Coral Reefs: A Reef Resilience Toolkit Module

Federated States of Micronesia

Location

Micronesia, western Pacific Ocean

Description

The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is comprised of 4 states (Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei, and Kosrae) and includes 607 islands spread over 1 million square miles of the western Pacific Ocean. The islands of the FSM contain over 1000 plant species, at least 200 that are endemic. Its coral reefs, estimated at 14,517 km2 are home to nearly 1000 species of fish and over 350 hard species of coral. The majority of people living on these small islands depend on natural resources for their food, livelihoods, and traditional cultures. These resources are threatened by pressure from rapid population growth, overharvest, habitat destruction, changing cultural practices, invasive species and climate change. Over the last two decades, this area has experienced at least two highly destructive typhoons (i.e., 1990 in Pohnpei and 2004 in Chuuk and Yap), as well as some bleaching, with limited mortality (e.g., 1998 20% bleaching in Yap and 2004 minor bleaching in Kosrae and Pohnpei).

The FSM’s Environment Sector Strategy, developed at the 1999 FSM Economic Summit and updated and improved for inclusion in the nation’s on-going negotiations with the United States for a second round of funding under the Compact of Free Association (A String of Pearls: Preserving the Federated States of Micronesia’s Globally Important Natural Heritage), calls for the establishment of a network of effective community-managed, ecologically representative, and socially beneficial marine and forest protected areas in the nation to safeguard the country’s precious natural heritage. In 2003, the FSM completed a National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), with the goal of protecting and sustainably managing a full representation of the country’s marine, freshwater, and terrestrial ecosystems. In 2003, the government of the FSM, the U.S. Forest Service, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), university scientists, and local experts also drafted “A blueprint for conserving the biodiversity of the Federated States of Micronesia” (the FSM blueprint) in order to begin to address this goal. A total number of 130 areas of biodiversity significance (ABS), including 86 coastal and marine sites comprising 260,948 hectares (over 1,007 square miles), were identified nation-wide.

Lyndon DeVantier, Kirino Olpet, Eugene Joseph, Emre Turak pick sites at And Atoll during the Pohnpei REA. Photo: Louise Goggin

In 2005, 4 representatives from the FSM participated in the Western Pacific Resilience Workshop. In addition, Trina Leberer of TNC, introduced the principles of resilience to several other partners in the FSM, both one-on-one and during the University of Guam Coral Reef Assessment and Management summer course, in 2005. The FSM Blueprint is being fine-tuned through marine Rapid Ecological Assessments (completed for Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Yap; planned for Chuuk in 2008), during which principles of resilience were, and will be, considered in survey site selection. TNC will also be assisting FSM partners in conducting a gap analysis in the latter part of 2008, to identify any gaps in representation and replication of key habitat types identified as ABS. Principles of resilience are also considered during site-based planning efforts (e.g., Conservation Action Planning, management plan development, etc.). Currently the FSM core team is incorporating the principles of resilience into guidance for state partners as they develop state protected areas networks and work toward achieving the goals of the Micronesia Challenge (MC), an ambitious initiative by the jurisdictions of Micronesia to effectively conserve at least 30% of their nearshore marine resources and 20% of their terrestrial resources by 2020. With the help of the core team, the states are also working toward a standardized monitoring program, to measure some key regional indicators, to assess broad trends in the country, and track progress toward achieving the goals of the MC. Also as part of the MC, a communications campaign is being developed by a communications working group, which will incorporate the principles of resilience (currently in draft form, but can be shared when finalized).

Given the large-scale and complexity of the country, resilience has been introduced at various points, depending on the state or community. For example, Pohnpei has several MPAs, established by state law in 1999 and 2001. In 2005, the Conservation Society of Pohnpei led a Rapid Ecological Assessment to assess the existing MPAs and identify potential new sites, based on habitat types and threat status. On the other hand, the Yap Community Action Program has been working with local communities more recently, and is planning to use information from an REA completed in 2007 to help guide communities to design and establish MPAs.

The Federated States of Micronesia is a complex country, comprised of 4 largely autonomous states and numerous islands, extending across a vast expanse of ocean. As such, successful efforts to design and establish a nation-wide protected areas network will take time, and must be built from the bottom up, beginning with communities, local governments, and state governments. To begin to address these challenges, a core team led by the FSM PAN coordinator, comprised of representatives from the FSM government, the Micronesia Conservation Trust, and TNC, has been working with State government and local conservation NGOs to raise awareness and build support for protected areas. In the past 3 years, members of the core team have made numerous state visits to give presentations, facilitate workshops, and meet informally with local communities, elected leaders, and other key stakeholders.

Lessons Learned

• It is important to be able to support local organizations working with communities when designing and establishing protected areas, and offering assistance in identifying potential alternative livelihoods, as they are often the resource owners or those who have the greatest stake in the resources (e.g., providing facilitation/tools for site-based planning workshops, identifying sources of funding and assisting with proposal review, enabling site exchanges between local partners to share experiences and lessons learned, etc.).
• It has been very helpful to establish a regional support team comprised of key organizations, agencies, and institutions, and to assist the jurisdictions, including the FSM, in their efforts to achieve the goals of the Micronesia Challenge.
• The Micronesians in Island Conservation Network (MIC) has been a successful means of assisting local partners to strengthen their organizations and agencies by providing opportunities for organizational effectiveness assessments, strategic planning, and developing measures of success.
• Having supportive language in the national priority document/guidelines made it easier to integrate resilience principles into management and planning (i.e., aligning the blueprint with the national effort).
• One of the most effective ways to incorporate resilience has been through planning at both the priority-setting and site-based levels.

Funding Summary

• David and Lucile Packard Foundation
• DOI Office of Insular Affairs
• NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program
• TNC Early Action Grants

Lead Organization

Alissa R. Takesy
Protected Areas Network Coordinator
FSM Department of Resources and Development
Division of Resource Management & Development
P.O. Box PS-12, Palikir
Pohnpei, FM 96941
Tel: (691) 320-5133/2646/s620
Fax: (691) 320-5854
Cell: (691) 920-6373
Email: fsm_pan@mailnull.fm

Primary Contact: Trina Leberer, Marine Conservation Coordinator
The Nature Conservancy
Micronesia Program
P.O. Box 5411
Hagatna, Guam 96932
Tel: 1-671-789-2228
Email: tleberer@tncnull.org

Partners

Documents

• FSM National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan
• A Blueprint for Conserving the Biodiversity of the Federated States of Micronesia (download pdf, 2,364k)
• Conservation Society of Pohnpei, Rapid Ecological Assessment reports
• The State of Coral Reef Ecosystems in the Federated States of Micronesia (in The State of Coral Reef Ecosystems of the United States and Pacific Freely Associated States: 2005)

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