The Christmas rush is ramping up at stores across the island.

Like at the Home Depot where fresh Christmas trees, garlands, and wreaths wait to be brought home.

“So the point of origin for these trees are washington state and also Oregon,” said Guam Customs Spokesperson Alana Chargualaf-Afaisen. 

But before they can take their places as the centerpiece for our celebrations, they must go through thorough inspection.

“On average, each year, we’re probably going to fumigate and inspect 1,500 to 2,500 Christmas trees. Wreaths and garlands included, that could be up to 3,000 pieces,” added Chargualaf-Afaisen. 

Chargualaf-Afaisen said Customs officers are well trained and ready to respond whenever the holiday season arrives. 

“Our Customs officers enforce laws and regulations sanctioned by various regulatory agencies. So, in 2016, the Guam Invasive Species Council approved a Guam Department of Agriculture policy requiring the fumigation of the shipments as they arrive here in Guam,” she added. 

“And so since then our Bio-Security Task Force officers have overseen the fumigation process and also done inspections on the contents of the containers to ensure that invasive pests aren't introduced to the island. And this is so important because invasive pests have the potential to be detrimental to our native flora and fauna; our plants and animals. They can also really negatively impact our finite resources,” she said. 

Fumigating and inspecting all this festive foliage can be a lengthy process.

Chargualaf-Afaisen said that process could take anywhere from four to six hours.

Fortunately, for this batch, the coast looks clear.

“We're really happy to share that we haven't had any species of concern come about this year. In years past we have seen various species of insects and spiders. We've also found a garden snake, a rodent, and in some more unique cases, a squirrel, and even a skunk,” she said. 

“We definitely haven't had the case of an infested container,” she added. 

And should you find that any pests have slipped through the cracks and made it into your homes, Customs advises that you reach out to the Department of Agriculture.