This morning we hopped on the bus, experiencing our first AC in almost a week, heading to Ngardmau for a reforestation project. In the 1920s, the Japanese began to mine bauxite, a mineral containing aluminum. These regions were stripped of the topsoil, leaving no vegetation or nutrients to facilitate regrowth, further hindered by the heightened aluminum toxicity. As a result, these areas have remained barren for over 90 years until the Ebiil Society began work on reforestation.
Using the women’s traditional agriculture knowledge from the taro patches, they developed techniques that allowed seedlings to survive the harsh conditions. Through these efforts and the continual monitoring of the patches, they pioneered the most successful reforestation project in Palau!
Today, we helped plant 192 seedlings of 6 different native trees, 3 of which were nitrogen fixers and the others provide fruit for birds. Birds are important agents of reforestation, as they help disperse the seeds, encouraging future growth.
After all the work, we took a break for lunch—fish burgers and banana fries—before heading down to a local river to cool off. Waiting for us was a series of stunning waterfalls and relaxing swimming pools, which we were all too happy to enjoy.
After returning from our day’s adventures, Auntie Margie and Auntie Patty show us how to prepare the next generation of seedlings, using their ingenious methods to accelerate germination. These creative techniques included pod popping, giving the seeds a manicure, and beating them with a rock. The rocks proved particularly popular.
After dinner, Ms. Joyce, Ann’s sister, gave a presentation about PAN, the Palau Protected Area Network Fund, and the work they’ve done to protect the island’s watersheds. Because these watersheds cross state lines, interstate cooperation was paramount to the project’s success. Through their tireless efforts, 11% of Babeldaob—Palau’s largest island—is now designated as a protected area.
We’d like to thank the Ngardmau Rangers and the Ebiil Society for the time and knowledge they shared with us today. Their dedication and persistence in rebuilding what was destroyed is inspirational, and we hope our efforts help them get one step closer to their goal.
Today’s blog post was written by: Myles Tallmadge, Micaela Muñoz, and Lydia Dapkus
