Terrestrial
Projects
Demarcation of Kitti Watershed Forest Reserve
December 2020 – December 2021
​
CSP and partners were able to complete the remaining activities which include the following: Demarcation of Kitti Watershed Forest Reserve, rehabilitation of degraded area, production of map and baseline survey for forest clearing area.
​
Demarcation of Kitti Watershed Forest Reserve completed on October 2021 by CSP, Department of Resources and Development and Department of land (survey & mapping team) along with Kitti Municipal Government. Partners were able to survey and mark all the points on the ground for the watershed forest reserve. Watershed signs were put up at the watershed border lines to mark the watershed area for Kitti. The outcome of the Watershed demarcation team was able to completed the map for Kiitti Watershed Reserve Forest Reserve. The map will then be presented to Pohnpei State Legislature (PSL) for amendment of the watershed law. Since the establishment of watershed law in 1987, there are new private lands registered that in the un-demargated forest reserve. An amendment to the law is critically required to establish and recognize the new private lands and shift the watershed boundary accordingly to the boundaries of the private lands.
​
Rehabilitation of degraded areas, CSP and Forestry were able to identify two potential sites in the upland forest of Kitti. The first site located below Nahnalaud (Highest Peak Mountain). The assessment was on November 19-20, 2021. The site was cleared due to natural landslide. During the assessment, the team noticed positive signs of natural regrowth of native forest flora with no signs of invasive weeds or other plants. Community partnes who guided the team recommended that natural regrowth is the best solution due to low presence of human at the site. The second site was located upland forest of Rohi, further south-east of Nahnalaud site. The assessment was on December 3, 2021. This site was an old clearing area due to sakau planting. The site was cleared more than 10 years ago. Rohi site was identified because of accessibility for monitoring. Pohnpei State Foresters have recommended replanting of native trees at the Rohi site. This can be done to study rehabilitation process against natural regrowth. The team will continue monitor both sites to record the changes and status of both areas. Due to pressing of time for this project, the team have yet to determine the types of native trees recommended for rehabilitation.
​
Baseline data collected shows that there are still clearing happening in the upland forest due to sakau planting and there are also signs of natural disturbance as well. Tree species affected includes Katar (Cyathea nigricans), Karara (Myristica insularis), Dohng (Campnosperma brevipetiolata) and Kotop (Clinostigma ponapensis). Total of 8 clearing found during this monitoring. Since the scope of these clearings may be low, the severity can be high for they may have impacted natural habitat and forest ecosystem in general. Such human activities impacting our upland forest needs to be addressed at the community level, with high facilitation by local governments and technical input by state government to ensure sustainable management of our forest ecosystem.
​
Establishing Baseline Information for Terrestrial Invasive Species Management in the Outer islands and Atolls of Pohnpei State, FSM
01 July to 31 August 2021
​
CSP has worked with partners and completed objective one, two and three, and the remaining objective that CSP currently working on is objective four compile database and publish to web. Since CSP staff and partners did not have the skills and knowledge to develop database and publish on the web, CSP has requested modification to the objective four activities in the previous report. The modification includes the following: improve the invasive datasheet and shared with iSTOP partners through google docs. Access permission from FSM DECEM to upload invasive data on the invasive portal, share the invasive portal for public use and formalization of iSTOP.
​
CSP was able to reviewed the invasive datasheet and make changes where needed. And CSP has prepared an invasive document list that will be uploaded in the FSM invasive portal. But unfortunately, CSP was not able to receive the training from DECEM IT person and this causes the delay to upload invasive data on the FSM invasive portal. Formalization of iSTOP was not successful, this needs more time. Last follow up, AG’s office already reviewed iSTOP documents and the documents were return to Director of Resource and Development.
​
CSP and partners has met with Mayor of Pingilap and representative of Mwokiloa and shared the project documents. At the end of the meeting both the Mayor of Pingilap and representative of Mwokiloa supported the project and identified the community helpers for the invasive survey. May 26-30, 2020, survey team conducted the invasive survey on Pingilap island. June 3-7, 2020, survey team completed the invasive survey on Mwokiloa island. The data collected from the surveys shows that there’s no target invasive species found on both islands, but both islands are suffering with the invasive species that they have on their islands. Survey teams were able to share the invasive posters with the people on both islands and did an invasive identification training with them as well.
Mangrove summit
17-18 November 2020
​
Mangrove forests are commonly found in the tropical and subtropical coastal and riverine regions. Pohnpei mangroves make up 20% of the main island. Although it
may seem small, mangrove ecosystems provide an array of essential ecosystem goods and services, which contribute significantly to the livelihoods, well-being, and security of coastal communities. These highly specialized forested wetland systems occupy intertidal zones and are adapted to regular inundation by a range of salinities. Mangroves are recognized as an important ecosystem in the context of national and global development and environmental objectives, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement. Despite the numerous benefits they offer, mangrove forests are among the most threatened and vulnerable ecosystems worldwide. The common underestimation of their ecological and socio- economic benefits often leads to their conversion, overexploitation and degradation. Additionally, human related damages to mangrove ecosystems are being intensified by the impacts of climate change (FAO 2020).
​
Mangroves can be managed for a combination of various objectives. Key services and products provided by mangroves include: wood products (e.g. timber, charcoal, fuelwood, etc.); non-wood resources (e.g. fruits, wildlife, capture fishery, mariculture, etc.); coastal protection; and eco-tourism. With huge benefits in terms of climate change mitigation, adaptation and enhance resilience, mangroves continue to be degraded and lost. As a small developing state, a major contributor to the problem is the lack of considerations given to the social aspects of mangrove management, including governance (at all levels), tenure and land use planning.
​
Pohnpei resource management agencies including non-government partnering organizations have been aiming for a state-wide mangrove management strategy to maintain the health of our remaining mangrove ecosystems and to reduce the rate of
mangrove loss. Prevention of mangrove loss and degradation through sustainable management and restoration would provide huge environmental, social and economic benefits through carbon sequestration and avoided emissions, the addition of commercial fisheries species in mangrove waters, and protection of hundreds of thousands of people from coastal disasters. In most cases, these benefits far outweigh the short-term gains from infrastructure development, which tend to flow to a small number of people. It is critical to ensure the local people are involved in decision- making processes, conducting mangrove management and protection activities and that they are benefited from the sustainable utilization of mangrove resources.
​
In order to initiate collaboration efforts to organize local communities to strengthen their capacities and voicing their opinions to improve mangrove management, a mangrove convention was held on November 17th and 18th, 2020 gathering chiefs (locally known as Soumas), resource managers, and local government leaders.
2019 AWAK Conservation Action Planning (CAP) Report
This report documents the results and products of the conservation planning workshops conducted in Awak community. It is intended to be used by Awak community in U Municipality as reference for the development of the management plan for Awak community. It is important to keep in mind as Awak moves forward that the development of the management plan is an important initial step in an on-going cycle of design, implementation and review of management planning, and should view the plan itself as a “working plan,” rather than a final, static document.
​
Pohnpei Community Vulnerability Assessments
April 2018 to February 2019
​
From April 2018 – February 2019 a resource team led by the Conservation Society of Pohnpei (CSP) and Pohnpei Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), met with 10 communities across Pohnpei to conduct a community based mangrove vulnerability assessments. Approximately 12-44 community members attended each meeting including traditional leaders, men, women, elders, and youth. The same vulnerability assessment process was completed during each community session. This document provides the results of these meetings.
​
PWOAIPWOAI Community Conservation Action Plan (CAP) Report
02-03 June 2017
This report documents the results and products of the conservation planning workshops conducted in Pwoaipwoai community. It is intended to be used by Pwoaipwoai community in Kitti Municipality as reference for the development of the management plan for Pwoaipwoai community. It is important to keep in mind as Pwoaipwoai moves forward that the development of the management plan is an important initial step in an on-going cycle of design, implementation and review of management planning, and should view the plan itself as a “working plan,” rather than a final, static document.
​
SAPWOHN Community Conservation Action Plan (CAP) Report
11-14 May 2017
​
This report documents the results and products of the conservation planning workshops conducted in Sapwohn community. It is intended to be used by Sapwohn community in Sokehs Municipality as reference for the development of the management plan for Sapwohn community. It is important to keep in mind as Sapwohn moves forward that the development of the management plan is an important initial step in an on-going cycle of design, implementation and review of management planning, and should view the plan itself as a “working plan,” rather than a final, static document.
​
Protecting Biodiversity, Water Resources and Traditional Knowledge through Watershed Forest Reserve Partnership USFS
01 January to 31 March 2020
Project goal:
To protect biodiversity, water resources and traditional knowledge through watershed forest reserve partnership led by state, local government and communities.
​
Project summary outcome:
CSP and partners were able to complete the CAP workshop for Awak and completed their CAP plan report. The plan is in final draft.
The invasive team has continued on the control and management of the invasive species around the island. see table for the summary of the invasive field work. The Watershed Steering Committee has met and developed their action plan. Watershed Steering Committee has met and agreed to move forward with the delineation for Kitti Watershed.
​
 |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |