Preserving Guam Rare Native Plants through a Plant Extinction Prevention (PEP) Program

Plant endemism occurs in island communities because of biological, climatic, and physical barriers. Due to the recent changes in climate and the introduction of invasive species, native plants are now at risk of extinction, which would change Guam’s landscape and threaten its biodiversity. To prevent the loss of native plants, the Guam Plant Extinction Prevention Program (GPEPP) was established to set up new populations of rare native plant species throughout Guam. This is accomplished through the following tasks: surveying and monitoring, propagule collection, seed storage, tissue culture, propagation in the rare plant nursery, and out-planting. GPEPP also works with private land owners and local agencies, such as the US Fish and Wildlife Services, the US National Park Service, the Guam Forestry Division, and the Department of Defense, to raise awareness and to help our people realize the connection of these native plants to our culture.