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G3 Makerspace team with plastic slabs for desk tops

What is Sustainable September? How Guam turns global goals into island action

Every September, Guam highlights environmental stewardship, cultural preservation, and green innovation during Sustainable September. This month-long movement connects island community action to the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as the world works toward the 2030 global benchmark.

At the core of this effort are the University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant (UOG CIS & Sea Grant), Guam Green Growth (G3) initiative, and Guam NSF EPSCoR programs. Together, their initiatives turn ambitious global goals into practical local solutions that reflect and include the diverse, multicultural communities that call Guam home. Here are just some of their efforts:

Louella Losinio September 23, 2026

NATURAL RESOURCES

Our natural resources team is hard at work protecting
and conserving native and endemic plant species.

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OCEAN CONSERVATION

Our ocean research teams are working to protect our
precious marine resources and species including our native
Sea Turtles and fisheries

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Sustainable Start

At the University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability & Sea Grant (UOG CIS & Sea Grant), we define sustainability as the balance between meeting current needs and safeguarding the resources of future generations. Established in 2009, UOG CIS & Sea Grant is the region’s lead institution for supporting the transition toward a sustainable, self-reliant, and prosperous island community.

Ocean of Reach

Since our founding, UOG CIS & Sea Grant has evolved into the region’s focal point for sustainability research and community outreach. We collaborate closely with government agencies, NGOs, and community groups to address critical island needs across four key pillars: Environment, Economy, Society, and Education.

A Green Future

With an expanding portfolio of implementation projects and strong community partnerships, UOG CIS & Sea Grant is moving the region toward a sustainable tomorrow. Our work is defined by action. Through transformative programs like Guam Green Growth, the SEAS Islands Alliance, and Navigating Home, we are turning sustainability plans into on-the-ground reality.

UOG CIS & Sea Grant Spotlights

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“Protecting our island’s natural resources starts by meeting our community right where they are!” 🌊🌿

Huge congratulations to Navigating Home fellows Kira Reklai and Enqi Yang on concluding their 3-month fellowship! From connecting culture and early childhood education with science communication to hands-on fisheries management and youth outreach, Kira and Enqi showed us that conservation takes everyone—STEM and non-STEM alike.

Check out the full story of their journey and how they’re building connections between culture, community, and resource conservation ✨

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Thomas Manglona holds a camera up to take a photo while in the jungle.

UOG CIS & Sea Grant names Rota’s Thomas Mangloña II as inaugural Marianas Science Communications Fellow

The University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant has named journalist and media professional Thomas Mangloña II as the first UOG CIS & Sea Grant Marianas Science Communications Fellow, launching a new effort to strengthen the way science and environmental research are shared with communities across the region.

September 22, 2026 No Comments

a split-screen video capture of a Zoom meeting during the 2026 Virtual Island Summit, featuring Governor Lourdes Leon Guerrero speaking on the left and Jabal Hassalini from GLISPA on the right.

At 2026 Virtual Island Summit, Governor spotlights impact of Guam Green Growth movement

The Guam Green Growth (G3) initiative leveraged approximately $1 million in annual local funding to attract over $30 million in external support, showing that local sustainability investments can deliver significant socioeconomic benefits. At the 2026 Virtual Island Summit, Governor Lou Leon Guerrero shared these results and highlighted Guam’s ongoing sustainability initiatives during a panel with policymakers and practitioners.

September 22, 2026 No Comments

A group of seven people, including Navigating Home Fellow Kira Reklai, stand smiling side-by-side indoors for a photo following a final fellowship presentation.

Science communication and personal stories over adobo and banana lumpia: Reflections on mentoring Navigating Home fellow Kira Reklai

True science communication also honors the human stories behind the programs, behind research. Serving as a mentor for the Navigating Home program this year gave me a renewed appreciation for this truth. While I have guided reporters and community educators in the past, mentoring Kira Reklai—a fellow with a background in early childhood education—for Navigating Home was a uniquely rewarding journey.

September 21, 2026 No Comments

Rising fish numbers, sizes, other observations shared at Guihan for Guåhan Fisher Forum

Local fishers are reporting an increase in both the size and overall abundance of several fish species across Guam’s reef waters following the 2020 ban on SCUBA spearfishing, according to observations shared during a recent Fisher Forum hosted by community science initiative Guihan for Guåhan.

September 16, 2026 No Comments

Farm-to-Table Island Flavor: Celebrating Guam’s Local Harvest

A look back at Maila’ Ta Fan Chesa 2026! 🌿🐟✨ Huge thanks to all the amazing chefs, local farmers, and the UOG Center for Island Sustainability & Sea Grant team for making this farm-to-table showcase an unforgettable celebration of Guam’s food, culture, and community. Good food, great company, and endless island flavor! 🇬🇺🍽️

September 16, 2026 No Comments

Starting where the people are: Navigating Home fellows conclude internship by drawing connections to culture, community, and resource conservation

Though one approached conservation through the lens of early childhood education and storytelling, and the other through fisheries management, Navigating Home short-term fellows Kira Reklai and Enqi Yang arrived at the exact same conclusion by the end of their three-month experience: protecting Guam’s natural resources requires meeting the community where they are.

September 15, 2026 No Comments