In 2014, The Guam Preservation Trust received 70 hectares (173 acres) of land, known as Atan Tano (“look at the land”) for the furtherance of scientific research and education, and for providing a habitat for plant and animal species and communities on Guam.

​

Atan Tano is composed of multiple natural habitats (wetland, riverine, and savanna) utilized from the Latte Period to the early American Period. A preliminary study of Atan Tano recorded a Latte Period interior settlement associated with earthenware, stone tools, and slingstones. It also identified several indigenous plants traditionally used for åmot, some even identified as rare for certain types of åmot practices. The area served as an agricultural zone during Spanish, Japanese, and early American periods, where local residents and colonial laborers planted rice, root crops, and other vegetables.

​

Through our mission of preserving and protecting Guam’s heritage, The Trust intends to provide the venue to educate and build the capacity of our community so they become true advocates and stewards of our cultural and natural resources on Guam. Atan Tano provides a unique opportunity to reconnect and appreciate Guam’s cultural landscape by exploring the land, its history, and the people’s relationship to it.