Community Forest Stewardship in Weloy Municipality, Yap State (FSM)
Sometimes the greatest treasures are found in places we think we already know. When you come together to map your environment, the most familiar landscapes that can be taken for granted can yield new surprises. When the Weloy community set out to map their area and natural resources as part of their Weloy Resources Management Plan, they discovered and identified caves, bunkers, stone paths, traditional house foundations (family house and two men’s houses – Mabuu Village and one meeting house in Alog village), and water lenses (natural springs). They also identified two locations near springs where land crabs can safely shed their carapace and recover. Dr. Margie Falanruw helped identify tree species, and during this assessment, a rare tree was discovered. It is considered an “unresolved species”, indicating that it is not well known, so it is likely endemic and possibly a new species. This indicates that the Weloy forest reserve is probably home to other rare and endemic tree species waiting to be found! The team continues to identify plants and other species within the forest reserve. They also discovered a type of vine called Ruwol – this vine, discovered by Magmay and his team, seems to have flowers at the tip of its leaves instead of at the stem.
OneReef Micronesia has been working with the Weloy Municipality in Yap State in the Federated States of Micronesia on the implementation of their Weloy Resources Management Plan. Activities include mapping the streams, caves, cultural sites and historical landmarks inside the forest reserve so they can better protect them. The working group has also cleared and maintained forest trails which has allowed community members and guests to enjoy a guided hike during Yap Day celebrations and the 4th Micronesia Expo — creating opportunities to connect with nature and cultural heritage.
Weloy is one of three communities in Yap that MiCOAST supports; the others include Ngulu Atoll and Malay and Thabeth villages who co-manage the Reey Resources Management Area. These communities are engaging in a range of conservation activities such as resource management, restoration and monitoring, surveillance and enforcement, and outreach and awareness.
The mapping exercise undertaken by Magmay Magmay and his team, with technical assistance from Chief Anthony Yalon of the Yap State Department of Resources and Development (Marine Resources and Management Division), was designed to capture information about the forest reserve and important landmarks and traditional knowledge. Weloy has a lot of biodiversity and ecosystems and water springs, and it hosts the first settlement in Yap (Alog village). The forest reserve is 98.7 hectares and includes diverse landscapes such as native forest and even savannah.
Magmay Magmay, the Coordinator for the Weloy Forest Conservation and Restoration project – implementation of the Weloy Forest Stewardship Plan, has been working in conservation since 2007. Magmay started working on the Nimpal Channel Marine Conservation Area program in 2007 as a member of the technical team and was appointed Chairman of the program’s management Core Group in 2013. Acknowledging his experience in marine conservation and monitoring, the Weloy leadership assigned him to head the development and implementation of the Weloy Forest Stewardship Plan in 2015 with technical partners and the community.
For Magmay, the work is deeply personal. Protecting and conserving the Weloy forest means protecting the place he calls home. As a continuation of his work in forest conservation and management, he has been coordinating the current MiCOAST supported forestry project since January 2025. He heads the project planning and working groups. He is committed to protecting and conserving the area of Weloy, which is his home.
The community has also been clearing a trail through their forest so tourists and visitors can enjoy the beauty of their natural environment. When asked when he will know that their conservation project has been a success Magmay thoughtfully says, “when all the cultivated trees are growing and bearing fruit and we have money coming in from people hiking the trails and the bird and bat populations have also increased outside of the forest reserve.”
The project involves a wide range of Weloy community members who volunteer in clearing and maintaining the paths and undertake restoration and mapping activities. Among them are high school students Aven Gorong and Gerson Gorong aged 15 and 14, who live in Mabuu village and Akim Paagaer, age 18, who lives in the village of Dugor. The three of them have been working with this project for nearly a year – assisting with ditch and stream cleaning, trail maintenance, bush and tree clearing, and planting. Along with their fellow team members they are advocates of the Weloy Forest Reserve and its management through strong community stewardship and leadership.
They really enjoy the caves and learning about the forest and spending time with older members of the forest stewardship group. Key features in the forest that they have also learned about include historical sites, house platforms, old village sites, water sources, and plants and their uses. Experiencing the abundance of the forest, including bats and birds and other biodiversity in the forest reserve, has been a highlight for them.
They feel this is an important project because the forest has always been a main resource for the villages and Municipality and when there is no ship or plane, this is where the community will rely on for food, medicine, springs (water) and other necessities. They also feel this work is important for them and future generations as this reserve and forest area is the source of livelihood and subsistence for their communities.
When communities embark on long-term conservation efforts, it can be difficult to predict the impacts that will emerge over time. But for Magmay, there is already one clear sign that their work is making a difference. When asked what has most surprised him over his time working in conservation, Magmay’s eyes light up and he replies, “the birds have come back.”
It is a small observation, but one that carries deep meaning. Through strong community stewardship, guided by both traditional knowledge and modern management approaches, the Weloy forest is recovering. Through strong community-led stewardship utilizing modern management approaches, the birds and other treasures discovered in the Weloy forest will be protected for current and future generations to enjoy and experience. This effort will also preserve traditional resource management knowledge and practices, strengthening and sustaining resiliency not just for Weloy but for Yap State.
Written by: Magmay Magmay, Vanessa Fread and Samantha Kies-Ryan.
Acknowledgements: We would like to recognize the hard work of the Weloy Forest Stewardship working groups. We humbly thank the Weloy Council of Chiefs, Weloy Executive Council and the Weloy community for their strong leadership and support. A special Kammagar to Dr. Margie Falanruw, of the Yap Institute of Natural Science (YINS) and to all partners for their continued support and technical assistance.
Furthermore, the traditional leadership and people of Weloy, extend their gratitude to the Yap State Government, FSM National Government, UNDP (through the FSM GEF 5 Ridge to Reef Project), Yap Community Action Program, the Micronesia Challenge, The Nature Conservancy, and the Micronesia Conservation Trust for their initial and continued support in developing and implementing the Weloy Forest Stewardship Program.
