Palau's Young Champions on Coral & Temperature Assessment

FROM THE YOUNG CHAMPIONS BLOG NETWORK
PALAU: Coral Collecting, etc.
May 19, 2012, KORROR, PALAU

Hi Everyone!

It's been a while since you’ve heard from us since our last blogging which was about a month ago. So we just want to update you guys with what’s been going on.

We have been assisting the people from with the Aquarium Department to do temperature readings. We went to collect corals at Ngerchelngael, which is a rock island known to have a variety of living corals. We then brought the corals that we collected, back to the Center and placed them in the Outer Reef Tank. But, before placing them in the tank we had to clean the tank, by taking out the dead corals and placing the corals we collected in an orderly manner.


In addition to the coral collecting, we also did temperature readings for all the tanks in the Aquarium. We had to record and make sure that tanks are at the right temperature to prevent fishes and the marine animals from dying. After checking and recording all the temperatures, we had to consult with the Aquarist and make sure that all the tanks are in the right temperature. Well, that’s about it.

That’s basically what we have been doing for the past months here at the Palau International Coral Reef Center.

Until next time,
- The Ladies

Bird Watching in Kosrae

FROM "Saving Our Micronesia" Community Blog
Kosrae: Andy George, KCSO, reports
May 16, 2012, Kosrae

On March, 05, 2012, a team from University of Missouri arrived on Kosrae to survey forests birds and coastal birds as well. Two months earlier the same research was conducted in Pohnpei and Ant Atoll. Kosrae Conservation and Safety Organization (KCSO), Terrestrial Program, was assigned to assist and coordinate guides to escort the team to transacts surveyed on the island by US Fish and Wildlife conducted in 1983-84 on Kosrae. Regarding the survey protocol, each site starts at sunrise (6:15) until 11:00 am, which is the best time to watch the birds. It also requires sunny weather or at least light rain in the morning. The actual survey is 8 minutes aural/visual survey, recording species, time, distance, detection type and number of birds. Each transect point-count station are separated by 200 meters. 

The data collected during the survey will be analyzed and used to update the status of birds in Kosrae compared to surveys done in the past and will also be shared among natural resource agencies  for public awareness and most importantly as baseline information to modify resource  management regulations in Kosrae. With a lot of cuts, bruises, rashes, blisters and wet weather, the project finally accomplish its mission with 21 transects and a total of 630 stations. 

On behalf of the team, KCSO is very happy to extend its utmost appreciation to the team and to each and everyone who assisted the implementation of the project. Special acknowledgement to the following trail guides who put a lot of effort to the accomplishment of the project: Salik Wakuk, Larry Alokoa, Stoney Alokoa, Hamilson Phillip, Weston Palik, Kuken Taulung,Kanbu Taulung and YELA organizaiton Mr. William William; Mr.Rickson Jonathan and Robert Tulensru. With all your collaborative efforts the mission is successfully accomplished as planned. Additionally, we believe that throughout the survey, we’ve all learned the importance of the birds and how tragic they can be in the future if we do not comply to the regulations set in place to protect them. 


Posted by
Andy George
8:10 am
Tuesday, May 16, 2011
Location: Kosrae

Chuuk's Young Champion blogs on pollution she's noticing.

FROM THE YOUNG CHAMPIONS BLOG NETWORK
CHUUK: Groundwork for Chuuk's Shark Sancutary
May 10, 2012, WENO, CHUUK

Visiting the College of Micronesia (COM) - Chuuk Campus, I noticed something strange going on right outside the fence.

Not cool!
There was water pouring out one of the Pacific International Incorporated (PII) big hoses. Upon closer inspection I realized they were pouring sewage out into the ocean, as well as the land near the sea wall that runs along the near shore area of COM.

I couldn’t help but think about the damage this act was causing. Not only are they destroying what is left of the marine resources in that area, but the smell was something the students, as well as faculty, staffs and the people around that area had to inhale almost everyday. I wondered to myself whether our Department of Environmental Protection Agency was aware of this and whether they were doing something about it.

So not cool!
I know that for so long the people of Chuuk have had to face driving on a road that was in need of repair quite badly, but is this more important than the life of our environment? Is this worth losing so many of the things we’ve depended on for so many years? Why are we letting outsiders come in and do whatever they want to do with our environment? In the end, we will be the ones facing the consequences of the actions they are taking today. Not only will we suffer, but the future generation will too.

I think we should start doing something now before this gets out of hand. Not only do I see them pouring sewer out to the ocean, or wherever they want to, but they are slowly decimating our mountains. People living there are losing their homes because of this. We shouldn’t think only about the problems of today, but look towards the future and see how the actions of today will affect the people of tomorrow.

/s/ Kriz in Chuuk


Protecting Kosrae's Upland Forest

FROM "Saving Our Micronesia" Community Blog
Kosrae: Andy George, KCSO, reports
May 6, 2012, Kosrae

On December 19, 2011, Kosrae Conservation and Safety Organization (KCSO) and  Critical Ecosystem Partnership Funds (CEPF) signed  an agreement to implement a project entitled, “Protecting Kosrae’s Upland Forest”. The project aimed to deliver the following components; conduct a general survey and inventory of plants on Kosrae; raise awareness in schools and the communities on upland forest; promote the Olum watershed area for protection and recognition under the Kosrae State Protected Area Law; and mapping and reporting of  invasive weeds to assist control efforts on the island of Kosrae.
  KCSO staffs met with Malem Municipal Leadership on  “Protecting Kosrae’s Upland Forest” project. Left to right (Mayor Klava.Klavasru, Terrestrial Program Manager, Jacob-Luke Sanney, Marine Program Manager, Marston Luckymis and Executive 
Director Andy George)
On January 16, 2012, I, and Program Managers met with the Mayor, municipal leaders, church leaders, community leaders, senior citizens, youth, local farmers and landowners to discuss ongoing efforts to protect Olum Watershed and to initiate discussion on the proposed Pikensukar Marine Protected area.  At the meeting, I introduced and discussed regional and local needs to set up protected areas and to garner community support before project implementation takes place in Malem. The Mayor and members of the community indicated full support of the projects.

Monitoring Season on Guam: Redux!

FROM "Saving Our Micronesia" Community Blog
Guam: Roxanna Miller, Marine Biologist, author
May 2, 2012, Hagatna, Guam


Data logger
“So, what’s been happening with the long-term coral reef monitoring program lately?”

I’m glad you asked! Dave Burdick already gave you the low-down on the monitoring program, so now it’s time to give you a little more specific information on what we’re up to for this year. As the monitoring season quickly approaches, we find ourselves finishing up our analysis of data collected during the 2010 and 2011 monitoring seasons and assessing which types of additional reef health data we may be able to collect this year. As a variety of reef health indicators (mentioned in Dave’s blog post) have already been established within the program, it is time to add-on!

With the procurement of two multi-parameter data loggers, several types of water quality data will be collected starting with this year’s monitoring activities. Turbidity (the cloudiness of a fluid caused by individual particles), dissolved oxygen (the amount of oxygen dissolved in a medium, i.e. seawater), pH (the measure of acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution), conductivity (a way to indirectly measure salinity), and temperature will be collected at multiple locations across all monitoring sites, but with the installation of data loggers at two, possibly three, sites, data will be collected continuously for several months in these areas. The collection of water quality data, along with the continued collection of benthic habitat and fish community data, will allow us to better understand how these environmental
factors affect reef health on Guam.