Mariana Islands Nature Alliance

 

MINA is a community - based, nonprofit organization, formed by a group of people dedicated to the conservation of the natural resources of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI).

We believe that the CNMI has unique and beautiful natural resources, but this natural heritage is at risk of continued degradation. We feel that community involvement in conservation and management is the only way to achieve long-term preservation of our resources, and that non-government organizations can mobilize this involvement. Therefore, we have formed a community-based group dedicated to biodiversity conservation in the CNMI.

Please explore these pages further to find out more about MINA’s mission and to contact us for more information about how you can get involved.

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News

 
L-R MINA Board Member Reina Camacho, LITE's Peter Sablan, LITE President Teresa Kim,
MINA Chair Fran Castro, MINA Vice-Chair Laurence Boyer, MINA Secretary Chuck Sayon
and MINA Board Member Ron Smith accept the check from Light in the Eve.

The Mariana Islands Nature Alliance (MINA) received $6,000 from the Light in the Eve Foundation (LITE) at MINA's annual general membership meeting held on Friday, May 30 at the Fiesta Resort and Spa.   The $6,000 will go towards the 2008 Teacher Summer Camp.

New Board Member

MINA would like to welcome their new board member, Ms. Agnes M. Sablan also known as Sam.   Sam has recently moved back to her home in Saipan.  She is also a member of Famoksaiyan,  a successful nonprofit organization in Northern California.  Sam also attended the Government of New Zealand and the South Pacific Commission's (SPC) Fisheries Training Section for Seafood Enterprise Operations and Management for Pacific Island Women, and also graduated from the School of Culinary Arts in San Francisco.

Board Size Reduced

By vote of the board, the MINA By-Laws have been amended to reduce the number of the Board of Directors to 9.

Current Board Members

Frances A. Castro, Chair
Laurence Boyer, Vice-Chair
Chuck F. Sayon, Secretary
Sixto Igisomar, Treasurer
Kathy L. Yuknavage, Board Member
Reina C. Camacho, Board Member
Ron Smith, Board Member
Aya Matsumoto, Board Member
Agnes M. Sablan, Board Member

Obyan Rehabilitation Project:

Over 25 volunteers from the Mariana Islands Nature Alliance (MINA) membership, and other government, and non-government organizations within the Beautify CNMI! coalition, toiled in the rain on November 10, 2007 to address erosion at Obyan Beach. Several coirs of natural fiber were installed as a non-point source pollution prevention best management practice. Volunteers learned how to roll and secure the coirs using “nanaso” (Scaevola sericea) shrubs to create a stormwater barrier for dispersing run off.

Historical Preservation Office Archaeologist, Ronnie Rogers, assisted with the planting and noted that erosion has been a problem for some time at the site, “so much soil has been removed from some areas that we were seeing pit features, including burials, exposed after hard rains.  Blocking off the area to prevent vehicular access and re-establishing plants has stabilized the site and protected it from further damage. This project is a good example of how protecting natural resources can also protect our cultural resources.”

MINA Project Coordinator, Kathy Yuknavage, said that “Saturday’s planting was successful thanks to guidance from NRCS and DLNR Division of Forestry; and the materials provided through grants from the US Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA.” She also thanked the Beautify CNMI! coalition for donating refreshments towards the cause. At the end of the day two lucky volunteers won water park passes to attend MINA’s fundraising event held at PIC on Veteran’s Day.

Update 01/28/2008: Then & Now:

 
Lower Parking Area, before and after

 
First Access, before and after

Also see "Improving Beach Access"