Meet a Forester, Randon Jack
This month, we are pleased to feature Randon Jōbro Jack, Chief of Forestry/State Forester for the Republic of the Marshall Islands Ministry of Natural Resources and Commerce.
What was your first position in the field of forestry?
I started working for the Ministry of Natural Resources and Commerce (MNRC) in 2020 right after graduating from the University of Hawaii at Hilo. I majored in Agriculture with a focus in Tropical Horticulture, hence, I started with the Ministry as the Assistant Chief of Agriculture. When my predecessor resigned, I was promoted to become the Chief of Forestry, which is my first position in the field of forestry.
How long have you been in your role?
I have been in this position for almost a year now.
What do you enjoy most about being a member of the Pacific Islands Forestry Committee?
One of the things I enjoy most about being a member of the Pacific Islands Forestry Committee (PIFC) is networking with counterparts/state foresters in the region. Being fairly new to my position, I find it most helpful to learn about activities and projects that are being implemented in our sister countries as well as learning about similar challenges we face and how to come up with game-changing solutions. I often feel that I am not alone and that we (the Pacific Islands) are not far apart by land mass but are connected by the same ocean.
What do you see to be the emerging issues in your island?
One of the biggest issues we face as a low-lying, coral atoll nation is Climate Change.
- One of the major impacts of climate change in our islands is Sea Level Rise (SLR) which leads to land degradation such as: soil erosion, high soil salinity, high exposure to salt spray as well as contaminating our fresh water lenses.
- Another major impact from Climate Change is changes in precipitation patterns and extreme weather events such as having more intense droughts, tropical storm uncertainty, and disaster risk management challenges.
- The effects of climate change also have a major impact on our crop production, mainly the change in fruiting seasons for our local food trees (mainly the pandanus and breadfruit trees).
Another emerging issue we are facing in the Marshall Islands is urban development, especially in the capital of Majuro Atoll and the second urban center, Ebeye (Kwajalein Atoll). As the population keeps growing, more infrastructure is being constructed, which leads to more tree and vegetation removal and making it difficult to find room to replace the lost trees. However, the Division of Forestry is determined to work with the communities and schools to promote tree planting and teaching about the importance of our trees.
What is your favorite hobby?
When I am not busy with work and looking after trees, my favorite hobby is sewing. I am a self-taught seamster/sewer and I like to make my own clothes that fit me and make me feel comfortable. My maternal grandmother was a self-taught seamstress, thus I followed her footsteps by teaching myself how to sew clothes.