Kaʻū News Briefs Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016

Enjoying the lava lake? So are endangered nēnē. Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park reminds drivers to slow down, and watch out  for nēnē when traveling to and from favorite lava-viewing sites. Nēnē pairs are preparing to nest and females are frantically  feeding, even at night. NPS Photo/Janice Wei.

KEAUHOU AND KĪLAEUA LAND GIVEN BY PRINCESS RUTH KEʻELIKŌLANI to Kamehameha Schools in 1883 is proposed for a Safe Harbor endangered species protection program. The plan was presented at a state Department of Land & Natural Resources public hearing in Volcano last night. Kamehameha Schools representatives and state Department of Land and Natural Resources officials gave the details.

Wildlife that would be supported by the Safe Harbor program on 32,800 acres on Mauna Loa near Volcano. Photos from Kamehameha Schools

      The 32,800 acres near Volcano border Kapapala Forest Reserve, Hawaʻi Volcanoes National Park, Puʻu Makaʻala Nautral Area Reserve, Mauna Loa Forest Reserve and Kipuka Ainahou Nene Sanctuary. The land would become the largest Safe Harbor for endangered species in the United States, if approved by DLNR and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, which would help Kamehameha Schools with the conservation management.
     In its proposal, Kamehameha Schools touts its conservation management and stewardship practices that “have contributed to preserving some of the last remaining intact native forests in Hawaiʻi.” Much of the Safe Harbor management style is already underway at Keauhou Forest and portions of Kīlauea Forest owned by KS. “The Kīlauea forest portion has never been logged and has retained intact high quality habitat through fencing and ungulate removal efforts implemented by KS and partners.”
     The area is already under protection and restoration through a KS Natural Resources Management Plan. KS points out that it also “continues to provide educational opportunities through interactions with healthy native ecosystems now and for future generations.”

The blue surrounds Kamehameha Schools land proposed for Safe Harbor. The green  surrounds Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and te yellow surrounds state forest. Map from Kamehameha Schools

    Even with the care already provided, KS reports: “Only a small portion of the original Hawaiian avifauna known before human settlement have survived, and at least 13 historically known species that could have occurred in the Keauhou-Kīlauea region are now either extinct or have been extirpated from the area. The result is that only nine forest birds—ʻIo, Hawaiʻi ʻElepaio, ʻŌmaʻo, Hawaiʻi ʻAmakihi, ʻAkiapōlāʻau, Hawaiʻi Creeper, Hawaiʻi ʻĀkepa, ʻIʻiwi, and ʻApapane – persist in the Keauhou-Kīlauea region. The ʻŌpeʻapeʻa, or Hawaiian Hoary Bat, which is the only native terrestrial mammal present in the Hawaiian Islands, is also found at Keauhou from 4,000 to 6,000 feet in elevation.
      Vegetation zones with endangered species include Montane Wet at 3,000 to 6,000 feet, with more than 75 inches of rain a year, featuring ʻōhiʻa and hapuʻu forest and tall koa and ʻōhiʻa forest; Montaine Mesic, between 3,000 and 6,000 feet with 50 to 75 inches of rain a year, featuring tall koa and ʻōhiʻa forest, with separate ʻōhiʻa forest with understory native trees and other plants. It also includes a Subalpine zone, from 6,000 feet to 9,000 feet with pioneer vegetation on younger lava flows, dry native shrub with scattered ʻōhiʻa, forested kipuka and dry ʻōhiʻa forest.
     Care of the land will include forest restoration, involving out-planting of common native and rare species and improvement of exiting forested areas to increase biodiversity and native forest cover. Predator control will reduce impacts of feral cats, mongooses and rats on the endangered Hawaiian crow, if necessary. Feral dogs will be removed to protect nēnē and other species covered by the agreement.

The Safe Harbor near Volcano would include bare lava (in red), forest with closed canopy (dark green), forest with open canopy  (light green), scattered trees (mustard) and very scattered  trees (yellow). Map from Kamehameha Schools

     Koa silviculture will create new forest in formerly logged areas and degraded pastures, increase soil-water retention capacity and provide nesting and foraging habitat for Hawaiian forest birds, the Hawaiian Hawk and the Hawaiian Hoary Bat.
     To keep out pigs, goats and sheep, KS will maintain fence lines in Keauhou and Kīlauea. The KS fencelines were designed for zero tolerance of feral ungulates. A weed control program will suppress faya, ginger, strawberry guava, Himalayan rasberry and other invasives. A program to prevent rapid ʻōhiʻa death from destroying trees will continue.
     See more of the plan at https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/wildlife/files/2013/10/ks-sha.pdf. Comments can be sent to katherine.cullison@hawaii.gov by Dec. 22.


VOTE TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY FOR THE DIRECTORY COVER IMAGE for the 2017 business and resource guide, published by the Kaʻū Chamber of Commerce. The annual Beauty of Kaʻū Art Show is open to the public at  through this Friday, Nov. 18, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Naʻalehu Hongwanji Breezeway.  A popular vote will determine the cover of The Directory. All entries are eligible to win the popular vote (the cover) including youth and keiki art, with the exception of previous cover winners for The Directory. Prizes will be given for: photography, sculpture, woodworking, quilting, jewelry, lei, graphics, painting and weaving.
    During the show, works of art for sale are priced on a list available from art show volunteers. The results of judging and the selection for The Directory cover will be announced this Saturday, Nov. 19 at 11 a.m. at Naʻalehu Hongwanji, with artists invited to a reception and awards ceremony. The Directory is published in January.

Christmas in the Country begins this Friday, Nov. 18 at  Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.  Volcano Arts Center photo

CHRISTMAS IN THE COUNTRY begins this Friday, Nov. 18 – Jan 1 from  9 a.m. – 5 p.m., at  Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The holiday event kicks off with a members-only reception, 5:30 p.m., opening day. Featured at Christmas in the Country is the 17th Annual Invitational Wreath Exhibit, with prizes awarded for the best wreaths. To participate, contact Emily Weiss at 967-8222 or gallery@volcanoartcenter.org. Free; park entrance fees apply.

A FOOD DRIVE AND TROJAN BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT begins at 5:15 p.m. this Friday, Nov. 18. To enter the first official high school competition played at the new Kaʻū District Gym, bring canned food instead of money. At least one can of food required to enter. After three games on Friday, Trojan wahine play again on Saturday starting at 9 a.m. The tournament is expected to last all day against Keaʻau, Pahoa and Kealakehe high schools. Big Island Interscholastic competition begins at the gym in December.
HIʻIAKA & PELE, Saturday, Nov. 19, 9:30 – 11 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The famous myth of the volcano goddess Pele and her companion Hiʻiaka is the focus of this free, moderate, one-mile walk. Participants discover the Hawaiian goddesses and the natural phenomena that reveal their story on this free, moderate, one-mile walk. nps.gov/havo

CENTENNIAL WALK: ‘Ōhi‘a Wing – Our New Museum, Saturday, Nov. 19, 10 a.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Following up on her After Dark in the Park talk given on Tuesday, Nov. 15, Chief of Cultural Resources Laura Carter Schuster is leading an easy walk from Kīlauea Visitor Center to the park’s new museum site. She’ll reveal the history and highlights of the park’s original 1932 park Administration Building and share exhibit plans that will highlight the park’s museum collection

RAINFOREST MELE, Sat, Nov 19, 4:30 & 7:30 p.m., Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village. Funk band Bump City Hawaiʻi performs in the tradition of Tower of Power, Average White Band, James Brown and more. 967-8222

MONGOLIAN BBQ, Sat, Nov 19, 5 – 8 p.m., Kīlauea Military Camp’s Crater Rim Café in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The cost is only $.85 per ounce for a Mongolian BBQ plate dinner with your choice of protein, veggies, rice & beverage. Open to all authorized patrons & sponsored guests. 967-8356

PEOPLE & LANDS OF KAHUKU, Sun, Nov 20, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park’s Kahuku Unit. This free, guided, 2.5-mile, moderately difficult hike over rugged terrain focuses on the area’s human history. Learn about emerging native forests, pastures, lava fields, and other sites that today hold clues about ways people have lived and worked on the vast Kahuku lands – from the earliest Hawaiians, through generations of ranching families, to the current staff and volunteers of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. nps.gov/havo


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