A message from APASEEM:

In early November the Asia Pacific Academy of Science, Education, and Environmental Management (APASEEM) issued a Call For Presentations and twelve groups of researchers have expressed their interest in speaking. Once again, this year’s conference will host speakers traveling here at their own expense from Hawaii and from Guam, as well as presentations by on-island scientists and science students. On this coming Wednesday, December 8th and on Thursday, December 9th, at the American Memorial Park Auditorium, APASEEM will hold its annual Science, Science Education, and Environmental Management meeting, as well as its Annual General Membership meeting. The time for the presentations will be from 3:30pm until 6:30pm, both days. As recommended, this year the Academy has moved the talks from the evening to a day-period time slot. Six to seven talks are scheduled for each day and each talk is planned for about a 20 minute period with another 5 minutes for questions.

Interested members of the general public and resource agencies are strongly encouraged to attend and ask questions following each talk. Note that Wednesday is a CNMI holiday, thus many interested government employees, as well as the general public and interested school students should be able to attend. The timing, from 3:30 to 6:30pm, is to further encourage public and private school science teachers to attend both days. Public resource management agency directors and private firm managers are encouraged to allow interested employees flexibility in work hours in order for them to attend and participate in this, our island’s sole science, science education, and environmental management best practices supportive body.

The APASEEM nonprofit organization was begun in April 2004. To date it has held 13 formal meetings with 54 formal and informal talks given by 96 individuals presenting their projects and findings, mostly involving studies and projects done here in our islands. General membership meetings are held just prior to or shortly following each day’s presentation.

Wednesday, December 8th, 2010 afternoon presentations, starting at 3:30pm, are planned to include:

1. - Dr. Gary Denton, University of Guam Water and Environment Research Institute, “Mercury and Lead Contamination Case Studies in Saipan Lagoon: Good News, Bad News!”

2. - Mr. James Stanford, US Geological Survey Biological Resources Division, “Preliminary Report on Small Non-Volant Mammals Surveys, Pagan Island.”

3. - Mr. Dave Bucher and Kagman High School Advanced Biology Organization, in cooperation with Dr. Robert L. Schlub, Extension Plant Pathologist, University of Guam and Dr. Dilip Nandwani, Plant Pathologist/Agronomist, NMC CREES, “Studies on the Decline of the Tree Species Casuarina equisetifolia in the Marianas Archipelago.”

4. - Ms. Judy Amesbury, Micronesian Archaeological Research Services, Inc., Guam, "Pelagic Fishing in the Mariana Archipelago: From the Prehistoric Period to the Present."

5. - Ms. Andrea Bruner and Dr. Phil Bruner, Brigham Young University (BYUH), “Who's Your Daddy? Extra-pair Paternity in Ruddy Turnstones (Arenaria interpres) and Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) at Woolley Lagoon, Nome, Alaska.”

6. - Mr. Richard Seman, “A Report on Three Year’s Work Re: Conducting Summer Camps on Marine Fisheries and Resources at Marianas High School.”

Thursday, December 9th, 2010 afternoon presentations, starting at 3:30pm, are planned to include:

7. - Mr. Michael Trianni, Mr. Michael Tenorio, CNMI DFW Fisheries Program and Mr. Steven McKagan, NOAA Pacific Islands Regional Office, “Evaluation of the Gill Net Fishery in the Saipan Lagoon”.

8. - Ms. Amanda Hansen, Mr. Daniel Scott, Mr. Mark Cannon, Dr. Roger Goodwill, BYUH. 2010. “Trace metal contamination in the sea anemone, Edwardsianthus gilbertensis (Carlgren, 1931).”

9. - Mr. Valrick Welch, San Vicente Elementary School, “A Short Report with Graphs of the Science and Math Improvements for San Vicente School as Well as the Specific Improvements from the Students Who Participated in the Summer Camp and the Highly Involved Students from the Young Farmers Club.”

10. - Mr. James Stanford, USGS, “Focus on the Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis) Issue in the NMI (Causes for Concern, Recent Developments, Etc.).”

11. - Roger Goodwill. BYUH 2010. “Monsters without Backbones - the Strange Invertebrates Inhabiting the Saipan Reefs.”

12. - Ms. Lael Prince, Ms. Mollika Graham, Mr. Michael Schsenbaugh, Dr. Dave Bybee, and Dr. Roger Goodwill, BYUH, “Reproductive Studies on a Sabellid Polychaete (Sabellidae: Fabriciinae) from the Kahuku Reef Flat, Oahu Hawaii, 2010.”

13. - Ms. Lauren Fielding, Dr. Oscar Johnson (Montana State University), Dr. Roger Gold, Dr. Roger Goodwill, Ms. Lael Prince, Ms. Patricia Johnson, Mr. Paul Brusseau, and Ms. Nancy Brusseau, BYUH. 2010. “New Insights of the migration patterns of Pacific Golden-Plovers.”

APASEEM reserves the option to alter the order and days of speakers as circumstances warrant. We hope to see everyone who’s interested at the park auditorium from 3:30 to 6:30 on the 8th and the 9th.

For more information, contact John Furey via email at jfurey@saipan.com or by phone at 234-5103 (please leave a voice message after 7 rings).

Congrats, William Aila Jr.!

The Friends of the Mariana Trench Monument (from left to right): Mike Tripp, Ike Cabrera, William Aila Jr., Angelo Villagomez, and Ken Kramer.

Friends of the Mariana Trench Monument's good friend William Aila Jr. has been chosen by governor-elect Neil Abercrombie to be the next Director of Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources. William is a pseudo-celebrity on Saipan. He made big news in 2008 when he traveled to Saipan to share his experiences with the creation of what was is now Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. When he visited he appeared on local talk TV and radio, spoke to the Rotary Club and Chamber of Commerce, and met with a number of community and elected leaders.  William helped the leaders and people of Saipan make the decision to advocate for the creation of the Mariana Trench Marine National Monument.

On behalf of the Friends of the Mariana Trench Monument, Congrats William!

50% Off for Christmas

Our Northern Islands is available for 50% off the regular price for the next two weeks for shoppers who would like to give the book as a Christmas (or Hanukkah or Kwanzaa) gift. In order to receive the discount, the book must be purchased on Createspace.com and when prompted the following discount code must be entered: DPQ5DC28.

Our Northern Islands is a book about the first expedition to the Mariana Trench Marine National Monument and contains over 70 full color photos of the uninhabited islands north of Saipan. Written by recent high school graduate Dennis Chan, the book details the 10 day expedition taken to the newly created Mariana Trench Monument just months after its declaration by President George W. Bush on January 6, 2009.

Chan joined the expedition after winning an essay contest sponsored by the Friends of the Mariana Trench Monument, "Why I want to the visit the Mariana Trench Marine National Monument."

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the book will support the educational programs of the Friends of the Monument and create more opportunities like the one given to Dennis.

What people are saying about Our Northern Islands:

"Youthful enthusiasm and neophyte adventure jumps out of the pages of this book.”
-Jaime Vergara
Saipan Tribune

"I am so proud of Dennis for putting this book together at such a young age."
-Delegate Gregorio Sablan
United States Congress

Kudos to Kathy, FirstFridayFilms --- Sharkwater --- Reaching into the Heart of the Community

This post is dedicated to Kathy Lalaine Pagapular who took amazing next steps after watching FirstFridayFilms showing of Sharkwater at American Memorial Park! Kudos to the students who took the intiative to write the letters and look what happened!!! This is all so amazing...

Smithsonian Zoological Park: Project Blue Planet

Are you a teacher? Check this out: Grand prize is a trip for two adults and four students to fly to Washington, DC!

The Smithsonian Zoological Park is sponsoring a great program called Project Blue Planet.

You can get more information from their website here: Project Blue Planet.

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A quick visit to their website gives lots of information --- we get you started here:
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Help your middle school earn a “Seal” of Approval. One lucky group will win an exclusive look at the Zoo’s new seal and sea lion exhibit!

It’s easy to feel small in the face of large environmental problems, especially now with the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, but kids can make a huge difference. How? By starting an eco-team to educate classmates and inspire them to take action for marine life.

This new contest challenges kids nationwide to get their schools and communities involved to improve the environment for marine life. A healthy planet starts in your school (and school yard) even for people who live far from the ocean. We will provide the tools you need to get started, and National Zoo Green Team members will be on hand to help you along the way.

Depending on your school’s environmental priorities, there are four ways you can achieve a “Seal” of Approval. Form your team and follow easy instructions that will help you reduce waste, improve energy use, and create healthier environment for students and local wildlife.

Keep in mind that once your project is complete, you will need to submit the following:

• Research on at least one marine species, showing how your project benefits sea life
• Description of how the project educates others
• Documentation of up to ten photos and/or a link to a video (five minutes maximum) showing the project from beginning to completion

To be eligible, projects must begin after September 1, 2010 and end by April 30, 2011 Winners will be announced in June 2011. Read More...