The Mariana Islands Nature Alliance (MINA) is a community-based, non-profit organization based on the island of Saipan. MINA is dedicated to conserving the diverse natural resources of the Northern Mariana Islands with the mission of fostering community and science-based conservation programs to enhance and sustain the islands’ environments and cultures. MINA’s vision is that the communities of Micronesia, their values and traditions, will thrive in healthy environments and sustainable island economies.

MINA was established in 2005 and has since implemented several successful community projects. Our longest in operation is the Tasi Watch Community Ranger program, initiated in 2010. In the Chamorro language, “tasi” means ocean, and the Tasi Watch Rangers serve as i mattan i tasi (the eyes of the sea). The Tasi Watch program recruits unemployed recent high school graduates and provides training and opportunities to enter into the conservation workforce. Another successful project is the Schools for Environmental Conservation (SFEC). This program allows middle school students to tackle an environmental issue on the island and within their campus. The participants are guided throughout the school year on creating a Conservation Action Plan, training with professionals in the field, and then implementing a project on their respective campuses.

Through the SFEC program, MINA launched a Community Recycles Plastics (CRP) pilot project to encourage the island-wide community to start recycling plastics. This project works with government and non-governmental agencies, public and private schools, higher education institutions, and locally-owned businesses. On the island of Saipan, there are four Plastic Recycling Machines that various stakeholders have access to where plastics can be shredded, melted, and made into a new product.