Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC)

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Coqui frogs negatively affect the environment in more ways than one

Posted on June 18, 2020 by MISC

Coqui have the perfect environment in Hawaiʻi, one that lacks the predators – lizards, tarantulas, and snakes- found in their native Puerto Rico. They reach densities two to three times greater in Hawaiʻi than in Puerto Rico, the densest population of land-living amphibian known anywhere. — Maui Invasive Species Committee photo.

In the dark, Darrel Aquino turns off the pump engine – the silence is a stark contrast to the noise of the gasoline motor, and before that, the piercing calls of the coqui frogs that met Aquino and his crew from the Maui Invasive Species Committee when they arrived hours earlier. They work together to pack up, rolling up fire hose by the light of headlamps before heading back to the baseyard. They’ll be back out tomorrow, and the night after, but in a different area of Haʻikū, as they work to stop the spread of the coqui frog.

From dusk to dawn males call for mates, “Co-qui, co-qui.” The first note, “Co,” lets their competition (other male frogs) know they are there, and the “qui” is for the girls. As loud as a lawnmower or leaf blower, the calls drown out the sounds of a night in Hawaiʻi: crickets, the night breeze rustling leaves, waves breaking along the coast. 

But while the ear-splitting call of this tiny tree frog is what they are famous for, problems with the coqui frog goes beyond noise. Like us, these invasive frogs from Puerto Rico also find our island habitat and climate to be paradise. Coqui in Hawaiʻi reach population densities greater than any terrestrial amphibian species elsewhere in the world. At over 20,000 frogs per acre in an environment that evolved without frogs, there is bound to be an impact.   

“Coqui in Hawaiʻi reach population densities greater than any terrestrial amphibian species elsewhere in the world. At over 20,000 frogs per acre in an environment that evolved without frogs, there is bound to be an impact.”

Dr. Karen Beard, a professor at Utah State University, and her students have studied coqui frogs in the Islands for more than a decade. The interactions between invasive species from different parts of the world coming together in a new environment can be hard to predict, but her research is finding that the presence of coqui in Hawaiʻi tends to benefit other introduced species – from invasive plants to non-native birds to mongoose.

Coqui frogs alter the way nutrients cycle in the ecosystem. The frogs feed on insects, mainly ants, roly-polies, cockroaches, and earthworms, but not mosquitos. What goes in must come out and hundreds of thousands of invasive frogs contribute additional nitrogen and phosphorus to the soil. Though these additions help plants grow, the increase really only benefits introduced plants. The flora native to the Hawaiian Islands is adapted for nutrient-poor volcanic soils, so by increasing soil nutrients, the coqui frogs modify conditions to favor invasive plants such as strawberry guava (native to Brazil).

Coqui frogs also bolster populations of non-native birds. Beard found that populations of some introduced songbirds, including common myna, Chinese hwamei, and red-billed leiothrix (all from Asia), are higher where coqui frogs are present. This is likely due to changes in the insect community when coqui are present (more excrement and frog bodies means more flies) as well as birds consuming the eggs in addition to juvenile and adult coqui.

Mongoose (from India) may also benefit from coqui. Beard’s graduate student Shane Hill looked at rat and mongoose densities where coqui are present compared to where they are absent and found greater mongoose abundance with coqui present. Mongoose are the main scavengers of coqui frogs, which may provide a novel food source. Hill also concluded that increased numbers of non-native birds or coqui-induced habitat changes could favor mongoose.

An invasive mongoose thriving off the abundance of the coqui frog population while increasing the likelihood of predation to other native Hawaiian species. — photo courtesy of Karen Beard

Hill’s study also showed fewer rats where coqui are present, more so for Pacific rats, which den underground as opposed to the more arboreal black rats. Hill and Beard suggest lower rat abundance could result from competition with coqui for insects or increased predation by mongoose. While the relationships are complex, one thing is clear: more mongoose is not good for ground-nesting birds, such as the ʻuaʻu kani (wedge-tailed shearwater) or endangered ʻuaʻu (Hawaiian petrel), and coqui could indirectly contribute to a decline in these birds.

Humans may adapt to the noise of coqui but the environment may be forever changed by their presence; interactions among these invasive frogs and other introduced pests tend to compound the impacts.  It’s critical to do what is possible to keep these invasive pests out of the native-dominated areas of Hawaiʻi and sensitive bird habitat.

You can help stop the spread of coqui on Maui. If you have coqui, volunteer in your neighborhood to reduce coqui and remove frog-friendly habitat. If you don’t have coqui in your area, stay alert to any nighttime “Co-qui” calls and report it to MISC at 573-6472.

Lissa Strohecker is the public relations and education specialist for the Maui Invasive Species Committee. She holds a biological sciences degree from Montana State University. Kia’i Moku, “Guarding the Island,” is prepared by the Maui Invasive Species Committee to provide information on protecting the island from invasive plants and animals that can threaten the island’s environment, economy, and quality of life.

This article was originally published in the Maui News on February 10th, 2019 as part of the Kia‘i Moku Column from the Maui Invasive Species Committee.

Read more Kiaʻi Moku articles.

Filed Under: Home Slider, In the field, Invasive Animals, Kia'i Moku Column, MISC Target Species, Report a Pest Tagged With: 2019, coqui, coqui impacts on environment

COVID-19 and MISC

Posted on March 25, 2020 by Lissa Strohecker

Aloha kākou,

One of the joys of working at MISC is the close ties we have to our community. Our first priority is the health and safety of our employees, their families, and those with whom we work. We wanted to provide you with an update on our response to COVID-19 and what it means for our work in the short term.

We are following the social distancing guidelines and shelter-in-place measures set forth by Mayor Victorino and Governor Ige. MISC and MoMISC have temporarily closed their baseyards to the public, although some staff may be  present to perform maintenance and other work that can be accomplished without public interaction or threat to their well-being. Our field crews are working away from each other during this time and our capacity to respond to reports may be delayed. 

If you participate in the coqui community resiliency program, we will provide more specific details on ways to support you in quieting the coqui in your neighborhood.  

Consider taking this opportunity to check your yard for invasive pests.  If you detect a MISC target species, such as little fire ants, new locations of coqui frogs, ohia trees suspected to have Rapid Ohia Death, or others, send us your report and we will follow up when we can. Send reports through: 

  • Voicemail: 808-573-6472
  • Online: 643PEST.org
  • Snakes: call 911

Given the dynamic nature of the situation, we will provide updates on MISC’s response on our website and our Facebook page. Significant changes will be sent through email updates. 

For now, please know how much we value your support and partnership in protecting Maui Nui from harmful invasive species. Mahalo nui and take care of your health and your family.

All the Staff at the
Maui Invasive Species Committee

Filed Under: Control Work, In the field

Hiring five field crew and a crew leader to join our coqui program.

Posted on February 23, 2020 by MISC

Both recruitments have closed, but if you are interested in working with MISC, please contact us at 808-573-6472. A list of current openings can be found at: mauiinvasive.org/careers

Apply for MISC Coqui Crew Leader – Recruitment closes March 2, 2020
Keep reading for details about the position.

Apply for MISC Coqui Crew – Recruitment closes March 10. 2020
Keep reading for details about the position.

Work outside, mālama the ʻāina, and help your community. 

The Maui Invasive Species Committee is hiring full-time permanent field positions for the coqui crew. There are five (5) field crew positions and crew leader position open.

This crew works out of our Makawao field station. The work shift is from 1:00 pm to 11:30 pm Monday through Thursday during the summer months and 12:00 pm to 10:30 during winter. Shifts can vary depending on operational needs.

Starting salary is $2580/month ($14.89/hour) for field crew postions and $3400/month ($19.61/hour) for the crew leader. Work involves mixing 50 lb bags of citric acid into a 14% solution, hiking in rough terrain while carrying heavy fire hose to spray coqui frog infested areas, and maintaining detailed records including GIS.

Must have current driver’s license and high school diploma or GED equivalent. If you have questions about the position duties and responsibilities, contact the Maui Invasive Species Committee at 808-573-6472.

To apply:

You must submit the following documents online to be considered for the position:

1) Cover Letter,
2) Resume,
3) Supervisory References,
4) Copy of Degree(s)/Transcript(s)/Certificate(s).

All online applications must be submitted/received by the closing date (11:59 P.M. Hawai‘i Standard Time/RCUH receipt time) as stated on the job posting. If you do not have access to our system and the closing date is imminent, you may send additional documents to rcuh_employment@rcuh.com. If you have questions on the application process and/or need assistance, please call (808) 956-8344 or (808) 956-0872. 

Apply for MISC Coqui Crew – Recuitment closes March 10. 2020

Apply for MISC Coqui Crew Leader – Recruitment closes March 2, 2020

Find all current job openings on our Careers page.

Filed Under: Employment, In the field, Invasive Animals Tagged With: coqui crew, Jobs, work at MISC

Drones help field crews find invasive species

Posted on November 22, 2017 by Lissa Strohecker

Would you rather walk across this lava field to look for invasive plants or search by air? Drones are increasing the efficiency of invasive species field crews on Hawaiʻi Island. Photo by T. Sullivan, BIISC.

Your mission: find a few invasive silk oak trees scattered across a 35,000-acre ancient cinder cone that resembles a bundt cake. Dead-ends and backtracking are the norm as you navigate up and down and across the slope, trying to locate and reach the trees.

Such is the task facing the crews of the Big Island Invasive Species Committee (BIISC) as they endeavor to control silk oak trees on the slopes of Puʻu Waʻawaʻa (literally translated to “many furrowed”) near Kona. They now have help from a set of eyes in the sky.

Using a drone, or unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the crews can find the best path across the landscape, saving time and allowing them to more efficiently do what they do best: get rid of invasive plants.

“It works best on a large landscape,” explains Timo Sullivan, BIISC’s early detection and remote sensing specialist. “You can trade 8 hours of hiking for 2 hours of controlling,” he says. Sullivan’s work with BIISC began a few years ago when they were exploring ways to identify invasive Australian tree ferns hidden within vast eucalyptus plantations. Today, the drone is almost a part of the field crew, scouting out the best route or even finding plants the crew is searching for.

Timo Sullivan uses drones to help the field crews from the Big Island Invasive Species Committee find invasive plants. Photo courtesy T. Sullivan, BIISC.

“It works best with species you can see above the canopy” he says. BIISC relies on UAVs to help survey for rapid ʻōhiʻa death, a fungal disease affecting ʻōhiʻa  trees on  Hawaiʻi Island. The main symptom: the leaves turn brown almost overnight, as though frozen in place. “It’s surprisingly hard to tell if a tree in the canopy is dead when you are on the ground,“ says Sullivan.

Typically, he arrives at a field site a few hours before the crew and spends an hour flying the drone, followed by an hour viewing the footage on the laptop. Then the crew can head straight to the plants on the ground. It’s possible for Sullivan to cover 40 acres in an hour. This is a big shift from the past efforts where crews spent all day hiking to find maybe 10 plants. “It’s been a huge morale booster,” he says. “Crews feel more successful when they can actually remove plants rather than search for them all day.”

The drone BIISC uses is nothing fancy, just a consumer model with a GoPro attached to record what’s seen. The footage can be reviewed on the spot or later. Instead of three sets of tired eyes scanning from a helicopter, the footage can be shared with many, including researchers looking at native plants or other aspects of the landscape. A manager can see what the crew faces, as well as document change over time.

The technology has limitations though: searching for plants under the canopy is still a task for ground crews, and the drone has to remain in the line of sight of the operator. Surveying in Kīpahulu valley while sitting miles away in Makwao is currently not possible.

Miconia (circled in red) has large leaves with a distinctive leaf pattern. Researchers at the University of Hawaiʻi are looking at ways to train computers to analyze drone footage to find miconia. Photo courtesy of T. Sullivan, BIISC.

Researchers are investigating ways to take drone usage to the next level. Roberto Rodriguez, a PhD student at the University of Hawaiʻi-Manoa is helping to determine the ideal speed at which to review footage. Heʻs researching computer programs that analyze the footage. “Miconia is a nice initial plant to work with,” he says. “The large leaf size and distinct vein pattern is something a computer could identify.” They researcher can then take what they learn and modify it for other species.

Ground crews can’t hang up their boots entirely. They can’t get ahead of an invasive species’ seeding cycle until they remove every young plant before it goes to seed—and small understory plants typically aren’t visible from the air. Drones are just another tool. There may come a day when crew each has its own drone, enabling workers to easily glance at a gulch or a steep, inaccessible cliff to make sure no invasive plants remain.

To learn more about research and drone usage for conservation in  Hawaiʻi check out http://spatial.uhh.hawaii.edu/index.htm.

Lissa Strohecker is the public relations and education specialist for the Maui Invasive Species Committee. She holds a biological sciences degree from Montana State University. Kia’i Moku, “Guarding the Island,” is prepared by the Maui Invasive Species Committee to provide information on protecting the island from invasive plants and animals that can threaten the island’s environment, economy and quality of life.

This article was originally published in the Maui News on April 9th, 2017 as part of the Kia‘i Moku Column from the Maui Invasive Species Committee.

Read more Kiaʻi Moku articles.

Filed Under: In the field, Kia'i Moku Column Tagged With: 2017, drones, Miconia, rapid ohia death, technology

Nominate a landscaper for the Mālama i ka ʻĀina Award

Posted on May 17, 2016 by Lissa Strohecker

Dr. Angela Kepler, receives the 2015 Mālama i ka ʻĀina Award, presented by MISC Manager Teya Penniman, and Maui County Environmental Coordinator Rob. Parsons. Photo by Brian Lieberman.

Dr. Angela Kepler, receives the 2015 Mālama i ka ʻĀina Award. The annual award is presented by MISC Manager Teya Penniman,  Maui County Environmental Coordinator Rob Parsons, and MALP President Allison Wright (not pictured). Photo by Brian Lieberman.

Nominations due May 29th, 2016.

Nominations are now being accepted to honor invasive species prevention efforts within Maui County.  The Mālama i ka ʻĀina Award is presented annually to a landscaper, plant provider (retail and wholesale nurseries and garden shops), or commercial/agricultural property owner/manager to recognize their efforts to keep invasive species out of Maui County.

The award is a cooperative effort of the Maui Association of Landscape Professionals, the Maui Invasive Species Committee, and the County of Maui.

The winner will be announced Saturday, June 18th at the Maui Association of Landscape Professionals’ Lawn & Garden Fair at the Maui Mall.  The winner will receive a plaque, a glass sculpture by artist Jupiter Nielsen, a one-year free membership with the Maui Association of Landscape Professionals and local media recognition.

Applicants are requested to explain how the nominee’s activities or decisions have contributed to keeping Maui free from invasive species. Examples include: not selling or using invasive plants; steps taken to learn about invasives; and efforts to reduce use of invasive species by other customers.

Applications are due by May 29th, 2016 and can be downloaded here: 2016 Malama i ka `Aina Award On-line Application or from the Maui Association of Landscape Professionals at www.malp.org  You may submit completed nominations via  email to miscpr@hawaii.edu, fax to 573-6475, or mail to MISC at P.O. Box 983, Makawao, HI 96768. There is no fee to apply. Self-nominations are welcome.  For more information, call 573-MISC (6472), or e-mail miscpr@hawaii.edu.

Past Mālama i ka ʻĀina Award recipients were recognized for meaningful steps taken to prevent the spread of invasive species, including incorporating codes-of-conduct in business practices, educating the public and clients about invasive species, and encouraging the use of native species in landscape design. Actions of award recipients are steps in the right direction!

Applications due by May 29th, 2016: 2016 Malama i ka `Aina Award On-line Application 

Filed Under: In the field, Malama i ka Aina Award Tagged With: landscaper award, malama i ka aina

Glycine got ya down?

Posted on May 11, 2016 by Lissa Strohecker

Tips & Tricks for Common Pests – Glycine

glycine smothering habit ulupalakua -fks

Glycine blankets the roadsides of Ulupalakua and parts of Kula. Photo by Forest and Kim Starr

With all the rain last summer, many upcountry Maui homeowners spent the winter battling a twining green vine. Glycine, most commonly known from ʻUlupalakua and Kanaio, is the vine that blankets fences and rock walls and hangs from trees. It primarily grows in open sunny areas. When the rains come, a flush of seedlings follows.

Related to the common soybean, glycine (Neonotonia wightii) is a nutrient-rich nitrogen fixer. The Soil Conservation Service introduced this tropical vine to Hawai’i after a massive kikuyu grass dieback in the 1970s. Glycine was widely recommended for pasture improvement and forage. Grazing animals love it, but in their absence, the vine can take over.

Glycine seeds remain viable for years in the soil. Photo by Forest and Kim Starr.

Glycine seeds remain viable for years in the soil. Photo by Forest and Kim Starr.

Diana Crow is the Native Plant Project and Nursery Manager for ʻUlupalakua Ranch, a position that has necessitated she be adept at glycine control. Her advice for controlling the weed:

  • Biological: Animals love glycine – a pet goat would be happy to help you.
  • Mechanical: First, cut all the vines back from the tree or bush you are trying to save and loosen the vine along the trunk and branches to stop the vine from strangling the tree. Follow the vine down to the ground and pull or cut out the roots. If any root is left in the ground you will have to check for resprouts and cut it back until the reserves in the root are exhausted. If the plant has been there for a while, there will be a seedbank. Flushes of seedlings can be controlled by putting down boards, black plastic, or anything that blocks water and sunlight until seedlings die, usually within a month or two. Solarization of the seedbank may be possible in sunny areas. (Solarization is a method of reducing the seedbank by covering the soil with clear plastic until the sun heats it to a point that kills the seeds. Check for resources online.)
  • Chemical: Apply herbicide directly to the cut trunk of a vine. Make sure to use a broad-spectrum herbicide, one intended for broadleaf plants that is effective on legumes. The College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources recommends a foliar spray of 2% triclopyr amine with a surfactant in the “Weeds of Pastures and Natural Areas.” 
  • Cultural: Glycine thrives with water; reducing irrigation or sprinklers may help, but not in the presence of seasonal rains. The seedpods will twist when ripe and dry, shooting seeds yards away. Glycine’s seed bank seems to last years, as Diana still has seedlings coming up from an area where a plant was removed 8 years ago. Her advice: DON’T LET IT SEED!

We recommend using an Integrated Pest Management approach to managing weed pests and the information provided here reflects that perspective.

 Photos of glycine courtesy of Forest and Kim Starr

Filed Under: Common Pests, In the field, Invasive Plants Tagged With: Glycine on Maui, Neonatonia wightii, remove glycine

What if there were no mosquitoes in Hawaiʻi?

Posted on March 18, 2016 by Lissa Strohecker

The Aedes aegypti mosquito is the primary vector of dengue worldwide. This species is not widespread in Hawaii. Photo by James Gathany,CDC.

The Aedes aegypti mosquito is the primary vector of dengue worldwide. This species is not widespread in Hawaii. Photo by James Gathany,CDC.

The news is abuzz with mosquitoes these days; outbreaks of dengue fever on Hawaiʻi Island have us all a little more nervous when the high-pitched whine of a tiny pest reaches our ear. Mosquito-vectored viruses like Zika and chikungunya are on the horizon. Health officials in both South America and Hawaiʻi Island are scrambling to find ways to reduce mosquito populations and protect human health. Scientists are busy making nearly daily advances in the lab as well. All of the energy focused on removing these pests raises the question: how would the total removal of mosquitoes alter ecosystems?

There are over 3,500 species of mosquitoes in the world, of which only a few hundred bite. Mosquitoes and their larvae are food for fish, bats, birds, and dragonflies. Male mosquitoes don’t suck blood, they daintily sip nectar. In return, they help to pollinate some aquatic plants. But despite their service as prey and pollinator, many scientists think ecosystems would recover just fine if mosquitoes were gone–other insects could fill that niche, and we’d have one less vector for disease. Good news globally, but it only gets better for Hawaiʻi.

The Culex mosquito, larvae shown here, is the mosquito responsible for spreading avian malaria between introduced and native birds. Photo by James Gathany, CDC.

The Culex mosquito, larvae shown here, is the mosquito responsible for spreading avian malaria between introduced and native birds. Photo by James Gathany, CDC.

In Hawaiʻi, mosquitoes are food for native bats (ʻōpeʻapeʻa) and dragonflies (pinao). Would these species go hungry without this imported food source? Not in the least, explains Dennis Lapointe, an ecologist with the US Geological Survey who researches the ecological role of mosquitoes and birds in Hawaiʻi. “[Mosquitoes] are all non-native and everything that is native and endemic got along fine without them.” Some species of native damselfly larvae eat mosquito larvae, but they have other food sources.

The greatest ecological benefit would be to our native birds. Disease-spreading mosquitoes are a significant factor keeping iʻiwi,ʻ apapane, and other Hawaiian honeycreepers from flitting through the trees in your yard.

Aedes albopictus is widespread in Hawai'i and is a vector of Zika among other human diseases. Photo by James Gathany, CDC.

Aedes albopictus is widespread in Hawai’i and is a vector of Zika among other human diseases. Photo by James Gathany, CDC.

Mosquitoes first arrived in Hawaiʻi when sailors dumped a barrel of water containing larvae of the Culex mosquito into the wetlands that once surrounded Lahaina. The Culex mosquito became the vector that spread avian pox and malaria from non-native birds to Hawaiian forest birds, precipitating their decline. The native passerines lacked any resistance against these foreign diseases.

Today, our few remaining native forest birds are relegated to high-elevation refuges, protected by temperatures cool enough to keep mosquitos at bay. But protection could be short lived; current estimates of climate change indicate these refugia could disappear within 80-100 years.

If mosquitoes disappeared, so would the threat of avian malaria.

Currently, the fate of native birds is not foremost in our minds as human-health threats loom: the Aedes mosquitoes, which are also found in Hawaiʻi, are in the news now. A. albopictus, widespread throughout the Islands, is the primary carrier the Zika virus. A. aegypti, a mosquito found only in a few areas on Hawaiʻi Island, is the optimum carrier of dengue. Both Aedes species carry chikungunya. Both of these mosquitoes cause harm, with negligible environmental benefit.

Meanwhile, scientists are working on a tool to reduce mosquito populations without pesticides. Using genetic technology, a self-limiting gene is inserted into the DNA of male mosquitos. Reared in labs, the mosquitos are released to seek out and mate with females, but the self –limiting genes is passed along and their offspring die as

Mosquitoes breed in standing water, and removing breeding sites is one way to help reduce the density of mosquitoes. Photo by Mary Hollinger, NOAA.

Mosquitoes breed in standing water, and removing breeding sites is one way to help reduce the density of mosquitoes. Photo by Mary Hollinger, NOAA.

larvae. The existing adults die off and are not replaced. Though years from being ready for release into the wild, scientists predict that these altered mosquitoes could be up to 99 percent effective in reducing mosquito populations, with no risk of developing resistance to pesticides. Each species of mosquito has to be targeted specifically, but Hawaiʻi has only a handful of invasive mosquitoes, all of which are non-native.

It’s something to think about: Hawaiʻi without mosquitoes, without the threat of dengue, Zika, or chikungunya. And, as an added benefit, Hawaiian forests with a few more native birds.

Until then, continue with mosquito-control efforts: dump standing water, treat bromeliads and other plants that hold water and mosquito larvae, and regularly apply repellent. These actions can help keep these blood-suckers at bay in your backyard.

Read more:

  • Eliminate mosquito breeding sites: https://health.hawaii.gov/docd/files/2017/01/Eliminate-Mosquito-Breeding-Sites.pdf
  • Ecological role of mosquitoes: www.nature.com/news/2010/100721/full/466432a.html
  • Avian diseases in Hawaiʻi: https://mauiforestbirds.org/avian-disease/

Kia’i Moku, “Guarding the Island,” is prepared by the Maui Invasive Species Committee to provide information on protecting the island from invasive plants and animals that can threaten the island’s environment, economy and quality of life.

Written by Lissa Strohecker. Originally published in the Maui News on February 14th, 2016 as part of the Kia‘i Moku Column from the Maui Invasive Species Committee.

Filed Under: Featured Pest, In the field, Invasive Animals, Kia'i Moku Column, Solutions Tagged With: 2016, Aedes, avian malaria, chikungunya, Culex, dengue, dengue in Hawaii, GMO mosquitoes, mosquitoes in Hawaii, Zika

Deck your hall with boughs of locally harvested plants

Posted on February 10, 2016 by Lissa Strohecker

Join the Friends of Haleakalā for their annual pine pull - a chance to remove invasives and take home some locally harvested holiday greenery. Photo by Matt Wordeman.

Join the Friends of Haleakalā for their annual pine pull – a chance to remove invasives and take home some locally harvested holiday greenery. Photo by Matt Wordeman.

Friends' 2014 pine pull - down the hill - Matt wordeman

Collecting pine trees Maui style. Though the snow may be lacking it still warms the heart. Photo by Matt Wordeman

Deck the halls with boughs of….holly? ‘Tis the season to decorate your hale with holiday wreaths, sprigs, and boughs.

Fresh greenery, seeds, and flowers are as much or more a part of this season as pretty paper and bows. Using plants to adorn homes during the winter solstice is a tradition that goes back to ancient times, as many cultures celebrated the return of the sun.  Egyptians filled their homes with palms to celebrate the recovery of Ra, their sun god, from the illness that left the days shorter. Early Romans brought fir trees inside during their solstice feast of Saturnalia, honoring Saturn, the god of agriculture. Vikings honored the sun god Balder with pine boughs, and the Druids decorated their temples with evergreen boughs symbolizing everlasting life. Evergreens hold particular significance as they remain fresh throughout the year, no matter the climate.

Traditionally, all of these decorative plants were collected locally. It’s only in today’s era of globalization that our traditions are tied to imported plants and food. This year, consider revising your definition of traditional and decorate with locally grown plants. In doing so, you share your love of Hawaiʻi and help protect our island way of life for future generations.

Pine trees and garlands:
Few decorations are as iconic as the Christmas tree. But almost every year, agricultural inspectors hold and treat or even reject shipments of pines from the mainland because they contain hitchhiking pest species that threaten Hawaiʻi. Each tree is shaken to check for unwanted pests: slugs and yellow jackets are not uncommon, and in 2010 salamanders and Pacific tree frogs were found. The Vespula wasp made its way to our islands via shipments of Christmas trees in the 1970s.

Alternatives:  If you consider evergreens a necessary ingredient for the holidays, you’ll be pleased to know there are locally grown pines available, for sale or for harvest. Each year groups like Friends of Haleakala National Park remove invasive pines from the slopes of Haleakala. Volunteer with them and you and your family can get a free tree. If you missed the December 12th event this year, mark your calendar to check the Friends’ website next year: www.fhnp.org

Wreaths:
A beautiful wreath of fresh foliage welcoming people to your home is a great way to set the tone for the holiday. Whether you create your own or purchase one ready-made, make sure the fresh decorations on your wreath are locally sourced. If you are using the reproductive parts of a plant (seeds or berries) it’s especially important to ensure that you are not helping spread an invasive pest or disease. For example, pampas grass has beautiful feathery plumes, but it’s a pest that the Maui Invasive Species Committee works to remove from Maui. Each plume is filled with thousands of wind-blown seeds that can compromise Maui’s watershed – not the message you want to send from your front door.

Alternatives: Locally grown pines, proteas, succulents, and herbs can be used to create beautiful and sturdy wreaths. If you need a little guidance, several organizations and local businesses have wreath making classes during December; Aliʻi Kula Lavender Farm still has classes so you can create a wreath in time for Christmas: www.aliikulalavender.com.  Locally made wreaths are often available at farmers’ markets.

Houseplants and other vegetation:
Poinsettias are a holiday stable, and a houseplant or orchid is a great gift for the person who has everything.  Purchasing plants from local growers lessens the likelihood that you’ll be giving an unintended gift.

Alternatives: Every year the Agricultural and Natural Resources Class at the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College grows poinsettias to sell as a fundraiser. Check the paper or the Facebook page for exact dates. Consider giving a native plant grown on Maui; ask your garden shop where the plants are grown.

Ancient and modern Hawaiians celebrate Makahiki at this time of year, a time of peace, feasting and festival, celebrating the prosperity of the land. It’s a time of family and gathering together, a time of creating and passing along traditions. This year, celebrate the prosperity of the islands and protect it for future generations. Hauʻoli makahiki hou from all of us at the Maui Invasive Species Committee.

Kia’i Moku, “Guarding the Island,” is prepared by the Maui Invasive Species Committee to provide information on protecting the island from invasive plants and animals that can threaten the island’s environment, economy and quality of life.

Written by Lissa Strohecker. Originally published in the Maui News on December 13th, 2015 as part of the Kia‘i Moku Column from the Maui Invasive Species Committee.

Filed Under: Get Involved!, In the field, Invasive Plants, Kia'i Moku Column Tagged With: 2015, friends of haleakala, pine tree pull, pine trees on maui

Pigs and Pampas

Posted on January 12, 2016 by Lissa Strohecker

A spike camp in the East Maui rainforest. Camps like these are home for the crews working to protect and remove invasive species in this remote section of Maui. Photo by Maui Invasive Species Committee

A spike camp in the East Maui rainforest. Camps like these are home for the crews working to protect and remove invasive species in this remote section of Maui. Photo by Maui Invasive Species Committee.

At about 4000’ elevation, just east of Koʻolau Gap above Keʻanae on the island of Maui, a four foot tall hogwire fence stretches from the cliff edge across ravines and gulches to the next cliff edge at Honomanū. This fence and a rudimentary shelter are the only indications that people have ever set foot up here. It’s a unique section of the mountain; the soil is slow to drain and the ground is boot-sucking wet, even in summer. Clouds drift through the branches of ‘ōhiʻa all day long, leaving everything soggy, though rain may not actually fall.

The fence protects this section of East Maui rainforest from the feral pigs that roam farther down the mountain, but that was not always the case. Pigs are not native to Hawaiʻi. But until a decade ago, they wandered freely up here, miles from the nearest road. Though they weren’t plentiful, they did plenty of damage as they rooted through the soil, leaving patches of bare dirt scattered over hundreds of acres.

Pigs were not the only invaders. Pampas grass, an ornamental once planted in upcountry residents’ yards, sprang up throughout this forest. The tall, clumping grass sends up a feather plume filled with seeds that travel on the wind for miles. Pampas seeds occasionally germinate in mossy tree trunks, but their preferred conditions are bare soil with regular moisture. Pigs in Honomanū cleared and prepped the forest floor for pampas grass. Once a few plants became established, conditions were ideal for spreading. They quickly began to outcompete native species.

Far from the landscaped yards, pampas grass flourishes in the East Maui rainforest, benefiting from the disturbance created by another invader, pigs. Photo by Maui Invasive Species Committee

Far from the landscaped yards, pampas grass flourishes in the East Maui rainforest, benefiting from the disturbance created by another invader, pigs. Photo by Maui Invasive Species Committee.

Of course it’s not just pampas grass that benefits from the disturbance created by pigs. Many notorious invasives spread into upland forest with the help of wild pigs–strawberry guava and banana poka, for instance. Pigs carry the seeds in their gut, then deposit them with a pile of fertilizer. Their rooting habits create wallows for mosquitoes that spread diseases to native birds. Pigs knock down native hāpu;u tree ferns to reach a starchy meal in the trunk, in the process destroying the fern’s native seedling “nursery.”

In Hawaiʻi, pig impacts are magnified. The rototilling action of a pig is a completely alien force in a forest that evolved for millions of years without a hoof or tusk. “Disturbances to the forest floor from pigs and weed problems go hand in hand,” says Dan Eisenberg, who manages the East Maui Watershed Partnership. His organization built the fence east of Koʻolau Gap and other fences that protect high elevation forest on East Maui.

Fencing out pigs and other hooved invaders is the first step in restoring native Hawaiian ecosystems. When these tusked tillers are removed, plants do better–regardless of whether they are native or introduced. Common native plants recover in under a decade, but rare species often take much longer, and face competition from exotics that became established prior to pig removal. “Invasive plant species are so fast growing compared to most plants in the native forest that our unique native species don’t have a chance without responsible management,” explains Eisenberg.

As pigs dig for roots and grubs, they rototill the soil. Disturbance and bare soil creates gaps in the forest floor opening it up for invasive plants. Photo courtesy of East Maui Watershed Partnership

As pigs dig for roots and grubs, they rototill the soil. Disturbance and bare soil creates gaps in the forest floor opening it up for invasive plants. Photo courtesy of East Maui Watershed Partnership

The East Maui Watershed Partnership completed the fence in Honomanū in 2006, about the same time, crews from the Maui Invasive Species Committee switched from trying to spray pampas from the air to camping in the field while removing pampas on the ground. Weeklong work trips are a less soggy ordeal since the team built a tent platform. When crews find pampas hiding amongst the native foliage, they cut off any seed heads, bury them inside the plant, and then kill the pesky grass in place, being careful to not disturb the soil and open up an area for seeds to germinate again.

During the summer of 2014, crews found and controlled 87 pampas plants, only 4 of which were capable of making seeds. Compare this with the summer of 2008, when crews found 2,029 plants. Pampas grass seeds don’t remain viable for long, perhaps as short as 6 months. Soon the East Maui pampas may disappear entirely and the forest can rebound.

Read more about the efforts to remove pigs and pampas grass on East Maui at www.eastmauiwatershed.org and www.mauiisc.org.

Kia’i Moku, “Guarding the Island,” is prepared by the Maui Invasive Species Committee to provide information on protecting the island from invasive plants and animals that can threaten the island’s environment, economy and quality of life.

Written by Lissa Strohecker. Originally published in the Maui News on October 11th, 2015 as part of the Kia‘i Moku Column from the Maui Invasive Species Committee.

Filed Under: In the field, Invasive Animals, Invasive Plants, Kia'i Moku Column Tagged With: 2015, ecosystem disruption favors invasive species, pampas grass, pigs

How did that get here? Strange plants atop Haleakalā

Posted on November 5, 2015 by Lissa Strohecker

High atop Haleakalā winds whip across the summit, frost crystals sparkle in the morning sun – melting as the day progresses. But even in this harsh landscape, native plants and animals can thrive – and so can invasive species.

Pineapple chamomile, a native to the Northwestern US and other places, may have been carried to Haleakala summit via a seed on a boot. Photo courtesy of Forest and Kim Starr

Pineapple chamomile, a native to the Northwestern US and other places, may have been carried to Haleakala summit via a seed on a boot. Photo courtesy of Forest and Kim Starr

One of these invaders is pineapple chamomile–about as authentically Hawaiian as a coconut bikini. But here it is, growing just outside the parking lot of the summit viewing area at 10,032 feet, comfortable in the extreme, high-elevation climate of a Pacific volcano.  It’s no wonder; this aromatic herb’s home range includes a wide sampling of climates and terrains: Western North America from Baja through British Columbia to Alaska, the Russian Far East, and Hokkaido, Japan.

The weed likely hitched a ride up to Haleakalā on a tourist, as seed on a shoe or jacket, brushed off as the unwitting carrier geared up for the crisp mountain climate. This is not unusual. Without realizing it, people carry little hitchhiking seeds throughout the world in their socks and gear.

Pineapple chamomile is a relative of the chamomile in your tea bag and can also be brewed up.  This small shrub thrives in disturbed areas with gravelly soil and full sun, just like Haleakalā. The fern-like leaves are somewhat sticky and the leaves and flowers smell like pineapple when crushed. It has a weedy reputation in many places, springing up across the United States.

Forest and Kim Starr do regular botanical surveys on Halakalā summit. Not a bad "office." Photo courtesy of Forest and Kim Starr.

Forest and Kim Starr do regular botanical surveys on Halakalā summit. Not a bad “office.” Photo courtesy of Forest and Kim Starr.

Isolated ecosystems are populated by a relatively small number of plants and animal species, generally highly specialized to survive. But introduced plants or animals often come from diverse environments, populated by many different species, and have developed strategies to compete and survive in their native range. When a plant or animal is introduced to an isolated ecosystem, like an island,  it arrives with a competitive advantage the native species may not have.

In Antarctica, researchers spent 2007-2008 collecting seeds from tourists’ bags and clothing. They found that on average a visitor to Antarctica carried 9.5 seeds along with them. An estimated 33,054 tourists visited the frozen continent during the study period, demonstrating how many seeds could be introduced. Though not all seeds would germinate or survive in their new home, the researchers estimated that as many as 61% of the seeds carried to the Antarctic came from a part of the world with a climate similar enough that they could pose an invasion risk. Researchers working in Antarctica carried even more seeds on their clothing and gear though they visited Antarctica in much lower numbers.

The Starrs also found Henbit, a non-native mint, during surveys. Photo courtesy of Forest and Kim Starr

The Starrs also found Henbit, a non-native mint, during surveys. Photo courtesy of Forest and Kim Starr

On Haleakalā, botanists Forest and Kim Starr found pineapple chamomile, henbit (a weedy member of the mint family common in North America), and a handful of other non-native plants during their surveys of the high-traffic areas of Haleakalā National Park, a project done in conjunction with the University of Hawaiʻi and National Park Service.

When the Starrs find a single weed or very few in a small area, they can remove the unwanted plants easily. Eradicating an invasive species at this stage of invasion is highly effective, second only to preventing its arrival in the first place.

If the plant has gone to seed, eliminating the resulting seedlings may take multiple visits. Pineapple chamomile has proven a little more persistent than some of the other plants. It produced seeds before the Starrs first found it, so they keep finding a few scattered plants.

Boots are a notoriously common vector for seeds of invasive species.

Boots are a notoriously common vector for seeds of invasive species.

 

The Starrs are careful not to carry hitchhikers when they survey sensitive ecosystems. Follow their lead. Take a minute to brush off your boots, clothing, and gear before traveling or visiting pristine areas. You can help prevent new species from invading in the areas you frequent, whether your expeditions take you to Antarctica, Haleakalā, or the beach.

Kia’i Moku, “Guarding the Island,” is prepared by the Maui Invasive Species Committee to provide information on protecting the island from invasive plants and animals that can threaten the island’s environment, economy and quality of life.

Written by Lissa Strohecker. Originally published in the Maui News on September 13th, 2015 as part of the Kia‘i Moku Column from the Maui Invasive Species Committee.

Filed Under: Decontamination, In the field, Invasive Plants, Kia'i Moku Column Tagged With: 2015, boots carry seeds, tourists vector seeds

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