Goal 1: Actively engage with Partners to enhance collaborative opportunities, approaches, and accomplishments.

 

Strategy 1:

Host the 2020 Guam Local Working Group Meeting

The Guam Local Working Group (LWG) convened at the Guam Service Center on Oct. 2019. Representatives in attendance included the Northern and Southern Guam Soil and Water Conservation Districts; University of Guam, Cooperative Research & Extension Service; Guam EPA; and USDA APHIS. The participants discussed current natural resource issues impacting Guam’s farmers and ranchers; as well as other residents. The important issues discussed were: negative impact of wild pig damage; sedimentation impacting water quality in the Ugum watershed; sedimentation and its impacts on coral reef health; protection of ground Northern Guam Lens Aquifer; and loss of agriculture lands due to development.

 

Strategy 2:

Participate in the 74th National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) Annual Meeting

The SGSWCD with the Guam Association of Conservation Districts attended the NACD’s 74th Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada. 1 This year’s Annual Meeting highlighted many technologies and innovations that exist and are in use today that impact conservation delivery on the ground. NACD’s goal this year at the 74th Annual Meeting was to elevate conversation and how we can better integrate these innovations across the public and private sectors.

 

Goal 2: Engage with Southern District residents and landowners in understanding the value of SWCD’s mission in protecting, conserving, and restoring Guam’s natural resources.

 

Strategy 1:

Provide Conservation Assistance to Private Land Owners

GUAM FERAL SWINE PROGRAM

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services (APHIS-WS) and the Southern Guam Soil and Water Conservation District (SGSWCD), continue the Guam Feral Swine Program for its fourth year. As part of the cooperative agreement, USDA APHIS-WS removes feral swine (Sus scrofa), which impact the economy, the ecosystem, and human health and safety, on private lands on Guam. APHIS-WS utilizes snares, traps, and active removal to control feral swine on private properties. The SGSWCD provides contact information and other information necessary to support control on the targeted properties within their district. During the Fiscal Year 2020 a total number of 451 pigs have been removed in the southern district 44.% were positive for pseudorabies and 12% positive for swine brucellosis.

 

Strategy 2:

Support Conservation Programs and Initiatives

UNIVERSITY OF GUAM GROW INITIATIVE

The Guam Restoration of Watersheds (GROW) Initiative develops innovative solutions to reduce land erosion and subsequent sedimentation on downstream coral reefs. In 2018, The SGSWCD provided a sponsorship of $27,000 to purchase a drone that would disperse seed balls in hard to reach areas of the UGUM Watershed. SGSWCD Linda Reyes, provided assistance to the GROW team by recruiting private landowners to participate in the program.

 

 

Goal 3: Develop Team Capacity and Organizational Structures

 

Strategy 1:

Complete mandatory Board and Staff Trainings as required by Government of Guam Law.

BOARD EDUCATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAM OCT 18, 2020

The newly elected SGSWCD directors successfully completed its Boards and Commissions Educational Program on October 18, 2019. As required by Title 5 Guam Code Annotated Chapter 43 Boards a n d C o mmissions, each board or commission shall have an educational program established to prepare its members for the duties of the board or commission to which they are appointed. Such educational program shall cover procurement laws, as applicable, applicable statutes, executive orders, and rules and regulations which govern the board or commission and their respective areas of purview. Training Completed (Pic tured from Left): Carol Tayama, SGSWCD; Angelita Mendiola, SGSWCD;Joseph Santos, NGSWCD; Michael Aguon, SGSWCD; Kathrina Reyes; Marlene Slomka, NGSWCD. Not pictured Glenn Takai and Jon Manglona, SGSWCD

 

Strategy 2 :

Standup Internal Committees for efficient District Efforts and Operations.

DISTRICT COMMITTEES

During the first official SGSWCD board meeting of the newly elected directors held on September 23, 2019, Board created internal District committees to ensure Directors collaboration and seamless operations of district activities

 

Strategy 3:

Hold Monthly Regular Board of Directors Meetings

SGSWCD REGULAR BOARD MEETINGS

As mandated by law, SGSWCD held regular board meetings every month for partners, farmers, and affiliates. To best accommodate both partners and district business, SGSWCD hosts two meetings a month. Meetings provide an opportunity for District partners to collaborate and coordinate on projects and activities. The SGSWCD meetings are held in accordance to the open government law

 

FY2020 Meetings Held

• September 23, 2019
• October 04, 2019 (Joint SWCD Meeting)
• October 30, 2019
• November 20, 2019
• November 26, 2019
• December 23, 2019
• December 30, 2019
• January 13, 2020
• January 28, 2020
• February 27, 2020
• March - No Meetings held
• April - No Meeting held
• May 07, 2020 - Working Session
• June 25, 2020
• June 30, 2020
• July 30, 2020
• July 31, 2020 (Joint SWCD Meeting)
• August 04, 2020/
• August 31, 2020
• September 04, 2020
• September 29, 2020

Goal 4: Aquire diverse array of funding sources that ensure organizational sustainability and continuation of missionefforts.

 

Strategy 1:

Continue to fund the Guam Feral Swine Program

GUAM FERAL SWINE PROGRAM SUPPORT

In FY2019, the SGSWCD met with the Governor of Guam Lou Leon Guerrero and advocated the need for feral swine management and control on Guam through the Guam Feral Swine Program. The program is supported by funding provided by the Districts to the USDA APHIS WS. Govern or Lou Leon Guerrero and Administration provided $50,000 to the Districts to continue the program for FY2020.

 

Strategy 2:

Aquire Grant Funding to support conservation efforts.

USDA NRCS PARTNER IMPLEMENTATION GRANT

The SGSWCD was awarded its first federal grant to develop a 5 year Long Range Plan to address Guam’s priority resource concerns, and a targeted conservation delivery proposal addressing one or more priority resource concerns and Feral Swine. Funding for strategic planner ($27,000), two part time project assistants ($24,960.72), supplies & computers ($7,300), and advertisements & meeting venues ($9,800). Start Date: September 2020. Total Project Budget: $84,166.72

 

Strategy 3:

Collaborate with partners on possible grant opportunities.

DOI US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICES ISLAND WIDE HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN

In 2019 the SGSWCD contributed an in-kind match of $5,000 to support the Guam Dept. of Agriculture’s efforts to Develop an IslandWide Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). In 2020, the grant funding was awarded to the Guam Dept, of Agriculture. The HCP will be the first of its kind on Guam, and the first of its kind anywhere in the Mariana Islands. The goal of the project is to prepare an administrative draft HCP for Guam on nonfederal land that would cover 16 listed species and two additional species expected to become listed. Project Duration: October 01, 2020 - Sept 30, 2023.