Remove all accessible tamaligi populations (approximately 5,000 tamaligi trees across 11,743 acres) throughout the western district's (from fagamalo/poloa to matu'u village) rugged and steep terrain…

The Department of the Interior's Office of Insular Affairs awarded $279,000 to the American Samoa Government under the Economic, Social, and Political Development of the Territories program (CFDA 15.875) on November 6, 2025, with a completion target of September 30, 2029. This project grant funds the removal of approximately 5,000 invasive Tamaligi trees across 11,743 acres of rugged and steep terrain throughout the Western District of Tutuila Island (from Fagamalo/Poloa to Matu'u Village) to restore native Samoan forest ecosystems.

The initiative directly supports the Office of Insular Affairs' mandate to address natural resource management and invasive species control in U.S. territories. By removing the accessible invasive Tamaligi population, the project will restore habitat and ecosystem integrity across a significant land area in American Samoa, aligning with the federal program's emphasis on environmental sustainability and territorial capacity building. The multi-year implementation timeline reflects the challenging terrain and scope of work required for comprehensive invasive species eradication in this insular environment.

Remove all accessible tamaligi populations (approximately 5,000 tamaligi trees across 11,743 acres) throughout the western district's (from fagamalo/poloa to matu'u village) rugged and steep terrain to restore our native samoan forests on tutuila.