MINA maps out goals, future projects

The Mariana Islands Nature Alliance, or MINA, hosted a barbecue Saturday last week at 13 Fishermen Memorial Monument.

The barbecue brought the MINA board together with community leaders, members, and interested environmentalists to get to know one another and discuss MINA’s primary goals in a casual environment.

This allowed many people who normally shy away from formal settings a chance to voice their concerns about the fate of our islands’ environment with MINA chair Erica Cochrane, vice chair Jesus C. Borja, and other board members.

MINA has set two primary goals on which to focus their efforts for their first few years. These goals were based on community input during a day-long strategic planning session facilitated by Bill Raynor of The Nature Conservancy and Willy Kostka of the Pohnpei Conservation Society last May. They include decreasing illegal take of nearshore marine resources and eliminating major illegal dumpsites.

Although these are ambitious goals, MINA’s members have already begun fleshing out the projects and outreach necessary to make these goals a reality by 2008.

MINA is planning to establish an environmental hotline and tracking system where island residents may report environmental concerns and illegal activities.

MINA will also partner with the CNMI Governments Coral Reef Initiative agencies to develop and manage an environmental outreach campaign focused on coral reef protection, including materials that discuss environmental laws for non-English speaking residents.

MINA is not a lobbying group, but will be meeting with community leaders to discuss providing regular trash removal from popular beaches and also plans to partner with DEQ to clean up the San Vicente Sink Hole. Toward this end, MINA will be conducting door-to-door education and outreach within the San Vicente neighborhood to lessen the risk of future dumping once the sight is returned to a healthier state.

It is hoped that the many dignitaries that joined the barbecue on Saturday will partner with MINA on these and future projects.

MINA thanks the Mayor’s Office, and the many businesses that contributed to the barbecue event: Coca Cola, Duty Free Shopping, PHI Pharmacy, Pacific Trading Co., and MarPac Distributors.

For more information about becoming a member of MINA, or how you can help your environment, contact 287-8343 or mina@minapacific.org. (PR)