Join National Trails Day!

Wednesday March 19, 2008


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Residents encouraged to join National Trails Day

By Raquel C. Bagnol
Variety News Staff



BEAUTIFY CNMI!’s parks and trails committee is planning to join National Trails Day, an annual event hosted by the American Hiking Society on June 7.

Kenneth E. Kramer, Marianas Resource Conservation and Development Council coordinator and chairman of the committee, yesterday said joining the event is one way to put Saipan on the global map.

“Just for joining, we can get free advertising on their Web site, and people all over the world will know where Saipan is when they visit the American Hiking Society Web site,” Kramer said.

He said in addition to the free advertising on the Web site, they can also avail of banners and posters.

“It would be very nice to have each island come up with its own trail and people can go out to hike on different trails during that day,” Kramer said.

He added that this will be the first time for the CNMI to join National Trails Day.

He said in the past, they have worked closely with the Boys Scout in their hiking activities.

Information from the Beautify CNMI! Web site disclosed that this year, its parks and trails committee will continue to push for the creation of a commonwealth parks system.

The goal is to create a system of hiking trails that links the different parks and conservation areas on Saipan and will stretch from Suicide Cliff to Susupe Lake.

Kramer said the first day of June is designated as National Trails Day in the United States.

This is an event which draws millions of hikers and bikers go out to the different trails in the United States.

It is organized nationwide by the American Hiking Society, a national nonprofit trail advocacy group based in Washington, D.C. Currently, it has more than 3,000 events organized in each locality.

Kramer is also inviting community members to join Beautify CNMI!’s ongoing campaigns.

The group, he said, is involved in all kinds of activities to keep the islands clean and attractive — picking up trash from the roadsides and beaches and planting trees.

Beautify CNMI! works closely the Coral Reef Management Office, the Public School System, the Department of Public Works, the Marianas Resource Conservation & Development Council, the Mariana Islands Nature Alliance, Isa CNMI, Marianas Dive, and Pet Assistance and Welfare Services

Suicide Cliff -- Another Success Story

Suicide Cliff in April 2007, looking peaceful and beautiful.Rep. Cinta Kaipat and Angelo Villagomez checking out the Suicide Cliff tourist site in April 2007.Congratulations! There has been little to no reported incidents of smash and grab at Suicide Cliff as of April 2007, when the above pictures were taken! This wasn't always the case.

In mid-November 2006, the papers reported on the latest incident of smash and grab at this popular tourist site. In this particular incident, it happened when ISA-CNMI and Beautify CNMI! volunteers were at Suicide Cliff beautifying the monuments and area. The public outcry didn't fall on deaf ears.

At the end of November, MVA invited Beautify CNMI! and other government agencies to team up to address the problem. The solution was to thin out the tangan tangan forests to take away the thieves' hiding places. You can read Angelo's post on this here by scrolling to the post entitled "Managing Natural Resources to Prevent Crime."

Thanks, Jayvee

From this week's Saipan Tribune editorial:

I love the way the Beautify CNMI! approached the problem of robberies in Marpi. Knowing that the criminals' modus operandi involved hiding within the surrounding shrubberies and trees, Beautify CNMI!, together with other government agencies, cleared the jungle of undergrowth, cut off the lower branches of trees, and pushed back the edge of the forest from the parking lots, putting a bigger space between the criminals and their potential victims. The criminals now have fewer places to hide and have a longer distance to run for cover. Simple yet effective. Since that time, there have been no reports of further robberies in the area.

Just to clarify, the thinning of the trees up at Suicide Cliff was coordinated by Beautify CNMI! partners Marianas Visitors Authority, Department of Natural Lands & Resources, and Department of Public Safety.

Laderan Banadero

The Chamorro name for Suicide Cliff is Laderan Banadero. It is on the north end of Saipan. There are two ways to get to the top: you can drive your way to the top or you can hike from the Last Command Post. 99.9% of the people that visit Laderan Banadero drive to the top. Only the adventurous attempt the hike...or the people that are told about it. Most people don't even know that there is a trail.

The Laderan Banadero Trail stretches from right behind the Korean Peace Memorial on the bottom to the top of the cliff. You can start at either the top or the bottom and you can make a round trip or have someone pick you up on the other side.

Depending on how fast you hike, it will take you between 30-45 minutes each way. It is a little steep at times, but the trail is short enough that a round trip hike won't kill you.

Although rare, you will occasionally come across a mangrove monitor lizard or a coconut crab. You can expect to see most of Saipan's forest bird species and once on top of the cliff, you can expect to see seabirds flying below you.

You walk through several different ecosystems. The top of the cliff is a tangan tangan forest. During the dry season it looks almost dead, but during the green season it is lush.

The flora in the center part of the trail is much more diverse. There are some beautiful banyan trees and coral trees along the trail as well as ferns, orchids, vines, and lianas.

The trail is very rough and there are a lot of sharp rocks. Long pants and hiking shoes are a good idea. You should bring plenty of water, too.

First Flame Tree Blossoms of 2007

One of the Flame Trees on top of Suicide Cliff is already putting out flame red blossoms. Doesn't the tree know that it is several months too early?

I also found this guy, Varanus indicus, on top of the cliff:

It was the closest I have been to a Mangrove Monitor Lizard on Saipan.