The U.S. Department of the Interior's Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) awarded a $500,000 Project Grant under the Economic, Social, and Political Development of the Territories program (CFDA 15.875) to the American Samoa Government Department of Commerce, operating as the Community Planning and Development Programs. This grant will fund a 4-year project to establish healthy wetland ecosystems in Vatia Village (15.5 acres) and Aunuu Island (4.5 acres) in American Samoa. The key products and services to be delivered include: 1) Cleaning up and restoring disturbed mangrove forest zones by removing waste, scrap metals, debris, and household trash; 2) Replanting degraded mangrove forest zones with native mangrove and riparian tree seedlings to increase carbon sequestration and purify freshwater; and 3) Raising awareness about the benefits and importance of wetlands and mangrove rainforest restoration. This project aims to protect the biologically rich and culturally significant wetland areas in American Samoa.
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