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Foresters briefed on available US grants
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Posted on Feb 07 2001
Experts from the US Department of Agriculture yesterday briefed members of the Pacific Island Committee on available grants which may help improve various agriculture and forestry programs of the Pacific.
During yesterday’s conference, CNMI Division of Agriculture acting director Estanislao Villagomez disclosed availability of several scholarship grants and other educational advancement that members can readily avail of.
For next year, USDA has lined up major activities to help member islands pursue developments through potential cooperative land forest health management projects and other technical assistance from the federal government.
The PIC Meeting of the Council of Western State Foresters is an annual event participated in by representatives from Guam, American Samoa, Palau, Hawaii and other Pacific islands. The conference will run until Feb. 10.
Mr. Villagomez said that apart from this week’s meeting, the Department of Land and Natural Resources along with the agriculture division will hold a three-day conference on Tinian and Rota next week.
The team will conduct an on-site visit and a grand management service meeting with Tinian and Rota agriculture officials and staff. The meeting is part of the USDA project, Mr. Villagomez explained.
Today, foresters will thoroughly tackle compact negotiations, in-service training, forest inventory analysis and other funding assistance that can be availed.
The seminar hopes to also address other concerns and pressing issues on lands and forestry currently faced by Pacific islanders. Here on CNMI, the acting director stressed problems on private lands topped the concerns listed by the division. (EGA)
