The mariana common moorhen (gallinula chloropus) is a federally and locally listed commonwealth of northern mariana islands (cnmi) species of greatest conservation need impacted by land turnover and…

The Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service awarded $108,232.17 to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Department of Lands and Natural Resources under the Wildlife Restoration and Basic Hunter Education and Safety program (CFDA 15.611) effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026. This formula grant funds habitat restoration activities focused on the federally and locally listed Mariana Common Moorhen, an endemic species of greatest conservation need in the Commonwealth.

The primary deliverable consists of invasive species removal and wetland habitat restoration at the Mariana Islands Housing Authority (MIHA) wetland in Garapan. Specifically, the project will remove dense thickets of invasive pond apple (Annona glabra) that have degraded historical moorhen habitat and altered wetland hydrology. Through habitat restoration, the project will restore open water areas and native vegetation suitable for moorhen cover, foraging, and nesting, while generating ancillary benefits including improved water quality and reduced flooding risk in the project area.

The mariana common moorhen (gallinula chloropus) is a federally and locally listed commonwealth of northern mariana islands (cnmi) species of greatest conservation need impacted by land turnover and habitat degradation. Moorhen require wetlands for cover, foraging, and nesting, yet only 36% of historical wetland landcover remains in the cnmi. Although development is the greatest threat to wetlands locally, invasive species such as pond apple (annona glabra) have large impacts, choking out native vegetation and altering wetland hydrology. The mariana islands housing authority (miha) wetland in garapan is particularly affected by pond apple. While IT once held open water and provided habitat for moorhen, IT is now choked by a dense thicket of shrubs. This project will restore miha wetland through invasive species removal to improve habitat for the moorhen. Additional benefits include the improvement of water quality and reduction of flooding.