American Samoa is receiving $239,923 to remove large populations of the African tulip (Spathodea campanulate) and the Panama rubber tree (Castilla).
The trees are both widely recognized as destructive invasive tree species in the Pacific islands.
Several large populations of these aggressive tree species were recently discovered in the western and central areas of Tutuila adjacent to the National Park, home to the only paleotropical rainforest in the United States park system.
The funding, which is awarded to the Governor’s Office, was announced by Assistant Secretary of Interior for Insular and International Affairs Doug Domenich at last week’s meeting of the U.S. Coral Reefs Task Force in Palau.
Lt Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga, DMWR Director Vaamua Henry Sesepasara and ASEPA Director Faamao Asalele Jr. attended the meeting.
The total funding awarded for the territories was $5.1 million.
Assistant Secretary Domenech, who co chairs the Coral Reef Task Force said, “The funding provided will help to protect important coral and natural resources and combat invasive species that are threatening the stunning, but fragile ecosystems found across the U.S. territories and in the freely associated states.”
