Beautify CNMI!

Historical Sites and World Heritage

2016-02-18T07:17:00.001+10:00

Hey Team Beautify,

Angelo here. I'm back in cold and snowy Washington, DC and wanted to share with you an update about World Heritage and historical sites. As of right now, a Beautify CNMI committee has not been created to tackle this issue, but I'm sure one will be organized.

The Saipan Tribune has published two stories on our early discussions (here and here):

Historical sites also on Beautify CNMI’s agenda
Cause-oriented group Beautify CNMI has also identified historical sites in the CNMI as another one of their concerns citing their importance to the island’s culture.

Former representative Cinta Kaipat, with the help of Angelo Villagomez and other members of the community, is trying to revive Beautify CNMI in order to raise awareness on how to keep the islands clean and attractive both from local and foreign tourists.

Aya Matsumoto, another passionate community volunteer, had voiced the importance of the CNMI’s historical and cultural sites in promoting history. She hopes that the community would preserve it.

Finding ways to preserve monuments, buildings, and other important places that have historical value in the CNMI is also being discussed by the group.

[snip]

Villagomez, among the few who were able to visit some of the Northern Islands in 2009, said that the site could be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site as well as other significant sites in the CNMI.

“The North Field, the world’s largest Air Force base during World War II, we got the latte stones, the Marianas Trench, the Maug lagoon—the only place where chemosynthesis and photosynthesis at the same time. There’s boiling pools of sulfur, there’s deep sea volcanic vents. There are these cool cultural and historic sites that would be valid as world heritage sites,” Villagomez said.

It's a great coincidence that just as the Beautify CNMI coalition began talking about historical areas and UNESCO World Heritage Sites, we learned that a draft nomination for listing the Mariana Trench was already written. The draft is a collaboration between our local government and the federal government, and had input from local cultural experts. The Mariana Trench would be only the second marine World Heritage site of both natural and cultural values, so this is a very big deal.

I've found that many people in the United States are not aware of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, but globally they receive a lot attention. If you have heard about them, perhaps it's because Palau's Rock Islands were declared one in 2012?

The more than 1000 sites -- including iconic places like the Taj Mahal and the Grand Canyon -- are a bucket list for millions of people, including Aya Matsumoto, who is originally from Japan and brought this to the attention of the coalition members. These are, simply put, the most spectacular cultural and natural places in the world.

If you want more info you can visit the UNESCO website, which has loads of info. I've also written about World Heritage Sites here and here. And in 2010, I worked at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History to load several hundred Google Ocean stories to the Explore the Ocean layer of Google Earth, including all of the marine World Heritage Sites. Here's a video we produced about the effort (UNESCO was one of 20 partners I teamed up with for content):

video platform video management video solutions video player
By the way, about half of the photos that are used in this video were taken by Saipan dive celebrity Harry Blalock, owner and operator of Axe Murderer Tours on Saipan.

Beautify CNMI in the News

2016-02-05T18:38:00.002+10:00

Cinta Kaipat leads our tree planting on Thursday

We had a few stories in the local papers this week. We had our first meeting on Monday and planted our first trees on Thursday. Here are some of the highlights:

Beautify CNMI is Back

BEAUTIFY CNMI, the coalition of community, business and government organizations that brought people together 10 years ago to clean and beautify the islands, is here again to “infect” the people with the “beautify virus.”

Former Rep. Cinta M. Kaipat and environmental activist Angelo Villagomez, two of the key organizers of Beautify CNMI, met with other volunteers in the Hyatt Regency Saipan’s Chamolian Room on Monday to see “if we all can work together again.”

Kaipat Revives Beautify CNMI

“It is a diverse group that broke down boundaries. It is a group united by a common goal of taking care of the environment, enhance the CNMI’s natural beauty, and foster community pride in its residents,” said Kaipat.

Angelo Villagomez, who is one of the founders of Beautify CNMI!, has been involved in various community volunteer works before moving to the mainland. He is now based in Washington, D.C. but is on island to help Kaipat reorganize the group.

Kaipat said that her goal is not to replace the current post-Typhoon Soudelor work being done by various other groups but to enhance what they have been doing.

“We are not only making it beautiful for us but also for the tourists and for our children. We want to revive the campaign and join it with other work being done on the island today,” added Kaipat, who shared a lot of stories of volunteers that helped them in various projects.

Solid waste disposal is main concern of Beautify CNMI!

Proper disposal of solid waste on the island—especially those left by Typhoon Soudelor—became the center of discussion of the first meeting of reviving the people-centered group Beautify CNMI!

The core group, which answered former representative Cinta Kaipat’s invitation to attend the meeting, agreed that some of the problems that the community is facing right now is garbage left by those who spend weekends at the beach or trash dumped in random places by some people

Beer and soda cans, plastic bottles, disposable plates and utensils, cigarette butts, boxes, straws, burger wrappers, diapers, and other household thrash are the regular things collected during beach cleanups.

Rep. Edwin K. Propst (Ind-Saipan) said the challenge right now is how to keep one area clean and some people don’t have the money to get the services of a trash collection agency.

“As soon as you finished cleaning up one place, trash would appear in another. Either illegally burn it or throw it somewhere else,” said Propst, who together with Rep. Vinnie Sablan (Ind-Saipan) are thinking of possible laws that they could file at the Legislature.

Beautify CNMI to plant commemorative tree tomorrow

“We’ve planted several hundred flame trees along Beach Road also in Koblerville and several other places around the island,” Villagomez said.

He also credited those who came first to plant the trees that have become a trademark and identity of the CNMI.

“The flame trees by the beach were actually started many, many years ago, in the ’60s, ’70s,” Villagomez said, “Somebody has always stepped up and planted flame trees but it’s actually something that’s existed for 30 years.”

Villagomez said that while it is sad that those trees were gone, it is our responsibility to beautify the CNMI again.

“They were blown away. It’s really sad how much this island lost from the typhoon. People lost their homes, and we lost one of the naturally beauty. But as caretakers of this island, it’s our responsibility to fix up that which was broken,” Villagomez said.

Meeting Minutes

2016-02-03T17:39:00.003+10:00

Participants in the first meeting of 2016

Beautify CNMI meeting
February 1, 2016
Hyatt Chamolian Room

Participants: Vinnie Sablan (Legislature), Tatiana Babauta (MVA), Steve Jang (CARE), Lucy Sablan, Ike Cabrera, N Horiguchi, Walt Goodridge, Jojo Cruz (MINA), Angelo Villagomez (Pew), Aileen Benavente (BECQ), Jose Kaipat (BECQ), Brad Ruszala (CUC), Ed Propst (Legislature), Shelane Borja (CARE), Jill Arenovski (SCC), Jenny Hegland (CARE), Jon Perez (media), Cinta Kaipat, Arnold (media), Frau (media)

Cinta welcomed the group and introduced Angelo.

Angelo showed two movies from 2007:
What is Beautify CNMI?
One Year Anniversary
Cinta followed up with a history of Beautify CNMI and discussion of our values:
Beautify Virus – We must always be growing and sharing the message of our coaltion
We are a coaltion, not an organization – we steamroll bureaucracy
Do it now – if you have to ask if you can do it, the answer is yes
Give from your heart, we’ll take as much or as little as you can give
Everyone’s a member, even if they don’t know it yet

Following the talk, a discussion followed:

Please visit the website and sign up for the email list:
www.BeautifyCNMI.org

About 80% of the discussion was about solid waste
Solid waste management – Vin & Ed & Joe K. & MINA, Jen, Steve were identified as leaders and possible committee chairs. Taken as a whole, solid waste is too big an issues, so we discussed breaking up into sub-committees
-Enforcing Litter laws
-Village Cleanups- canvassing neighborhoods that still have typhoon debris & illegal dumping
-Restructuring price of dumping (tipping fee)
-Recycling, Tires
-Abandoned Structures – don’t have permission to remove debris from abandoned properties. How do we clean this up? What’s beautiful is also safe!

MINA brought up their work with marine debris & litter & plastic
It was mentioned that ocean issues as a whole are also important

Animals were discussed in two terms:
There is still an issue of abandoned and feral issues, and we should talk to Saipan Cares for Animals because they are doing great work. In the past we worked with PAWS and help public education activities and events
Dead animal cleanup – is there a government or a private sector solution to this perennial problem? It is related to the number of stray animals.

Working with the community was an overarching theme for all the discussions
There should an Education & Outreach committee
We should make educaitonal PSAs
Focus should be young kids & the parents

We want to plant trees to replace the ones destroyed by the Typhoon. We are having a tree planting this week.

Historical monuments & buildings – Aya & Ike
We need to talk to HPO
Promote this history

Diving was mentioned as important

Next meeting?
Ed Propst will convene a solid waste meeting in two weeks.
Joe Kaipat will see if we can hold the next general meeting at BECQ in March

Beautify CNMI! Meeting set for Monday

2016-01-28T05:11:00.002+10:00

The Beautify CNMI campaign will hold their first organizational meeting of 2016 next week. The once highly visible coalition was founded in 2006 and spent several years organizing beach cleanups, planting trees, painting over graffiti, and recycling. There is hope among some of the former volunteers to revive the campaign and to join it with other environmental initiatives taking place on the island today.

“Our goal is to enhance the work of the community,” said Beautify CNMI founder Cinta M. Kaipat. “We’re not looking to replace existing efforts, but to lift them to new heights.”

According to their website, Beautify CNMI! Is a coalition of concerned citizens, private groups, and government entities united to enhance the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands’ natural beauty and foster community pride in its residents and visitors. They have been recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency and the US Congress for their volunteer work, and were the Saipan Tribune’s 2006 Person of the Year.

Interested participants are invited to a meeting on Monday, February 1 at 2 PM in the Chamolinian Room of the Hyatt Recency.

Kaipat will chair the meeting and lead a discussion on how now is a great time to reinvigorate the coalition. Co-founder Angelo Villagomez will make a presentation on how the campaign was created in 2006.

For more information about Beautify CNMI’s ten year history, please visit www.BeautifyCNMI.org.

Who: Beautify CNMI coalition kick off meeting
What: A meeting to discuss Beautify CNMI
Where: Hyatt Regency Chamolinian Room
When: February 1, 2 PM
Why: To enhance the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands’ natural beauty and foster community pride in its residents and visit

Beautify CNMI! 2016

2016-01-07T01:17:00.000+10:00

Happy New Year!

Man, time flies. Has it really been 10 years since we created Beautify CNMI? And how is that we haven't posted a blog in two full years? Well, some of us got to thinking over the Christmas break and we've decided to get the band back together and reinvigorate our Beautify CNMI campaign in the new year. We're organizing ourselves right now and will have our first meeting in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, could you sign up to our email list? Click on the JOIN button above or RIGHT HERE.

Lots of good stuff coming to you this new year. Stay tuned!

DEQ Monthly Cleanup Brigade - Pau Pau Beach Saturday Jan 4

2013-12-31T10:57:00.000+10:00

(DEQ) - The Division of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Cleanup Brigade will be at it again picking up trash at Pau Pau Beach this Saturday, January 4, 2014 at 8 am.

If you would like to volunteer your time to clean and beautify our island, please meet the DEQ representatives on Saturday at the Pau Pau Beach parking lot at 8 am. Volunteers will split into groups and clean until 10:00 am and break for drinks and then continue, if needed.

This month, outstanding brigade volunteers who participated in at least ten (10) monthly cleanups will receive a brigade cap and those who participated in at least three (3) cleanups will receive a brigade t-shirt.

Last month’s Coral Ocean Beach Cleanup was successful with 36 volunteers participating. Thanks to, students from Tanapag Elementary, Dan Dan Elementary, Garapan Elementary, San Vicente Elementary, Hopwood Jr. High, Saipan Southern High/YEA Club, Emerson Network Power, KIEC, Coral Ocean Point, and other volunteers about 160 pounds of marine debris was removed from the beach and properly disposed of.

The DEQ is looking forward to a repeat success this Saturday, so join DEQ’s monthly cleanup brigade and “Pick It Up!” Let us work together for the health of our coral reefs and cleanliness of our beaches for everyone to enjoy.

For more information about volunteering, please contact the DEQ office at 664-8500/1.

DEQ Monthly Cleanup Brigade - Coral Ocean Point Beach Saturday Dec 7

2013-12-02T07:00:00.001+10:00

Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands - The Division of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Cleanup Brigade will be at it again picking up trash at Coral Ocean Point Beach on Saturday, December 7, 2013 at 8 am.

If you would like to volunteer your time to clean and beautify our island, please meet the DEQ representatives on Saturday at the Coral Ocean Point Beach parking lot at 8 am. Volunteers will split into groups and clean until 10:00 am and break for drinks and then continue, if needed.

This month, outstanding brigade volunteers who participated in at least ten (10) monthly cleanups will receive a brigade cap and those who participated in at least three (3) cleanups will receive a brigade t-shirt.

Last month’s Tank Beach Cleanup was successful with 38 volunteers participating. Thanks to, students from Saipan Southern High, staff from LaoLao Bay Golf Resort, Coastal Resource Management, Commonwealth Utilities Corporation, and other volunteers about 280 pounds of trash was removed from the beach and properly disposed of.

The DEQ is looking forward to a repeat success this Saturday, so join DEQ’s monthly cleanup brigade and “Pick It Up!” Let us work together for the health of our coral reefs and cleanliness of our beaches for everyone to enjoy.

For more information about volunteering, please contact the DEQ office at 664-8500/1. (PR DEQ)

DEQ Monthly Cleanup Brigade Tank Beach Saturday Nov 2

2013-10-26T09:20:00.000+10:00

(DEQ) - The Division of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Cleanup Brigade will be at it again picking up trash at Tank Beach in Kagman on Saturday, November 2, 2013 at 8 am.

If you would like to volunteer your time to clean and beautify our island, please meet the DEQ representatives on Saturday at the Tank Beach area/parking lot at 8 am. Volunteers will split into groups and clean until 10:00 am and break for drinks and then continue, if needed.

This month, outstanding brigade volunteers who participated in at least ten (10) monthly cleanups will receive a brigade cap and those who participated in at least three (3) cleanups will receive a brigade t-shirt.

Last month’s Makaka Beach Cleanup was successful with 64 volunteers participating. Thanks to, students from WSR Elementary, Hopwood Jr. High, Saipan Southern High, staff from CRM, and other volunteers about 700 pounds of trash was removed from the beach and properly disposed of.

The DEQ is looking forward to a repeat success this Saturday, so join DEQ’s monthly cleanup brigade and “Pick It Up!” Let us work together for the health of our coral reefs and cleanliness of our beaches for everyone to enjoy.

For more information about volunteering, please contact the DEQ office at 664-8500/1.

DEQ Monthly Cleanup Brigade - Makaka Beach this Saturday, October 5, 2013

2013-10-02T14:15:00.000+10:00

(DEQ) - The Division of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Cleanup Brigade will be at it again picking up trash at Makaka Beach this Saturday, October 5, 2013 at 8 am.

If you would like to volunteer your time to clean and beautify our island, please meet the DEQ representatives on Saturday at the Makaka Beach area/parking lot at 8 am. Volunteers will split into groups and clean until 10:00 am and break for drinks and then continue, if needed.

This month, outstanding brigade volunteers who participated in at least ten (10) monthly cleanups will receive a brigade cap and those who participated in at least three (3) cleanups will receive a brigade t-shirt.

Last month’s International Coastal Cleanup led by the Coastal Resource Management office was quite a success. Thanks to all the volunteers who participated, about 5,660 pounds of trash was removed and properly disposed of.

DEQ is looking forward to a repeat success this Saturday, so join DEQ’s monthly cleanup brigade and “Pick It Up!” Let us work together for the health of our coral reefs and cleanliness of our beaches for everyone to enjoy.

For more information about volunteering, please contact the DEQ office at 664-8500/1.

DEQ Monthly Cleanup Brigade - International Coastal Cleanup

2013-09-10T10:30:00.000+10:00

The Division of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Cleanup Brigade will deviate from its regular first Saturday of the monthly beach cleanup brigade in order to join the Coastal Resource Management’s (CRM) celebration of the 28th Annual International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) which is scheduled for Friday, September 20th and Saturday, September 21st on Saipan. Rota will be participating on September 20th and Tinian will be hosting theirs on September 18th.

DEQ encourages all regular volunteer individuals or groups to sign up and take part in this very good deed. If you would like to volunteer your time to clean and beautify our island by participating in the ICC, please contact a CRM ICC coordinator to sign up.

Saipan Coordinator: Nicole Schafer, 664-8312
Rota Coordinator: Bill Pendergrass, 532-0466
Tinian Coordinator: Edwin Hofschneider, 433-0494

Last month’s Aquarius Beach Cleanup was successful with 27 volunteers participating. Thanks to, NMC, WSR, KHS, HJHS, SSHS, Zoning, KKMP, and other volunteers about 300 pounds of trash was removed from the beach and properly disposed of.

The DEQ is looking forward to a repeat success, so join DEQ’s monthly cleanup brigade and “Pick It Up!” Let us work together for the health of our coral reefs and cleanliness of our beaches for everyone to enjoy.

For more information about volunteering, please contact the DEQ office at 664-8500/1.

International Coastal Cleanup 9/20 and 9/21

2013-09-05T10:40:00.000+10:00

It is time for us to once again join the global community and raise awareness about our coastlines through the International Coastal Cleanup. Last year the CNMI had 2,035 participants pick up 10,915 pounds of trash at the International Coastal Cleanup event. This year we are aiming to increase the number of participants and hopefully decrease the amount of trash. Cleanups raise awareness and knowledge about the issues that face not only our oceans, but also our land. Trash endangers the health of humans, wildlife, and coastal economies. Now is the time to come together and work with the community to preserve and protect the land and the sea, even if it is only for one day. We would love to have you join the ICC team.

Saipan ICC will take place Friday, September 20 and Saturday, September 21. If you are interested in joining this event please find attached the sign up sheet and if you require further information contact Saipan Coordinator: Nicole Schafer, 664-8312.

Kind Regards,

Nicole Schafer

ICC Saipan Coordinator

Coastal Resources Management

DEQ Monthly Cleanup Brigade: Makaka Beach this Saturday, July 6, 2013 at 8 am

2013-07-03T08:48:00.002+10:00

(DEQ) - The Division of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Cleanup Brigade will be at it again picking up trash at Makaka Beach this Saturday, July 6, 2013 at 8 am.

If you would like to volunteer your time to clean and beautify our island, please meet the DEQ representatives on Saturday at the Makaka Beach parking lot at 8 am. Volunteers will split into groups and clean until 10:00 am and break for drinks and then continue, if needed.

This month, outstanding brigade volunteers who participated in at least ten (10) monthly cleanups will receive a brigade cap and those who participated in at least three (3) cleanups will receive a brigade t-shirt.

Last month’s Obyan Beach Cleanup was successful with 21 volunteers participating. Thanks to, students from GTC Elementary, CK Head Start, Hopwood Jr. High, Saipan Southern High, staff from PSS, CJDA, and other volunteers, about 300 pounds of trash was removed from the beach and properly disposed of.

The DEQ is looking forward to a repeat success this Saturday, so join DEQ’s monthly cleanup brigade and “Pick It Up!” Let us work together for the health of our coral reefs and cleanliness of our beaches for everyone to enjoy.

For more information about volunteering, please contact the DEQ office at 664-8500/1.

DEQ Monthly Cleanup Brigade - Obyan Beach in June

2013-05-28T10:48:00.001+10:00

(DEQ) - The Division of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Cleanup Brigade will be at it again picking up trash at Obyan Beach this Saturday, June 1, 2013 at 8 am.

If you would like to volunteer your time to clean and beautify our island, please meet the DEQ representatives on Saturday at the Obyan Beach parking lot at 8 am. Volunteers will split into groups and clean until 10:00 am and break for drinks and then continue, if needed.

Last month’s Coral Ocean Point Beach Cleanup was successful with 26 volunteers participating. Thanks to, students from GTC and WSR Elementary, Hopwood Jr. High, Saipan Southern High, staff from Coral Ocean Point, and other volunteers about 440 pounds of trash was removed from the beach and properly disposed of.

The DEQ is looking forward to a repeat success this Saturday, so join DEQ’s monthly cleanup brigade and “Pick It Up!” Let us work together for the health of our coral reefs and cleanliness of our beaches for everyone to enjoy.

For more information about volunteering, please contact the DEQ office at 664-8500/1.

Beautify CNMI joins global Shark Stanley campaign

2013-01-07T13:15:00.002+10:00

Shark Stanley and Beautify CNMI volunteers

Shark Stanley, a charismatic hammerhead shark traveling the globe looking for people to help protect shark and ray species at the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), has made his way to the shores of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Shark Stanley has partnered with local conservation organization Beautify CNMI! in order to organize local support for the proposals to protection five species of shark and two species of manta ray at CITES 16th Convention of the Parties to be held in Bangkok, Thailand March 3-16.

“The Commonwealth is already an international leader in shark management and it is only natural that we want to see sharks protected at a global level,” said Cinta Kaipat of Beautify CNMI. “As islanders dependent on the ocean, and as part of the United States, we want to see these protections go through.”

Leah Meth and Onon Bayasgalan, graduate students at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, created the Shark Stanley campaign so that the global youth would have a voice at CITES. Their goal is for at least 20 people in each of the 177 CITES member countries to participate in the Shark Stanley campaign.

“Our idea is to create a campaign that will stand out from the typical petitions you see,” said Meth. “Each photo will serve as a ‘signature,’ representing a person who supports shark protections at CITES.”

People can participate in the campaign by cutting out a paper copy of Shark Stanley and his friends Manta Reina, Pierre le Porbeagle, and Waqi Whitetip, and then taking photographs with the characters, and posting them to social networks like Facebook and Twitter, tagging their posts with #SharkStanley. Meth and Bayasgalan are compiling the photos and with release the petition during the CITES meeting in March.

“We are able to get our materials translated into other languages and cultures by partnering with dive shops and environmental organizations around the world,” said Bayasgalan. “We have reached 47 countries since we launched last month, and we’re hopeful we’ll get to 177 as the campaign grows.”

The Pacific countries voting at CITES are Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, Samoa, Australia, and New Zealand. The Northern Mariana Islands will be represented by the United States at the meeting. The United States is a cosponsor of the proposals to protect the oceanic whitetip shark.

More information on the Shark Stanley campaign can be found online:
http://www.sharkdefenders.com/p/shark-stanley.html

DEQ Monthly Cleanup Brigade

2013-01-02T18:46:00.000+10:00

(DEQ) - The Division of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Cleanup Brigade will be at it again picking up trash at Tank Beach this Saturday, January 5, 2013 at 8 am.

If you would like to volunteer your time to clean and beautify our island, please meet the DEQ representatives on Saturday at the Tank Beach Parking lot at 8 am. Volunteers will split into groups and clean until 10:00 am and break for drinks and then continue, if needed.

Last month’s Paupau Beach Cleanup was successful with over 50 volunteers participating. Thanks to, SSHS YEA Club, CUC, MINA, MAFEA and other volunteers about 260 pounds of trash was removed from the beach and properly disposed off.

For more information about volunteering, please contact the DEQ office at 664-8500/1.

First Friday Films to Celebrate 2nd Anniversary with “Ocean Frontiers”

2012-05-23T11:19:00.004+10:00

Come help us celebrate First Friday Film's 2^ndanniversary and World Oceans Day! They're celebrating by showing the film Ocean Frontiers, sponsored by the Pacific Marine Resources Institute on June 1st, 2012 at 6:30pm at the American Memorial Park Visitors Center. Following the film, audience members will also be invited into the courtyard of the Visitor’s Center for a brief reception.

Ocean Frontiers takes us on an inspiring voyage to seaports and watersheds across the country—from the busy shipping lanes of Boston Harbor to a small fishing community in the Pacific Northwest; from America’s coral reefs in the Florida Keys to the nation’s premier seafood nursery in the Mississippi Delta. Here we meet a mixture of unlikely allies, of industrial shippers and whale biologists, pig farmers and wetland ecologists, sport and commercial fishermen, reef snorkelers and many more, all of them embarking on a new course of cooperation, in defense of the seas that sustain us. Filmed in HD, Ocean Frontiers is a documentary and outreach campaign to inspire and mobilize audiences to better care for the ocean, for the good of all.

Exhibits by DEQ Marine Monitoring Team, Pacific Marine Resources Institute, and Marianas Island Nature Alliance will be on display in the lobby area of the American Visitors Center before and after the film. After the film and courtyard reception, movie-goers are invited to join the First Friday Films crew for dinner at Spicy Thai across from the Park to discuss the films they’ve viewed and the future of our film program.

First Friday Films is a monthly film series brought to you through a partnership with the National Park Service and the Division of Environmental Quality (DEQ), with generous support from community groups and organizations such as the Pacific Marine Resources Institute, which is sponsoring this film.

For planning purposes, the movie runs about 80 minutes long. As always, First Friday Films is free and open to the public.

Find more information about the film at www.firstfridayfilmssaipan.blogspot.com. Subscribe to the blog for regular updates on upcoming events.

2012-04-26T13:26:00.001+10:00

This month First Friday Films will be holding its 1st annual Environmental Film Festival and Picnic starting tomorrow! See the schedule and notes below for details. Please help us spread the word as we think this will be a great event!

FRIDAY April 27^th

6:30pm Zero-Waste Picnic Kickoff* (location: AMP outdoor amphitheatre)

7:00pm FEATURE FILM: Addicted to Plastic (location: AMP outdoor amphitheatre, runtime 85 minutes)

SATURDAY April 28^th

10am – 1pm CHILDREN’S FILMS (location: AMP Visitor’s Center indoor theatre)

10:00am The Lorax (animated 1972 version based on the book by Dr. Seuss, runtime 30 minutes)

10:45am The Man Who Planted Trees (runtime 30 minutes)

11:30am DisneyNature’s OCEANS (runtime 84 minutes)

2pm – 3pm MATINEE: Navigators: Pathfinders of the Pacific (location: AMP Visitor’s Center indoor theatre, runtime 60 minutes)

4pm – 6pm REGIONAL SHORTS (location: AMP Visitor Center’s indoor theatre)

4:00pm Fanihi: A Cultural Digest (runtime 15 minutes)

4:15pm Talakhaya: A look at the Rota Revegetation and Luta Livelihoods Project (runtime 15 minutes)

4:30pm Home for Hawksbill (runtime 30 minutes)

5:00pm Micronesia’s Changing Climate (runtime 30 minutes)

5:30pm The Voices of Laolao (runtime 15 minutes)

6:30pm Zero-Waste Picnic Kickoff *
(location: AMP outdoor amphitheatre)

7:00pm FEATURE FILM: The Disappearing of Tuvalu
(location: AMP outdoor amphitheatre, runtime 75 minutes)

* Bring your dinner to the park for a Zero-waste picnic before and during the film. Movie-goers are encouraged to bring food, drinks and snacks that will create no trash to enjoy throughout the film. Bring reusable plates, utensils, drinking cups, water bottles, and cloth napkins. Package your food in Tupperware instead of plastic bags. Compost and recycling will be collected but trash bags will not be provided. Learn how to reduce trash on Saipan while enjoying the movie. (Please note: alcoholic beverages are not permitted within American Memorial Park.)

First Friday Films to show "Castaways" Friday

2012-04-04T10:30:00.000+10:00

First Friday Films will be featuring another episode of BBC’s South Pacific, entitled Castaways, on April 6^th, 2012 at 6:30pm at the American Memorial Park Visitor’s Center as part of their ongoing monthly environmental film series.

Remote islands that emerge out of the ocean as a consequence of different geological events are initially barren of land-based living creatures, but not for long. This episode looks at how plants, animals and humans all eventually find their ways to even the smallest and most remote of islands by riding ocean and wind currents or taking advantage of storms. Some crafty organisms even find ways to hitchhike around by attaching themselves to other species or riding along on boats with people. Come see another episode of this beautiful series presented in HD quality Blu-ray!

First Friday Films is a monthly film series brought to you through a partnership with the National Park Service and the Division of Environmental Quality (DEQ), with generous support from community groups. This particular film is provided by the Bearden Foundation.

For planning purposes, the movie runs about 50 minutes long. As always, First Friday Films is free and open to the public. For more information about First Friday Films, check out their blog at www.firstfridayfilmssaipan.blogspot.com or email fffsaipan@gmail.com to be added to our mailing list.

Stay tuned for more information regarding our upcoming Environmental Awareness Month Film Festival on April 27 and 28 at American Memorial Park.

First Friday Films to show "There Once Was an Island" tomorrow

2012-02-02T12:22:00.000+10:00

Its the first week of February, which means its time for another First Friday Film event! Tomorrow (Friday 2/3), we will be screening the award-winning film There Once Was an Island: Te Henua e Nnoho, by New Zealand director Briar March. Showtime will be 6:30pm at the American Memorial Parks Visitors Center.
This very moving feature documentary is not to be missed. The film follows three people from Takuu atoll in the Solomon Islands as their community experiences the devastating effects of climate change firsthand. Will they decide to stay with their damaged and sinking island home or move to a new and unfamiliar land, leaving their culture and language behind forever? You can see the trailer for the film here: http://www.thereoncewasanisland.com/

Additionally, we will have Noah Idechong, Speaker of the House of Delegates of Palau and founding member of the Palau Conservation Society, giving a very special video presentation about the effects of climate change on Micronesia and how Palau and other Micronesian nations are looking to combat it through political means.

For planning purposes, the movie runs about 80 minutes long. As always, First Friday Films is free and open to the public. A special thanks goes to the NMI Council for Humanities, who sponsored this film.

See you tomorrow!

Talakhaya film to be show on channel 2 tonight!

2012-01-25T14:31:00.000+10:00

A new documentary on Rota’s Talakhaya Revegetation Project will be featured tonight, Jan. 25, on Channel 2 at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

The Talakhaya Revegetation Project was implemented in 2006, where community planting efforts were greatly increased to reduce impacts of decades of deforestation by illegal burning.

The 14 minute, locally shot and produced documentary highlights the challenges they face with burning and soil erosion, the revegetation efforts of the community, and the project's successes over the last 5 years to reduce sediment from running off of the land and polluting adjacent coral reef ecosystems. The short film will air immediately following Channel 2’s evening news programs.

Funding for the film and the Rota DLNR headed revegetation program has come from the U.S. Coral Reef Initiative.

Don't Miss it!

First Friday Films to show "Economics of Happiness" Friday (Jan 6th)

2012-01-03T11:16:00.000+10:00

First Friday Films will be featuring its first film of the year and you don’t want to miss it. The Economics of Happiness, a film by Helena Norberg-Hodge, Steven Gorelick, & John Page, will be showing on January 6, 2012, 6:30pm at the American Memorial Parks Visitors Center.

Economic globalization has led to a massive expansion in the scale and power of business and banking. The Economics of Happiness describes a world moving simultaneously in two opposing directions. On one hand, the alliance between governments and big business continues to promote globalization and consolidation of corporate power. And on the other, people all over the world are resisting those policies. Communities are coming together to re-build more human-scale, ecological economies based on a new paradigm – the economics of localization. More information about the film can be found here.

Anthony Pellegrino, owner of Saipan Aquaculture Co. Inc. and Cargo Air Bridge, will be on hand to discuss his vision for a sustainable local economy in the NMI as well as to share how he believes the community can participate in building it. Additionally, he will be answering audience questions following the film.

For planning purposes, the movie runs about 65 minutes long. As always, First Friday Films is free and open to the public.

Nominate Kathy Pagapular Ruszala's Sixth Grade Class for a Peter Benchly Ocean Award

2011-12-21T01:16:00.000+10:00

Here it goes, I'm asking for your help yet one more time. Will you nominate Kathy Pagapular's San Vicente Elementary School Sixth Grade Class for a Peter Benchley Ocean Award in Youth Activism? Kathy's class supported shark protections in the Northern Marianas this year and jumpstarted momentum for a year of shark conservation. They deserve recognition.

Click here to learn how to nominate San Vicente Elementary School for a Peter Benchley Ocean Award in Youth Activism.

The deadline for nominations is December 31, 2011. Nominations should include 2- 6 paragraphs on the nominee and why the nominator finds them deserving in their category. Feel free to include supporting materials and/or links. Please include the nominees contact information and your contact information.

Submit to benchleys@bluefront.org. Mark subject line - Benchley Nomination - Youth Activism. Nominators names will be held in confidence.

2011 was a watershed year in shark conservation. And where did it all start? Saipan. On January 27, Governor Ben Fitial signed a law criminalizing the sale, trade, and possession of shark fin. This act kicked off 12 months of improved protections for sharks, including shark sanctuaries in The Bahamas, Honduras, the Marshalls, and Tokelau, shark fin bans in Guam, California, Washington, Oregon, and half a dozen Canadian cities, protections for oceanic whitetips, hammerheads, and silky sharks on the high seas, and agreements by international and regional bodies to implement more protections in 2012.

The law in the Northern Marianas was supported by many in the community, including fishermen, divers, and the conservation-minded, but a sixth grade class at San Vicente Elementary School may have done more than anyone else to make sure sharks received protections.

I could tell their story, but filmmaker Rob Stewart does it much better with his short film Sharkwater Saipan. This short film is just a preview of Rob's second feature film Revolution, due out in theaters next year.

Watch Sharkwater Saipan on Youtube.

I am asking you to write your own nominations (but I am available to help or edit). Two paragraphs should not be that difficult. Think of this award as something that will come home to the Marianas, not just San Vicente Elementary.

I make this request as the Saipan Blogger and the Godfather of the Mariana Trench Marine National Monument, not as someone who works for an organization that shall go unnamed. I have had the honor of meeting many shark champions around the world this year including Tony DeBrum from the Marshall Islands, Ev Quiel and Melanie Blas on Guam, Manoa Rasagitale in Fiji, Rob Stewart in Canada, and many others, but my home and my heart lies with Saipan. So let's bring that award home!

Fiesta Resort & Spa: Makaka Beach Clean-up

2011-12-20T12:31:00.000+10:00

On Dec 17th, 40 volunteers collected 20 bags weighing approximately 100 lbs. This is our last, but not the least, beach clean-up for the year 2011. The clean-up was followed by calisthenics lead by our S&R lifeguards and a healthy breakfast at the cafeteria.

Merry Christmas to everyone!

Tan Holdings: Susupe Beach Park Tree Planting

2011-12-14T11:35:00.003+10:00

Sharing with you are the pictures from our recently concluded “1st Tree Planting” initiative of Tan Holdings at the Susupe Beach Park. A group of 50 executives and key managers went out early in the morning of Saturday, Dec 10, 2011 to join and participate in this worthy activity. More tree planting activities are set for 2012 as we continue our commitment to share our time in preserving our mother earth.

DEQ Cleanup Bridge: Old Man by the Sea join us on Saturday!

2011-12-14T11:24:00.008+10:00

The Division of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Monthly cleanup brigade is deviating from its regular 1^st Saturday of the month schedule and scheduled its December cleanup on December 17, 2011 picking up trash at Old Man by the Sea, Saipan.

The beach is littered with float and jet-stream trash and it needs our help so DEQ is asking for more volunteers to join this particular cleanup.

If you would like to volunteer your time to clean and beautify our island, please meet the DEQ representative on Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 8:00 a.m. along the road heading to King Fisher Golf. Come join us and “Pick it Up!”

Volunteers will split into groups and clean until 10:00 am and break for drinks and then continue, if needed.

This is a cleanup that should not be missed, so join DEQ’s cleanup brigade and “Pick It Up!” Let us work together for the health of our coral reefs and cleanliness of our beaches for everyone to enjoy.

So join DEQ’s Cleanup Brigade and “Pick It Up!” Let us work together for the health of our coral reefs and cleanliness of our beaches for everyone to enjoy.

For more information about volunteering, please contact the DEQ office at 664-8500/1.