Active response updates

• Little Fire Ant (LFA): 
  • 2018 HAL Update
• Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (CRB):
  • The Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (CRB) Response’s success is heavily dependent on the cooperation of the public, partners, and collaborators. One of the CRB Response’s biggest efforts goes into tracking the movement of and lowering the risk of potential breeding sites. For CRB, this primarily means green waste. However, what about green non-waste? Due to an interception of CRB being transported from Guam to Saipan in packaged planting material, the Response started to take steps to prevent this from happening on Oahu. The Home Depot (THD) in Pearl City, Oahu, neighbors an area that has surveyed positive for an active population of CRB for several years now. The biggest threat seen by the Response was the potential for CRB to dig into bags of mulch and compost which are commercially sold nearby and transported to other areas of the island by consumers. The CRB Response has been able to partner with THD in raising the awareness of CRB for their customers and staff. So far, the Response has met several times with management, conducted training for store staff, and set up an informational booth within the store on two busy weekends. As for displays, the store has provided areas for informational posters near the bags of mulch and compost bags explaining about the potential for CRB to dig into the bags and how to identify what CRB damage looks like. A full-size CRB trap and accompanying flyer are also displayed in the garden center. The management at this Home Depot store has been very generous and an extremely cooperative partner in the efforts to eradicate CRB from Hawaii. The goal is to expand this campaign to other surrounding garden stores and hopefully receive similar, if not increased, support for the efforts of the Response staff.
• Rapid Ohia Death (ROD):
  • ROD Newsletter:  To view the current issue of the newsletter click the link as follows: http://mailchi.mp/e1ed2686c31b/rapid-hia-death-newsletter
    • To opt-in to receive future newsletters please click on link here: http://eepurl.com/cY7z0j
  • ROD Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/RapidOhiaDeath/ 
  • Research Update: 
    • None available at this time.
  • Survey Update:
    • Rapid Ohia Death was detected on Kauai in early May, marking the first time this disease has been seen outside of Hawaii Island. The detected fungus is Ceratocystis huliohia, the less aggressive of two strains of Ceratocystis fungus present on Hawaii Island. Additional surveys are ongoing. For more details see DLNR's press release.
  • The Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death Strategic Response Plan is available at www.rapidohiadeath.org

• Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR)
  • No update at this time, please visit the link above for general information.
• Division Of Forestry And Wildlife (DOFAW)
  • Visit the link above for general information. 
  • Rapid Ohia Death was detected on Kauai in early May, marking the first time this disease has been seen outside of Hawaii Island. The detected fungus is Ceratocystis huliohia, the less aggressive of two strains of Ceratocystis fungus present on Hawaii Island. Additional surveys are ongoing. For more details see DLNR's press release.
  • Albizia has been used by a student at UH to create affordable housing, in a demonstration project viewable at the intersection of University Ave and Metcalf Street. The responsible use of invasive species is always welcome, as long as it is done in such a way that does not lead to spread or purposeful propagation. For more details see DLNR's release on the albizia structure.
  • Two canine detector dogs were sent to Lehua islet in June to hunt for any remaining rats following DLNR's 2017 rodent eradication project. The dogs detected three potential burrow sites but no rats were seen. A handful of motion-triggered camera images have seen rats since the eradication project, but no rats have been captured in traps. Surveys and monitoring are ongoing. See DLNR's release on the detector dog trip.
  • Three more monk seal deaths were attributed to infection by toxoplasmosis, a parasite that reproduces in cats, bringing the total number of seal deaths to 11. Officials at NOAA note that this is a low estimate, as additional deaths may have occurred that have not been observed or tested for toxoplasmosis presence. DLNR and DOH leadership remind the public that not feeding feral cats and keeping pet cats indoors can help limit the spread of toxoplasmosis. See the DLNR release on monk seal deaths for more information. 
• Kaho`olawe Island Reserve Commission (KIRC)
  • No update at this time, please visit the link above for general information.

• A Biosecurity and Invasive Species Launch webinar, sponsored by the Western Governors' Association (WGA), was held on July 12. Please follow this link to watch the webinar or view the presentation slides. We encourage you to share the link with others who have an interest in this topic.
  Webinar Highlights
• 
• Hawaii Governor David Ige delivered a keynote address to formally launch the initiative and discuss invasive species impacts across the West. He also announced the dates and locations of upcoming initiative workshops:
• September 17-18: Lake Tahoe, NV
• October 11-12: Cheyenne, WY
• November 14: Helena, MT
• December 9-10: Kona Coast, HI
• Moderator Bill Whitacre, Policy Advisor at WGA, guided panelists in a discussion about improving the management and integration of invasive species data. Here’s a sampling of their thoughts:
  • “All invasive species management is local. When you start telling the story about these problems, you need to make sure that the data is available at a larger level in order to paint an accurate picture of what the problem is and what the next one might be.” Chuck Bargeron, Associate Director for Invasive Species and Information Technology, Center for Invasive Species & Ecosystem Health, University of Georgia
  • “We try to provide the national view of aquatic species: where they are, where they have been, and where they’re moving. We also keep track of pathway information. We are trying to serve land managers with this information.” Pam Fuller, Program Leader, Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, U.S. Geological Survey 
  • “BISON (Biodiversity Information Serving Our Nation) is the place to go for a geographically and taxonomically comprehensive overview. That’s why the data management piece is important to us; we’re trying to do national-scale views of where the deepest problems are in invasive species.” Stinger Guala, Director of BISON, U.S. Geological Survey
  • “There’s a step beyond just sharing the data. There’s a necessary collaboration around the development and open access to the decision support tools that move the data in a direction needed by decision-makers, whether in policy or land management.” Jamie Reaser, Executive Director, National Invasive Species Council
  • “In building this integrated system, we’re thinking about data standards not only for moving data back and forth, but moving data in a way that doesn’t end up ballooning on itself.”  Lori Scott, Interim President & CEO, and Chief Information Officer, NatureServe
• You can also view WGA’s invasive species data management recommendations here.
  • For questions about sponsorship opportunities, please contact WGA Director of Development, Sarah Olsen at 720.897.4540 or solsen@westgov.org. 
  • To learn more about the Initiative, contact WGA Policy Advisor Bill Whitacre at 720.897.4538 or bwhitacre@westgov.org. 

• Rapid Ohia Death (ROD)
  • ROD Reminder: Anyone on ROD-free islands (other than Hawai`i Island) with suspect trees should call their local Invasive Species Committee (see links below under University of Hawaii's Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit) so that any samples go through HDOA's Plant Quarantine Branch (PQB) and not through the regular post – More information can be found at www.rapidohiadeath.org.

• Mamalu Poepoe (Sphere of Protection) Project - Mamalu Poepoe is a project funded by the Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) for a period of 5 years. The program is being coordinated through the Hawaii Invasive Species Council (HISC) and aims at increasing surveillance of invasive species at six airport facilities on the islands of Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Maui and Hawaii. The program targets Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (CRB), Africanized honeybees (AHB), ants and mosquitoes.
• The Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) is the lead agency for the work on ants, CRB and AHB and the Hawaii Department of Health (HDOH) is the lead agency for the work on mosquitoes. Mamalu Poepoe is partnering with the Invasive Species Committees (ISC’s) and the Hawaii Ant Lab (HAL) to conduct the monitoring activities. 

• College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR)
  • No update at this time, please visit the link above for general information.
• Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit (PCSU)
  • Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species (CGAPS)
    • Anders Lyons started the beginning of June as the Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death Response Planner. He has a long history of conservation work on Maui and will use his planning experience and Incident Command System (ICS) training to plan, implement, and track ROD Response Plans for the islands of Maui and Oahu and will assist in review and revision of plans for Hawaii Island and Kauai. He will be engaging key agencies, NGO’s, and POC’s to participate in the planning process, facilitate communication between involved parties and prepare the final ROD Response Plans for sharing and updating as necessary.
  • Hawaii Alien Plant Informatics (HAPI) Project 
    • Ongoing efforts to compile all available data on the identity, ecology and distribution of alien plants in Hawaii commenced in February 2018!  We are currently seeking input from anyone who uses or collects information on alien plants within the state, and are reaching out to anyone who is willing to share their data. We're happy to hear from all interested people, from horticulturists to invasive plant managers. Please follow this link to participate.
  • Hawaii-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment (HPWRA)
    • The HPWRA promotes responsible and informed planting choices by providing an objective, science-based and accurate method of assessing the invasive potential of plants being imported into and/or planted within the Hawaiian Islands. In the 2^nd quarter of 2018, 25 new or revised assessments have been completed, bringing the latest total of screened plant species to 1954.
    • The Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER) project (http://www.hear.org/pier) has posted 49 new species profiles for plants recently screened and rated as High Risk (or Evaluate) by the HPWRA. Over 150 more species profiles are in the process of being added to the site.
    • Collaboration has also begun with Bermuda Government biologists, who recently requested assistance in using the weed risk assessment system to screen plants intended for introduction to and cultivation in Bermuda.
  • Big Island Invasive Species Committee (BIISC)
  • Kaua`i Invasive Species Committee (KISC)
    • No update at this time, please visit the link above for general information.
  • O`ahu Invasive Species Committee (OISC) 
    • For more information about OISC targets, please visit: www.oahuisc.org.
  • Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC)
  • Molokai-Maui Invasive Species Committee (MoMISC)

• The legislature awarded HISC $4.75M in FY19 to support interagency projects that fill programmatic gaps or expand research on invasive species. Applications for FY19 funds from agency partners closed on June 8, with 43 applications submitted. A total of $7.4M was requested for proposed projects. An interagency evaluation committee is reviewing applications now and will propose an interagency budget to the Council in August.
• The HISC Resources Working Group is scheduled to meet from 8:30 am - 4:30 pm on Wednesday, August 1, in the DLNR boardroom at 1151 Punchbowl St., to review the proposals submitted for FY19 and make recommendations for a balanced budget for the HISC to review and approve at its next meeting.
• The HISC Brownbag series continues! Check our webpage for the next presentation date & topic.
• The HISC Facebook page now has over 790 followers. Please Like & Follow HISC on Facebook to receive updates from HISC news, posts from our website, and invasive species-related posts from our constituent agencies and partners.
• Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council (HISC)
  • The next HISC meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August 14, from 1-3 pm in the DLNR boardroom in the Kalanimoku Building, 1151 Punchbowl St. The primary topic on the agenda will be the review and approval of the recommended FY19 proposals and budget as submitted by the HISC Resources Working Group.
  • Please visit the link above for general information.

Upcoming events

• HISC Brownbag: Stay Tuned for the next Brownbag presentation and see past presentations here: https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/hisc/category/brownbag/