Thursday, Feb. 4 marked the final day of a rigorous two week workshop hosted by ASCC Land Grant/CNR meant to focus on priority “weed management” projects in the territory.

It was noted in handout literature that this workshop “condensed twenty years of weed management experience into ten days of intense activity for the participants”, which included teams from the National Park of American Samoa, the local Department of Agriculture, Department of Marine and Wildlife, and CNR Forestry Division.

Funded through grants from the USDA Forest Service via ASCC’s CNR Forestry Program, the workshop partners included the Institute of Pacific Island Forestry, the USDA Forest Service and the Pacific Invasives Initiative (PII).

“Weed management” may sound mundane, but it effectively confronts a key problem in the natural world— that of “invasive species”.

(While the term “invasive species” may conjure up a plot from some grade “B” horror movie, the real threat of invasive species may actually be more frightening.)

In conversation with Samoa News, one of the workshop leaders, Bill Nagle of PII noted that “a sense of urgency is justified” when confronted with the destruction which invasive species can wreak. He noted, “what concerns me ... when we are talking about 100 of the world’s worst invasive species ... is that many of them are here.”

Fortunately, he said, some of them are very small and now is the time to control them.

This particular workshop focused on eradicating Tutuila’s invasive weeds, and each team chose one to concentrate upon.  Unfortunately, there are several to choose from.

The workshop facilitators, Bill Nagle of PII and technical instructor David Moverley, of Te Ngahere Ecological Restoration in New Zealand, commented on the hard work of participants, saying they were very impressed with the high level of cooperation among group members. Originally scheduled for late last year, the workshop had been postponed due to the tsunami.

Better late than never, said Tavita Togia, an instructor and ecologist at NPS who added, “I’m so appreciative of Land Grant bringing this training to us, and we have benefited a great deal. I’ve been involved with this work (fighting invasive species) for ten years, and what really inspired me about this training was that the workshop gave us a systematic way to plan and implement the invasive plant project.

It doesn’t matter how many villages are involved, or how many sites, the system that they taught us can be used for any project— for any invasive species. When you finalize the data, you can easily compare the information. It helps you improve each time.”

According to Togia, good planning can also save money, time and even lives. “It all starts with a good plan. Assess your plant (or whatever invasive species you are working with) ... know your enemy ... find its weakness and attack the weakness. Make sure it will never produce seeds or fruit again.”

The workshop itself is “aimed at minimizing the resources required by the often small and under-funded agencies in Pacific countries and territories.” Participating teams address their own priorities, and the workshop takes participants sequentially through the principal components of planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

Workshop participants learned of the importance of good data collection, and using it in a presentable report. Each team on Thursday gave a power point presentation outlining their chosen project, and the working document which they created can be updated and added to as further information is gathered.

Addressing the group in closing, Land Grant/CNR Director Tapa’au Dr. Daniel Aga was enthusiastic when he spoke of what the teams had accomplished.

 “I’m impressed by what you have learned here ... it’s going to make a real difference,” said Tapa’au.

DMWR Director Ufagafa Ray Tulafono echoed the sentiment, adding his thanks and gratitude for the knowledge and experience which was shared.

Mike Reynolds, head of American Samoa’s National Park, said “Hats off to CNR, to Aufa’i Ropeti Areta and to everyone who made this happen.” He noted that invasive species is an island- wide problem, and “clearly, we need to work together” to control and eradicate the invaders.

INVASIVE SPECIES

Dealing with “invasive species” may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but the work done by the dedicated individuals who combat them is vitally important to the balance of fragile ecosystems such as those found in the islands of the Pacific. Their work goes a long way to ensure the survival of native species vitally important to the land as well as the people and culture.

Invasive species come in all forms— they are those plants, animals, insects, fish, birds— any species that is not native to a locale, but which is introduced through various means (both intentionally and unintentionally) riding in on the backs of cargo ships, planes, shoes, luggage, agricultural products etc., or coming down rivers, on the wind, or using other animals as hosts.

Sometimes they are introduced by people, on purpose, such as in the case of the myna birds brought to Apia to help control the tick population which was plaguing the cattle there. According to DMWR biologist Cindy Holte, the noisy birds were introduced in Tutuila in 1980, possibly to control insects— they are not yet in Manu’a.

Once any species has “invaded” a locale, they threaten to displace native species, disrupt ecosystems, and affect citizen’s livelihoods and quality of life.

(Another prominent invasive species that many residents of Tutuila are familiar with, are the “tamaligi” trees which cover the mountainside, crowding out native forest.)