Active response updates

• Little Fire Ant (LFA): 
  • A separate update will be forthcoming from the Hawaii Ant Lab (click the link above) soon.

• Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (CRB):
  • The CRB Response effort is ongoing. For more information, click the link above.

• 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
  • Research Update: 
    • Gov. David Ige announced Wednesday, January 3, 2018, that he released $1.264 million to hire more staff, increase public outreach and conduct additional aerial surveys and research, all to help combat the fungal disease’s spread. Funding is released for fiscal year 2018 and was allocated in the 2017 budget.
    • The disease also is now island-wide on Hawaii` Island as of September 2017, when it was detected on a private ranch in North Kohala. It has not spread to any other islands in the state yet, but researchers are worried it could potentially be carried by wind to Maui.
    • The ROD pathology team has been conducting trials on four different varieties of ʻōhiʻa. They’ve found that after more than three months of being inoculated with Ceratocystis sp. A fungus (the more virulent species of fungus), there appears to be higher tolerance to the disease in certain varieties of ʻōhiʻa versus others.
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    • Aerial Photo Above at Kapapala, Hawai`i Island
  • Survey Update:
    • ROD is still confined to Hawai`i Island and found nowhere else in the State. 
  • The Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death Strategic Response Plan is available at www.rapidohiadeath.org

• Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR)
  • No update at this time, visit the link above for general information.
• Division Of Forestry And Wildlife (DOFAW)
  • Images of what appear to be two rodents were detected on motion-triggered cameras on Lehua operated by the Kauai Endangered Seabird Recovery Project. DOFAW, USFWS, Island Conservation, and others partnered on an eradication effort in August and September 2017, and had not detected rodents in monitoring efforts to date. Following the detection by KESRP, a rapid response team was dispatched to Lehua consisting of Kauai DOFAW and Island Conservation staff. Additional traps, lures, and detection devices were placed in the areas were rodents were caught on camera. At present approximately 300 detection devices are on island, and will be supplemented in coming weeks.
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  • Photo Above: A rapid response team is deployed to Lehua after the detection of what appear to be two rodents. Image courtesy of DLNR.
     
• Kaho`olawe Island Reserve Commission (KIRC)
  • No update at this time, visit the link above for general information.

• 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, visit the link above for general information.
• Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit (PCSU)
  • Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species (CGAPS)
    • No update at this time, visit the link above for general information.
  • 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 past 12 months, 117 new or revised assessments have been completed and posted on the Plant Pono (www.plantpono.org) and hpwra.org websites, bringing the latest total of screened plant species to 1918. Brief summaries of and links to weed risk assessments are also now available on UH CTAHR’s Hawaii Forestry and Agroforestry Trees website, which provides information on the most commonly planted trees in Hawaii.
      In addition, the WRA Specialist continues to engage the public and encourage cultivation of native and low risk non-native plants through a series of native and invasive plant presentations to Master Gardener programs in Kona and Hilo, Hawaii (Jan 30-31, 2018).
  • Big Island Invasive Species Committee (BIISC)
    • No update at this time, visit the link above for general information. 
  • Kaua`i Invasive Species Committee (KISC)
    • No update at this time, visit the link above for general information.
  • O`ahu Invasive Species Committee (OISC) 
    • No update at this time, visit the link above for general information.
    • For more information about OISC targets, visit: www.oahuisc.org.
    • OISC’s Outreach & Education Program is gearing up for the 2017-2018 school year and are scheduling school visits for invasive species presentations and the Ho‘ike little fire ant survey and mapping activity. O‘ahu teachers can schedule presentations by contacting OISC at 808-266-7994 or email oisc@hawaii.edu. 
  • Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC)
    • Two new infestations of little fire ants (LFA) have been discovered on Maui.
      • The first was found in a plant nursery in South Maui by inspectors from the Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) during the week of December 4^th, 2017. They were following up on recently discovered shipments of LFA in plant material from Hawaii Island. MISC was contacted for assistance in surveying and treating. The nursery voluntarily agreed to not sell material from the infested area and closed its doors until treatment was done. The nursery is now open.
      • The second infestation was reported by a Hana resident the same week. The two most recent detections of little fire ants are not suspected to be associated with one another. The resident claimed to have been stung for several months while working outside but had assumed it was common skin irritation from stinging vines.  MISC crew based in Hana surveyed the property immediately and have been working to determine the extent of the infestation and if it was spread to other locations. Currently the extent of this little fire ant population is not known but several acres have been surveyed in the Kaeleku area of Hana above Hana Hwy.  
  • Molokai-Maui Invasive Species Committee (MoMISC)
    • The MoMISC is tentatively scheduled to hold its annual Strategic Planning & Invasive Species Targets Review from 8am - 12pm on Thursday, February 8, 2018 in The Nature Conservancy conference room in Kualapuu, Molokai. Please click the link above for additional contact information.

• John-Carl Watson left his position as HISC Planner at the end of December to become the manager of the Koolau Mountains Watershed Partnership. During his time at HISC, John-Carl developed the forthcoming Albizia strategic plan, initiated our HISC Brownbag series, guided the 643pest.org website and app to implementation, and managed Hawaii Invasive Species Awareness Week (which is now Hawaii Invasive Species Awareness Month). We thank John-Carl for his service and look forward to seeing what he does next.
• Randy Bartlett, HISC Interagency Coordinator, attended the Brown Tree Snake Technical Working Group meeting in Guam in November, 2017. This working group meets periodically to review research regarding BTS prevention and control, with the aim of both reducing BTS on Guam and keeping the snake from traveling to other parts of the Pacific. 
• The 2018 legislative session is coming! HISC will be tracking legislation relating to invasive species and anticipates a variety of bills related to the implementation of the Hawaii Interagency Biosecurity Plan. As the second year of the biennium, bills introduced in 2017 may be reintroduced in 2018. If interested in tracking bills, you can contact Josh Atwood at Joshua.P.Atwood@hawaii.gov. 
• The HISC Brownbag series continues! Since the last newsletter, HISC hosted two excellent presentations on:
  • HISC Brownbag Series #12: Steps to Control Mosquito-vectored Avian Diseases in Hawai‘i. Presented by Jolene Sutton; Assistant Professor, University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, and,

  • HISC Brownbag Series #13: The Science of Miconia Management in the East Maui Watershed: A Brief History and Bioeconomic Projection of the Future. Presented by James Leary; Associate Specialist for Invasive Plant Management Science, University of Hawaii

• The HISC Facebook page now has 714 followers. Like & Follow HISC on Facebook to receive updates from HISC news, posts from our website, and invasives-related posts from our constituent agencies and partners.
• Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council (HISC)
  • The HISC will meet on Thursday, January 18, at 9am in the board room at the Department of Land and Natural Resources. An agenda will be forthcoming on the HISC website and via the email list. 

Upcoming events

• HISC Brownbag:
  • On Wednesday, January 10, Josh Atwood, DOFAW Invasive Species Coordinator presented HISC Brownbag #14: I'm Just a Bill: An overview of Hawaii's legislative process relating to invasive species. 
  • The next presentation is scheduled for January 18th from 12pm-1pm in the Kalanimoku Building, Room 325 conference room.  Christy Martin, Public Information Officer for the Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species (CGAPS) will present HISC Brownbag #15: Fifteen Years Tracking Public Awareness and Attitudes Towards Invasive Species.
• The Hawaii Invasive Species Awareness Month (HISAM) Governor's Proclamation and Award Ceremony will be held on Friday, February 9 in Governor David Ige's chambers for the following categories:
  • Business Leader: Pulama Lanai Natural Resource Program
    Recognizes an individual in the private sector or a business that has demonstrated leadership in their role of protecting Hawaii from invasive species: https://goo.gl/forms/I07b8kfB3Q2SVr4H3
  • Community Hero: Bob and Pam Warren (Kauai)
    Recognizes a community member or community-based group that has been a shining example of dedication to the prevention and/or management of invasive species: https://goo.gl/forms/7CvBQEEgBkXWS3Wb2
  • Greatest Hit: Tyler Bogardus (Oahu Army Natural Resources Management Program)
    Recognizes the individual, organization, or agency responsible for one of the major invasive species highlights of 2015 in the areas of research, prevention, control, and/or public outreach: https://goo.gl/forms/DwVAghsuPf6nTmYz1
  • In addition, the following will be recognized for their efforts in 2017:
    • Island MVP selection from each ISC:
      • Kauai MVP: Kelsey Brock (KISC)
      • Oahu MVP: Honolulu Board of Water Supply
      • Maui Nui MVP: Butch Haase (Molokai Land Trust)
      • Hawaii Island MVP: Franny Brewer (BIISC)