Keep in Touch

Subscribe to stay up to date on Seacology’s events, trips, and projects.

  • Email Address
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

top-cap-white
top-cap-bluetop-cap-white

Conservation benefit: Removal of tamarind trees and other invasive species from the rainforest in the National Park of American Samoa

Date Approved: 01.2006

Forest

This project protects forest, preventing the release of greenhouse gases and reducing erosion that damages coastal and ocean ecosystems.

Fagasa Village is one of four villages on Tutuila Island that allowed their primary rainforest to be incorporated into the National Park of American Samoa. The chiefs of Fagasa Village are concerned by the incursions of the aggressive tamarind tree in the rainforests of the national park that surround their village. Originally introduced to American Samoa as a street tree, this species is shading out primary rainforest species and is damaging the national park.

Seacology is providing funds to the Fagasa Chiefs Council to completely remove invasive tamarind trees from their land that has been leased to the park.

Project Updates

January 2007

Members of the Seacology Samoa expedition with Japanese Fellows and board members visited the village and the rainforest in July 2006. Project leader Tavita Togia gave a presentation on the project and a tour of the rainforest, and Fagasa villagers held a ceremony for the group in recognition of Seacology’s support.

Read more

June 2006

In April 2006 American Samoa National Park officials trained five Fagasa villagers in tree removal techniques and safety. These villagers participated in the two-month program to remove the invasive plant and tree species surrounding the village and are expected to finish the work by June, 2006.

Read more
- +

Full or partial funding for this project provided by Nu Skin Force for Good Foundation.

top-cap-bluetop-cap-white