific sites as they fall within one of the proposed monitoring
areas for the campaign, and are a part of the Asan/Piti watershed.
Another restoration project is being done in the Piti/Asan watershed. The restoration is being run
by the Guam Coastal Management Program & Department of Agriculture- Includes Masso River
Reservoir restoration project and “green” restoration of a public park using best management
practices. As a part of this restoration The Nature Conservancy has sponsored a Conservation
Action Planning (CAP) Workshop with several agencies and stakeholders in the community. Based
on the first few iterations of the CAP process, Sedimentation/Runoff was identified as one of the key
threats to the corals in this watershed. Key projects include: 1) assessment of the existing
conditions and the development of a plan to improve the area including restoration of existing
structures, a drainage map on tributary areas and stormwater runoff; 2) alternatives for stormwater
management and preferred stormwater management plan, and recommendations on infrastructure
improvements and; 3) design improvements including a small parking lot, proper lighting, paver
walkways, and proper drainage. This campaign will work closely with the CAP coordinator to
overlap efforts where possible with regards to sedimentation reduction and community education.
Another important project in southern Guam which is anticipated to begin in 2009 is the Sella Bay
Mitigation. The United States Navy will be extending Kilo Wharf (located in Apra Harbor)
approximately 400 feet. Approximately 3.28 acres of coral reef will be dredged and 14.88 additional
acres may be degraded due to dredging-related sediments. As compensatory mitigation, the United
States Navy has agreed to implement a 4.5 million dollar Restoration Plan for Sella Bay Watershed.
The plan was prepared by the Guam Department of Agriculture and Guam Environmental Protection
Agency. The goals set forth for this mitigation project by the Division are: (1) Improved reef
condition/health as a result of restored hydrologic flows and reduced sediment and other nonpoint-source pollution from the watershed, and (2) Adaptive management for native forest and
savannah restoration, by (a) passive restoration eliminating barriers to recovery and (b) active
restoration of native forest and savannah species. Approximately 500 acres in the Sella watershed
will be reforested with native vegetation in order to improve water quality and restore a healthy
coral reef at Sella and Bay. The habitats and species at Sella Bay are similar to those at Kilo Wharf.
The governor of Guam signed this mitigation agreement on 05 June 2008. To assure successful
mitigation at Sella, aggressive erosion control and fire prevention practices, long term assurances
that the land will remain as forest, control of feral ungulate populations, effective enforcement, and
a comprehensive monitoring are necessary. This is an unprecedented project by DoD, the first offsite mitigation, and is an important pilot program for future mitigation efforts. (need reference)
This is another project which will be very integral to the Rare campaign providing a partner for
community engagement and barrier removal.
The Guam Coral Reef Monitoring Group will kick off in 2009. The group will be comprised of
individuals from several local and federal agencies/institutions recently developed an island-wide
coral reef monitoring strategy that includes the long-term monitoring of several high-priority sites
and capacity building within the local government and university to ensure the strategy’s success.
This comprehensive monitoring program will provide data about a number of important measures
of coral reef ecosystem health, including various parameters for water quality, benthic habitat, and
associated biological communities. Monitoring these variables will allow resource managers to
evaluate the effectiveness of specific management strategies and serve as an early warning system
for identifying changes in reef health. The success of the monitoring program has become even
more critical with the impending military expansion, which will require a robust, quantitative
approach to monitoring the impacts of the direct and indirect stressors associated with the
expansion and for assessing the effectiveness of mitigation activities in improving reef health, such
as large-scale watershed restoration in southern Guam. (This is a key project for the campaign as
we will utilize this group as part of our conservation result assessment.)
Other Conservation Partners:
Department of Agriculture:
Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources – Jay Gutierrez 671-735-3980;
Forestry and Soil Resources Division- Justin Santos 671-735-3949;
Guam Environmental Protection Agency- Mike Gawel 671-475-1646;
The Nature Conservancy- Trina Leberer tleberer@tnc.org,
National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA):
Coral Reef Conservation Program- Kacky Andrews kacky.andrews@noaa.gov,
Coastal Zone Management- Bill Millhouser bill.millhouser@noaa.gov,
Fisheries- Gerry Davis Gerry.davis@noaa.gov;
Guam Visitors’ Bureau- Doris Ada 671-646-5278;
Guam Environmental Education Partners’ Incorporated- Adrienne Lorizel loerzela@mail.gov.gu;
Mayors’ Council- Pido Terlaje 671-475-6940;
I-Recycle- Peggy Denney 671-483-9415;
Guam Historic Preservation- Patrick Lujan 671-475-6294;
Department of Public Works- Lawrence Perez 671-646-3131
University of Guam Marine Lab- Peter Schupp -971-735-2175
Water & Energy Research Institue (WERI)- Dr. Gary Denton 671-735-2685
Guam Community College- Elvie Tyler etyler@guamcc.edu
National Park Service- Mark Capone 671-477-7278;
Natural Resource Conservation Service- Jocelyn Bamba 671-472-7490;
Marine Mania- Linda Tatreau lindian@ite.net
Previous Conservation Education Campaigns (CEC)
Through the various partners, and groups such as the Guam Environmental Education Committee,
many conservation education initiatives have taken place, or will soon be taken place on Guam
including: Arson-prevention- limited-term (one year) arson campaign coordinator was hired (Justin
Santos) at the Department of Agriculture to deal with arson in Guam’s Southern Watersheds,
through the Guam Coral Reef Initiative Management grant. Justin will be a major partner in this
campaign providing insight to his experiences with arson prevention and introducing barrier removal
partners.
The Guam Year of the Reef campaign was conducted throughout 2008 and hosted several events for
both youth and adults promoting Guam’s coral reefs and ending off with a grand finale event,
encouraging participants to take action to protect Guam’s reefs and other natural resources. The
GYOR was funded by several grants from NOAA and NFWF and was supported through the GCMP.
Other campaigns which have been very successful include the Guardians of the Reef, a program
funded through the GCMP in which local high school students develop coral reef lessons which are
taught in partnering 3rd grade classes around the island. As the program embarks on its third year
preliminary surveys have shown it to be very successful in increasing knowledge of the importance
of Guam’s reefs and the threats to them. Another youth program funded by GCMP is a youth
driven watershed puppet show (may be GREAT for the campaign). Thus far it has been used at
several events such as Earth Day and the kids Eco Expo, and has been an instrumental tool used by
Marine Mania, a local environmental group. The Guam EPA is also working to develop a community
outreach group focused on watershed awareness. The coordinator for this program is a part of the
initial campaign stakeholder meeting as she will be a great partner throughout the campaign.
One final ongoing campaign is the "Go Native! - Prutehi I Islan Guahan" Rare Pride Campaign led by
Campaign manager Cheryl Calaustro through the DAWR. Cheryl’s project hopes to create areas
where the Guam rail (ko’ko’) can be reintroduced and reduce the numbers of invasive/predatory
species on Guam and possibly establish new areas for native species reintroduction on both
mainland and off-shore islands, such as Cocos Island. This campaign has laid the groundwork for
working with local communities and several of the groups she has worked with will be involved in
this campaign. She will act as a mentor campaign CM and will be a great partner for the current
campaign through her lead agency.
International Conventions Signed by the Country
I DO NOT HAVE THIS INFORMATION. I BELIEVE GUAM DOES NOT HAVE ANY, AS MOST OF OUR
AGREEMENTS ARE REGIONAL BUT I WANT TO VERIFY THIS INFORMATION WITH MY LEAD AGENCY
UPON RETURNING HOME.
Special Designations that Apply to Site
I DO NOT HAVE THIS INFORMATION. I BELIEVE GUAM DOES NOT HAVE ANY, AS MOST OF OUR
AGREEMENTS ARE REGIONAL BUT I WANT TO VERIFY THIS INFORMATION WITH MY LEAD AGENCY
UPON RETURNING HOME.
Conservation Legislation
As a territory of the United States, Guam has an elected Governor who oversees control of the
island along with local legislative and judicial branches in the forms of an elected senator and
supreme court system that oversee policy making. The natural resources are managed local
government agencies.
Of these the legislation that are most important are the Organic Act, Guam’s overarching legislation
creating our executive and legislative branches and outlining regulations of what agencies have
authority over what resources. Several laws have been passed with specific information as to what
these agencies are.
NEED TO FIND THIS INFO- THIS IS A BIG ISSUE AS WE HAVE FEW SPECIFIC LAWS WHICH MAKES
ENFORCEMENT DIFFICULT. I THINK MAYBE THE FORESTRY PEOPLE MAY HAVE THE INFO I NEED AS I
AM DEALING WITH A WILDFIRE ISSUE (NO INFO ON INTERNET!)
Level of Tourism
The main industry in Guam is tourism. Guam’s reef resources are both economically and
culturally important, providing numerous goods and services for the residents of Guam,
including cultural and traditional use, tourism, recreation, fisheries, and shoreline and
infrastructure protection. A recent economic valuation study estimated that the coral reef
resources of Guam are valued at approximately $127 million per year. Tourism is Guam’s main
industry, and with an average of one million people visiting each year, $94.6 million dollars are
brought in each year because of clean beaches and beautiful reefs. On a local level, of 400
households surveyed, 92% said that they utilized the beaches in some way whether they swim
or not, 45% said they use the reefs regularly to fish for food, and 44% said they enjoyed
snorkelling. Clean, clear, and safe water were considered to be among the most important
recreational amenities (van Beukering et al., 2007).
1.5 Park/Protected Area Management
Park Management Overview
Guam is not listed as a park; there are tons of separate areas listed in the Conservation site, but
they all have separate management and implications, none of which are more relevant to the
site than listed there. Since this summary was written for all of Guam, I have summarized the
relevant issues already.
Stakeholders in Protected Area Management
All partners who would be listed here are already listed in the chart above or the stakeholder
matrix, so no reason to list them again.
2.0
Project Team and Key Stakeholders
Lead Agency and Pride Campaign Manager
The Guam Coastal Management Program is a program under the Government of Guam’s Bureau of
Statistics and Plans and is 100% federally funded with an annual budget of approximately $950,000.
Its mission is to protect and enhance the quality of Guam’s coastal environment from ridge to reef
through the protection of Guam’s natural and cultural resources in the face of economic growth and
development. Among other objectives, the GCMP networks with other government agencies and
non-governmental organizations to coordinate activities related programs; Conducts Guam Federal
application clearinghouse reviews for Bureau of Statistics and Plans; Coordinates federally funded
projects on pollution control, environmental protection, natural and historic resources use and
conservation, development, management, hazard management and planning; Public outreach and
education on coastal management issues; Coordinates the Guam Coral Reef Initiative and Guam’s
strategy for implementing the Micronesia Challenge; all of which will be utilized at some point
during this campaign. Additionally, GCMP is involved in several regional and international initiatives.
Specific information on each of these is listed with current conservation programs and initiatives:
Coral Reef Initiative (CRI), Micronesia Challenge (MC), International Year of the Reef (IYOR), US Coral
Reef Task Force (USCRTF), Pacific Islands Marine Protected Areas Community (PIMPAC), South
Pacific Regional Environment Program (SPREP), Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC). (GCMP
309 Assessment).
The Campaign Manager selected for this project is Elaina Todd, a NOAA coral reef management
fellow working for the GCMP. Elaina has lived in Guam for 17 years. Having grown up in Guam she
is very familiar with the threats to Guam’s coral reefs. She received her Bachelor’s degree in biology
from University of Guam, much of her coursework being focused on Guam’s ecology and natural
resources. She has been a partner to Guam’s resource agencies for the last 5 years through her
previous position as the education coordinator for UnderWater World aquarium. As a member of
the Guam Environmental Education Committee she has been a part of numerous community
conservation initiatives and events and a liaison with many community groups. Elaina has been
actively involved in coral reef conservation for the last 10 years. She has spearheaded several
community outreach initiatives from beach clean-ups to developing free educational outreach
programs for Guam’s schools. She is passionate and dedicated to the conservation of Guam’s coral
reefs through community involvement and education.
Other Groups Working at Your Campaign Site
I feel that this list would be redundant as I have already listed them in my conservation section
and again below in my matrix. I have omitted it to reduce repeating!
Key Stakeholders
Please see attached stakeholder matrix.
References:
Burdick, David, Valerie Brown, Jacob Asher, Mike Gawel, Lee Goldman, Amy Hall, Jean Kenyon, Trina
Leberer, Emily Lundblad, Jenny McIlwain, Joyce Miller, Dwayne Minton, Marc Nadon, Nick Pioppi,
Laurie Raymundo, Benjamin Richards, Robert Schroeder, Peter Schupp, Ellen Smith and Brian
Zgliczynski 2008. The State of Coral Reef Ecosystems of Guam. pp. 472-509. In: J.E. Waddell
and A.M. Clarke (eds.), The State of Coral Reef Ecosystems of the United States and Pacific
Freely Associated States: 2008. NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NCCOS 73.
NOAA/NCCOS Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment’s Biogeography Team. Silver
Spring, MD. 569 pp.
Minton, D. 2005. Fire, erosion, and sedimentation in the Asan-Piti watershed and War in the
Pacific
NHP, Guam. Report prepared for the National Park Service. PCSU Technical Report
150. Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit (PSCU), Department of Botany, University of
Hawaii at Manoa. Honolulu, HI. 99 pp.
http://www.nps.gov/wapa/parkmgmt/index.htm
Bureau of Statistical & Plans, Office of Governor Felix P. Camacho, 2005. “2004 Guam
Statistical Yearbook”. Hagatna, Guam.
Guam Division of Aquatic & Wildlife Resources. 2006. Guam Comprehensive Wildlife
Conservation Strategy. Mangilao, Guam.
Guam Coastal Management Program Section 309 Assessment and Strategy January 2006
Randall, Richard. An annotated checklist of hydrozoan and scleractinian corals collected
from Guam and other Mariana Islands. Micronesica 35-36:121-137. 2003
van Beukering, P., W. Haider, M. Longland, H. Cesar, J. Sablan, S. Shjegstad, B. Beardmore, Y. Liu, and
G.O. Garces. 2007. The economic value of Guam’s coral reefs. Technical Report 116. The Marine
Laboratory, University of Guam. Mangilao, Guam. 120 pp.
Guam Comprehensive Wildlife Strategy.
*NEED TO LOOK UP THE OTHERS!