Hawaii247.com | Hawaii 24/7

MEDIA RELEASE

The University of Hawaii at Hilo (UH-Hilo) is sponsoring free eWaste collections in Hawai`i County for residents, schools, government and businesses.

Collections for household-generated eWaste only will be held 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, October 30, 2010, at UH-Hilo, 200 W. Kawili Street, Hilo (parking lot above dorms on Kumukoa St.); and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, October 30, 2010, at Kealakehe High School, 74-5000 Puohulihuli Street, Kailua-Kona, Building BB (parking lot near the gym).

Residents bringing household eWaste are not required to pre-register, but all others must pre-register for the event, including public and private schools or universities, all city, county, state or federal/military branches in Hawai‘i, businesses of less than 100 employees, and non-profit organizations. For online pre-registration, go online to http://www.hawaii.edu/ewaste/institution.php

Non-household eWaste collections will occur 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, October 28 and 29, 2010, at UH-Hilo, 200 W. Kawili Street, Hilo (parking lot above dorms on Kumukoa St.); and 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Friday only, October 29, 2010, at Kealakehe High School, 74-5000 Puohulihuli Street, Kailua-Kona, Building BB (parking lot near the gym).

Acceptable eWaste Items include:

• Computer systems and accessories – All-in-ones, CPUs, CRT monitors, hard drives, hubs, keyboards and mice, laptops, LCD displays, optical drives, servers, speakers, switches, UPS systems, wires and cables;
• Handheld devices – Cell phones, pagers, PDAs, two way radios;
• Office equipment – Adding machines, fax machines, photo copiers, printers, scanners, surge protectors, telephones, typewriters;
• Audio/video equipment – camcorders, cameras, DVD players, game systems, LCD projectors, overhead projectors, radios, stereos, televisions and VCRs.

Materials NOT accepted for eWaste recycling include batteries not Integral to computer systems, cardboard, contaminated equipment of any type, cracked or broken CRT screens, hairdryers, hazardous materials of any type, household appliances, microwaves, paper, smoke detectors and Styrofoam.

For more information, visit http://www.hawaii.edu/ewaste, call Larry Wiss, 808-956-9393, or contact Linda Peters at lpeters@co.hawaii.hi.us or 961-8942.

To learn more about other County solid waste and recycling programs, visit www.hawaiizerowaste.org

Video by David Corrigan | Big Island Video News

A community meeting was held Tuesday (Aug 31) at the Pahoa Community Center to discuss the ongoing mangrove eradication project at several public and private properties on the Big Island, including the Wai‘ Opae Marine Life Conservation District, Isaac Hale Beach Park at Pohoiki, and Onekahakaha beach park in Hilo.

Mayor Billy Kenoi called the meeting to allow residents to make any comments they may have regarding this project.

The County of Hawaii, Big Island Invasive Species Council, U.S. Department of Fish & Wildlife, Hawaii Department of Health and Hawaii Tourism Authority are partners in the project to remove the red mangrove, Rhizophora mangle, an invasive species, from the coast using an approved herbicide and manual means of eradication.

Some residents have expressed concerns that the approval process for application of the herbicide to remove the red mangrove did not require a public hearing prior to the start of the project and a legal challenge to the project is currently pending in Third Circuit Court.

The meeting was designed to allow those with concerns, and those who support the project, to make their views known in a public setting sponsored by the Office of the Mayor.

Puna community members speak out about the eradication project

Mobile version of video

Malama o Puna talks about eradication project

Mobile version of video

Syd Singer expresses opposition to the project

Mobile version of video

Mayor Billy Kenoi at the community mangrove meeting

Mobile version of video

MEDIA RELEASE

Kealakekua Bay Napoopoo Pilot Ambassador Project
Tuesday Sept. 7, 5:30-8 p.m.
Konawaena High School Cafeteria
81-1043 Konawaena School Road, Kealakekua, HI 96750

The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) is holding a community meeting to discuss management plans for Kealakekua Bay. “Over the decades of planning, there is overwhelming consensus among the divisions and community in support of establishing a Ranger Position at Kealakekua Bay. However, the State budget will not support this kind of position for at least several more years,” said Laura H. Thielen, DLNR Chairperson.

“Given the consensus that an immediate presence is needed for visitor education and monitoring of the bay, the Department proposes to establish a 3-year pilot project for an ambassador program at Napoopoo Landing within Kealakekua Bay,” Thielen said. “The purpose is to contract the desired presence for the area and evaluate the viability for offsetting the costs of an ambassador-type program by allowing limited commercial business.”

Meeting Schedule

Why propose this Pilot Ambassador Project?

• Years of complaints due to conflicts between resources protection, high visitor use, and various user groups.
• State has determined it is necessary to maintain a regular presence at Napo‘opo‘o to ensure the safety of people and the protection of natural and cultural resources in the Bay.

Goals of the Pilot Ambassador Project?

• Provide immediate and sustained presence at Napo‘opo‘o Landing.
• Protect the natural and cultural resources of Kealakekua Bay through increased education to visitors on proper etiquette when visiting the area.
• Enhance the use and enjoyment of recreational opportunities at Kealakekua Bay.
• 3-year pilot project to assess the viability of limited commercial activities supporting a sustained presence at Napo‘opo‘o Landing to enhance management of Kealakekua Bay.
• Why allow any commercial activities?
• Tried a volunteer project at Napo‘opo‘o Landing to educate and monitor activities, and it was not sustainable.
• Now trying pilot project with permission for specific and limited commercial activities to provide support for sustaining an Ambassador Program.

What are the Ambassador responsibilities?

• Provide immediate and sustained presence with professional and courteous employees.
• Support enforcement by reporting any improper behavior observed in the area.
• Orientation & Education Area of no more than 400 sq. ft. to provide optional educational briefing to all public at Napo‘opo‘o Landing. Mandatory briefing for customers.
• Maintain Visitor Greeting Area of no more than 200 sq. ft. near gate entrance.
• Assist all people launching/landing watercraft in addition to their customers.
• Report daily monitoring and collection of visitor data to DLNR on a monthly basis.
• Unlock/open the gate no earlier than 6am and close/lock at completion of business.
• What are the limited activities to support dedicated Pilot Ambassador Project?
• Commercial operations only permissible between 8am and 4pm daily.
• Payments accepted only at the Orientation & Education Area, including merchandise sales.
• No more than 18 kayaks for rental. Required to post price list of rentals and merchandise.
• No loud noise that would disturb the quiet enjoyment of the surrounding area.
• No signs without DLNR approval and placement only allowed at the Visitor Greeting or Orientation & Education Areas.
• No overnight storage at Napo‘opo‘o and Day Storage Area of no more than 600 sq. ft.

Community Discussion

• What do you think of the pilot project?
• What do you think of the goals? Anything to add? Anything to Remove?
• How would you evaluate the pilot project?
• What do you think of the Ambassador‟s responsibilities?
• Are the limits sufficient or are they too little or too much?
• Any other questions or comments?

Clermontia (Photo courtesy The Nature Conservancy)

MEDIA RELEASE

A Hawaiian plant species that had not been seen in a century and which was presumed extinct has been discovered on Parker Ranch lands in the Kohala region.

Staff from The Nature Conservancy made the discovery earlier this summer in an upland rainforest on the slopes of Kohala volcano.

“We were surveying a rare tree snail population when we came across a native lobelia plant that we were unable to identify,” said Jon Giffin, the Conservancy’s Hawaii Island field representative.

The lobelia (Clermontia) was growing on ohia and hapuu. It had greenish white flowers and leaves that were dark green on the upper surface with a reddish midrib. The undersides were a dull green.

Photographs of the plant were sent to Dr. Thomas Lammers, a recognized Clermontia authority at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, who identified it as Clermontia peleana ssp. singuliflora.

“C. peleana singuliflora was last seen on the Island of Hawaii in 1909 and last collected on East Maui in 1920,” Giffin said. “It was presumed extinct prior to the rediscovery.”

When informed of the find, Brandi Beaudet, land manager for Parker Ranch, Inc., gave the Conservancy permission to search for other individuals and to collect seeds for propagation.

“Parker Ranch, Inc. believes in and supports good land stewardship. We all agreed that the discovery of this native plant was an important one and that we should propagate the plant and develop a strategy to protect it,” Beaudet said.

C.peleana singuliflora is one of two subspecies of Clermontia peleana (Hawaiian: oha wai), an epiphytic shrub or tree. The name commemorates Pele, the volcano goddess of Hawaiian mythology.

Until now, C. peleana singuliflora has never been reported from the Kohala region. Over 30 individual plants have been found, many of which were flowering and fruiting. Seeds from seven different plants have been taken to the Volcano Rare Plant Facility for propagation.

“It will be another two or three months before we know if they germinate,” Giffin said. “But we plan to collect more seeds in the future.”

Giffin said the discovery is an outgrowth of the Kohala Watershed Partnership, of which Parker Ranch, Inc. is a founding member. Formed in 2003, the partnership consists of 11 public and private landowners who are working to protect the water resources and watershed functions of the Kohala Mountains. As a non-landowner, The Nature Conservancy is an associate partner.

Prior to the discovery, Parker Ranch, Inc. had given the Conservancy permission to begin tree snail conservation work on its 400-acre Kaneaa parcel, where the C. peleana singuliflora was found. That parcel and an adjacent parcel owned by Ponoholo Ranch (another founding member of the Kohala Watershed Partnership) support the world’s only known population of the Pupu kani oe (Partulina physa) tree snail.

According to Beaudet, Parker Ranch, Inc. had been unable to use the Kaneaa parcel for years because it was remote and isolated and populated by wild cattle.

“One of the goals of the partnership was to remove the wild cattle and reclaim the land,” Beaudet said.

That was accomplished in 2009, when the area was fenced and all wild cattle removed. The Kohala Watershed Partnership played a major role in obtaining funds for the project, constructing the exclosure fence and removing the cattle.

Dr. Sam Gon, senior scientist and cultural advisor for The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, called news of the find heartening but not surprising.

“In a place like Hawaii, with its rich native diversity, rugged terrain and remote places, there is always the potential for new and exciting discoveries,” he said.

Honu‘apo Photography by Baron Sekiya | Hawaii 24/7

MEDIA RELEASE

Cyril Pahinui Will Jam at the Sunday, Sept. 5 Fundraiser

Ka Ohana O Honuapo celebrates its stewardship of Honuapo Park at the third “Hoolaulea at Honuapo: Malama Kaæu,” Sunday, Sept. 5 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Honuapo Park and Whittington Beach Park.

The free, multi-generational festivities are open to everyone, with great food, music, hula, ‘olelo (storytelling) and more. Cyril Pahinui, Na Hoku Hanohano winner and sweet-voiced son of Hawaiian music legend Gabby Pahinui, will add his slack key magic in a special performance.

Traditionally, a hoolaulea is a gathering for a special occasion, such as May Day or school graduation, when food, Hawaiian cultural crafts and games are shared. What sets the “Hoolaulea at Honuapo: Malama Ka’u” apart is that it’s also a fundraiser to protect the historic and culturally significant Honuapo Park in the southern Ka’u District.

Cyril Pahinui

This stretch of rocky coast, tidepools and marshes has transformed many times, yet maintains its sense of place. From ancient fisheries, to a busy sugar cane port and railroad depot (that were at least twice destroyed by tsunamis and once blasted by the military during WWII), Honuapo remains a warm and welcoming retreat for human visitors and fishermen, as well as habitat for the black-crowned night heron, the Hawaiian coot, Hawaiian duck, Hawaiian hawk, Hawaiian black-necked stilt, the Hawaiian monk seal, hawksbill turtles, green sea turtles, and other endangered wildlife.

Honuapo is a very special rare shoreline nursery that nurtures and protects dozens of endangered marine and terrestrial plant and animal life.

Led by a diverse board of passionate volunteers, Ka Ohana O Honuapo is dedicated to protecting the 223 acres of Honuapo Park, now the largest county shoreline park in the State of Hawaii. Event organizers hope to raise awareness about Honuapo, and raise funds to help maintain programs and facilities.

The day includes a variety of fun-filled events for all ages, including Cyril Pahinui in concert, and free educational walking tours with Ka’u docents.

Ka Ohana O Honu’apo along with Townscape Hawaii will also present the final Honuapo General Resources Management Plan, to which hundreds of community members contributed over the last several years.

Other special elements of the Ho’olaule’a include a look at the past, with an exhibition of historic photos, and numerous food, crafters and community education booths, a silent auction, and lucky number prizes.

“Ka’u has been blessed with so many resources for self-sufficiency,” said event organizer Michelle Galimba, president of Ka Ohana O Honuapo. “We have a lot to share, and, based on the two previous Hoolaulea at Honuapo, we expect a large turnout!”

This event is being supported by the County of Hawaii through a grant from the Hawaii Tourism Authority.

For those who want to stay in the Ka’u area for the weekend, several B&Bs like Pahala Plantation Cottages and Leilani Bed and Breakfast are offering special discounted rates.

For more information call (808) 929-9891 or visit www.honuapopark.org

MEDIA RELEASE | Newswise

How much value do beachgoers place on protecting the environment of the beaches they visit?

According to a new study published by Washington and Lee University economist James F. Casey, tourists visiting the Riviera Maya region of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula indicate a willingness to pay as much as $55 per visit to a coral protection fund.

The study, published in the May 2010 edition of the Journal of Sustainable Tourism and co-authored by Christopher Brown ‘06, has implications not only for beaches in Mexico but elsewhere and, adds Casey, also points to issues involved in the BP oil spill as well.

“In environmental economics, we are dealing with non-market goods and services, which are not bought or sold directly. So the price associated with these goods and services is zero,” Casey said. “What we attempt to figure out is how people value these goods and services and then ask if we could put a price tag on them.”

Data for the new study was collected by Casey and Washington and Lee undergraduates who traveled to the village of Akumal on the Riviera Maya in May 2005 as part of a Spring Term course in applied environmental economics.

The eight students conducted face-to-face interviews with tourists who were using the beaches. Altogether, nearly 400 interviews were completed.

“We theorized that there would be some willingness to pay to protect the coral reef ecosystem,” Casey said. “Not only do the coral reefs protect the beaches from tidal surges and provide habitat for all sorts of species, many tourists are there specifically to go scuba diving or snorkeling.

“We thought that a well-designed survey would elicit close to the amount that they would pay to keep the ecosystem healthy so that they — or their children — could continue to come there and enjoy the beaches.”

Respondents to Casey’s survey indicate that, on average, they would be willing to pay between $40 to $50 each time they visited. This is in addition to the payments they have already made for their vacation.

As Casey concluded in the paper, “With approximately five million visitors passing through Cancun International Airport each year, this suggests that it may be possible to collect between $100 and $400 million annually for coral reef management programs.”

He added that even a conservative estimate of willingness to pay a $20 fee could mean $50 million.

“If someone is spending $2,000 a week to vacation there, the extra $50 is not a large component,” said Casey. “But the big thing is that people want to be guaranteed that the money is actually going to go directly to preserving the coral reef.”

On the other hand, Casey noted that the introduction of such fees cannot be seen in isolation since people do make decisions based on price.

“We are doing a separate study in Barbados where the minister of tourism is interested in knowing how much they can collect to finance environmental conservation before tourists will decide to go someplace else,” he said. “There are many places where you could go and if, for instance, Cancun’s additional fees make it twice the price of Barbados, people will choose Barbados.”

When offered choices of how the money would be collected, many indicated that they would prefer it be included in an airline fee so that they would never know it was there.

“That seemed a bit odd to me since you might expect that they would want the fee to be transparent,” said Casey.

In terms of the study’s relationship to the BP spill in beaches in Pensacola, Fla., Casey said that the general public tends to confuse economic impact and economic value. Economic impact is the direct loss of jobs or of entire industries such as shrimping, which were part of the economy.

“But that is only part of the entire value of the environment,” he said. “We can look at the Gulf Coast and say that the industries were dependent upon the health of the Gulf. That’s the economic impact.

“Beyond that, there are people all over the United States who feel that something has been lost because of the disaster and are affected emotionally. That is a real change in their well being. Some might argue with me over that, but in the realm of environmental economics, we would say that those are real costs that people are bearing — whether it’s psychological or that they change their behavior by not vacationing on Pensacola beach.”

Beyond that, Casey said the implications of having marine species harmed by the spill and the cleanup effort is a matter not only of morality but has real economic consequences in terms of the value people have for these species.

In particular, Casey pointed to sea turtles that tend to be highly valued. Research that he has conducted in Barbados has demonstrated that people, for whatever reason, place a very high value on sea turtles.

“Once this whole issue with the BP spill gets to court, the role of these non-market values that we have been attempting to determine through our study will be important,” said Casey. “After the Exxon Valdes, it was accepted that these non-market values would be included in determining the natural resource damage assessments.”

MEDIA RELEASE

A community meeting will be held Tuesday, August 31, 6 p.m. at the Pahoa Community Center to discuss the ongoing mangrove eradication project at several public and private properties on the Island of Hawaii, including the Wai` Opae Marine Life Conservation District, Isaac Hale Beach Park at Pohoiki, and Onekahakaha beach park in Hilo.

Mayor Billy Kenoi has called the meeting to allow residents to make any comments they may have regarding this project.

The County of Hawaii, Big Island Invasive Species Council, U.S. Department of Fish & Wildlife, Hawaii Department of Health and Hawaii Tourism Authority are partners in the project to remove the red mangrove, Rhizophora mangle, an invasive species, from the coast using an approved herbicide and manual means of eradication.

Some residents have expressed concerns that the approval process for application of the herbicide to remove the red mangrove did not require a public hearing prior to the start of the project and a legal challenge to the project is currently pending in Third Circuit Court.

This meeting is designed to allow those with concerns, and those who support the project, to make their views known in a public setting sponsored by the Office of the Mayor.

For more information, call the Office of the Mayor, 961-8565.

MEDIA RELEASE

The Legacy Land Conservation Program (LLCP) will convey approximately $3,267,380 million from the State Land Conservation Fund for land acquisition projects to protect Hawaii’s unique and valuable resources.

Seven state, county, and nonprofit applicants will receive grant funds for the permanent protection of lands having cultural, archeological, and natural resource values. Four of the projects are on the Big Island.

“Participating as a funder in these conservation partnerships is an efficient way to protect important natural, cultural, and agricultural resources,” said Laura H. Thielen, Board of Land and Natural Resources chairwoman. “By providing these grants as incentive, the state is utilizing mostly private and federal funds to protect these resources.”

Every state dollar spent will be matched with approximately $3 in federal, county and private funds, for a total of $9,478,312 in matching funds that will be used to acquire approximately 752 acres of threatened or unique natural, cultural, recreational, and agricultural resources.

The funds will be used to protect lands and will provide benefits to Hawaii residents in the form of scenic open space, watershed protection, agricultural production, and preserved natural and cultural resources.

The Legacy Land Conservation Commission, a nine-member commission composed of cultural, agricultural and natural resource experts and representatives from each county, advised the Board of Land and Natural Resources on this year’s project selections. Gov. Linda Lingle released funding for the Commission’s recommended projects in early June.

“Each of the recommended projects protects an important resource,” said Commission Chair Dale Bonar. “Clean drinking water, our natural and cultural heritage, our agricultural lands – these are the resources that Hawaii needs to maintain a connection to its past and build a sustainable future.”

The following are summaries of the approved projects:

* County of Hawaii and the Trust for Public Land, $945,000 for the acquisition of 10.61 acres on the island of Hawaii, coastline lot within Paoo ahupuaa, North Kohala District, to protect over 27 cultural sites from development and maintain the natural landscape and scenic views of the Kohala coastline.

* Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry & Wildlife, $500,000 for the acquisition of a conservation easement over 614 acres on the island of Molokai, East Molokai, Kainalu; mauka of Kamehameha. V Highway, to protect critical watershed and prevent erosion damage to near-shore coral reef ecosystems and historic Hawaiian fishponds.

* Kauai Public Land Trust and the County of Kauai, $800,000 for the acquisition of 0.74 acre on the island of Kauai, on Hanalei Bay directly next to the Hanalei Pier, to be held by the County of Kauai, to enhance and protect the heavily used Black Pot Beach Park area for Hawaii’s residents and visitors.

* Kona Historical Society, $255,592 for the acquisition of 2.11 acres on the island of Hawaii, South Kona, makai of Mamaloahoa Highway, to provide a scenic buffer for the historic H.N. Greenwell Store and additional space for preservation of the farming and ranching heritage of Kona.

* The Trust for Public Land and Oahu Land Trust, $500,000 for the acquisition of a conservation easement over 107.73 acres on the island of Oahu, ahupua‘a of Kaalaea, in the Koolaupoko District, to be held by the Oahu Land Trust, to protect agricultural production and maintain a portion of the rural character of windward Oahu.

* Malu Aina Center for Non-Violent Education and Action and the Hawaii Island Land Trust (HILT), $231,788 for the acquisition of 11.14 acres on the island of Hawaii, Puna District; 10 miles south of Hilo, makai side of Highway 11, with a conservation easement to be held by HILT, to maintain agricultural production on lands with kipuka deep soil and abundant rainfall.

* HILT, $35,000 for the acquisition of conservation easements over 6 acres on the island of Hawaii, Puna District; in Hawaiian Orchid Island Estates adjacent to Kahaualea Natural Area Reserve, to preserve an intact native ohia forest canopy that allows native birds, insects and plants to travel and propagate.

LLCP projects are subject to a consultation process with the Senate president and the speaker of the House of Representatives and the approval of the governor. Grant funding for projects that protect lands having value as a resource to the state is awarded through the Legacy Land Conservation Program on an annual basis, subject to the availability of funds.

For more information on the Legacy Land Conservation Program, call (808) 586-0921 or visit http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/dofaw/llcp

MEDIA RELEASE

“In the Wake of Giants” by Akua Films has been named a finalist in three categories of BLUE Ocean Film Festival, presented Aug. 24-29 by Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, Calif.

BLUE is a one-of-a-kind film industry and community event bringing together films, filmmakers and leaders in ocean research and conservation. Finalists selected from an unprecedented number of entries include more than 85 ocean-related films in 19 categories.

“In the Wake of Giants” is a finalist for “Emerging Underwater Filmmaker,” “National Marine Sanctuary Shorts” and “Original Music Score.”

Winning films will be announced at award ceremonies Aug. 28.

“In the Wake of Giants” is a documentary about humpback whale rescues in Hawaii featuring NOAA’s Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary’s rescue experts, who are some of the few trained to free large whales of entangling gear.

Much of the footage showing the dangerous nature of the effort was filmed within arm’s reach of the distressed mammals from helmet-mounted cameras.

The 40-ton mammals often drag gear for thousands of miles to Hawai‘i and the sanctuary where more than 10,000 humpback whales migrate every year. Entanglement is one of the primary human-caused sources of serious injury and mortality to whales and dolphins with an estimated 300,000 dying world-wide every year.

“The idea to make this film came from Mara Kerr and Mark DiOrio, the Executive Producers of In the Wake of Giants,” said filmmaker Lou Douros, who has 30 years of experience in bringing stories to life through film and video. “Mara had just finished writing her novel, Oceanus. When she met with the sanctuary’s rescue staff who use whaling techniques from inflatable boats to save whales, she really wanted to tell their story too.”

Douros’ eldest son, Blaise an accomplished composer for independent films and computer games, scored the film.

BLUE will host photography exhibits, seminars, business of filmmaking panels and presentations, pitching sessions, film and photography equipment demos, VIP parties and networking events.

Featured guests include Julie Packard, Sylvia Earle, Jean-Michel Cousteau, David Doubilet, Don Haun, Howard Hall, Bob Talbot, Greg Stone and other film and environmental ocean leaders. A featured forum “Gulf Oil Spill: Tragedy or Turning Point?” will be hosted by Carl Safina.

— Find out more:
www.blueoceanfilmfestival.org
www.noaa.gov

MEDIA RELEASE

Attend a free educational ReefTalk on Tuesday, Aug. 24 from 6:30-8 p.m. at the Kealakehe High School library to find out.

This month’s ReefTalk, entitled “Just How Healthy Are West Hawaii’s Reefs,” will feature Courtney Couch, a Ph.D. candidate from Cornell University and marine science specialist for The Kohala Center in Kamuela.

Couch will discuss how scientists study coral disease and the role that environmental conditions such as temperature may influence disease dynamics.

For further information, call UH Sea Grant at 329-2861.

MEDIA RELEASE

DLNR announces availability of feral goat control permits for Puu Waawaa Forest Reserve–makai section

HILO – The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) is issuing goat control permits for the makai portion of the Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a Forest Reserve on the island of Hawai‘i.

Makai goat control will be conducted on weekends, starting September 11, 2010 and ending October 3, 2010. Because of safety and fire risk concerns the program will be limited to archery and a maximum of 50 permit holders will be allowed per day. There will be no limit on the number of goats taken, and deboning will be allowed.

Control permits will be assigned by call-ins at Division of Forestry and Wildlife in Kamuela at (808) 887-6063, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. on August 25 for ONLY the first weekend. A maximum of four permit holders will be allowed per call. Standbys are allowed after 8 a.m. for absent permit holders. After the first weekend, permits can be picked up, first come first serve, at the Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a hunter check station from 5 a.m. to 11 a.m. on control days. A valid hunting license is required to apply for a permit.

Permit holders should check in at the Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a check station starting at 5 a.m. and must check out by 7 p.m., at which time gates will be locked.

To report game violators, call 1-800-643-DLNR (-3567). To report wildfires, call 911.

Further information may be obtained by contacting the Division of Forestry and Wildlife Offices in Hilo at (808) 974-4221 or in Kamuela at (808) 887-6063.

MEDIA RELEASE

With notebooks and binoculars in hand, dozens of wildlife biologists and volunteers will take to Hawaii’s wetlands Wednesday, Aug. 18, for statewide bi-annual waterbird surveys.

More than 250 wetland sites where native and migratory waterbirds are known to gather, including marshes, reservoirs, golf course canals, prawn farms, sewage treatment plants, and even the Honolulu International Airport’s reef runway will be surveyed.

The waterbird surveys are organized by the Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW), with the cooperation of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the University of Hawaii, and other partner organizations.

“We’ve been conducting waterbird surveys for over 30 years,” DLNR Chairperson Laura H. Thielen said. “The information gathered gives us important trend data for our endangered waterbirds, migrant waterfowl, and shorebirds, important insight on the status of different species statewide, and helps us to better manage our endangered waterbird populations.”

Oahu sites that will be surveyed include Pouhala Marsh, Paiko Lagoon, Nuupia Ponds, the Pearl Harbor National Wildlife Refuge, and wetland associated areas where endangered Hawaiian moorhens, coots and stilts are found.

Survey participants will be on the lookout for waterbirds, including Hawaiian moorhens, coots, stilts, and ducks, that have been tagged with colored bands used to identify birds originating from different islands. It is hoped that such banding efforts will assist in monitoring the dispersal, behavior, survival, reproductive success, and population growth of Hawaii’s endangered waterbirds.

In 2009 several endangered Hawaiian Coots banded at the James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge on Oahu were spotted at the Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge on Maui, a distance of more than 100 miles.