Blog — Page 23 — Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC)

Teachers and environmental educators: get your hands on hot new Maui-based science tools!

Posted on December 21, 2011 by MISC Leave a Comment

Workshops participants experience lessons as students would, preparing them to teach the lesson in the classroom.

The Ho’ike o Haleakala Steering Committee will be hosting a series of one- and two-day teacher’s workshops starting in January 2012.

Join us in exploring exciting new lessons that spotlight native and invasive species issues on Maui. You will leave with innovative tools for teaching native Hawaiian science in the classroom and field. Commit to testing these materials in your classroom and receive a $75 stipend.

One day workshops:
January 14
March 10
Two day workshop:
February 18-19

R.S.V.P required. Workshops run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC) Headquarters in Pi’iholo. Space is limited; call 573-6472 or email miscpr@hawaii.edu to reserve your spot and for directions.

The one-day workshops will include hands-on experience and demonstration. The two-day February workshop adds a native Hawaiian forest hike and participants will receive an advance hard copy of Ho’ike o Haleakala’s new Invasive Species Module, including multimedia components and game pieces.

A sampling of the activities we will cover:

“Raindrops and Watersheds.” In this lab, students recreate the effect of miconia leaves on rainfall and watershed functionality. Can the size of a leaf change the health of a forest? Find out!
“Pathways and Vectors.” Students employ Google Earth technology to investigate the wiliwili gall wasp invasion of 2005, that threatened Maui’s native wiliwili forest. Working in small groups and using real-life data, students predict how the wasp spread and how it was ultimately controlled.
“Hotel Manager Scenario.” Students grapple with the economics of invasive species while balancing the budget for a hotel overrun with coqui frogs. This multidisciplinary activity incorporates math, problem-solving, and delegation.
“What’s in a Name?” This creative writing and drawing activity uses naupaka as a platform to discuss the usage of scientific, common, and Hawaiian names.
“Mascots, Icons, & Amakua.” This thought-provoking lesson asks students to investigate state and national symbols, such as the American bald eagle, and the qualities they embody. Why are so many Hawaiian schools represented by non-native mascots? In answer to this, students craft arguments for or against changing their school’s mascot.
“Weed Risk Assessment Bingo.” This fun, fast-paced game mimics the official Weed Risk Assessment tool, helping students determine which characteristics make a plant a potential weedy threat.
“Introducing Invasives.” What makes one plant native and another invasive? Why do biologists call Hawaii “an unparalleled showcase for evolution?” Students gain a basic understanding of how island ecosystems formed and how they work today by watching a dynamic slide show and completing a crossword.
“Timeline.” When did the first mosquito hit Hawaiian shores? Students identify key points in the natural history of the Islands, from the emergence of Kure Atoll to today. They create a visual tool for assessing the dramatic increase in biological “traffic” to the Islands.

Come learn how to use Hawaii as a perfect natural laboratory for your students.
Mark your calendar!

If you can’t attend the workshop, but would like to test these activities, email miscpr@hawaii.edu or call (808) 573-MISC.

Asking albizia to go-Moloka‘i style

Posted on December 17, 2011 by MISC Leave a Comment

Tackling a giant albizia

How does a two-person team control 850 invasive trees? If you’re MoMISC, you ask for permission first—from the landowner, the ancestors, and the trees themselves.

When Lori Buchanan of the Moloka‘i/Maui Invasive Species Committee (MoMISC) learned that albizia trees were invading a steep gulch in Nā‘iwa, she started strategizing. Native to the Indonesian archipelago, albizia rapidly monopolizes disturbed mesic and wet forests in Hawai‘i, and can rise to over 120 feet tall with wide, interlocking canopies. Because albizia trees fix nitrogen in the soil, they alter Hawaiian forests to favor non-native plants.

The Nā‘iwa discovery was the only albizia population on Moloka‘i—making it a good candidate for eradication. But controlling the trees would be a huge project, requiring the cooperation of many stakeholders.

These giants reach over 120 feet tall.

First Buchanan approached the landowner, who granted access to the site. Land and air surveys revealed a fifteen-acre patch of mature trees, some with trunks measuring seven feet in circumference. Before rounding up extra hands to help with control work, Buchanan consulted kumu Mikiala Pescaia, who has genealogical ties to the area.

“It’s a good idea to ask permission before you do anything,” says Buchanan. “Every place is sacred, or has some history, and so it’s always a good idea to consult the indigenous culture.

“Nā‘iwa is makahiki and hula grounds. The crew needed to know why it’s special before working there.”
Pescaia agreed to ask her ancestors to bless the project and to share the importance of the site’s numerous platforms and heiau with the crew. She explained how killing during the makahiki season would be inappropriate, since it was a time of peace and rest.

: Kumu Mikiala Pescaia and the crew at the edge of Kalaupapa.

“She took us to the edge of Kalaupapa and said, ‘This is where the spirits leap off,’” says Buchanan. “After that, the crew was hyped. We knew we were going to sweat and work our butts off, but people would appreciate what we were trying to do. It put our work in a whole new light.

“Mikiala sees all her cultural sites being taken over by invasive species. Our work is important to her, to her ancestors, and to future generations. It’s a step in restoring a whole genealogy.”

Mikiala Pescaia asked her ancestors for permission before entering the work site. She outlined appropriate behavior for the crew to observe while working: no swearing, negative thoughts, smoking, or removing anything from the area.

Kumu Mikiala Pescaia and the crew at the edge of Kalaupapa.

Then, says Buchanan, “She went to the edge of the gulch and said to the trees, ‘You guys have to go. Thank you for what you’ve provided—oxygen, shade, etcetera, but you have to go. Lori and MoMISC are going to come and take you out.’”

Actually, it was Lori, MoMISC, and a small army. Kamalani Pali, the other half of MoMISC, helped organize crews from The Nature Conservancy, Maui Invasive Species Committee, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. John Neizman from the Department of Land and Natural Resources assisted with clearing the access road. Two retired foresters volunteered to cut and treat trees. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Materials Center donated ninety pounds of native kāwelu, ‘a‘ali‘i, and ‘āweoweo seed mix. Before controlling the trees, Pescaia and the crew spread the seeds throughout the site, to repopulate the forest with native plants and suppress albizia regrowth.

Scientists and cultural advisors agreed that the best time to start work was the first week of March, after makahiki had passed. The crew girdled massive trunks, scraping the bark off with chainsaws to get to the heartwood and swabbing the cuts with small amounts of herbicide. Despite the heavy labor—three days of wielding chainsaws and rappelling to reach cliff-side trees—no one was injured.

Local businesses pitched in, too. Moloka‘i Community Federal Credit Union and Ron Kimball of Kamehameha Schools helped feed the workers. Mac Poepoe and Kanohowailuku Helm, local fishermen who have published a Hawaiian moon calendar, gave a pau hana workshop on how to be a pono fisherman. Realtors Diane and Larry Swenson accommodated visiting crews in their roomy warehouse.

A year later, only four of 850 albizia trees required re-treatment. The project brought together community members, field staff, and cultural practitioners. Work crews valued the opportunity to practice traditional protocols while working to free the island’s native forests from invasive pests. There’s no arguing that involving the community and asking for permission resulted in resounding success. The lessons learned during the albizia project will be applied to future control efforts on Moloka‘i and Maui.

“So many components had to come together. Everybody had to be on board,” says Buchanan. “But that’s our job: to make it easy for people to help us.” •

By Shannon Wianecki
MISC Editor and Curriculum Writer

This article originally appeared in the Winter 2010 edition of Kia‘i i Nā Moku o Maui Nui, the newsletter of the Maui Invasive Species. Find the full newsletter at www.hear.org/misc/newsletter/.

Help Hawai‘i–harvest a Christmas tree

Posted on December 13, 2011 by Lissa Strohecker Leave a Comment

‘Tis the season, and tradition calls for pine trees to decorate Maui residents’ homes, although there are many palms decorated in Christmas lights as well. Most Christmas trees are shipped in, but there’s a history of growing pines in Hawai‘i. Ralph Hosmer, Hawai‘i’s first forester, came on the job in 1904. At the time, forests throughout Hawai‘i were in a sorry state. Since Polynesian times, people have greatly altered lowland forests, initially for settlement and taro cultivation, then for sugar cane and pastureland. Feral pigs, goats and cattle escaped into intact forests, trampling shallow-rooted plants and browsing slow-growing plants. Honolulu, prospering from the sugar boom, was exceeding existing water supplies by the 1870s. Recognizing the need to protect and restore vital watersheds, everyone from sugar cane barons to King Kalākaua began fencing out animals and planting trees, some of which were pines.

Mexican weeping pine (Pinus patula) creeps into the native forest of the Waikamoi preserve. Forrest and Kim Starr photo

Hosmer helped turn sentiments about forest protection into cohesive action. He established the first forest reserves in Hawai‘i, beginning in 1906 when Alexander & Baldwin ceded management of acreage on Maui to the territorial government. With newly acquired land, Hosmer accelerated efforts to fence out cattle and goats and planted fast-growing hardy trees. The goals were three-fold: to stop erosion, restore the watershed and provide for Hawai‘i’s timber needs. Hosmer’s experimental plantation high on the slopes of Haleakalā now bears his name, “Hosmer’s Grove.” He planted species familiar from his Mainland forestry background: redwood, ash and pines. For years to come, foresters continued planting non-native species. These trees did prevent erosion on overgrazed lands, but some escaped cultivation to invade nearby ecosystems and crowd out native species.

Three species – Monterey pine (Pinus radiata), Mexican weeping pine (Pinus patula) and maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) – are particularly invasive. They persistently threaten Haleakalā National Park and The Nature Conservancy’s Waikamoi Preserve, transforming native stands into pine forests. Pines grow fast, up to one foot per year and reach maturity quickly, producing seeds within six to eight years. A massive amount of tiny seeds spread easily on the wind, help these pines colonize new areas. Removing pines has proven essential to maintaining the shrub-land and alpine habitat of Haleakalā.

Over the years, crews at Haleakalā National Park have stopped a veritable woodland of pines. Bill Haus and the crew he works with have removed 87,920 pines from the park and surrounding areas since 1982. According to Natural Resource Program Manager Steve Anderson, “Without control, the slopes of the subalpine shrub land would be a pine forest.” Subalpine shrub land is critical habitat for a native plants and animals; conversion to a pine forest would turn this rare Hawaiian ecosystem into a biological desert – no native plants like māmane, pūkiawe, ‘ōhelo or ‘a‘ali‘i; no native birds like the ‘i‘iwi and ‘amakihi.

Monteray pine (Pinus radiata) growing inside Haleakalā crater alongside silverswords. There have been a flush of pine seedlings inside the crater in the last few years. Forrest and Kim Starr photo.

Pines threaten the crater as well. Haus and his crew have removed more than 1,500 pines from inside the crater, with a peak of 778 in 2010.

Anderson said: “I wouldn’t have thought it was possible (for the crater to become a pine forest) several years ago, but it’s clear that potential exists now.”

The recent flush of pine could be the result of the 2007 Polipoli fire. Pines, including those invading Haleakalā Crater, are serotinous, meaning certain pine cones are coated with a waxy substance. These cones stay closed until the heat of a fire melts the coating to release seeds. As an ecological adaptation, it helps pines take advantage of the ash-fertile conditions following a fire. But in Hawai‘i, this adaptation may offer a unique seed-scattering advantage. The Polipoli fire possibly spurred a huge seed release and associated winds carried the seeds into the crater. Pine seedlings are even growing alongside silverswords.

You can help protect the crater from pines, and take home a pine tree! Several organizations will be working with volunteers to remove pines in time for the holidays. Friends of Haleakalā National Park leads efforts to remove pine trees from the crater. Check out their website at fhnp.org for more information.

The Nature Conservancy will be working below Hosmer’s Grove on Dec. 17. Call or email Pat Bily at 856-7665 or pbily@tnc.org for details and to confirm attendance. Both trips are free and open to the public. Dress for wintery weather and bring rain gear, water, tools and rope to bring home your tree or wreath making supplies. Participants also may bring food. Eggnog is optional.

By Lissa Fox Strohecker
Originally published in the Maui News, December 11, 2011 as part of the Kia‘i Moku Column. Check out all of the MISC articles in the Kia`i Moku series at: www.hear.org/misc/mauinews/

Poisonous Rubber Vine Needs to be Controlled

Posted on December 8, 2011 by Lissa Strohecker Leave a Comment

The rubber vine may appear to be a beautiful plant but it is actually poisonous. The vines will also creep up trees and into their canopies and foul up streams. (Photo by MISC)

When the crew from the Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC) arrived on Moloka‘i in February of 2005, they soon realized this was not going to be just another week at work. They were assisting the Moloka‘i/Maui Invasive Species Committee (MoMISC) in controlling a large infestation of rubber vine plaguing the Kamalō and ‘Ualapu‘e areas. The pest had invaded over five acres, forming impenetrable thickets that made it difficult to control. Just looking at the vast amount of area conquered by this one invasive plant made the MISC crew realize why the two-person MoMISC team called in reinforcements.

Controlling the large population was a daunting task and, at first, overwhelming. But one by one, vine by vine, the crew attacked the rubber vine as if they themselves were an invasive species, quickly devouring everything in their path. By the end of the week, the once dark forest of rubber vine blanketing the treetops was transformed into a more open area with sunlight. By helping to initially suppress the pest, MISC was making it manageable for MoMISC to monitor and treat it in the future.

Here on Maui, we are fortunate that we do not have such large rubber vine populations. Instead, we have limited infestations growing in residential areas. There is hope that we can eradicate this invader before it affects our natural and agricultural areas as well as quality of life.

Rubber vine (Cryptostegia grandiflora on Maui, C. madagascariensis on Moloka‘i) are vigorous climbing vines from Madagascar that can scramble their way 30 meters up a tall tree or grow as an unorganized shrub-like clump of vines one to two meters tall. The plant invades waterways forming dense, impenetrable thickets that smother riparian vegetation and decrease biodiversity. Rubber vine can also impact ranching operations by restricting livestock access and lowering pasture productivity.

This invasive plant is extremely poisonous; it contains cardiac glycosides, chemicals that interfere with heart function in humans and animals when the plant is ingested. Contact with the plant’s milky sap can cause burning rashes and blisters. When the vine is dry, a powdery dust emerges that can cause violent coughing, swelling of the nose, and painful blistering of the eyelids.

Rubber vine has large, showy pinkish-purple flowers with five petals arranged like a funnel. Its shiny, dark green leaves, directly opposite each other, range from two to four inches long. The distinctive triangular seed pods average three to four inches in length and grow in wing-like pairs. Approximately 200 days after formation, the seed pods dry out and split open. Seeds with silky hairs are released into the wind and waterways. Approximately 95% are viable – increasing the potential for rubber vine to rapidly spread.

In addition to natural dispersal, rubber vine can be introduced to an area by animals or humans. Livestock can carry seeds long distances through agricultural fields. Contaminated vehicles and machinery transport seeds from one worksite to another. Cultivation of rubber vine as an ornamental plant makes the problem much worse, especially since a plant may live for up to 80 years. Rubber vine is widely available to the public through Internet seed companies, few of which describe the plant’s noxious qualities.

In order to prevent the spread of rubber vine, areas downstream and downwind from known infestations must be inspected. Do not import, purchase, or plant this toxic species in your yard. If you have rubber vine on your property, call MISC and give permission to control it. If you see rubber vine growing or for sale, call MISC at 573-MISC. Encourage friends and family not to buy this or other pest plants so nurseries will stop selling them.

We are happy to report that since MISC assisted MoMISC in February 2005, the five-acre rubber vine population has been significantly reduced and eradication of this pest is within reach for the Friendly Isle. Inclusion of rubber vine on the Hawai‘i State Noxious Weed List is currently under consideration. Until it is listed, it is up to residents and visitors to protect Maui from this aggressive pest so that we can avoid dealing with large populations such as that once found on Moloka‘i.

By Joylnn Paman
Originally published in the Maui News, January 13, 2008 as part of the Kia‘i Moku Column. Check out all of the MISC articles in the Kia`i Moku series at: www.hear.org/misc/mauinews/

Plans in the Pipeline to Protect ‘Ōhi‘a From ‘Rust’

Posted on December 1, 2011 by Lissa Strohecker Leave a Comment

Puccinia psidii or “ohia rust” is found on the leaves of an ohia tree. Rob Anderson photo

It starts with a spot, a tiny dot of orange on a leaf bound for Hawai‘i. It could be on cut foliage destined for a florist or on a tree fated for a Hawai‘i yard. The miniscule speck of orange grows, produces spores, and covers the plant. Hawai‘i’s moist climate creates the perfect habitat for the little orange organism, a type of fungus known as a rust that attacks plants—often fatally. The trade winds spread the rust spores to more hosts and within months trees across Hawai‘i have turned brown, lost their leaves, and begun to die.

If a new strain of this fungus rust arrives in Hawaii it could devastate ohia forests. Orange rust fungus covers the leaves of a rose apple tree. FOREST & KIM STARR photo

In 2005 the rust attacked an invasive tree in the myrtle family–rose apple, but the rust grows on many myrtaceae species, including ‘ōhi‘a. The Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture identified the rust as Puccinia psidii and named it “‘ōhi‘a rust” in recognition of its impact on ‘ōhi‘a. If a new strain of the rust arrives there is a very real chance that it will attack ‘ōhi‘a and cause the same level of damage as it did to rose apple. This could be devastating: ‘ōhi‘a makes up 80% of our native rainforest and is the keystone species in the watershed. In an effort to protect ‘ōhi‘a and our rainforest–the source of our water–the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture is proposing a ban on the import of plants that could carry a new variety of the rust.

In 2008 HDOA implemented an interim rule, a temporary ban on the import of ‘ōhi‘a, but it was only active for one year. This new rule will protect ‘ōhi‘a as well as other, commercially important myrtle species, such as eucalyptus and ornamental trees.

‘Ōhi‘a covers nearly 1,000,000 acres in Hawai‘i, provides food for ‘i‘iwi, ‘apapane, ‘ākohekohe, and other rare birds; shelter for their nests; and habitat for native insects, snails, and other species.

Like a flu or a cold, there are different strains of rust. The strain of ‘ōhi‘a rust currently in Hawai‘i does kill ‘ōhi‘a seedlings, but very few. However, the impact could be much higher. To evaluate the rust’s threat, Hawaiian ‘ōhi‘a seedlings were grown in Brazil, the home range of the fungus. Researchers exposed the seedlings to various strains of the rust, some which proved deadly. These tests showed that a new rust strain is a potent threat to the Hawaiian forests and watersheds.

The ban will stop the import of plants and foliage of myrtle family that hitchhike into Hawai‘i from out-of-state or international sources. This material is commonly used in flower arrangements, but after the interim ban, many florists quit using eucalyptus as cut greens in flower arrangements. Local sources of eucalyptus can still be used, and in doing so, local jobs are protected along with ‘ōhi‘a. If growers want to import a myrtle species into Hawai‘i, they can do so after obtaining a permit and agreeing to quarantine the plant for one year.

Before the ban goes into effect HDOA will hold public hearings throughout the state. Buy local–support florists who use locally grown flowers and foliage, or use locally grown flowers and foliage yourself. By making this choice you are helping to protect ‘ōhi‘a and our forests. Visit www.hear.org/species/puccinia_psidii/ to learn more.

Article by Lissa Fox Strohecker

Originally published in the Maui News, October 9th, 2011 as part of the Kia‘i Moku Column.
You can find all the articles in the Kia‘i Moku series http://www.hear.org/misc/mauinews/

Pampas Grass: All Species on Maui are Invasive

Posted on November 28, 2011 by Lissa Strohecker Leave a Comment

Pampas grass plumes were once so popular they even decorated parade floats, such as this 1st prize winner in a parade in Colorado at the turn of the century. Photo courtesy of Denver Public Library, Western History Collection.

In the early 1870s an enterprising nurseryman in Southern California imported a tall, clumping grass with distinctive feathery plumes to his ranch. Over the next several decades he created an entire industry for the plumes of the plant called pampas grass. At the height of the plume boom, he was exporting 500,000 plumes a year throughout the United States and Europe, influencing Victorian-era fashion. By the close of the 19^th century, pampas plumes were dyed different colors to fill vases, decorate women’s hats, and cover parade floats. Eventually the trend ended, but pampas has been used in landscaping ever since.

This invasive grass is anything but fashionable. Now, rather than topping hats and decorating parade floats, the ten-foot-tall feathery plumes top clumps of razor sharp leaves throughout California. Pampas grass blocks beach access, fuels wildfires, and invades native ecosystems. Introduced to Maui in the 1920s, pampas has proven invasive here as well.

There are two species in Hawaii known as pampas grass, Cortaderia selloana and Cortaderia jubata. Both species of pampas grass have been planted widely in landscaping throughout California; now every backyard population has become a seed source for this invasive plant. Both species are also found on Maui and jubata has become extremely invasive. It finds a foothold in any bare soil or disturbed areas, and has invaded many different ecosystems from the dry rocky soil in Haleakala Crater, to the boggy rainforest of East Maui, and the eroded cliffs of West Maui. Control of jubata first began in 1989 by staff of Haleakala National Park and is continued by Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC). Field crews attack pampas any way they can, hovering along cliffs with helicopters, camping in the rainforest for weeks, knocking on doors, and lining up across the slopes of Haleakala to search for the distinctive plumes.

But efforts to control the invasive Cortaderia selloana have been stymied by a confusion that began in California in the 1970s. When pampas grass was first recognized as being invasive, scientists thought C. selloana was only slightly weedy, whereas its cousin, Cortaderia jubata, was deemed to be an immediate and serious threat based on its ability to reproduce.

This stand of Cortaderia jubata plant, or pampas grass, was found in Haleakala Crater and removed in 2008. Pampas grass is an invasive species, and a variety thought not to be a local threat at one time has turned out to be one. Maui Invasive Species Committee photo.

A single jubata plant can readily produce fertile seed with no need for pollination. The downy light seeds float on the wind and jubata quickly escapes garden plantings. The selloana plant, however, requires both a male and female plant to produce fertile seed. Resource managers thought that only female plants were on Maui, making selloana a safe landscaping alternative to jubata because it wouldn’t be able to spread. But C. selloana turned out to be a wolf in plume’s clothing. A keiki selloana was found on Maui in 2006; the identification was confirmed by genetic analysis of a sample sent to the University of California-Davis, establishing that selloana is reproducing here.

Given evidence from California we can expect that selloana will be an even more aggressive invader than jubata. Over the past 60 years in California, the selloana population has expanded twice as fast as jubata. Selloana is increasingly able to invade native vegetation.

What was the “good” pampas in Maui backyards is now recognized as an invader lurking on the horizon. Please do not grow any kind of pampas grass on Maui. If you know of a population of pampas grass, or have it on your property, please call MISC (573-MISC) to have it removed free of charge.

Article by Lissa Fox Strohecker

Originally published in the Maui News, September 12th, 2010 as part of the Kia‘i Moku Column.
You can find all the articles in the Kia‘i Moku series http://www.hear.org/misc/mauinews/

Pampas Gone Wild-Haipua‘ena Part 3

Posted on November 23, 2011 by MISC Leave a Comment

In the final installment of the “Pampas Gone Wild” series, we’ll cover some of the key identification features of pampas grass that differentiate it from the native sedge, Carex. These features can also be used to identify immature pampas in other habitats.

There’s an immature pampas grass in this photo…any guesses?

Zoom in for a closer look.

A young pampas closely resembles a native sedge, Carex. First look for the flat leaf of pampas.

Compared that with the "corrugated" leaf of Carex.

Another key feature of pampas is the razor sharp serrated leaf edges, shown clearly in this photo. This feature is easy to find by running your finger carefully along the edge, even on very young seedlings.

This series was brought to you with the help of the above members of the MISC field crew, Summer 2011: Paul Gonzalez (SCA), Brooke Mahnken (GIS and Data Specialist), Chris Radford (Crew Leader), Matt Fairall (SCA), Frank Ritenour (SCA), and Abe Vandenberg (Field Crew and Outreach). Thanks for your good and muddy work out there!

If you think you have seen a pampas grass in Hawaii, please contact your local Invasive Species Committee. Many Mahalos!

Pampas Gone Wild-Haipua‘ena Part 2

Posted on November 21, 2011 by MISC Leave a Comment

Here’s a young, but mature, pampas grass in a mostly native rainforest…pulling this guy up will leave a big hole in the groundcover, a hole means a foothold for another invasive species, in many ways doing more harm than good.

But if we leave the plant alone we’ll continue to loose our watershed and native species to this high-threat invasive plant. How can we remove it? Keep reading…

1. Remove the seed-heads.

2. Tie the pampas in a knot. this is what we refer to as the “ponytail” method; bringing all the pampas leaves together makes it easier to treat and marks the plant as one we’ve treated.

3. Bury the seed-heads deep within the plant. This keeps the seeds from dispersing on the wind, likely how this plant arrived here in the first place.

4. With the seed-heads tucked away and the plant tied together crews can apply a low-concentration herbicide directly to the plant (another benefit of the ponytail method-no over-spray). Within a month the plant will be dead and beginning to decompose and native vegetation will be intact and poised to reclaim this patch of invaded rainforest. The location of each plant we control is recorded with a GPS so it can be monitored in the future to ensure no seedlings have germinated.

There you have it-how to control invasive pampas grass a native rainforest on Maui.

Stay posted to learn how to spot a pampas grass.

The sun sets on another day of field work in the remote rainforest of East Maui

Pampas Gone Wild-Haipua‘ena part 1

Posted on November 1, 2011 by MISC Leave a Comment

Pampas grass or Cortaderia jubata with it’s wind-dispersed seeds readily escapes cultivation. Tackling established populations far from civilization takes some work…check out the work in one of our remote field camps–Haipua‘ena.

Helicopters bring the gear and materials out for both the crew and for building a new platform out of the mud.

The crew prepares to start hiking in. Along the way they’ll be searching for pampas.

The boardwalk running along the Waikamoi flume…the easy part.

A dead pampas grass…excellent!

A not-so-dead pampas grass…not excellent.

Very lively and seeding pampas grass…euuuwwh

Check back to see how we treat pampas grass in this kind of environment!

A most unwanted neighbor–coqui frogs

Posted on October 27, 2011 by Lissa Strohecker Leave a Comment

A coqui frog hiding on a landscape plant

A recent trip to Hilo highlighted the impact coqui frogs can have on our quality of life. It was not just the chorus heard throughout town and in my hotel room, but the fact that they could be heard while having dinner, enjoying a beach park and hiking through native forests. They’re everywhere. Recent estimates indicate that coqui have infested more than 60,000 acres of East Hawaii, from the ocean to 4,000 feet in elevation. With Hawaii County now planning to liquidate its coqui-control equipment, this noisy neighbor seems to have become a permanent resident on the island of Hawaii.

My work creates many opportunities to talk about coqui, and I am often asked why they are perceived as a nuisance in Hawaii when they are beloved in their native home of Puerto Rico.

One consideration is that they have no natural enemies here and can reach population densities more than twice that of their native range. This may cause significant problems for native insects (which they eat), change soil composition to the benefit of non-native plant species and compete with Hawaii’s native birds for food. Possible economic impacts in infested areas include diminished property values and sales, a change in the quality of visitor experiences due to their persistent nocturnal calls and decreased sales in the floriculture and nursery industry.

During my short visit to Hilo, I learned that a colleague with deep ties to Hawaii agriculture was facing the prospect of moving and foregoing personal professional opportunities, primarily because of the coqui. These experiences strengthened my motivation to keep coqui from becoming widely established on Maui.

Signage indicating the coqui-free status of a local business.

Coqui are believed to have been introduced to Hawaii by hitchhiking on plants or associated products in the late 1980s. Since then, coqui have shown up on most of the main Hawaiian Islands, in California, and Guam on plant shipments. This is still the primary avenue for dispersal, particularly from heavily infested areas. To help minimize the risk of introducing coqui to your neighborhood, the Maui Invasive Species Committee started a coqui-free certification program. The voluntary program encourages plant industry participants to adopt specific practices to reduce movement via the nursery trade. If you see a business designated as “coqui-free,” you can feel confident that you will not be purchasing coqui along with your plants or plant products.

Like the Big Island, Maui has coqui. Unlike the Big Island, Maui has only six infested areas, which cover an estimated 227 acres. Eleven population centers (areas with five or more calling males) have been removed since 2004. Five others have very low numbers of coqui. Really, only one substantial population remains. Maui has kept populations from becoming established by quickly responding to reports of new coqui locations. Although new introductions from infested areas are a constant concern for Maui residents, quickly identifying and capturing a few rogue males typically prevents a couple of coqui from becoming thousands. Left unchecked or unreported, coqui populations on Maui would be sure to rival East Hawaii at some point.

The author preparing a large-volume sprinkler for citric acid delivery.

In Haiku, for example, an area that once had low numbers of coqui has now spilled over into a steep-sided gulch. Efforts have begun to remove coqui from the 225-acre area by applying a 12 to 16 percent solution of citric acid (a food additive). But challenging terrain and trying to work at night (when coqui are most active) have demanded the development of creative citric application tools. These include fixed-line sprinklers, high-volume sprayers and even limited use of a helicopter in inaccessible areas. Although daunting, successful control efforts over the last four years have shown that the key to preventing coqui from permanently establishing is early detection of new locations, repeated systematic treatment of known populations and removal of frog-friendly habitat.

Unfortunately, even the combined resources of state and county agencies on Hawaii, as well as regular outings by community-based coqui control groups, have been no match for the coqui.

On Maui, we only have one large population left. We still have a strong chance to become and remain coqui-free. Please help by calling the Maui Invasive Species Committee at 573-MISC (6472) if you happen to hear a coqui frog.

More information about the coqui-free program can be found at www.coquifreemaui.org.

Adam Radford is the operations manager for the Maui Invasive Species Committee. He manages MISC’s efforts to control invasive plants, animals, and banana bunchy top virus.

Originally published in the Maui News, March 14, 2010 as part of the Kia‘i Moku Column.
You can find all the articles in the Kia‘i Moku series http://www.hear.org/misc/mauinews/

« Previous Page