A $1 million-a-year grant has been awarded to the University of Hawaii Kewalo Marine Laboratory for five years by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to work with Pacific islanders on land-sea interactions and damage to coral reefs, recreational and fishery resources.

Robert Richmond, a world-renowned coral reef conservationist and principal investigator for the project, said the funding continues an earlier grant dealing with watershed issues at the community level throughout islands in Micronesia.

“;It will have a huge impact,”; he said.

The researchers will work on Pohnpei and Yap in the Federated States of Micronesia and Guam and Palau.

Richmond, in an interview, said they are taking a holistic approach to the Pacific islands' problems as the Kewalo scientists did in a community partnership on land and water issues in East Oahu's Maunalua Bay.

“;We'll be drawing bridges between the two,”; he said, noting he brought colleagues from Palau to Maunalua community meetings, and “;they were able to describe how they used science to change behaviors damaging to reefs and fisheries.

“;It was a nice moment to see how the traditional nature of Micronesian communities can be used as a model,”; Richmond said. “;We're going to try to set up community exchanges for fishers and key community leaders to go to Palau and interact with their fishers and community leaders.

“;There is a lot to be given and learned on both sides,”; he added, stressing that science does not tell people what to do, but provides communities with solid information “;so they can make decisions knowing where this is going to take them.”;

Noah Idechong, speaker of the Palau National Congress and a key member of the project advisory group, said in a news release the grant “;will allow us to continue addressing problems resulting from poor land-use practices in the past.

“;We will also engage the community in proactive planning for future activities and test culturally appropriate approaches supporting coal reef sustainability for us, our children and generations to come.”;

Felix Martinez, manager of the Coral Reef Ecosystem Studies Program at the NOAA Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research, said, “;This project is an excellent example of how NOAA can provide not only relevant science information, but also a framework to allow communities to develop and implement effective strategies to stop and hopefully reverse environmental degradation.”;