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Description:
Project Manager:
Valerie Brown
Project Years:
2015
2016
2017
2018
Project Summary:
The Manell-Geus watershed was identified as a priority watershed under Guam’s coral reef conservation program in 2009 and as a NOAA Habitat Blueprint Focus Area (HFA) in 2014. The watershed drains into a rich and diverse coastal area that supports cultural and subsistence harvests, as well as tourism operations. Located primarily in the village of Merizo, the area includes the island's only shallow water lagoon and intact barrier reef system, the Achang Reef Flat Marine Preserve, and some of the island's most extensive seagrass beds and mangrove forests. These important ecosystems are impacted by significant water quality impairments caused by high levels of upland and stream bank erosion. Erosion results in high levels of sedimentation that affect the health of fish habitat and contributes to flooding in the village of Merizo. Further, elevated sea surface temperatures and sea-level changes have resulted in increased coral mortality from bleaching, disease, and exposure. A recent study documented the loss of 80-90% of staghorn thickets in Cocos Lagoon from 2013 – 2016 (Raymundo, et. al. 2017) and PIFSC data from towed diver surveys from 2003 - 2014 indicated that coral cover on the east side of Guam declined by 60% over that time (Burdick 2016) likely due to starfish predation and climate change impacts.The watershed and reef restoration efforts in this project will improve habitat for hundreds of fish and coral species and the largest aggregation of ESA-listed sea turtles documented in Guam's waters, while improving important local fishing grounds and building community resilience to climate change impacts. The HFA Implementation Plan identifies a number of key actions to reduce erosion through watershed restoration projects and support reef recovery through coral restoration efforts (NMFS PIRO 2017). Specifically, this project will support strategies and activities identified under Outcome 1: Healthier Reefs in the HFA Implementation Plan: Strategy 1.1: Watershed Restoration and Fire Reduction Activity 1.1.1: Implement watershed restoration projects Activity 1.1.3: Install sediment sock and fiber mats at priority erosion sites Strategy 1.2: Reef Response and Restoration Activity 1.2.1: Build community capacity for coral gardening activities Activity 1.2.2: Develop coral restoration capacity Burdick, DR. 2016. The Status of Guam’s Shallow Coral Reefs. Presentation to the 36th U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Meeting. September 24, 2016. Adelup, Guam. NMFS PIRO. 2017. Manell-Geus Habitat Focus Area Implementation Plan. NOAA Fisheries Pacific Islands Regional Office Habitat Conservation Division. August 2017. 41p. Raymundo LJ, Burdick D, Lapacek VA, Miller R, Brown V (2017) Anomalous temperatures and extreme tides: Guam staghorn Acropora succumb to a double threat. Mar Ecol Prog Ser
Expected Outcome:
The Manell-Geus HFA efforts are designed to facilitate the following outcomes and objectives:1.) Healthier Reefs: Improve coral reef ecosystem health and increase resilience through targeted management actions 2.) Safer and Healthier Coastal Communities: Reduce community vulnerability to environmental changes and maintain human well-being.3.) Community Members Engaged in Coastal Management: Build community and government capacity to manage coral reefs and coastal and marine resources.NOAA is focusing on a community based approach to reef and watershed restoration complemented by targeted investments at key sites to develop, test, and implement restoration methods. The initial results of the 2016 socioeconomic assessment of the HFA show that most residents recognize the importance of healthy coral reef habitats and the majority of respondents would participate in conservation activities. This project will support these efforts by implementing key watershed and reef restoration projects within the HFA.
Project Locations:
Jursdiction Priority Sites:
Project Category:
Land-based Sources of Pollution (LBSP)
Project Type:
Ongoing
Project Status:
Funding Ended
Associated Products:
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