COLONIA, Yap - On February 8, 2017, the FSM Ridge to Reef (R2R) Project Manager, Ms. Rosalinda Yatilman and the Financial Administrator, Ms. Alice B. Ehmes, arrived in Yap to meet with the Yap R2R Project Implementing Group. The meeting was held at the Emergency Operations Center building and facilitated by the Yap State R2R Coordinator, Ms. Debra Laan through the assistance of Christina Fillmed, Executive Director of the Yap Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Director of the Department of Resources and Development (R&D), Mr. James Lukan.
Yap's project team consists of its two main focal points, the Department of Resources and Development (R&D) and Yap Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Yap Community Action Program (Yap CAP), and the Divisions of the Department of R&D including Marine Resources Management Division (MRMD) and the Division of Agriculture and Forestry (DAF).
The Yap project team requested to meet with the R2R Project Manager to best plan for the project’s first year 2017 annual work plan, and to address concerns with implementation of planned activities. Further clarification was provided and discussed with the Yap project team regarding the revision of the endorsed work plan budget, costing, and other concerns associated with Yap's activities under the FSM Annual Work Plan submitted to UNDP earlier as implementing agency for the R2R project.
Both the Project Manager and the Financial Administrator clarified pending issues and concerns regarding the project, and highlighted a key first year implementing activity, the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). The SEA will provide the primary information for the development of four Integrated Land Management Plans (ILMP) for the High Islands of the FSM. Additionally, conducted as part of the SEA and ILMP processes will be the identification of degraded upland forests and mangrove ecosystems for rehabilitation.
The National Project Implementation Unit (PIU) team also held side meetings on the second day with the MRMD and Yap CAP to further discuss their respective activities within Yap State's endorsed work plan. This enabled the National PIU to understand more clearly the purpose of their proposed activities to avoid duplication of efforts.
The Yap project team reconvened on the third day for a recap with the National PIU staff. The Project Manager summarized key information agreed between both parties on the first day, including the proposed changes to certain line activities following the side meetings. To conclude, the Project Manager advised and encouraged Yap's working group to formally establish its own Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) to serve as a local discussion platform for all implementing agencies and other stakeholders involved in the project implementation.
More in the loop in our next R2R update!
For more details on the R2R in FSM project, please contact:
National Project Implementation Unit: Project Manager, Rosalinda Yatilman
Tel:+691 320-8815
Fax: +691 320-8936
Chuuk State R2R Coordinator: Nainai Kanemoto, [email protected]
Kosrae State R2R Coordinator: Blair Charley, [email protected]
Pohnpei State R2R Coordinator: Jorg Anson, [email protected]
Yap State R2R Coordinator: Debra Laan, [email protected]
