Tano Tasi Yan Todu

THE INVASIVE BROWN TREESNAKE (BOIGA IRREGULARIS) HAS DECIMATED NATIVE BIRD AND REPTILE POPULATIONS ON GUAM, WITH CASCADING ECOLOGICAL IMPACTS. ISLAN DANO' (COCOS ISLAND), LOCATED OFF SOUTHERN GUAM, REPRESENTS ONE OF THE BEST OPPORTUNITIES TO FULLY ERADICATE THE SPECIES AND RESTORE NATIVE BIODIVERSITY IN THE MARIANA ISLANDS. A 2024 FEASIBILITY STUDY CONFIRMED THAT ERADICATION IS TECHNICALLY ACHIEVABLE, PROVIDED THAT EFFORTS ARE SYSTEMATIC, COORDINATED, AND SUSTAINED OVER MULTIPLE YEARS. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO STRENGTHEN THE TECHNICAL COORDINATION, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND GOVERNANCE STRUCTURES NEEDED TO IMPLEMENT A SUCCESSFUL ERADICATION CAMPAIGN AND ENSURE LONG-TERM RESTORATION. TANO TASI YAN TODU (TTT), IN COLLABORATION WITH FRIENDS OF ISLAN DANO' AND GREGG HOWALD OF KITO IMPACT FOUNDATION, IN SUPPORT OF THE GUAM DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AGENCIES INCLUDING USDA WILDLIFE SERVICES AND THE UNIVERSITY OF GUAM, WILL LEAD THREE INTEGRATED SUBPROJECTS: 1) BROWN TREESNAKE ERADICATION - HIRE AN ERADICATION PROJECT MANAGER TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A UNIFIED OPERATIONAL ERADICATION PLAN AND BIOSECURITY PLAN, COORDINATE ISLAND-WIDE SEARCH OPERATIONS, AND INTEGRATE PARTNER DATA AND METHODS. 3) FORMALIZED GOVERNANCE - SUPPORT A STEERING COMMITTEE AND ENGAGE AN EXPERT ERADICATION ADVISOR TO FORMALIZE GOVERNANCE AGREEMENTS, CONVENE A TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP, AND GUIDE ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT. YEAR 1 ACTIVITIES WILL FOCUS ON FILLING THESE KEY POSITIONS, PRODUCING THE ERADICATION AND BIOSECURITY PLANS, SCALING UP COMMUNITY-LED SEARCHES FROM ONE TO THREE TIMES PER WEEK, CONDUCTING PUBLIC WORKSHOPS, AND FORMALIZING PARTNER AGREEMENTS. EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE A FULLY OPERATIONAL GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE, INTEGRATED ERADICATION PLAN, INCREASED SEARCH COVERAGE, DOCUMENTED COMMUNITY RESTORATION PRIORITIES, AND STRENGTHENED PARTNERSHIPS. BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE THE PEOPLE OF GUAM, WHO WILL GAIN AN ECOLOGICALLY RESTORED ISLAN DANO' THAT SUPPORTS CULTURAL, RECREATIONAL, AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES, AS WELL AS NATIVE SPECIES THAT WILL BENEFIT FROM IMPROVED HABITAT AND REDUCED PREDATION. THE SOLE SUBRECIPIENT IS GREGG HOWALD OF KITO IMPACT FOUNDATION, WHOSE ACTIVITIES WILL FOCUS ON FORMALIZING THE GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE (SUBPROJECT 3).

MARIANA ISLANDS CONSERVATION CONFERENCE 2025

TANO TASI YAN TODU - LINKING SCIENCE AND CONSERVATION TO THE COMMUNITY