Exploring for Plants Expedition to study and conserve the palms of Micronesia, September - October 2008

Palau’s Rock Islands are among the most pristine habitats in the Pacific. Unlike most tropical islands, they still support native forests and are not ravaged by exotic invasive plants. They include the only known populations of Ponapea palauensis, the palms we came to study. There are more than 800 Rock Islands, stretching south from the larger volcanic islands of Babeldaob and Koror.

Rock Island terrain with jagged, crumbling rocks.

Waters surrounding the Rock Islands are difficult to navigate, and the terrain can be dangerous. Anyone not bloodied by the razor-sharp limestone will at least leave the Rock Islands very itchy, either as a result of the the poison tree (Semecarpus venenosus, a more potent relative of poison ivy) or chiggers. Because of these dangers and annoyances, the Rock Islands are mostly uninhabited, seldom visited, and show few signs of human impact. Read More…

Palau is home to the rarest, most endangered species of Ponapea. Known only from the Rock Islands, Ponapea palauensis inhabits moist, sheltered pockets among the limestone hills.

Ponapea palauensis, with most of its leaves clipped by cockatoos.

The exotic Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita) is a threat to Ponapea palauensis.

Replica of a traditional meeting house, or bai, at the National Museum of Belau.

Today, October 1, Palauans are celebrating 14 years of independence.  Palau is geographically a part of Micronesia, but not politically.  Rather than becoming part of the Federated States of Micronesia, Palauans opted to do things their own way.  After a century of domination by Spain, Germany, Japan and the United States, Palau officially became an independent nation on this day in 1994.

Palau is a small country of about 25,000 people but is geographically quite complex. It is a network of more than 800 islands that add up to just under 200 square miles of total land area. Tourism is one of the most important components of the economy.  People come from all over the world to dive in Palau’s gorgeous blue waters, ranked among the top dive spots in the world.  Read More…

If I had to personify the three species of Ponapea we are studying, I would say Ponapea ledermanniana, found in Kosrae and Pohnpei, is a bit of an exhibitionist.  It flaunts its bright white inflorescences above the hillside canopy for all to see.  Ponapea hosinoi, found in Pohnpei, is a bit shier, though it does make itself accessible in lowland forests and swamps.  Its inflorescences are covered with dark brown scales that don’t really pop out in a dark forest.

Cruising the rock islands, looking for Ponapea palauensis.

Ponapea palauensis, found only in Palau, is a sneaky rascal hiding deep in ravines of jagged limestone islands with nearly inaccessible shorelines.  This species has by far given us the greatest frustration and the greatest thrill of discovery.  Read More…

Stump of Ponapea ledermanniana in newly-cleared farmland

We spent a week traveling around Pohnpei, scouring the forests for palms. A week is not enough time for a thorough census, but we now have an idea of the distribution and abundance of Ponapea palms. After talking with many Pohnpeians across the island, we also have information on where the palms grew in the past.

Both Ponapea species are difficult to find on Pohnpei, and they appear to be in decline. Pohnpei has more people and a greater intensity of farming than we saw on Kosrae, so impacts on the forests are more obvious. Read More…

This is my final entry to the blog– Christie, Carl, and Steve are in Palau while I am headed back home via Guam and Hawaii.

On our last field day in Pohnpei, Steve and Carl decided to take some longer hikes in search of palms in new areas. Christie agreed to stay with me for the day, introducing me to snorkeling for the first time.

We rode to an island where the Japanese had built a seaplane base during World War II. The concrete platforms, a hangar, and pillboxes remain.

For a first time snorkeler and true scaredy cat, Pohnpei was a great place to start. The reefs are beautiful– the fish are colorful and small. The corals range from pastels to white with sparkly blue tips. Our guide took good care of me and steered me away from where the big fish might be. This was our only non-palm activity of the entire trip. Read More…

Making sakau– Straining the pulp through strips of Hibiscus tiliaceus

In Pohnpei, we encountered two cultural practices that piqued my curiosity.  The first is the ancient tradition of consuming sakau.  Sakau (called kava in other parts of the Pacific) is a thick dark drink made from pounding the roots of a pepper plant – Piper methysticum.  In Ponpei, the root pulp is mixed with water then wrung out using strips of Hibiscus tiliaceus bark (the same material used to make ‘grass’ or ‘Hawaiian’ skirts).

Though on this trip we did not have the opportunity to partake in the ritual, we were fortunate enough to see the drink being prepared.  I am told that sakau has a relaxing effect on the body without impairing judgment.  Sakau is consumed in a social setting and even before important meetings. Read More…

'Multitasking' - Steve with GPS unit perched on his head while writing filed notes.

Today is Friday and our field work on Pohnpei is nearly complete.  We have spent five days systematically driving and hiking this island, looking for every known site of Ponapea.  Our methods are pretty simple.  We started by driving all the roads with our heads hanging out the car windows, looking intently at the passing vegetation.  We found a few populations that way.  Most helpful were our guides Ray and Amos from the Conservation Society of Pohnpei.  They already knew where a few populations are located on inland trails.  After seeing those, we began stopping and asking local people where to look.

Every time we find a group of Ponapea, we take a GPS reading to reference the site to a map.  Next we walk the area to get an idea of how many fruiting trees there are and if there are any seedlings.  Read More…