September 6th: 4 films, 4 stories, 4 cameras focused on our coasts!

First Friday Films will be showing four short environmental films on Friday, September 6^th at 6:30pm at American Memorial Park in coordination with Coastal Month to celebrate our coasts and the resources that they provide.

The four films being presented are from the Centre for Science Communication in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. First will be “Bluffed”, a 2006 film by Katie McSweeney about fishermen taking a stand to save their livelihood and a national icon – the bluffed oyster. Next, “Beyond the Kelp” by Amy Taylor and Rohan Currey (2005) takes us to the shores to find Hector’s dolphins and see how these amazing animals connect with the people of New Zealand. Third will be “Titans of the Coral Sea,” a film by Jordan Plotsky (2008) examining what happens when a fishing village lets the modern world in and their ancient ways become lost along with their livelihood.

The 2011 film “Tangled Waters” will be the evening's finale, directed by Saipan resident, Nicole Schafer, and Andrew Scott. Their 2011 film will let the audience jump in and wind their way through a comedic journey of shakrs, surf and local politics to discover how a small community brought an end to a forty-year practice. After the film, director Nicole Schafer will be available for a Q&A session.

First Friday Films is a partnership between American Memorial Park, the Division of Environmental Quality, Coastal Resources Management and the Humanities Council with support from other organizations. These films are sponsored by Coastal Resources Management. As always, our film events are free and open to the public. This event will run about 90 minutes.

For more information about First Friday Films, email fffsaipan@gmail.com.

Visiting researcher presents on Megapodes this Thursday 8/15

First Friday Film viewers might be interested in this upcoming talk entitled "Megapodes: their Distribution, Evolution and Conservation" hosted by APASEEM this Thursday, August 15th at 6:30pm at American Memorial Park.

The Asia Pacific Academy of Sciences, Science Education, and Environmental Management (APASEEM) will host a science-focused public presentation on the avian family Megapodiidae, or megapodes, Thursday, August 15th at the American Memorial Park auditorium, Saipan.  Time is from 6:30 to 8pm.  Everyone is invited to attend and learn about this unique family of birds, one species of which (the Micronesian Megapode) occurs in the Marianas.  The presenter, Dr. René Dekker, is a world authority on megapodes and Director of Collections at the National Museum of Natural History, Leiden, The Netherlands.

Dr. Dekker has been involved in megapode conservation and research since 1985, when he was appointed project leader for the conservation of the Maleo (Macrocephalon maleo) in Sulawesi, Indonesia, where he lived and worked for 18 months.  Since this time he has been involved with various megapode studies and has served on advisory committees for megapode conservation.  Dr. Dekker has also acted as chairman of the IUCN/SSC/WPA Megapode Specialist Group for 22 years.  With his Australian colleague Darryl Jones he has published a book on megapodes for Oxford University Press, wrote IUCN/SSC conservation plans, and published multiple articles on the evolution and breeding strategy of megapodes.  During his work, Dr. Dekker has visited many places to study megapodes, often on remote islands such as the Nicobars (India), Niuafo'ou (Tonga) and Waigeo (Papua).

Megapodes are unique among birds because of their aberrant breeding strategy that utilizes heat from decomposition, geothermal activity, or radiant energy from the sun to incubate their eggs. Such a strategy, however, puts their large, yolk-rich eggs at risk of being harvested and consumed by humans in many parts of their range.  This has led to the decline of many species, some of which are considered endangered according to IUCN criteria.  Megapodes occurred on numerous South Pacific islands in the not so distant past but many were exterminated by early settling Polynesians.  Like the flightless rails that also occurred on many of these same islands, at least 20 species of megapode have become extinct; only 22 species remain.  Dr. Dekker’s presentation will illustrate and describe the variety of megapode species and delve into many aspects and explanations of their distribution, behaviour, evolution, and conservation.  As at all APASEEM talks, questions from the audience are strongly encouraged.  For more information visit the www.apaseem.org website or write to them via apaseem@gmail.com.

"Return of the Cuyahoga" this Friday

First Friday Films will premier Return of the Cuyahoga this Friday, August 2^nd at 6:30pm at American Memorial Park in recognition of environmental success stories.

For centuries, the Cuyahoga River in Ohio has been the mainland United States’ frontier. When the United States was a new nation, the river literally marked the western frontier. But "civilization" came to the river; by 1870 the river was on the industrial frontier. On the river's banks sprouted a multitude of factories, a booming display of what was called progress. The river, as it flowed through Cleveland, became a foul-smelling channel of sludge, with an oily surface that ignited with such regularity that river fires were treated as commonplace events by the local press.

But then, in 1969, the river burned again, just as a third kind of frontier swept across the nation: an environmental frontier. And the Cuyahoga River became a landmark on this frontier too -- a poster child for those trying to undo the destruction wrought by progress in America. This film marks the path that the river has taken over the years.

Before the film, representatives from the CNMI Division of Environmental Quality will discuss several environmental disasters on our own islands which are becoming success stories of rehabilitation partnerships between local, national and international partners.

First Friday Films is a partnership between American Memorial Park, the Division of Environmental Quality, Coastal Resources Management and the Humanities Council with support from other organizations. This particular film is sponsored by DEQ. As always, our film events are free and open to the public. This event will run about 70 minutes.

Cetacean talk this Thursday, 6:30 at AMP

Check out another APASEEM talk this week focusing on whales and dolphins:

"Findings from Acoustic and Visual Surveys of Cetaceans in the Northern Mariana Islands"

                The Asia Pacific Academy of Sciences, Science Education, and Environmental Management (APASEEM) will host a science-focused public gathering on local whales and dolphins next Thursday, July 18th at the American Memorial Park auditorium, Saipan. Time is from 6:30 to 8pm. Everyone is invited to attend and learn about our region's various species of marine mammals from Dr. Erin Oleson, lead scientist for the Cetacean Research Program at the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center in Honolulu.

                Dr. Oleson oversees the program’s mission to assess the abundance and status, including potential human-caused impacts, for all whale and dolphin (cetacean) populations within the Pacific Islands Region, including those near Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Erin’s research focuses on developing new passive acoustic technology to monitor the occurrence and behavior of whales and dolphins in remote regions or in situations where traditional visual methods are ineffective. In 2011 Erin was awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers for her work to bring new innovative technological solutions to fill critical data gaps in cetacean science in the Pacific Region. Research within the Cetacean Program focuses on pairing traditional survey techniques, including ship-based and small boat surveys for cetaceans, with new technologies, such as long-term acoustic recorders, animal-carried tags, and development of new autonomous sensors to develop new techniques for assessing cetacean populations. A copy of her PowerPoint slides from last year's talk is posted on the APASEEM website listed below.

                With support from the U.S. Navy, the Cetacean Program has been conducting small boat surveys from Guam, Rota, and Saipan since 2010. To date these surveys have documented 20 species of cetaceans in the waters of the Marianas Archipelago, a figure which doubles the number which was known just two years ago. In addition, two long-term acoustic recorders have been deployed near Saipan and Tinian to monitor the presence of cetaceans year-round for comparison with these vessel surveys. Erin’s presentation will discuss some of the Program’s findings from the recent surveys and acoustic research in the Marianas. One year and five months of data available so far indicate the presence of several dolphin species, Bryde’s, humpback, and fin whales, at least three species of beaked whale, along with possible new species detected by this year's acoustical probes. As at all APASEEM talks, questions from the audience are strongly encouraged. For more information visit the www.apaseem.org website or write to us via apaseem@gmail.com.

Underwater films and jellyfish!

We are continuing to celebrate oceans this month on Saipan with a few more activities that you should know about...

First, there is a great new series of underwater videos showing for FREE on youtube. Check out Craig Musburger's fantastic footage in his series of UnderH2O shorts here: http://www.youtube.com/user/UnderH2Oshow?feature=watch. Craig is the videographer who filmed our very own Laolao Bay documentary that was debuted at First Friday Films last November. 

We'd also like to pass along a message from APASEEM about a "The Science of the Sting" -- a talk about field ecology and the venoms of box jellyfish that will be held at American Memorial Park next Wednesday, June 19th from 6:30-7:30pm (see more information below).

We hope you can make it to the event!

The Science of the Sting

Field Ecology and Venoms of Box Jellyfish

Have you ever been stung by a jellyfish? Are there highly poisonous box jellyfish in our local waters? If they are attracted to lights, can some jellyfish see? Are they present even in the daytime? Want to find out more about these fascinating marine animals?

This coming Wednesday the Asia Pacific Academy of Sciences, Science Education, and Environmental Management (APASEEM) will host a public presentation at the American Memorial Park auditorium by a visiting scientist currently conducting box jellyfish research in our local waters. Time: 6:30 to 7:30/8pm. Date, Wednesday, June 19, 2013.

Cubozoans or box jellyfish are the most specialized class in the Cnidaria phylum, a phylum (group) that also includes sea anemones and corals. Dr. Angel Yanagihara, a research professor at the University of Hawaii, has been characterizing the field ecology, reproductive biology and venom biochemistry of multiple box jellyfish species in Hawaiian waters since 1997.

Reports of box jellyfish in the Caribbean waters off Bonaire, Netherlands (former Dutch Antilles) recently led her to conduct field research there and she brought some film footage to share. As part of a global phylogeography effort she is currently investigating local box jellyfish species in the waters off Saipan. Dr. Yanagihara will present an overview of her research. Interested members of the public are invited, and, as at all APASEEM meetings, questions from everyone is strongly encouraged.

Celebrate oceans, surfing and clean water this Friday

FFF has another exciting NEW film for you this coming Friday, June 7th at 6:30pm at American Memorial Park. We will be showing Keepers of the Coast in celebration of World Oceans Day (June 8) and International Surfing Day (June 21).

Every year beaches are closed due to pollution. Millions of dollars in tourism and related industries can be lost from beach closings, in addition to the devastating impact that polluted beaches can have on subsistence fishing, income, health and recreation. Surfers all over the world are realizing the importance in monitoring and preventing pollution on the beaches. When our coastline is polluted, surfers take it on the skin, in their eyes and ears, and even in their guts.

Since the making of this film in 1996, surfers have been organizing world-wide: testing water quality, funding research on wetland restoration, and educating the public in schools and communities. This film takes us back to the 1990s to show us what the beaches looked like then and what ocean enthusiasts decided to do about it. To bring us back to the present, Clarissa Bearden from the DEQ Water Quality branch will speak before the film about the CNMI’s beach monitoring program.

First Friday Films is a partnership between American Memorial Park, the Division of Environmental Quality, Coastal Resources Management and the Humanities Council with support from other organizations. This particular film is sponsored by DEQ. As always, our film events are free and open to the public. This event will run about 60 minutes. 

This June marks three years of First Friday Films providing free monthly documentaries to the public to keep you entertained and educated on issues related to our environment. A big THANK YOU to our viewers for supporting the program and coming back month after month. :)

NEW FILM about nutrition and the environment

First Friday Films would like to invite you to a showing of PLANEAT this Friday, May 3^rd at 6:30pm at American Memorial Park’s theatre.

PLANEAT is the story of three men's life-long search for a diet which is good for our health, good for the environment and good for the future of the planet. With an additional cast of pioneering chefs and some of the best cooking you have ever seen, the scientists and doctors in the film present a convincing case for the West to re-examine its love affair with meat and dairy. The film features the ground-breaking work of Dr. T Colin Campbell in China exploring the link between diet and disease, Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn's use of diet to treat heart disease patients, and Professor Gidon Eshel's investigations into how our food choices contribute to global warming, land use and oceanic deadzones. With the help of some innovative farmers and chefs, PLANEAT shows how the problems we face today can be solved, without simply resorting to a diet of lentils and lettuce leaves.

Before the film, Kate Campbell, a dietitian on Saipan, will talk about building our own healthy diets. You can check out her blog at www.VeggieKate.com

First Friday Films is a partnership between American Memorial Park, the Division of Environmental Quality, Coastal Resources Management and the Humanities Council with support from other organizations. This film is sponsored by DEQ. As always, our film events are free and open to the public. This event will run about 70 minutes.