The Pacific Invasives Learning Network (PILN) Soundbites for the month of March, 2013 is now available.  Read more about the below story in the PILN Soundbites and much more in this edition!

Group photo of participants at the Action Plan meeting

“Invasive species are not a very popular topic, not nearly as popular as sports, for example, but this only adds to the challenge of invasive species.”- President Tommy E. Remengesau Jr as he opened a three day workshop to develop a national strategic action plan for invasive species.

An action plan to combat invasive species in Palau was developed during a three day workshop for which 25,000 USD was committed by President Remengesau to help initiate implementation of the plan.

There was also a pledge of support by the President to prevent and control invasive species saying there was an “urgent need” of the plan.

Approximately 20 participants came together to help design the five year plan which has six broad goals with different objectives and actions to enable Palau to achieve the goals. It will guide the National Invasive Species Committee in their work.

Also developed over the duration of the workshop was a plan to provide short term relief to stop the spread; and to address the damage caused to agriculture on Angaur by the invasive macaque monkeys. Agriculture is no longer possible on Angaur and since Typhoon Bopha the monkey problem has become worse than ever.

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia: Crab-eating macaque

The NISC will also be working towards a long term solution to address the issue of the invasive Macaque monkey.

The workshop began on Tuesday 26 March and was supported by a grant from the Global Environment Facility.  It was also supported by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), the Secretariat of the Pacific Community and the Bureau of Marine Resources Palau.

For information about the plan, please email Dr. Joel Miles, National Invasive Species Coordinator, at the Bureau of Agriculture joelmiles52@gmail.com