A publication of the University of Hawai'i at MÄ noa Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit for the U.S. Army Garrison - Hawai'i
2017 ISSUE
MANAGEMENT PROGRAM BULLETIN
FROM THE EDITORS
Some of the world’s leading scientists are currently struggling with the challenges of designing a habitat on Mars worthy of supporting human life for years to come. Survival will depend on whether basic needs (shelter, water, food, oxygen, etc.) can be obtained and sustained. Meanwhile, closer to home, conservationists continue to face habitat challenges for O'ahu's endangered plants and animals. In some cases, habitat that would fulfill the basic needs of a species are extremely limited and have proven difficult for managers to successfully replicate, as you'll find in Magnacca's piece on the orangeblack Hawaiian damselfly. Other taxa, such as endangered ha'iwale, may rebound easily within a restoration site like Marsh describes in "Restoring Balance." In all of these efforts to create and re-create suitable habitat, we can't help but learn more about the intricacies of sustaining living organisms in the process. These new discoveries will continue to give us a greater understanding of both the history and future of our domain—in the Hawaiian archipelago and the universe. Kimberly Welch & Celeste Hanley, Editors
The endangered 'akoko (Euphorbia celastroides, var. kaenana) is perfectly adapted to grow within the rocky crevices and tallus slopes of coastal and shrubland zones on the northwest flanks of the Wai'anae mountain range on O'ahu. Fruit of this 'akoko species split open and expell their seeds as they mature. OANRP staff captures a portion of these seeds by placing mesh bags over fruit found on wild plants. Seeds are processed in the OANRP seed lab and 'akoko plants are grown in the nurseries for eventual re-introduction into the wild. ON THE COVER AND LEFT
"Humans have eliminated habitats for native species like the orangeblack damselfly to the point that many of them can't survive. Now it's our responsibility to find or create new ones."
Kapua Kawelo is one of the original members of the Army's natural resource team. With over 20 years of endangered species work under her belt, the University of California, Davis graduate will do whatever it takes to protect O'ahu's threatened and endangered plants, animals and the habitats they all depend on.
K A P UA K AW E LO
CONTRIBUTORS
Karl is the entomology program specialist with the U.S. Army's Natural Resources Program on O'ahu.
KARL MAGNACCA
Dr. Karl Magnacca has been studying the evolution, ecology, and systematics of native Hawaiian insects for 20 years, working with the U.S. Geological Survey, National Park Service, and the University of Hawai'i–Hilo. He has described 64 new species, about 1% of the endemic insect fauna in the islands.
Kapua is the natural resource manager in charge of the U.S. Army's Natural Resources Program on O'ahu.
Lalasia Bialic-Murphy is a population ecologist investigating the spatial distribution and abundance of vascular plants. Lalasia is a Ph. D candidate in the Department of Botany at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa.
T AY L O R M A R S H
Orou is an assistant professor in the Department of Botany at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa.
LALASIA BIALIC-MURPHY
OROU GAOUE
Dr. Orou Gaoue uses mathematical models, field observations, experiments and ethnobotanical methods to study drivers and conservation implications of planthuman interactions in a changing world.
Taylor Marsh has spent the last seven years working to eradicate numerous incipient weed species in Hawai'i. He currently leads a crew of four in the field, targeting some of the worst weeds within OANRP management units. Taylor an ecosystem restoration specialist with the U.S. Army's Natural Resources Program on O'ahu.
CONTENTS 4 Bringing Back the Orangeblack Hawaiian Damselfly
While humans have negatively impacted the lives of Hawaiian damselflies in recent times, a new federally-listed status for Megalagrion xanthomelas brings hope for the long-term survival of this rare insect. BY KARL MAGNACCA
1 0 Soldiers Aid Natural Resources Program Through Training
Alleviating accessibility challenges in the field is a win-win situation for Soldiers and natural resource managers. B Y K A P U A K AW E LO
1 4 Conservation Equation: Gaoue lab uses mathematical models to determine future
persistence of O'ahu's rarest plants
Will mathematics help natural resource managers make better decisions to recover endangered taxa? The Gaoue lab is using math models to find out if less obvious factors are preventing, delaying or even contributing to the extinction of rare plants. BY LALASIA BIALIC-MURPHY AND OROU GAOUE
MĀKAU OLA · PRACTICAL ADVICE FROM THE FIELD
1 8 Restoring Balance
Efforts to restore altered habitat may have large impacts for endangered plants in the northern Wai'anae Mountains. B Y T AY L O R M A R S H
2 6 ALERT: Invasive Weed Seed Contamination
OANRP errs on the side of caution in preparation for the outplanting season in the wake of a disturbing discovery. BY JANE BEACHY
COMMUNITY
Mouse over the info symbol throughout this issue to find out more information.
2 7 National Public Lands Day at Ka'ala
Volunteers with OANRP help to make the nation's largest single-day volunteer event a huge success in 2016.
DIRECTORATE OF PUBLIC WORKS Kent K. Watase, PE Director of Public Works U.S. Army Garrison-Hawai'i
EDITORS
ACRONYMS
Kimberly Welch and Celeste Hanley Environmental Outreach Specialists Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit O'ahu Army Natural Resources Program
DPW OACRP OANRP USAG-HI
OUTREACH@OANRP.COM
Directorate of Public Works O'ahu Army Cultural Resources Program O'ahu Army Natural Resources Program U.S. Army Garrison, Hawai'i
THE ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT PROGRAM BULLETIN (EMP) The EMP highlights the U.S. Army Garrison Hawai'i's innovative approaches to natural and cultural resource management in support of the U.S. Army's training mission in Hawai'i. The success of this newsletter depends on article contributions from the staff of the O'ahu Army Natural Resources Program, O'ahu Army Cultural Resources Program, Pōhakuloa Training Area (PTA) Army Natural Resources Program, and PTA Army Cultural Resources Program. Mahalo to all staff who contributed to this issue. A R MY N A
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All photos in this issue are by OANRP or OACRP staff, unless otherwise noted.
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bringing back t
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hawaiian da
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ngeblack BY KARL MAGNACCA
A SCARCITY IN SUITABLE "REAL ESTATE" HAS IMPACTED YET ANOTHER HAWAI'I RESIDENT: PINAPINAO MA'ALAEA, HAWAI'I'S ENDEMIC ORANGEBLACK DAMSELFLY. THIS UNIQUE ARTHROPOD WAS ADDED THIS FALL TO THE U.S. FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE'S GROWING LIST OF ENDANGERED SPECIES IN HAWAI'I. THE ELEVATED LEGAL STATUS WILL BOLSTER EFFORTS FROM THE ARMY AND OTHER CONSERVATION PARTNERS AS THEY SEEK TO FIND SUITABLE O'AHU HABITAT TO SUPPORT WILD ORANGEBLACK POPULATIONS.
An orangeblack damselfly (Megalagrion xanthomelas) at rest within a stream-side habitat managed by OANRP at Tripler Army Medical Center.
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amselfly
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T
he changes that have taken place in the Hawaiian Islands over the past several hundred years have been profound. From untouched forest and shrubland, to Polynesian agriculture, to sugar and pineapple plantations, to today’s urban landscape, O‘ahu has been transformed to such a degree that in many places there are not even remnants or artifacts of the past to remind us of what was once there. Even when it is recent enough that photographs are available, many people today are not aware of just how quickly these dramatic changes have taken place.
ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT PROGRAM BULLETIN
In 1920 Honolulu was a city of gardens, surrounded by wetland fields. Mo‘ili‘ili lay on top of an old reef whose sinkholes provided small backyard ponds. Between ‘Aiea and Waipahu was a series of springs and wetlands along the shore of Pearl Harbor, broken up only by a few small plantation towns. Rice was extensively cultivated in flooded fields around Waikīkī and Kāne‘ohe. Higher elevation springs fed streams that flowed even in dry periods. While this level of disturbance was harsh on the native plants, one native insect found it to be a boon – Megalagrion xanthomelas, the orangeblack Hawaiian damselfly. Flexible enough for its naiads (aquatic immatures) to live in any kind of slowflowing or stagnant water, it continued to find a happy home even around people, in taro and rice fields, in garden ponds and marshes.
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But since then, things have changed. Both taro and rice production fell dramatically, and wetland fields were drained. In 1934, construction workers punctured an underground waterway and accidentally drained the entire Mo‘ili‘ili karst wetland system.1 Those ponds that remained were lost to urbanization as greater development led to increased density. The Ala Wai canal drained the extensive wetlands of Waikīkī. Irrigation tunnels like the Wai‘āhole Ditch brought rainfed streamwater from the windward side to the flat, fertile central plateau but also pierced and drained many of the perched aquifers that supplied springs, turning permanent streams into intermittent ones.2
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Most importantly for the damselflies, the introduction of predatory mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) and other guppies (Poecilia spp.) for control of mosquito larvae was disastrous, leading to most connected bodies of water becoming uninhabitable for them. Since these fish can tolerate seawater and O‘ahu’s streams generally terminate in estuaries rather than sea cliffs, they quickly spread to nearly all streams on the island. When they sense danger, the native damselfly naiads swim up to the water surface—a great defense against larger dragonfly naiads or the native bottomdwelling fish, but a fatal response around the high-swimming guppies. Since most of their life is spent in the water—the naiads may take eight months or more to mature, then live only six weeks as adults in the aerial world—this is their most vulnerable life stage. Today, native damselflies are absent from any location where introduced fish are present. The decline of once-common native damselflies, including Megalagrion xanthomelas, was noted as early as 1935. As an inhabitant of lowland ponds, it wasn’t able to retreat above fish-blocking waterfalls or to rocky seeps to escape predatory fish. Formerly occurring on nearly all of the islands, it disappeared from Maui as early as the late 1800s, and the only record from Ni‘ihau is from 1947. Only four populations remain on Moloka‘i, and on Lāna‘i it persists only in artificial ponds. Hawai‘i is the only island that still has relatively healthy populations, mostly in anchialine pools along the Kona coast. On O‘ahu, it was thought to be extirpated. After decades of steadily shrinking range and numbers, the last collection was from a spring near Pearl Harbor in 1977. With those springs converted to development or watercress farms and filled with introduced fish, everyone expected that it was gone from the island. Then in 1994, in a survey of Tripler Army Medical Center for a construction project, Bishop Museum entomologists discovered a population of Megalarion xanthomelas in a short section of stream, just 100 yards long. Cut off from below by culverts and rarely
Halliday, William R. (1998). History and Status of the Mo'ili'ili Karst, Hawai'i. Journal of Cave and Karst Studies, 60(3), 141-45.
Hirashima, G.T. (1971). Tunnels and Dikes of the Ko'olau Range, Oahu, Hawai'i, and Their Effect on Storage Depletion and Movement of Ground Water. United States Department of the Interior. Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office.
COURTESY OF THE U.S. ARMY MUSEUM OF HAWAI'I
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A 1920s view of Waikīkī shows extensive cultivation of wetland agriculture including lo'i kalo (taro patches) and rice paddies.
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ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT PROGRAM BULLETIN
Click the image below to watch a video clip of Magnacca as he surveys orangeblack damselflies (Megalagrion xanthomelas) using a "mark and recapture" approach, a typical field method used to monitor wild populations of arthropods.
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TOP OANRP
entomology specialist, Karl Magnacca, searches for the orangeblack damselfly (Megalagrion xanthomelas) in a protected stream habitat at Tripler Army Medical Center. BOTTOM A mating pair of orangeblack damselflies. As with most damselflies, the males are bright-colored, while females are far more pale.
flowing to the ocean, it has the ideal conditions for survival of the species – no fish, a slowflowing stream with plenty of food in the form of mosquitos and other prey and a lowland location. Indeed, the human-altered landscape may have protected them to some degree, since the culverts create artificial waterfalls that prevent fish from moving upstream. Unfortunately, not long after the site was found, new construction altered the hydrology of the area and interrupted the stream flow. But they got lucky once again—a hose leaking into the streambed provided enough water for the damselflies to survive, and this was soon set up to deliberately feed water into the stream.
Throughout all this, Megalagrion xanthomelas had no legal status despite being one of the most recognizably endangered animals in the state, with documented steep declines across the state. This fall it was listed as endangered after over 20 years as a candidate endangered species. With these new protections bolstering our conservation mission, the Army and its partners at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Hawai‘i Division of Forestry and Wildlife continue to look for reintroduction sites around the island and have several possibilities that might be attempted in the next few years. The new state insect rearing facility will be a great help in future translocations. In July 2016, flooding from the remnants of Tropical Storm Darby turned the normally shallow, sedate stream into a three-foot-deep torrent, scouring the streambed of vegetation and depositing a thick layer of mud in its place. This is a stark reminder of the possibility of random events destroying this population. Nonetheless, while the place has been altered and naiads may have been washed out, the adults were quickly back out in high numbers. It seems that they can deal with Hawai‘i’s
natural forces, if only we can release them from the problems we have brought over the past 100 years.
An orangeblack damselfly "plays dead" as Magnacca removes the fragile insect from his net and marks its wing to avoid recounting this individual while monitoring the damselfly population at Tripler Army Medical Center.
Counting Damselflies
Army entomologists utilize a "mark and recapture" technique to census endangered orangeblack damselflies. Placing a mark on the wing helps with accuracy. If a marked damselfly is caught, then staff know that this insect has already been counted for the day.
The How to's: 1. Net the damselfly 2. Remove from net, holding by the base of the wings. 3. Mark wingtip (using a different mark each time allows staff to track whether damselfly is a recapture from the previous month) 4. Set damselfly down on hand and let it go!
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With only a single small population, which is now dependent on artificial water to survive, conservationists quickly looked towards translocating them to an additional site, so that one dramatic flood or failure of the water system at Tripler won’t lead to local extinction. Several attempts have been made: at Dillingham Military Reservation (1998), Makiki Stream (2003), Kalaeloa (2010) and Waimea Botanical Garden (2012). Unfortunately, none have succeeded so far.
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SOLDIERS AID
NATURAL RESOURCES PROGRAM
THROUGH TRAINING BY KAPUA KAWELO
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THE SOUND OF EARTH MOVING EQUIPMENT, helicopters and chainsaws are not sounds you normally celebrate as helping to kokua the Hawaiian forest. This year, these are sounds we welcome as the U.S. Army GarrisonHawai i natural resource program partnered with Army Soldiers to improve roads, fix culverts and fly fence materials and a wood chipper into remote work locations on O ahu. The natural resource program has enjoyed a longstanding partnership with Army units helping Hawai i’s environment.
Kalua'ā Access Road Improved Between February 1st and 12th, the Bravo company, 29th Engineer Batallion, 25th Infantry Division (B Co. 29th EN BN, 25th ID) repaired the dirt access road to the Kalua ā endangered species management unit above Schofield Barracks South Range. “The road was very eroded. Shrubs and trees were encroaching on the road corridor. It needed repair to be safe for natural resource crews to drive it,” said Joby Rohrer, a senior natural resource manager with OANRP.
WHAT DOES THE ARMY PROTECT AT KALUA'Ā?
1st Lt. Johannes Olind from B Co. 29th EN BN, 25th ID was pleased with the experience for the Soldiers. "The opportunity to work with DPW Environmental on the improvement of the Central Wai anae Range Access Road at Schofield Barracks South Range," stated Olind, "provided our Soldiers the opportunity to broaden their scope of capabilities as engineers by learning and practicing skills such as grading, tree felling and gravel compaction that are very difficult for us to replicate in any other type of training events. Additionally, it gave our leaders the opportunity to exercise project management skills by working OANRP manages 10 with an external agency, sequencing activities, plants and animals at and managing resources in order to see a project Kalua'ā, including the through from planning through execution. As endangered ohā'wai (Cyanea a result the Platoon's capabilities to provide grimesiana ssp. obatae) mobility enhancement to our Brigade has been and a picture wing fly (Drosophila montgomeryi). greatly increase while also producing a real world product.” On the Kalua ā road project, Soldiers used earth moving equipment to re-establish water bars Soldiers graded the Central Wai'anae Range Access Road in order to improve accessibility for natural resource staff working in Kalua'ā, a management unit within the Honouliuli Forest Reserve. TOP RIGHT A Soldier from B Co. 29th EN BN, 25th ID lines up the chainsaw as he prepares to cut a giant Eucalyptus tree along the access road. OPPOSITE PAGE
for diverting water from the road corridor. They cleared vegetation and trees along the corridor to improve visibility around corners. The crew also applied gravel along the road bed where necessary to improve compaction. Natural resource staff demonstrated safe chainsaw operation practices in order to expand the skill set of B Co. 29th EN BN, 25th ID Soldiers, which they applied in practice while clearing vegetation encroaching along the roadside.
Blocked Culvert Cleared to Improve Firebreak Road The positive foundation laid during the Kalua ā road repair was a jumping off point for a second partnership project with B Co. 29th EN BN, 25th ID. This time around, the task was to clear a blocked culvert along the Schofield Barracks West Range firebreak road. Bravo Company, 29th Engineer Battalion finished the work in two days and saved DPW Environmental a pretty penny!
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This project is the result of good ideas hatched casually at the Garrison’s Earth Day event in 2015. The natural resources program manager and Bravo Company, 29th Engineer Batallion got fired-up about partnering on win-win projects. The win for the environment comes from increased efficiencies, cost savings and Soldier education about the role of the natural resource program. It's also a win for Soldiers who obtain realistic training, project management experience and a sense of accomplishment.
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Fires are an infrequent occurrence in the natural environment on O'ahu; thus, wildfires can have catastrophic impacts on endangered species. This firebreak road is essential in firefighting response and is the first line of protection for endangered species that occur in the forest above. TOP LEFT A
firebreak road behind the training area at Schofield Barracks West Range (background) protects the forest (foreground) from the threat of fire.
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Chinooks Haul Fence Materials to Support Ko'olau Watershed Protection Project
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On February 24, 2016, the Bravo Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade lifted fence materials into the Ko olau Mountains in support of a Ko olau Watershed Protection Project fence. Ten loads of fencing weighing a total of 98,000 lbs was flown from Schofield Barracks East Range to the summit of the Ko olau Mountains within the State of Hawai i’s Ewa Forest Reserve. Matthew Burt, Ungulate Program/‘Elepaio Stabilization Coordinator, said, “The pilots and crew conducting this operation are highly TOP RIGHT Senior
Natural Resource Manager Joby Rohrer (left) and Ungulate Program/'Elepaio Stabilization Coordinator Matt Burt (right) prepare a load of fence panels. LEFT Soldiers flew 98,000 lbs of fence materials to a remote landing zone in the Ko'olau Mountains.
THE FOREST SHOUTS OUT TO B CO. 3RD BATTALION, 25TH COMBAT AVIATION BRIGADE
Chief Warrant Officer4 Justin B. Watts B CO. 29TH ENGINEER BATTALION, 25TH INFANTRY
1st Lt. Johannes K. Olind Staff Sergeant Collin T. Stuart C CO. 2-25TH AVIATION REGIMENT
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Brent W. Gregory Sergeant Jeremiah Kulkay Chief Warrant Officer 2 Lindsey N. Wooden Specialist Jacob Warren
skilled, flew all day to complete the mission and we greatly appreciate their support!” Once erected, the fencing will protect intact native wet forest that is a critical watershed for the island of O ahu and will secure our fresh drinking water for generations to come.
Remote Wood-Chipping Made Easy The last partnership project to occur in 2016 took place on June 14. The Charlie
Company, 2-25 Aviation Regiment (C Co 2-25th AVN REGT) sling-loaded the natural resource program's woodchipper to the southern Wai anae Mountains where OANRP is protecting the endangered Hawaiian tree snail, kāhuli (Achatinella mustelina). The chipper has a similar size and shape as some artillery that the Army regularly flies for training and warfighting. “[C Co 2-25th AVN REGT] scoped out the rigging required to fly the chipper, assessed the drop zone and executed the operation with precision and
accuracy,” said Jamie Tanino, Rare Snail Conservation Specialist. These partnerships require out-ofthe-box thinking, perseverance to navigate the coordination and approval processes and good communication skills. Members of OANRP and all of the Army units involved in these efforts exemplified these skills, and the Army can now better protect important forest resources because of their efforts.
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Soldiers support DPW Environmental's natural resources program by flying in a wood chipper into the southern Wai'anae Mountains. A wood chipper allows natural resource staff to break down large, weedy trees faster than leaving large slash piles of felled trees to slowly decompose on their own.
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conservation
EQUATION Gaoue lab uses mathematical models to determine future persistence of O'ahu's rarest plants BY LALASIA BIALIC-MURPHY AND OROU GAOUE 14
BACKGROUND The Hawaiian archipelago is a biodiversity hotspot; over 89% of the flowering plant species are endemic. Habitat conversion and rapid introduction of invasive species following human colonization has led to a severe decline in the biodiversity of Hawaiian forests. With some of the highest rates of threatened and endangered species in the world, conservation organizations in Hawai'i are faced with the challenging task of preventing further loss of the archipelago’s unique flora and fauna. Since 1999, OANRP has been actively managing 80% percent of the federally listed species found on the island of O'ahu. Their mitigation efforts have prevented the extinction of numerous endangered species and have greatly contributed to the conservation of some of O'ahu's rarest taxa.
In efforts to address these challenging questions, OANRP has started collaborating with the Gaoue lab at the University of Hawai'i at MÄ noa. Since the beginning of this partnership, the Gaoue lab has been monitoring the survival, growth and fertility (i.e., vital rates) of endangered species and developing mathematical models to gain insight into life history strategies and demographic patterns of native Hawaiian species. For this study, the Gaoue lab has focused on a subset of rare Hawaiian endemic species managed by OANRP. Using mathematical models, the lab has been evaluating how complex interactions between invasive rodents, birds, and slugs influence the population growth rate of endangered species. The Gaoue lab has also started assessing how large-scale change (e.g., changing precipitation patterns) and small-scale alterations in microhabitat influence the persistence of endangered species. For one of the species, Cyrtandra dentata, the Gaoue lab has found encouraging signs of recovery. Following OANRP’s efforts to remove feral pigs and suppress weeds from managed natural areas, once missing C. dentata life stages (i.e., seedlings and small vegetative plants) have started filling in.
Nonetheless, even the most remote and intact natural areas on O'ahu are not immune to the destruction and climate change. In these altered landscapes, it remains unclear if the removal of introduced stressors, like invasive pigs and rodents, and the reintroduction of endangered species will be enough to prevent species extinction, or if other less obvious environmental stressors also need to be mitigated. Cyrtandra dentata is one of the rarest plants on O'ahu, with only 1,965 remaining individuals.
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rampant spread of invasive species, habitat
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The results of this research also illustrate that fruit predation by a non-native bird, Leiothrix lutea, and fine scale microhabitat influence C. dentata recruitment and seedling establishment. At the study site, L. lutea consumes up to 20% of the fruits produced in a given year.
The Gaoue lab's math models are revealing the influence of fruit predation by the nonnative bird Leothrix lutea on Cyrtandra dentata seedling establishment. L. lutea consumes up to 20% of the fruits produced in a given year at the C. dentata study site.
As far as microhabitat, while C. dentata primarily occurs in gulch bottoms and can establish and grow on soil and rock outcrops covered by moss (i.e., rocky cliff walls, and boulders in the gulch bottoms), seedling establishment is up to 65% higher on rock outcrops (pictured on opposite page). The reason for higher establishment of C. dentata on rock outcrops is unclear. However, there are two potential explanations. First, rock outcrops covered by moss may provide a moist microhabitat that prevents plants from dying during dry summer months. Secondly, the elevated rock outcrops may prevent seedlings from being submerged in water that pools in the gulch bottom during heavy winter rains. Regardless of the underlying mechanism driving higher seedling establishment on rock outcrops, these results highlight the importance of protecting fragile fine-scale microhabitat (in this case, small boulders in the gulch bottom) in order to promote C. dentata seedling establishment. Under current management by OANRP, mathematical model projections suggest the population will grow moderately over time. However, a decrease in optimal For more information on the findings and projects at Gaoue lab, contact lalasia.murphy@gmail.com
microhabitat for seedling establishment would shift the population growth rate from increasing to decreasing on the way to extinction. The results from this study emphasize the importance of continually protecting microhabitat optimal for seedling establishment in order to promote the persistence of endangered species, like C. dentata, that are sensitive to alterations in fine-scale abiotic conditions. OANRP is actively restoring the gulch habitat adjacent to C. dentata habitat and are very encouraged to see seedlings on mossy rocks following weed control and native tree plantings (see "Restoring Balance" on page 18 for more on that project). In addition to studying C. dentata, the Gaoue lab is currently working on assessing how precipitation, seedling herbivory by nonnative slugs, and fruit consumption by invasive rodents influence the population dynamics of two reintroduced populations of endangered plants managed by OANRP, Schiedea obovata and Delissea waianaeensis. These projects are still in progress, so stay tuned. In the future, the Gaoue lab hopes to expand their studies to incorporate more endangered species, varying in life history strategies, in order to investigate if generalized patterns emerge that can be used by restoration ecologists to prioritize rare species restoration efforts.
OPPOSITE Seedling
establishment for Cyrtandra dentata is up to 65% higher on rock outcrop microhabitat compared to overall habitat for the species. BELOW A C. dentata seeding on rock outcrop microhabitat.
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Resto
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Balance
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Ecosystem restoration specialist Taylor Marsh details restoration efforts in a native mesic forest ecosystem, within OANRP's 64-acre fenced management sub-unit in KahanahÄ iki.
Intensive ecosystem restoration in the Wai'anae Mountains BY TAYLOR MARSH
O
ver the past few centuries, the native mesic forests in the Wai‘anae Mountains have been almost completely replaced with the non-native and degraded forests present today. This degradation is due to a combination of historical invasions by feral pigs and goats, as well as invasion from alien tree species such as strawberry guava (Psidium cattleianum) and Australian red cedar (Toona ciliata), shrub species like Koster’s Curse (Clidemia hirta), and grasses like Guinea grass (Urocloa maxima). All of these taxa were brought to Hawai‘i by humans. Wildfires also have decimated lowland forests and have had a major impact on native forest habitat including that of rare plant and
animal taxa. At OANRP, our field teams have been working to restore native habitats for rare plants, birds, tree snails and insects by building perimeter fences to keep out feral animals, removing feral pigs and goats and rodents and controlling invasive plant species. In the Kahanahāiki Management Unit, the OANRP Ecosystem Restoration Team, founded in 2014, established two restoration sites dubbed "the Shire" and "Schweppes." Once previously known for their closed-canopy dominance by strawberry guava and an understory overrun by Koster’s Curse and other weeds, these two areas are now being transformed back into native forest and will be managed for the long term.
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BACKGROUND OANRP
staff and volunteers traverse the ridgeline trail that separates the upper portion of two ahupua'a (traditional Hawaiian land divisions): Kahanahāiki (on the right) and Pahole (on the left).
Before restoration activities could begin in Kahanahāiki forest, we knew we had to take the time to find the answers to some key questions before jumping into the field work itself. There are a lot of things to consider, from choosing the actual site, to which and how many species to put into the site. Other questions include: Where are we going to collect cuttings and seeds from? When are the different species fruiting to allow for collection of mature
fruit? From how many different individual trees should we collect cuttings in order to maintain genetic diversity? How long do we wait after clearing before we plant? What techniques will be most effective for weed suppression? To ensure that these— and many other questions—were answered, our team developed and followed a step-by-step approach to aid in restoration efforts in the Shire and Schweppes sites in Kahanahāiki.
Kahanahāiki site-specific restoration plan: Step 1. Establish a boundary. The work site should not be too large because longterm maintenance and weed control will need to happen. If too large, the site will most likely be overrun by weeds, as time for follow-up weeding is usually limited.
Step 2. Install photo points. PVC poles are used to mark locations where photos are taken pre-clearing and every six months to a year postclearing to monitor change over time. Photos are taken facing north, east, south and west using a compass.
Step 3. Collect native plant
Step 4. Annihilate invasives.
In both restoration sites, strawberry guava (Psidium cattleianum) dominated the canopy and Koster’s curse (Clidemia hirta) dominated the understory. These species were mostly clear-cut using a chainsaw and stacked up in massive slash piles, or treated with herbicide and left standing. It is ideal to remove the strawberry guava just before its annual fruiting period to minimize the amount of strawberry guava seedlings that will most likely sprout and establish once the area is cleared.
Schweppes Restoration Site Photopoint Map photopoint trails fence Schweppes restoration site
Step 5. Build infrastructure. A sound water
catchment system is necessary for supplying outplants with water to get them established, as well as for spraying herbicides when weeds and grasses begin to move back in after clearing. Building a simple trail system throughout the site will ensure that other hikers will not step on outplants or create an unwanted disturbance in the site.
Step 6. Outplant and seed sow. Filling open
ground with native species will minimize open space and prevent weeds from getting established, hopefully diminishing the amount of weeding needed in the long term. Selection of restoration species is also crucial. Identify native species growing in similar habitat nearby, and determine which species are not suited to a particular area. Collecting seed or cuttings from local stock is necessary as it may be adapted to thrive in that specific area, with a particular microclimate or soil type.
OANRP natural resource management technicians perform a variety of tasks to restore the native forest of Kahanahāiki. TOP LEFT Natural resource management technician Mike Bohling collects ripe ko'oko'olau (Bidens sp.) seed for immediate sowing in the field. TOP RIGHT Natural resource management technician August Smith builds a rainwater catchment system to collect water for future outplanting and weed control. BOTTOM A portion of a Kahanahāiki topographic map shows the Schweppes restoration site (outlined in purple) and locations of photopoints (yellow circles with black dots).
Step 7. Maintain and
monitor. Repeated weeding and outplanting is just as important as initial clearing and outplanting. Weeds will move in, and it is imperative to prevent them from gaining a foothold in the site.
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material for propagation and reintroduction. Collecting and propagating common native species is vital to restoration. Cuttings are taken and fruit is collected for germination in the greenhouse or stored for future planting attempts.
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Site One: The Shire Before initial clearing, the Shire restoration site (0.5 acres) contained a wide variety of endemic tree, shrub and fern species. Although these species were present, their numbers were low, and they were hidden by a dense strawberry guava stand. After clearing, many individuals began to emerge. Impressively, robust populations of manono (Kadua spp.), pāmakani (Viola chamissoniana var. tracheliifolia), palapalai (Microlepia strigosa), koa (Acacia koa), konakona grass (Panicum nephilophylum) and one endangered species, ‘ohā wai (Delissea waianaeensis), were seen recruiting not long after initial clearing. After 12 months and multiple seed sows of māmake (Pipturus albidus) and ko‘oko‘olau (Bidens torta), these two species now dominate the landscape. These two species are currently
the top choices for several restoration sites in Kahanahāiki because both exhibit rapid seed germination rates, require minimal time to become established, and have a tendency to fill in voids in the mesic forest understory. Māmake in particular has very large leaves and does a very effective job in shading out potential weeds. Additional common native propagules were also added to the Shire site, including koa, koki‘o ke‘oke‘o (Hibiscus arnottianus), pāpala kepau (Pisonia umbelifera) and ‘āla‘a (Planchonella spp.). These taxa were grown in the OANRP greenhouse, flown up to the restoration site via helicopter and then planted throughout the site.
Bohling, OANRP natural resource management technician, scatters seeds of the ko'oko'olau (Bidens torta) in a recently weeded area of the Shire restoration site. RIGHT Lush thickets of māmake (Pipturus albidus) and ko'oko'olau engulf Bohling one year after the initial weed control effort in this same area of the Shire. LEFT Mike
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JULY 2014
SEPTEMBER 2015
JUNE 2016
Shire restoration site following the clearing of invasive strawberry guava (Psidium cattleianum). A clearly defined trail running through the middle of the site protects native seedlings from getting trampled. A rainwater catchment built at the top of the slope is an important resource for watering outplantings below. BOTTOM LEFT TO RIGHT A series of photopoints shows progress in The Shire over a two-year time span: from a strawberry guava-dominated forest lacking groundcover, to a verdent native understory. TOP The
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S i t e Tw o : S c h w e p p e s
ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT PROGRAM BULLETIN
The plan for the Schweppes site was simple: remove each and every Koster’s curse and strawberry guava in the site, then sow and outplant as many native species as possible. Given the topography of the area, shade tolerant pāpala kepau was planted in the gulches while koa was used to fill in open canopy areas along the ridge. One year after clearing, many of the existing native plants had flushed with new leaves and filled in areas that were previously just strawberry guava. There was a large amount of natural
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recruitment of koa and ‘ohi‘a, which suggests an existing native seed bank was present and that clearing created suitable habitat for these native trees. One exciting find was a seedling of endangered ha‘iwale (Cyrtandra dentata) which had sprouted in the site following clearing. This species had not been observed this far out of the gulch bottom and the discovery outlines the importance of future restoration efforts in diverse locations in the Kahanahāiki management unit.
JULY 2014
JANUARY 2015
MARCH 2016
endangered ha'iwale (Cyrtandra dentata) grows along a moss-covered outcropping in the Schweppes restoration site in KahanahÄ iki. TOP LEFT Surrounded by steep cliffs and native uluhe fern (Dicranopteris linearis), the isolated but semi-native Schweppes site was a strategic choice for restoration. TOP RIGHT OANRP natural resource management technician Kupono Matsuoka plants a koki'o ke'oke'o (Hibiscus arnottianus) in the Schweppes site. BOTTOM LEFT TO RIGHT A series of photopoints depicts vegetation response to intensive weed control in the Schweppes site over a twenty-month time period. FACING PAGE An
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A L E R T ! A L E R T ! A L E R T ! ALERT!ALERT!ALERT!ALERT!
Invasive Weed Seed Contamination
ALERT!ALERT!ALERT!
I
n September 2016, OANRP staff discovered an invasive Melastomaceae weed species growing out of potting media at our Schofield Barracks rare plant nursery and at our upper elevation nursery in the northern Wai‘anae Mountains. In all, about twenty suspicious weed seedlings were found amongst the two nurseries.
ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT PROGRAM BULLETIN
In order to positively identify the species, several keiki were grown out to flowering stage to allow for definitive identification. Thanks to a genetic trial run by Dr. Cliff Morden of the University of Hawaii at Mānoa Botany
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Department and confirmation by Clyde Imada at the Bishop Museum, the culprit turned out to be Tibouchina longifolia. T. longifolia is an offender on the Hawai‘i Noxious Weed list. The only other records of this weed in the islands are from the Stainback Highway region on Hawai‘i Island. OANRP strongly suspects the cinder in the potting mix was the source of the invasive weed seed contamination. Rather than risk introducing noxious weeds into remote native forests, OANRP staff removed all potentially contaminated cinders from the roots of each plant by: (1) spraying each plant until only roots are exposed (bare-root cleaning) and (2) transplanting all 2,400 of the plants into new pots, using a new potting mix devoid of cinders. All transplantings were inspected once they became established in their new pots in the nurseries. Eventually, once they were deemed "clean," plants were outplanted into the forest as planned for the winter season. This is the first time OANRP has found Melastomaceae contamination in the nursery in more than ten years of operation. Staff suspects that the contaminated cinder was part of a purchase made in May or September of 2016. In the future, OANRP will not use cinder as part of our media. Staff have discussed the issue with the vendor and have also notified Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture.
TOP Melastomaceae
seedlings grown for identification tripled in size in three months and produced flowers after just four months. BOTTOM OANRP staff bare-rooted plants prior to outplanting season in order to spray off any potential weed seeds lurking in the pots.
OANRP strongly encourages other agencies to examine their nurseries, potting media and any plants destined for outplanting for similar contamination. Also, it may be prudent to monitor the sites of previous reintroductions for Melastomaceae keiki and other pests. If Melastomaceae seeds can make their way to O'ahu, a pathway may exist for other noxious pests as well.
Why do we think the cinder is the source of the contamination? • Pots were brand new • Potting media kept indoors • Potting media mix made of cinder (Big Island source), Sunshine Mix #4 (Canada), perlite (Oregon, extreme heat used in manufacturing), and vermiculite (purchased in 2014, unlikely source). Tibouchina is not known from North America • Shade houses are fully enclosed (birds unlikely disperser) • No known populations of Tibouchina within ten miles of OANRP nurseries • Tibouchina and other Melastomaceae are established on the Big Island
For more information contact: Jane Beachy beachy@hawaii.edu
NPLD 2016
National Public Lands Day at Ka'ala
Community volunteers join OANRP staff at the Ka'ala summit on National Public Land's Day to control a popular landscaping plant that has entered the Hawaiian forest: the invasive "firespike" plant (Odontonema cuspidatum). Firespike was first observed at Ka'ala as early as 1999 near the Federal Aviation Administration fenceline, along with several other ornamental plantings that may have been planted around the facility at the time of original construction in the early 1960s. RIGHT Firespike (Odontonema cuspidatum)
OANRP “regulars”–individuals who have worked on numerous volunteer projects over the years.
Volunteers across the nation were engaged in a variety of tasks. Pollinator gardens were created, native plants were added to restoration sites, and unwanted weeds were removed. Here on O‘ahu volunteers worked at the 4,200’ summit of Ka‘ala clearing out invasive weeds from the native cloud forest. Ka‘ala is home to one of the most intact native ecosystems on the island and is managed in part by the Army’s Natural Resources Program, the state’s Department of Land and Natural Resources, and the Honolulu Board of Water Supply.
An invasive weed known as “firespike” (Odontonema cuspidatum) was the primary target for this NPLD volunteer day. Native to Central America, the firespike is a relatively new introduction to Ka‘ala. It was first noticed by OANRP staff in 1999 near the Federal Aviation Administration facility at the summit (firespike was likely planted many years prior to discovery). The firespike plant was not producing fruit at Ka‘ala, but it was spreading slowly via runners and broken stems. When firespike was recently observed spreading into patches of native forest, OANRP Staff decided to enlist the help of volunteers to help with the control effort. While OANRP staff continue their search and destroy efforts for other introduced weeds such as kāhili
This is the eigth year in a row that OANRP has hosted an NPLD volunteer project. The volunteer group this Sept. 24 was a mixture of new volunteers and
“I would have volunteered today, even if it wasn’t an NPLD project,” stated Mokulē ia resident, Kathy Altz, “but it does feel extra special today knowing that there are hundreds of other like-minded folks helping to care for native plants and animals in their own communities.”
ginger (Hedychium gardnerianum) along the vertical ridgelines and slopes of Ka‘ala, volunteers join OANRP outreach staff to control firespike (and many other invasive weeds) on the flat summit terrain at the edge of the native forest. Volunteer effort has played a large role in overall weed control at Ka‘ala for over 20 years with OANRP, and the group on Sept. 24 did not disappoint. Upon arrival at the summit, volunteers donned sturdy boots and gloves and grabbed their tools of choice. Loppers and clippers were handy in battling the Florida blackberry (Rubus argutus) (which had to be removed just to get to the firespike), and handsaws were put to good use to cut the spindly firespike plants down to stumps. Several weeding hours later, the volunteer effort had been deemed a success. It will take numerous trips to completely control the firespike at Ka‘ala, but the effort shown on NPLD 2016 gives us hope that we may one day rid the native forest of this misplaced ornamental introduction!
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O
ahu community members joined thousands around the nation by volunteering with OANRP on Sept. 24 for a National Public Lands Day (NPLD) event at the summit of Ka‘ala. Each year on NPLD, people throughout the U.S. join together on the largest single-day volunteer effort to celebrate the beauty and diversity supported by our country’s natural landscapes and open spaces.
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Root into y our communit y T he U.S. Ar my Gar r i son-Hawai‘ i Natural R esources Prog ram staff lead s monthly volunteer s e r v ice tr ips to protec t rare and e ndangered plant s and animal s on Ar my -managed land s. E ach educational tr ip incor porates hiking and a hand s-on oppor tunit y to care for Hawai‘ i's natural resources through invasive weed control in native habitat and occa sional planting activ ities.
HO‘OA‘A
BECOME A VOLUNTEER JOIN THE VOLUNTEER LISTSERV
Contact OUTREACH@OANRP.COM or 656-7741 to be added to the volunteer database.
ORGANIZE A TRIP
Contact OUTREACH@OANRP.COM to organize a service opportunity for your class, hālau or group.
ABOUT THE U.S. ARMY GARRISON–HAWAI'I U.S. Army Garrison-Hawai'i (USAG-HI) is responsible for the day-to-day operations of Army installations and training areas in Hawai'i. The USAG-HI team provides facility management and quality Soldier and military family services for more than 95,000 Soldiers, retirees, civilians and families across 22 military installations and training areas on O'ahu and Hawai'i Island. These installations include O'ahu-based Schofield Barracks, Wheeler Army Airfield, Fort Shafter, Tripler Army Medical Center, and the Island of Hawai'i-based Pōhakuloa Training Area.
ABOUT THE USAG-HI DIRECTORATE OF PUBLIC WORKS ENVIRONMENTAL DIVISION The DPW Environmental Division Office at USAG-HI is comprised of two branches: the Compliance Branch and the Conservation Branch, who are dedicated to providing guidance, support and liaison services to those who live, work and train on the installation, while also protecting the environment. The Conservation Branch includes the Army's natural and cultural resource programs, which protect endangered species and cultural resources, respectively, on O'ahu and Hawai'i Island.
ABOUT THE O'AHU ARMY NATURAL RESOURCES PROGRAM The O'ahu Army Natural Resources Program is an award-winning Army program dedicated to natural resources protection and conservation. The program supports the Army's training mission by protecting the biological resources found on O'ahu Army installations and training areas. To minimize the impacts of military training on some of O'ahu's rarest plants and animals and their habitat, the U.S. Army Garrison-Hawai'i partners with the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit (PCSU) to protect more than 80 threatened and endangered species. PCSU employs over 60 staff through the Research Corporation of the University of Hawai'i to accomplish natural resource work for the Army throughout the island of O'ahu.
ABOUT THE O'AHU ARMY CULTURAL RESOURCES PROGRAM The U.S. Army's O'ahu Cultural Resources Program is charged with identifying and managing cultural resources on Hawai'i's Army installations and training areas. The program consists of a dedicated team of government and contracted archaeologists and cultural resources professionals. Together they manage and protect more than 1,000 archaeological sites on O'ahu, as well as more than 800 historic buildings and structures within two National Historic Landmark Districts and five Historic Districts.
