NEWS

Researchers, staff, and students from PI-CASC took to the stage in participation of the 7^th annual Mariana Islands Conservation Conference (MICC), held from March 10 to March 14 in Guam.

MICC brought together scientists, conservationists, nonprofits, and public officials to share knowledge and experiences in conservation and management from the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) and Guam. Representatives from PI-CASC joined dozens of presenters and exhibitors to acknowledge the ongoing work geared towards protecting and monitoring the islands’ natural resources.

PI-CASC researcher Dr. Abby Frazier shared a presentation on the Pacific Drought Knowledge Exchange and how the organization started as a PI-CASC funded initiative before blossoming into a multi-agency partnership spanning across Hawaiʻi and the U.S. affiliated Pacific Islands.

Dr. Rebecca Ostertag, Susan Cordell, and Amanda Uowolo, who are all also under the PI-CASC research umbrella, provided takeaways from a hybrid restoration approach project in Hawaiʻi. Ostertag, who led the presentation, also gave a sneak peek of the latest US Geological Survey PI-CASC research project taken on by the trio, which aims to revive the native plant community in Guam using a functional trait approach.

Pacific Regional Invasive Species and Climate Change (Pacific RISCC) Management Network specialist Elliott Parsons highlighted in his presentation the intersections of climate-related disasters and invasive species in the Mariana Islands. Parsons stated that the severity of storms is increasing in the Pacific, which draws consequences for biological invasions. And with gaps in emergency response plans, it is important for biosecurity experts to be included in discussions and operations for the handling of invasive species.

PI-CASC Climate Adaptation for Resource Management fellows also made an appearance at the conference, supporting their organizations and sharing the work they do in their professions. Farron Taijeron, who works in conservation spaces, presented on his citizen science efforts in testing the swimming capabilities of the brown tree snakes. RoCelia Paulino, a research associate with the USGS Pacific Islands Ecosystems Research Center in Guam, co-presented a poster detailing a shifts community composition of a native forest following Typhoon Mawar in 2023.

PI-CASC continues to engage with partners and community members to identify the environmental issues that plague Pacific Islands. Feedback and open discussion are greatly appreciated at these events. We are grateful for MICC for allowing us to join the many others who are working to meet the needs of island communities.