Report to the Republic of Kiribati on Invasive Plant Species on the islands of Tarawa, Abemama, Butaritari and Maiana

Abstract

The Republic of Kiribati requested assistance from the US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, to conduct a survey of invasive plant species of environmental concern. Similar surveys have been conducted in American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Cook Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Niue, Palau, Samoa and Tonga. The survey was carried out in August and September 2003. We were requested to survey the islands of Tarawa, Abemama, Bern and Butaritari; however, difficulties with plane connections did not permit us to visit Bern and Maiana was substituted instead.