DUE TO THE CNMI S IMMEDIATE PROXIMITY TO GUAM, THE BROWN TREE SNAKE BTS REPRESENTS AN EVER PRESENTTHREAT TO THE CNMI S OWN NATIVE FOREST SPECIES AND ECONOMY OF THE 20 NATIVE FOREST BIRDS, BATS, AND LIZARDSFOUND IN THE CNMI, HALF OF THESE ARE ENDEMIC AND THE U S FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE HAS LISTED ONE QUARTERAS ENDANGERED IF THE BROWN TREE SNAKE WAS TO ESTABLISH IN CNMI IT WOULD RESULT IN THE DISAPPEARANCE OFMOST, OR ALL, OF THE ISLAND S NATIVE BIRDS, REPTILES, AND MAMMALS THE FUNDING REQUESTED WILL ENABLE THECNMI BROWN TREE SNAKE INTERDICTION PROGRAM TO PREVENT THE INTRODUCTION OF BROWN TREE SNAKES TO THECNMI BY PROVIDING ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL FUNDING SUPPORT FOR THE ISLANDS OF SAIPAN, TINIAN, AND ROTA