Guam Green Growth, or G3, an island-wide initiative facilitated by the Center for Island Sustainability at the University of Guam in coordination with the Office of the Governor, recognized its first batch of G3 Conservation Corps graduates on Friday at the Ricardo J. Bordallo Governor’s Complex (Adelup) in Hagåtña. 

The graduates are Nikomang Bradley, Joseph Certeza, Alana Chargualaf, Abby Crain, EnyDennis Dali, Claudia Rosalia Guerrero, Jacqueline Jones, Drake Kemp, Lusech Ngirakesau, Daniel Stone, Kaya Taitano, and Kevin Wong. 

G3 launched the Conservation Corps in partnership with UOG Center for Island Sustainability and UOG Global Learning and Engagement department in June. For the past five months, the 12 members have undergone full-time hands-on training in various aspects of sustainability, such as agriculture and aquaculture, island beautification, invasive species removal, reforestation, circular economy and recycling, and renewable energy. 

“Through the G3 Conservation Corps program, the 12 corps members are now trained in these focus areas, and these can be applied in agencies, organizations, and businesses to help transition our island into a green economy,” UOG President Thomas W. Krise said on the corps’ contribution to G3’s overarching goal. 

Krise said the members will receive continuing education units for completing the workforce development program. 

At the graduation, Austin Shelton, director of the Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant program at the University of Guam, highlighted the cohort’s contributions. 

“When Guam Green Growth started, I shared that sustainability is about human society, the natural environment, and the economy. And you [graduates] have been an important part of [preparing] our community and our workforce for the emerging green economy,” he said. 

From June 23 to Nov. 9, the G3 Conservation Corps:

• Completed 4,149 volunteer hours of community engagement and improvement projects;
• Conducted six beach and 19 roadside cleanups, collecting 578 extra-large bags of trash and 211 white goods and bulky waste items;
• Collected and recycled 70,516 aluminum cans;
• Installed 641 solar panels and changed 693 fluorescent bulbs to LED;
• Prepped 10 acres of land for reforestation projects;
• Planted 2,890 trees and 2,024 food crops;
• Built 690 feet of erosion control devices;
• Completed nine painting projects (murals, bus stops, safety barricades);
• Removed 400 feet of chain of love and 212 invasive bamboo stalks. 

At the ceremony, Lt. Gov. Joshua Tenorio commended the corps graduates, saying, “I am really happy and grateful for this great partnership with the University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability and really how all of you are pioneers in this movement to transform the island — in many ways and across many disciplines, the public sector, private sector, and civil society.” 

About the G3 initiative

Guam Green Growth, or G3, is the island's most comprehensive public-private partnership created to achieve a sustainable future. Aligned with the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, G3 cultivates an ecosystem for transformative action to achieve a sustainable, prosperous, and equitable future for Guam. UOG facilitates the island-wide initiative in cooperation with the Office of the Governor of Guam and the 99 members of the G3 Working Group representing all sectors of our society.