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Description:
Project Manager:
Adrienne Loerzel
Project Years:
2016
Project Summary:
Southern Guam reefs have been severely impacted by sedimentation. Much of this sedimentation is the result of denuded hillsides, where heavy rainfall events create massive erosion problems that send tons of soil onto fringing reef systems. Reforestation for priority sites such as the Manell-Geus watershed has been identified as a priority in numerous local action plans. The primary methodology to address these bare areas has been direct outplanting of trees; however, in many sites, the soil has been so severely degraded that it is difficult to establish healthy plants.This project will use US Department of Agriculture soil amendment recommendations to condition the soil. This soil amendment system has multiple benefits and can be used prior to planting efforts in an attempt to reduce tree mortality, on existing planting sites to boost tree health, or in combination with an intensive seeding program. Because of concerns about fertilizer/ soil amendment runoff, the soil treatments will be paired with physical barriers in the form of jute sediment socks. Partners for this effort include a range of local and federal agencies, as well as community organizations. The USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service will provide technical assistance, while the Guam Department of Agriculture, and the Guam Bureau of Statistics and Plans will assist with treatment installation, project monitoring, and outreach for these efforts. Other local partners will likely be involved as the project develops.The soil amendment trials also will be replicated in Saipan's Laolao Bay watershed, which has similar soil concerns as the Manell-Geus site.Because Saipan does not have the same magnitude of invasive species problems and ecosystem disturbance, the project at the Laolao Bay site will feature more emphasis on natural plant recruitment and seeding trials.In Guam, heavy pig and deer pressure and an absence of seed dispersers (primarily birds) will require a more intensive seeding effort assisted by service learning projects or resource agency staff. The Saipan project could rely mostly on self-recruits if the soil amendments prove successful.
Expected Outcome:
Should the soil amendments prove useful, this project will have several direct, immediate improvements for watershed restoration. First,existing outplanting projects will have improved success due to healthier,stronger plants that are better able to withstand stresses such as dry periods,interference from invasive species such as pigs, and insect pressure. The soil improvements also will allow managers to begin trying seeding projects, which require far fewer resources in terms of personnel hours, supplies for nursery management, and follow up care for project sites. In the Saipan project site, the soil amendments may be enough to encourage unaided plant recruitment, which would further reduce the burden on government agencies for restoration work.The longer term benefit for the project will be the creation of a new methodology for large scale watershed restoration. If the soil amendments are successful, managers may be able to use seeding projects rather than hand planting thousands of saplings. This will increase the scale of restoration as well as reduce the need for expensive and time consuming follow up work to establish plants in upland areas. Finally, the soil amendments could help grow healthier vegetation more quickly, resulting in faster sedimentation control for the downstream reef systems.
Project Locations:
- Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
- Guam
Jursdiction Priority Sites:
- LaoLao Bay (Saipan)
- Manell-Geus Watershed
Project Category:
Land-based Sources of Pollution (LBSP)
Project Type:
Closed
Project Status:
Funding Ended
Associated Products:
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