Campaign impact report : Laolao Bay pride campaign, September 12-September 2014

"On Saipan's east coast, Laolao Bay is one of the island's richest and most-used marine areas; Laolao Bay is a popular fishing and diving site among residents and tourists alike. Unfortunately, the coral reefs and the rest of the marine ecosystems in the bay, including sea turtle habitat, are suffering from extremely degraded water quality due to a variety of point source and non-point source pollution. The upland area of the watershed is a mix of residential lots, a golf course, and agricultural and other private land uses. As a result, the bay is subject to erosion and runoff pollution from unpaved roads, unpermitted development, land clearing, and agricultural practices. Heavy rain events exacerbate the problem as stormwater carries soil and pollutants into the bay. The surrounding watershed has consequently been the focus of various erosion control efforts. In order to further reduce the threats of erosion and sedimentation, the Laolao Bay Pride Campaign worked to promote the adoption of erosion control practices, follow regulations, report other threats, and stop harmful land clearing activities. This has been achieved through a combination of social marketing including providing landowners and residents with a watershed guide, working closely with community groups, and school visits. Landowners and residents understand the important functions of a healthy watershed and the natural and anthropogenic activities that cause erosion that can send sediment run-off directly onto coral reefs. Technical interventions such as holding an Erosion Control Training for landowners and residents on implementation of best management practices (BMPs) on private properties within the watersheds and developing a demonstration site, such as a rain garden installation at the local elementary school were also introduced to provide the community the skill set to ease the barriers to the adoption of erosion control practices"-Executive Summary. 2014 NOS (National Ocean Service) CoRIS (Coral Reef Information System) Library CRCP Project ID ; 198 Public Domain 1936