Government of the Federated States of Micronesia

FSM Invasive Species Project on the move

Palikir, Pohnpei (FSM Information Services): March 17, 2010 - A press release from SPREP has announced that over the past few years the Global Environment Facility (GEF)-eligible Pacific countries have been working on a proposal for an invasive species project. In the current round of GEF, 10 countries (Cook Islands, FSM, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Niue, Palau, PNG, Samoa, Tonga, and Vanuatu) have participated in putting together an invasive species proposal, with SPREP and the United Nations Environment Programme as overall managing/coordinating agencies for the project. The concept document for this project was approved by GEF last year and the project has now reached the stage of developing a full Project Document, which has to be submitted to GEF by 31 March.

During February and March consultations with the 10 participating countries are being held, including a workshop in Nadi, Fiji that was held during the last week of February. Mr. John Wichep of the FSM Department of Resources and Development attended the workshop in Nadi. The workshop was on project documentation preparation of the GEF-PAS Invasive Species Project. Within this document, FSM has identified two main projects for funding:

1. Suppression of two invasive weeds (Mikania micrantha, mile-a-minute and Clidemia hirta, Koster's curse) with use of bio-agents.

2. Attendance for FSM members of the RISC (Regional Invasive Species Council) meetings as they occur.

During the meeting, SPC has committed in principle to assist with the suppression effort in the 'host-specificity' testing of identified bio-agents (natural predators) for suppressing of the named weeds-invasive species.

The grant total for FSM stands at more than $68,000, with matching from USDA Forest Service/FSM Resources and Development. Total co-financing stands at $118,000.00

The FSM Department of Resources & Development is the executing/implementing agency for this project and the Letter of Commitment was endorsed by FSM Office of Environment and Emergency Management, being the GEF focal point for the FSM National Government.

The project is due to begin either late this year or early next year (2011).