American Samoa

Ridge to Reefs
Implementing Green Infrastructure Solutions in the Faga’alu and Vatia Watersheds (AS)
Implement three green infrastructure projects across two priority watersheds; Vatia and Faga’alu in American Samoa. Project will train the watershed coordinator and local partners in restoration site selection, design and implementation to focus on reduction of nutrients from piggeries and septic systems and sediment associated with a quarry.
$85,000

San Diego State University Research Foundation
Evaluating Sediment Mitigation in Faga’alu (AS)
Conduct a comprehensive evaluation of sediment mitigation activities in Faga’alu Watershed, American Samoa. Project will combine existing data sets with fieldwork to quantify the impact of mitigation on sediment load, sediment sources based on geochemical composition, and benthic cover at a priority coral reef site.
$83,211

U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Identifying Seabird Nesting Areas on Tutuila Island (AS)
Survey up to 30 locations across Tutuila Island, American Samoa for Tahiti petrel and other montane seabirds. Project will deploy passive acoustic song meters from January through March 2020, along with trail cameras to evaluate seabird activity and to detect the presence and activity of nonnative mammalian predators; acoustic data will be analyzed to provide information about where birds are concentrated and inform focused on-the-ground searches.
$24,911

University of California - Santa Barbara
Measuring the Impacts of Herbivorous Fish on Coral Reefs to Better Inform Reef Management (AS)
Fill knowledge gaps regarding the relationship between herbivorous fish biomass and coral reef condition and how this relationship impacts the resilience of coral reefs in American Samoa. Project will identify species that both prevent macroalgae from increasing and remove macroalgae once abundant to prioritize species and inform fisheries management options.
$61,608