PEP Program

State of Hawaii Home     DLNR Home     Division of Forestry and Wildlife Home

Rare Plant Conservation in Hawaii

Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources

Division of Forestry and Wildlife

Rare Plant Main

Endangered Plant Restoration and Enhancement – Plant Extinction Prevention (PEP), Oahu, Maui, Hawaii

Goals of Project:

• Prevent the extinction of plants with less than 50 plants remaining in the wild by:

           - Collecting fruits, cuttings, and seeds from each specie to grow in nurseries or store seeds for later planting.

           - Monitor plants in the wild

           - Survey additional areas for future conservation actions

           - Decrease threats to survival of individuals or populations

           - Propagate and reintroduce plants into protected areas

What was done? /What is being done?

• Collection of propagules from 63 plant species. 

       - Oahu PEP collected from 18 species.

       - Maui PEP collected from 39 species.

       - In the two months the Big Island program has operated 6 species.

• PEP program monitored populations of 87 critically rare plant species and recorded information for all plants visited.

• Surveys were conducted for additional out-planting for 12 species on Oahu, 47 species on Maui and 1 on the Big Island.  These surveys have discovered additional plants of 31 PEP species, many of which represent new populations.

• Staff protected 26 PEP species through focused weed control, rat control, larger animal control and exclusion and slug exclusion.  Weed control involved manual or chemical removal of pest plants.  Rat control involved setting traps and pesticide use according to label and following state and federal law.  Construction of fences (around larger areas and individual plants or populations) prevented feral animals from damaging endangered plants.  To deal with slug problems, PEP staff bagged fruits of plants with mesh bags and periodical checking to ensure there are no damage to the fruit.

• Reintroductions through out-plantings were done primarily on Oahu in the Koolau regions.  Nine species were out-planted in fenced sites that are regularly managed by PEP staff and private landowners.  Also five PEP species were out-planted on Maui.  Additional out-plantings are planned in 2008.

• Semi-annual/annual meetings were held to gather information on PEP species populations in addition to sharing information gathered by staff during monitoring and surveying.  Recent information gathered showed more plants existed for some plants and ten species were downgraded to a lower priority for in the PEP listing; other species had issues that remain unresolved and remained on the target list. 

• This year PEP staff worked closely with numerous conservation partners, landowners and cooperators.

Project Information:

Propagules collected from 63 species.

Endangered (E) plants – 74 out-planted.

Plants from 37 species found.

26 PEP species protected using weed control.

10 PEP species downgraded to lower priority on PEP list.

State of Hawaii Home     DLNR Home     Division of Forestry and Wildlife Home