From a terrestrial standpoint, the greatest threat to biodiversity in Pohnpei is the illegal growing of sakau (Kava or Pipe methysticum) in the Watershed Forest Reserve (WFR). Sakau is used to produce a traditional beverage with a calming effect, which has been widely consumed in Pohnpei and other South Pacific islands for centuries. Once restricted only to the aristocracy, this root drink has become so popular in Pohnpei it is drunk nightly all over the island. Traditionally the crop was grown mainly in the lowlands, however the demand for this crop has become so high that people are increasingly moving illegally into the WFR and clearing trees to plant sakau. Sakau farmers move to the WFR because Sakau grows faster there than in the low lands enabling farmers to meet the high demand for the crop more quickly.

In 2002, CSP spearheaded an alternative income-generating program call the “Grow Low Campaign” in an effort to reduce farming of sakau in the upland WRF. Farmers are taught techniques for growing sakau in the lowlands and are given sakau seedlings to start their lowland farms. The incentives offered by this program, in conjunction with a strong compliance program have proven to be very effective in decreasing the new number of new forest clearings from over 600 in 2002 to only 5 in 2007. In 2004, CSP put the Campaign on hold to assess its effectiveness. In 2007, with generous support provided by the Micronesia Small Grant program, CSP restarted the Campaign adding the element of vegetable seedling distribution to hard core sakau farmers as a means of generating income in a shorter period of time. It is envisaged that this project will bring sufficient income and better nutrition to sakau farmers, as well as significantly reduce the number and size of forest clearings in the Watershed Forest Reserve.

The watershed forest monitoring program focuses on 13 forest areas representing the most ecologically important components of the Pohnpei WFR.  A few community members from each section in the municipalities together with our staff and municipal police, are responsible for quarterly monitoring of forest activities in these areas. They are taught measuring and evaluation skills and are responsible for the recording of the number of sakau plots. One to two days are spent in the forest measuring the plots using several measuring techniques including GPS. Recent monitoring results have clearly shown that CSP’s terrestrial strategies are having a positive effect.  Within the first year there was a 50% decrease in forest clearing.  The most impressive results were apparent in the areas where the watershed boundary lines were already demarcated, U and Madolenihmw. This shows that having signs and permanent markers demarcating the watershed boundary line is an effective strategy to lessen intrusion into the watershed.  Plots were down from 28 in January 2004 to just 1 forest clearing in April 2005. This huge decline has been a great success for CSP and it’s local partner agencies. In 2006, the total number of new forest clearings was 8 compared to only 5 new clearings in 2007.  This is still a significant reeducation as the demand for Sakau continues to increase. This remarkable achievement was made possible with the support and participation of the local communities, traditional leaders, and the state and local governments.

Among the many important conservation projects carried out by its dedicated staff, CSP welcomed the Micronesia Ethnobotany Project (ethno project) to its team in January 2006.  The ethno project, formerly of The Nature Conservancy, was established in 1997 by its founder Dr. Michael Balick of the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG).  With funding provided by the NYBG Mrs. Fransisca Sohl supervises the ethno project and current team members include Ranger Relio Lengsi, and Ranger Primo Eperiam.

Ethnobotany, the study of the relationship between plants and people, is a relatively new field to Micronesia that aims to preserve, protect, and document traditional uses of plants.  The ethno project is a multi fold process whereby plant use information is carefully obtained through interviews and plant collection.  Specimens of designated plants are collected, dried, and submitted to the NYBG (and other herbaria institutions) for plant identification and herbaria purposes.  In efforts of preserving and furthering our knowledge of Pohnpei’s rich plant diversity and their important uses, ethno project plant specimens are returned and stored at the College of Micronesia herbarium, Palikir campus.

Documentation of traditional uses of plants on Pohnpei will be included in two books, a Primary Health Care Manual and Ethnobotany of Pohnpei, Plants, People and Island Culture. The Primary Health Care Manual will include local plant uses for common ailments and will be made available to health care professionals on Pohnpei including the many dispensaries around the island. Ethnobotany of Pohnpei, Plants, People and Island Culture will be a collection of the information gathered by the Ethnobotany team to date, and will not only serve to educate people about Pohnpei’s plants and their many uses, but also serve as a record of Pohnpei’s traditional plant knowledge. The Pohnpei Pants and People of Micronesia was published in January 2009. One thing that is unique about this book is it will be copyrighted in the name of Pohnpei’s traditional leaders and Pohnpei State government ensuring that this important knowledge remains the property of Pohnpei’s people.

Interviews were conducted with people who were willing to share their local knowledge of the collected plants. These interviews do not seek to obtain secret or family-centered plant uses, but rather to record information about the common uses of Pohnpei’s native plants. The interviews document what is known about the plants of Pohnpei before this knowledge is lost over time. These people have been very generous to the project and CSP wants to take this opportunity to thank the people for the information they provided as well as their time with our staff.

Based on the Ethno project team’s work with students through CSP’s Youth to Youth program they have realized the lack of plant knowledge in Pohnpei’s younger generations. To meet this need  the Ehno project team is expanding its public awareness campaign and welcomes opportunities such as school visits, youth groups, presentations, etc. CSP is in the process of developing  posters of the most important  plants of Pohnpei and an informational booklet for children to be incorporated into CSP’s Green Road Show Program.  Please contact CSP at 320-5409 or CSP@mail.fm if you have questions or comments about the project.

Over the past few years, CSP has worked with the Pohnpei State Invasive Species Task Force on a number of projects to raise awareness on the most invasive plant species in Pohnpei.  We are presently working to eradicate False Sakau (Piper Arithrium), which was introduced from Hawaii, and are developing an emergency plan to stop the Guam Brown Tree Snake from establishing itself in Pohnpei. We hope that through this work we will strengthen our working partnerships with other local organizations, and transfer knowledge and technical skills, while also raising awareness on invasive species, and building eradication and control skills amongst involved individuals.

CSP have also been on top of its weed eradication in Pohnpei on the False sakau -Piper auritum, Ivy Gourd –Coccinia grandis, Chain of love- Antigonon leptopus and recently the mile-a-minute- mikania micrantha. The above are the four target species selected for CSP.  Because the rate of spreading and extensive coverage of the false sakau is so high, CSP places more emphasis on the false sakau.  At the end of 2006 there were 28 false sakau plants sited and sprayed while at the end of 2007 there were only 10 plants sited and eradicated. Surprisingly, at the end of 2005 t10, 900+ plants were sprayed CSP’s maintains its goal of eradicating 100% of the false sakau. We hope to also eradicate 100% of the other targeted species by the end of 2008.

Conservation Society of Pohnpei © 2009