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Conservation is a work of passion that is fueled by life experiences. In the Pacific Islands, conservation is closely tied to culture and history. Many of the native and endemic species are listed as threatened or endangered on the Endangered Species Act. While places like Hawaiʻi and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana’s still have some of their native species, the island of Guam is not as fortunate. Many of their native and endemic forest birds are either extinct or extirpated, existing only in captivity, leaving generations of the CHamoru community to grow up in silent forests.
I recently had the opportunity to speak with Nikki Imamura, a biologist with the Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office in Honolulu. While many Fish and Wildlife biologists have spent their entire careers fighting to save threatened and endangered species, Nikki’s career in conservation is just getting start. As one of the youngest members of the PIFWO team, Nikki brings her commitment, drive, and experience to the Service, paving a new path of conservation for future generations.
Hello Nikki, how are you doing today?
Hello & Håfa Adai Jordan! I’m doing well today, I’m excited to be speaking with you.
You are one of the youngest full-time members in the Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office (PIFWO). Could you tell me how you got your start with the Service? Also tell me what got you interested in conservation and protecting endangered species?
I first gained my footing with the Service in 2021 through the Directorate Fellowship Program as an intern. One of my college professors at the University of Guam (UOG) knew the program was looking for upcoming seniors in the conservation field and thought I’d be a good fit for the program. Luckily after being accepted into my cohort, I interned with PIFWO and had the opportunity to work with the Mariana Islands Team. I was fortunate enough to keep my connections with PIFWO and was eventually hired as a full-time employee in 2023, after receiving my bachelor’s degree.
Being born and raised in Guam played a big role in inspiring me to go into conservation. Growing up, I spent a good amount of time being outdoors with my family. My dad, who’s worked as an environmental specialist for the past 30 years, also played a role in creating that foundational base for my passion towards conservation. Both he and my mom would always take me and my brother fishing when we were younger and got us exposed to the water at a young age. Eventually, I started freediving and hiking with my friends, and because I was constantly surrounded by nature, I saw the importance of being a “steward of the earth” (as my dad would always emphasize), and what it meant to protect my island.
Although, it wasn’t until I reached college where I seriously considered pursuing conservation as a career. During my freshman year of college at UOG, I was part of a National Science Fund (NSF)-funded fellowship where I worked on my first research project targeted towards habitat restoration, and evaluating overall impacts towards native plant and soil health with the UOG Plant Pathology Team. By spending time in the field, bridging that connection towards our native flora and fauna and getting to see the bigger benefit towards my home through the work I was conducting, I knew I was headed down the right path.
What are your main responsibilities in the Pacific Fish and Wildlife Office? I was hoping you could tell me a little bit about what your day-to-day consist of.
Currently, I work on the Planning and Consultation (P&C) team, which falls under the programmatic operations of PIFWO. Working with P&C, I work on the Department of Defense (DoD) sub-team, which focuses primarily on work across military installations both in Hawaiʻi and the Mariana Islands to address any projects that may affect listed species or critical habitat.
Being part of the DoD sub-team, majority of my work is closely tied to the ESA Section 7 Section 7
Section 7 Consultation
The Endangered Species Act (ESA) directs all Federal agencies to work to conserve endangered and threatened species and to use their authorities to further the purposes of the Act. Section 7 of the Act, called "Interagency Cooperation," is the mechanism by which Federal agencies ensure the actions they take, including those they fund or authorize, do not jeopardize the existence of any listed species.
Learn more about Section 7 regulations. Most of my day-to-day activities involve drafting informal concurrence letters, biological opinions, and other technical assistance letters.
My days do tend to vary, but another cool part of collaborating with DoD partners is being able to help take part in the weekly point-count waterbird surveys on Bellows Air Force Station here on Oʻahu. We work closely with Air Force personnel in helping to carry out their Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan, and part of that is conducted through observing ESA listed species and native Hawaiian waterbird populations from our weekly surveys.
Could you maybe explain what a Section 7 consultation is, why they’re important, and why the DOD would need them?
Under the ESA, Section 7 focuses on interagency cooperation. Specifically, under Section 7(a)(2), federal agencies with actions that have potential to jeopardize federally listed species and/or modify their habitat are legally required to go through Section 7 consultation with the Service. Essentially through consultation, we work together with our federal partners to minimize impacts to endangered or threatened species to maintain the baseline, while also supporting their proposed projects.
Given the amount of DoD activity that is ongoing across the Pacific, we work closely with their natural resource's teams on Section 7 consultations to reduce impacts to listed species that occupy areas on DoD lands. These consultations not only help ensure environmental compliance, but also support military readiness, national security, and other critical DoD operations. Section 7 projects with DoD help to enhance operational-efficiency in support of several mission-critical objectives.
Are there any projects you’re currently working on that you want to talk about?
Right now, I’m working on developing a multi-island programmatic consultation with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) that is intended to incorporate Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funded projects. Essentially, a programmatic agreement covers larger, commonly recurring federal actions that have the potential to affect listed species and their critical habitat. To help maintain efficiency, programmatic consultations encompass a wide range of activities- which in the case of this project covers land management, home demolition and replacement, and new development. Through this current programmatic agreement, I’ve been working with the geographic teams in our office ensuring ESA compliance is being met across all Hawaiian Islands for this project to help offset any impacts to listed species.
I want to jump back to the beginning of our conversation. You mentioned getting your start through the Directorate Fellows Program (DFP). Could you briefly explain what that is and how your duties in that program correlated with your position now? Also, can anyone apply, or do they need to be working towards a specific degree?
Essentially, the DFP program is targeted towards rising undergraduate or graduate students pursuing a degree in conservation, environmental policy, or natural resource management. Through this program, interns complete an 11-week project with the Service, gaining the opportunity to connect with professionals in the field. Eventually upon completion of the project and degree conferral, graduates are then given direct hire authority to become a permanent hire with the Service.
During my time as a DFP, this took place during COVID, so I worked remotely with the Guam field office on the Marianas Compliance database. While it was a remote project, the database was an integral tool for the office, as its main goals were to track compliance efforts among partners and ensure overall management of listed species was being met. Although this was my DFP project, I’ve continued to update the database in my current position to help keep track of ongoing DoD activities throughout the Marianas and their conservation efforts.
DFP is typically catered to undergraduate or graduate students pursuing degrees related to conservation, although there have been non-STEM DFP interns in the past. It is not degree specific, although it is mainly for students who are interested in natural resource management, biology, and environmental policy work.
In talking with you before, you mentioned that being from Guam, conservation is very important to you since so many of your island’s endemic and native species are either threatened, endangered, extirpated, or extinct. Could you touch upon what that experience is like and how you hope that your work will ensure future generations will get to experience things that you didn’t.
Being a native to Guam and having the chance to be educated and raised as a scientist in my home, it’s given me a unique perspective that people who aren’t necessarily from Guam might not relate to. Most of the time, there’s this sort of disconnect between the scientists and the local issues that can’t always fully be encompassed. Coming from Guam, my narrative ties me closer to my home, understanding the issues we face as a local community and being the first to notice impacts on the island. Whether it be the spread of invasive species invasive species
An invasive species is any plant or animal that has spread or been introduced into a new area where they are, or could, cause harm to the environment, economy, or human, animal, or plant health. Their unwelcome presence can destroy ecosystems and cost millions of dollars.
Learn more about invasive species , the effects of ongoing development, or watching species slowly becoming endangered- I’ve been exposed to harsh realities of conservation and hope to make a difference.
My dad told me stories of how when he would go hiking years before I was born, he would hear and see so many unique birds in Guam, all of which have been extirpated. Going out to the other Mariana Islands, you see so many different birds that you would no longer experience in Guam. I had the opportunity to visit Rota for the first time back in 2023, and I remember being so amazed at all the Sihek (Micronesian Kingfisher) and Fanihi (Mariana Fruit bat) flying overhead. It’s so cool how you could spot them almost everywhere in Rota. That’s something I haven’t had the chance to witness in Guam, unfortunately.
Although most people see Guam as just a small island that is isolated in the Pacific, it has allowed me to become deeply rooted in my home and has perpetuated me to develop stronger ties to the species that I work with. Not only is it a goal of mine to help preserve Guam’s ecological importance, but I also hope to improve my community and give back those who have invested in me along the way. I am currently living on Oʻahu, but my main goal is to eventually return to Guam to continue promoting conservation across the Marianas with the Service. I hope to encourage younger audiences to be proactive in their efforts towards preserving natural resources. Guam is often looked at as the poster child for invasive species, but I’m hopeful with the generation of scientists we have today we’ll be capable of flipping that script and changing the narrative for the better.
This is a very clique question, but you are quintessential Generation Z or iGen, the generation that grew up integrated fully with the digital age. Out of other generations that came before, Gen Z is also very involved in conservation and the sustainability of natural resources, engaged in the climate crisis, and mindful about their carbon footprints and environmental impacts. What advice would you give your generation about their efforts to see positive change happen within their lifetime? And even for the next generation, what would you tell them about keeping the fight towards saving species and preserving natural resources?
Recently, one piece of advice that I’ve learned to adapt to is to always expect the unexpected. Especially in the field of conservation, there will be challenges along the way and curveballs that aren’t always anticipated. But through it all, with perseverance and determination, hard work eventually pays off. One thing that I’ve noticed as a fellow “Gen Z” kid is that people in my generation are extremely eager and expect to reach the top of the ladder (whether it’s becoming a senior biologist or senior natural resource specialist) almost immediately after graduation. It takes time to gain the experience to learn the ropes of the trade in order to succeed. Not all things that last come easy, and not all things that come easy last.
For the next generation that’s planning on going into conservation, don’t be afraid to place yourself in uncomfortable situations! Take the road less traveled and jump at the opportunities being given to you. Diving into uncharted territory can be scary, but don’t be afraid to become a trailblazer. Take advantage of as many internships, research opportunities, outreach events, and fellowships as you can- whether you’re in middle school, high school, or college. With the current STEM community, there are so many opportunities available that allow students to foster scientific thinking at a younger age, so you’re never too young to start.
For me specifically, moving away from Guam and my family back home at such a young age was a risk in itself. However, it has given me the opportunity to challenge myself and grow so much as a scientist. If I didn’t take the risk, I would not have had the chance to become part of an even bigger community of people working towards conservation. It has been one of the best decisions I’ve made coming to work for the Service, and I’m excited to see what the future holds.
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