Tools for Partners and Landowners
Pacific
Islands Project Highlights
Kona
Dryland Forest Project
Ninety
percent of the dry forests in the Hawaiian Islands have been eliminated,
and the remaining ten percent have been heavily degraded by introduced
plants and ungulates on the two largest islands, Maui and Hawai‘i.
One of the
largest remaining areas of dry forest in the Hawaiian Islands
is in the North Kona region on the island of Hawai‘i.
This area
is one of the finest examples of this ecosystem remaining in Hawai‘i,
and includes populations of the endangered kauila (Colubrina
oppositifolia), uhiuhi (Caesalpinia kavaiensis),
aupaka (Isodendrion pyrifolium), ‘aiea
(Nothocestrum breviflorum), koki‘o
(Kokia drynarioides), and hala pepe (Pleomele Hawaiiensis).
The major
threats to the dry forest in the North Kona area are fountain
grass (Pennisetum setaceum), which fuels wildfires; ungulates,
which destroy plants and increase the disturbed habitat available
for fountain grass to invade; and rodents, which eat the seeds
and seedlings of native plants, preventing regeneration. Additional
threats include insect predation and other alien plant species.
The Kona
Dry Forest Restoration Group was initiated in 1993, through a
cooperative agreement between the Hawai‘i
Forest Industry Association (HFIA) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (Service). The Group formed through this agreement was
initially composed of representatives from the HFIA, who administer
the group; Hawai‘i
Division of Forestry and Wildlife; National Tropical Botanical
Garden; Kamehameha Schools Bishop Estate; Potomac Investment Associates
Kona Partnership; Hannah Springer and Mike Tomich of Kukui‘ohiwai;
Basil Hansen; Hualalai Ranch; and the Service.
The overall
goals of the Group are to:
- Exchange
ideas with cooperators which will lead to the long-term protection
and management of the dry forest in the North Kona district.
- Develop
a management plan for dry forests in these areas which will
serve as a model for other landowners.
- Demonstrate
the management and/or restoration of a dry forest on private
lands.
- Develop
cost-effective methods of controlling alien plant and animal
species and revegetating native species which are applicable
on a large scale.
- Provide
short-term protection for the remnant dry forests in demonstration
plots, e.g., by means of fire breaks.
- The initial
project undertaken by the Group was located in a 5.8-acre parcel
leased to NTBG by KSBE, called Ka‘upulehu
mauka. This site is located on the Ka‘upulehu
lava flow and is composed of remnant dry forest dominated by
lama (Diospyros sandwicensis). It occurs on rough ‘a‘a
lava with relatively shallow soils.
After two
years of active management, largely through hand spraying of a
grass specific herbicide, the fountain grass at NTBG’s Ka‘upulehu
mauka parcel has been reduced from 100% ground cover to less than
10%. The rat population has been decreased sufficiently to allow
for seed production.
The Group
has expanded to include other agencies and organizations conducting
dry forest restoration, including The Nature Conservancy; U.S.Army
from Pohakuloa Training Area; Will and Judy Hancock from Kalopi;
U.S.Forest Service; and others as they are interested in participating.
The Group,
largely through the U.S. Forest Service and a student intern,
controls the remaining and new infestations of fountain grass
and other weeds at the site and continues to monitor and maintain
the fire break. Eventually, the Group hopes to turn the management
of this site, along with the continued monitoring, back to NTBG.
With the
Ka‘upulehu
mauka site in the maintenance and monitoring stage, the Group
wanted to test a larger scale management efforts, and selected
the 70 acres of remnant dry forest of Ka‘upulehu
makai which is leased to PIA by KSBE. Currently, the project is
funded through the Service, with a salary match for a coordinator
and a student intern from KSBE and in-kind contributions from
Kukui‘ohiwai,
PIA, KSBE, NTBG, TNC, DOFAW, USFS, and US Army. KSBE also funded
and constructed the fence around the parcel.
The main
goal of the larger Ka‘upulehu
makai parcel is to demonstrate the ability to reduce fire risk
and restore dry forest in a large area, adapting the most economical
and effective methods field tested in the Ka‘upulehu
mauka parcel to this larger area. In addition, the Group will
continue to interact with others conducting similar work, through
various network opportunities.
‘Ola‘a-Kīlauea
Partnership
The Partnership
has recently expanded from 32,000 acres to approximately 420,000
acres with the addition of the entire National Park and Kamehameha
Schools lands (Keauhou Ranch - 30,000 acres and Kau/Kona lands
- 150,000 acres). Current Partners and land acreage include:
- Kūlani
Correctional Facility (State) - 7,400 acres
- Puu Makaala
Natural Area Reserve (State) - 12,400 acres
- National
Park Service (NPS) - Hawai‘i
Volcanoes National Park - 219,000 acres
- Kamehameha
Schools (KS) - 189,000 acres
- U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service (FWS)
- U.S.G.S.
Biological Resources Division
- U.S.D.A.
Forest Service
- The Nature
Conservancy of Hawai‘i
Biological
Importance and Management Goals: The project area contains one
of the best remaining native forest ecosystems in Hawai‘i
with high diversity and general lack of invasive weed species.
The area is essential habitat for four species of endangered forest
bird, and also supports the endangered ‘io,
nēnē,
Hawaiian hoary bat and twenty-two rare plant species including
ten endangered species. Management goals include enhancing the
long-term survival of native ecosystems and managing a large contiguous
area across ownership boundaries. Management and research are
currently focused on removing or reducing impacts from feral animals,
alien plants and non-native predators, restoring native habitat
and endangered species, and providing work training to Kūlani
inmates.
Source(s)
of Funding: Partners have contributed approximately 500,000/yr
in funding and in-kind services (e.g. inmate labor). Outside grants
have provided an additional $100,000 - $300,000/yr.
Accomplishments
- The Partnership
is currently jointly managing 14,100 acres. Four fenced units
are pig free (6,800 acres). Feral pig control is currently underway
in three units (7,300 acres), and we are planning on fencing
an additional 15,000 acres in 2004. These units are all linked
to fenced management units on state and/or park land and include
some of the best quality native forest in Hawaii.
- The Partnership
expanded to include the 30,000 acre Keauhou Ranch which links
forested ecosystems from Kūlani to the Mauna Loa Strip
Road section of the park. KS is beginning a planning effort
for the Ranch focused on restoration, education, stewardship
and conservation.
- Kūlani
staff and inmates built a native plant greenhouse at Kūlani
and started propagation and outplanting to restore and landscape
Kūlani and other Partnership lands.
- The Partnership
continued restoration of Mauna Loa silversword and expanded
the rare plant restoration program to include other endangered
species. We are outplanting these species in fenced, pig-free
exclosures on Kūlani and KS lands. Partnership continued
restoration of Mauna Loa silversword and expanded the rare plant
restoration program to include other endangered species. We
are outplanting these species in fenced, pig-free exclosures
on Kūlani and KS lands.
- Project
staff and Kūlani inmates controlled and mapped invasive
alien plants throughout Kūlani Correctional Facility, and
staff completed three years of surveys of alien plants in three
management units. ject staff and Külani inmates controlled
and mapped invasive alien plants throughout Kūlani Correctional
Facility, and staff completed three years of surveys of alien
plants in three management units.
Future Projects:
Long-term
goals include enhancing the long-term survival of native ecosystems
and cooperatively managing a large contiguous landscape across
ownership boundaries. The highest priority projects include completing
fenced units, planning/fundraising for new fenced units, feral
ungulate control, fence maintenance, rare plant restoration, ongoing
control of priority alien plants and developing a strategy for
control of mouflon sheep. Over the next year, Partnership members
will also be strategizing about how to effectively plan for and
manage a large landscape which includes the additional KS lands
(150,000 acres of Kau and Kona lands) recently added to the partnership.
For
more information:
Tanya Rubenstein, Project Coordinator
‘Ola‘a-Kilauea
Management Group
P.O. Box 52
Resources Management - Hawai‘i
Volcanoes National Park
Volcano, Hawai`i 96718
(808) 985-6197
(808) 985-6029 fax
E-Mail: tanya_rubenstein@contractor.nps.gov
Imi
Pono no ka ‘Aina
- "Seeking Good for the Land"
An environmental
education program established in early 1999 by a cooperative partnership
between the U.S. Army Garrison Hawai‘i,
National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with
support from the Hawai‘i
Department of Education. The program was developed in hope of
instilling a strong conservation ethic and sense of stewardship
in local communities.
The goal
of this program is to develop outreach programs which will enable
students and teachers to learn about Hawaiian geology, native
ecosystems, native plants and animals, the impact of introduced
species and feral animals, current resource management and research
activities, and tips about hiking safely and responsibly. In addition,
participants develop teamwork and communication skills aiding
them in all aspects of life.
The first
major endeavor was a two-week Summer Enrichment Program offered
to three Big Island high schools (Hilo, Ka‘u,
and Waiakea) with field trips to:
Hakalau
Forest National Wildlife Refuge
Hawai‘i
Volcanoes National Park
Kamehame Beach
Ola‘a
Kilauea Management Area
Pohakuloa Training Area
Twelve students
are selected through an application and interview process and
obtain hands-on experience alongside biologists, resource managers,
and technicians devoted to protecting and preserving Hawai`i's
fragile ecosystems.
A second
accomplishment within eight months of the conception of Imi Pono
no ka ‘Aina
is the "Big Island Minute Program" on radio station
KWXX 94.7.
A conservation
message is aired by the radio station every weekday morning (except
Wednesdays) during the 9:00 a.m. hour. After one minute's worth
of information, deejays Kat and Keala will ask a question related
to the information they just heard and the first caller with the
correct answer wins one of the following: Hakalau Forest t-shirt,
auto pass to Hawai‘i
Volcanoes National Park, guided tour at Pohakuloa Training Area,
autographed photo by Jack Jeffrey, free lunch, or gift certificate.
Teacher workshops
and other environmental education opportunities at the Keauhou
Bird Conservation Center and the Volcano Rare Plant Facility are
being discussed.
For more
information:
Hawai‘i
Volcanoes National Park
P.O. Box 52
Hawai‘i
96718
(808) 985-6196
(808) 985-6029 fax
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