Projects on Hawaii Island
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Rare Plant Conservation in Hawaii
Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources
Division of Forestry and Wildlife
Projects on the Island of Hawaii
Plant Habitat Management, Natural Area Reserves
Goals of Project:
- Protect and stabilize the ecosystem for native rare and endangered species
- Fencing of area
- Invasive species control/eradication
- Increase rare species populations by out-planting
What was done? /What is being done?
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The Natural Area Reserve (NAR) staff continues to work on fencing protected areas to keep animals (i.e. pigs, goats, deer, etc.) out of native areas.
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In Kipahoehoe Natural Area Reserve maintenance of perimeter fences are complete. Out-planting of native plant species is being done. Also fire prevention by removing weeds along roads is being done to prevent fires from spreading. Water catchment in different areas are being built and tool caches are kept to assist in fighting fires.
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Wild animal control in the Wright road unit of Pu`u Maka`ala Natural Area Reserve are complete. Out-planting and weed removal are ongoing.
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Control of wild animals in Manuka Natural Area Reserve is ongoing; pig and sheep numbers are being kept down. Exclusion of ungulates is an end goal but is proving to be very difficult. Next year a complete survey of the NAR is planned to begin planning for the construction of a perimeter fence. Goats are still common in the lowlands and plans are being made to deal with them.
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In Pu`u o Umi NAR, work on improving and maintaining the Bog unit plateau fence should be completed by December 2007.
Project Information:
Endangered Plants (E) – 771 out-planted
Species of Concern (SOC) – 43 out-planted
Candidate (C) – 188 out-planted
Plant Habitat Management-Puuwaawaa
Goals of project:
- Protect, enhance, and restore natural areas
- Maintain animal fences
- Removal of invasive plants
- Collection of seeds to grow later
- Plant rare and endangered species raised in nurseries
What was done? /What is being done?
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Maintain and expand animal proof fences around out-planting sites at the Puuwaawaa Forest Bird Sanctuary Cabin, the Puuwaawaa Cone enclosure, Kipuka Oweowe, and three of the newer enclosures in the lower perimeter Forest Bird Sanctuary.
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Invasive plant Control: Weedy grass were controlled in five out-planting sites (Sanctuary Cabin, Cone enclosure and three Sanctuary enclosures) using herbicide. The fences around the Phyllostegia ambigua enclosure were maintained, and banana poka was removed by hand from both the P. ambigua enclosure and C. stictophylla enclosure.
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Collection of seeds and cuttings: Seeds and/or cuttings were collected from 7 of the 18 rare lant species (endangered, threatened, candidate, or species of concern) that are known from the area.
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Out-planting of plants grown in nursery: 429 endangered individuals of 16 species and 571 plants of 11 common species were out-planted in the Sanctuary Cabin enclosures and/or the new enclosures in the Forest Bird Sanctuary.
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Maintenance of the out-plant sites: grass control and hand weeding conducted around out-planted species; Access trails cleared biannually.
Project Information:
Endangered plants (E) – 993 out-planted
Plant Population Management- Propagation and Out-Planting: Volcano Rare Plant Facility
Goals of project:
- Develop methods for increasing the population of endangered plant species
What was done? /What is being done?
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Horticulturist received plant species that have no set of rules for growing yet created. Because these species come from many different habitat types, treatments have to be specifically customized for each type. This work includes: developing growth treatments, studying phenology, and testing pesticides to find the most effective and least toxic chemicals; soils are analyzed to aid in creating similar potting media; and determining appropriate fertilizers for plants from diverse habitats.
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In the past fiscal year we received 160 new plant accessions. A total of 5,045 plants representing 37 endangered species were produced for restoration projects on the Big Island. In addition to the endangered species, we propagated 913 native plants for restoration projects. These include newly descovered species, plants that were previously listed as endangered, and many locally rare species. The more common plant species are important for building a healthy plant community to support the endangered plants.
Project Information:
Endangered plants (E) – 5045 produced
Plant Restoration and Enhancement, T&E, C, and SOC Out-planting
Goals of project:
- Complete trail fence
- Complete nine-acre enclosure in South Kona Forest Reserve
- Complete nine-acre enclosure around bog in Waiakea Forest Reserve
- Out-plant in protected areas
- Collect cuttings, fruits, seeds for Volcano Rare Plant Facility
What was done? /What is being done?
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Tom’s Trail fence completed and palm grass control with herbicide done twice, and strawberry guava control with herbicide done once.
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The Nine-acre enclosure at South Kona Forest Reserve was not completed but is anticipated to finish next year. This is due to the feral cattle in the area that need to be removed first.
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The Nine-acre enclosure around the bog in Waiakea Forest Reserve was completed in June 2007 with the assistance of the Pohakuloa Training Area fence crew; the fence will protect the Mauna Loa Silversword.
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Out-planted 439 endangered Mauna Loa Silversword (Argyroxiphium kauense) in Kapapala Forest Reserve, 123 endangered Cyanea shipmanii in Waiakea Forest Reserve, and 108 endangered Clermontia pyrularia in Hilo Forest Reserve. Also weeding and fertilization of these protected areas were done.
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Collection of cuttings, fruits, seeds from twelve different species from Hawaii district and taken to the Volcano Rare Plant Facility.
Project Information:
Endangered Plants (E) – 670 out-planted
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