The colonial history of Guam (hereafter referred to as Guåhan from the indigenous CHamoru language) is not over, and its impacts carry into the present, especially for people and the environment. Initiating full self-governance of Guåhan is a critical step to ensure lasting environmental protection. Without sovereignty, Guåhan will continue to experience environmental degradation and pollution, particularly from the US military, with unfavorable impacts on fisheries leading to food insecurity and cultural losses.

Stepping into the forests on the island of Guam, one may notice that something critically important is missing: the sound of birds. The cause of this silence is the invasive non-native predator, the Brown treesnake, which was introduced to the island after World War II. The ecological cascade following the arrival of this species parallels Rachel Carson’s 1962 book, Silent Spring, which explores the consequences of the pesticide DDT on bird reproduction and the resulting deficit of birds and bird calls.