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The Secretariat’s approved work programme and budget (WP&B) for 2006 was prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Financial Regulations and is expressed in USD.

In accordance with the “Rules of Procedure of the SPREP Meeting” (Rules 8.1 and 8.2), where a Meeting is hosted by the Secretariat, the Chair shall rotate alphabetically. Where a Meeting is not hosted by the Secretariat, the Chair shall be provided by the host country.

This chain of 13 Pacific islands (9 inhabited) plus two remote atolls is located 14° south of the equator near the international date line. It is divided into two political entities, the US Territory of American Samoa and the neighboring independent country- of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa. The youngest islands in this chain lie towards the east (Ta'u). The land area of (western) Samoa (2934 km2, 1132 mi2) is approximately 15 times larger than the land area of American Samoa (197.1 km2, 76.1 mi2).

The wildlife resources of American Samoa are distributed among five volcanic islands (Aunu'u, Ofu, Olosega, Ta'u, and Tutuila) and two atolls (Swains and Rose). Land birds and fruit bats are the most conspicuous components of the native fauna and have been the focus of DMWR's wildlife investigations under the Wildlife Restoration Program. The State Wildlife Program provides DMWR with the opportunity to broaden the taxonomic coverage of its wildlife program to include those species that, for reasons of lack of funding, have been largely excluded in previous research and monitoring programs. Most of the taxonomic groups (vertebrates and invertebrates) are relatively depauperate with few to no species unique to American Samoa, with the exception of the gastropods. Land snails, in particular, are represented by numerous species, a high proportion of which are endemic to the Samoan archipelago.

To provide opportunities for primary school students to develop an understanding and appreciation of the importance and usefulness of mangrove systems through an organised field study to a mangrove area.To appreciate the value of healthy mangroves as sources of food, medicine and other traditional products as well as places of cultural significance.