2021 Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Awareness Month

Looking for the HISAM22 schedule? Go here: https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/hisc/2022hisam/

Join us for one of the many opportunities below to learn more about what is being done to respond to invasive species, and how you can help.

Week 1: Featuring talks from Hawaiʻi Island

Monday, February 1

12:00 pm
HISAM opening ceremony with Hālau ʻŌhiʻa. Check out the opening ceremony for HISAM 2021: https://www.facebook.com/halauohia/

Tuesday, February 2

6:00 pm – 6:45 pm
History of Invasive Species in Hawaiʻi and the impacts on our environment, economy, and health – presented by Franny Brewer. View the recording here.

Wednesday, February 3

12:00 pm – 12:45 pm
Protecting our native forests from Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death – presented by JB Friday. View the recording here.

Thursday, February 4

8:00 am – 8:45 am
Airborne mapping to understand Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death in Hawaiʻi – presented by Greg Asner and Robin Martin. View the recording here.

11am-11:45am
Estuaries in Hawaiʻi are highly invaded by non-native fishes – presented by Kim Peyton. View the recording here.

Friday, February 5

1pm-1:45pm
Swimming under the radar: targeting invasive species in coastal brackish water habitats in Hawaiʻi – presented by Troy Sakihara, Chris Teague, Megan Lamson, & Dena Sedar. View the recording here.

Week 2: Featuring talks from Maui Nui

Monday, February 8

11:00 am-11:40 am
MISC 101: An Overview of Invasive Species Management in Maui Nui, Lissa Strohecker and Serena Fukushima. View the recording here.

6:00 pm – 6:30 pm
Maui Nui Mini-Series: Who are ya gonna call (or click)? Reporting invasive species in Hawaii- 643-PEST and 643pest.org – presented by Elizabeth Speith. View the recording here.

Maui Nui Mini-Series: Coqui on Maui: The State of the Frog – View the recording here.

Tuesday, February 9

1:00 pm – 1:45 pm
Invasive Algae of Hawaii and iNaturalist – presented by Genivieve Devine. View the recording here.

Wednesday, February 10

11:00 am – 11:20 am
Maui Nui Mini-Series: Community Coqui Control Program – presented by Susan Frett. View the recording here.

12:00 pm – 12:20 pm
Maui Nui Mini-Series: Tackling Lāna‘i’s Prickliest Plants and Other Weed Eradication Updates – presented by Kari Bogner. View the recording here.

6:00 pm- 7:30 pm
Plant Pono – Your Travel Guide Down the Road of Good Intentions – presented Molly Murphy and Chuck Chimera. View the recording here.

Thursday, February 11

10:00 am – 10:20 am
Maui Nui Mini-Series: Maui Invasive Species Committee’s Approach to Controlling Eradicable Plant Species on Maui – presented by Michael Ade. View the recording here.

10:30 am – 11:15 am
Maui Nui Mini-Series: Efforts and Approaches on Maui to Eradicate Little Fire Ants – presented by Brooke Mahnken. View the recording here.

Friday, February 12

11:00am- 11:30am
Maui Freshwater Systems: Invasives, Natives and more – presented by Skippy Hau. View the recording here.

12:00 pm – 12:30 pm
Maui Nui Mini-Series: MISC & MoMISC Response to Unique Vertebrates (e.g., conures and other parrot-like birds, veiled chameleons, rabbits, snakes and more) – presented by Adam Radford. View the recording here.

Week 3: Featuring talks from Oʻahu

Tuesday, February 16

1:30pm- 2:15pm
Nutrient Impacts on Coral Reefs – presented by Celia Smith. View the recording here.

4:00 pm – 4:45pm
Developing a Taste for Sustainable Seafood in Hawaiʻi: Conservation International – presented by Jana Young & Matt Ramsey. View the recording here.

6:00 pm – 6:45 pm
Oʻahu Invasive Species Committee: That Thing We Do: A Look Into the Fight Against Invasive Species – presented by Erin Bishop. View the recording here.

Wednesday, February 17

10:00 am- 10:45 am
Native Urchin Biocontrol of Invasive Algae – presented by David Cohen & Wes Dukes. View the recording here.

2:00 pm- 2:20 pm
Ballast Water and Biofouling the Major Vector of Marine Introduced Species – presented by Sara Tom & Natalie Dunn. View the recording here.

Thursday, February 18

10:00 am – 10:45 am
Chasing the Fastest Growing Tree in the World: Albizia – presented by Frankie Koethe & JC Watson. View the recording here.

11:00 am – 11:45 am
Protecting our forests from hooved animals – trends and progress statewide – presented by Emma Yuen. View the recording here.

12:00 pm – 12:45 pm
Speak for the Trees (or Coral): how to participate in the legislative process – presented by Christy Martin. View the recording here.

Friday, February 19

10:00 am-11:30 am – Biosecurity Series. View the recording here.
Māmalu Poepoe: Invasive Species Surveillance at Hawaii’s Airports – presented by Leyla Kaufman
Biocontrol success in protecting Hawaii against impacts of invasive insect species – presented by Mark Wright

12:00 pm -12:45 pm
The Unique Case of Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle in Hawaii – presented by Koki Atcheson & Kaili Kosaka. View the recording here.

Week 4: Featuring talks from Kauaʻi

Kauaʻi Invasive Species Committee Huakaʻi Series:

Huakaʻi 1 Kōkeʻe: Check out Kauai Invasive Species Committee on Facebook to see Kim Rogers and the ROD team talking about ‘Ōhi’a and native plants’ importance in the nāhele of Kōkeʻe & Wailua watersheds also highlighting the spread of Rapid ‘Ōhi’a Death on Kauaʻi.

Huakaʻi 2 ʻAlekoko: Check out this KISC Huakaʻi series highlighting Mālama Huleʻia and impacts of mangrove/invasive fish on fishpond and estuary

Huakaʻi 3 Kāhili: Check out this KISC Huakaʻi series highlighting responsible hiking practices in the forest. Huakaʻi finale featuring Kauai DAR talking about invasive aquatic species and closing remarks about the 3 part huakaʻi and HISAM.

Tuesday, February 23

12:00 pm – 12:45 pm
Plants, pests, and community: The UH CTAHR Extension Program – presented by Roshan Manandhar. View the recording here.

Wednesday, February 24

12:00-12:45 pm
Cat safe, wildlife safe Kauai – presented by Helen Raine. View the recording here.

Thursday, February 25

10:30am – 11:10am
Be a Friend of the Forest – presented by Kim Rogers and Haylin Chock. View the recording on KISC’s Youtube here.

6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Fighting Invasive species in the Watersheds of the Big Island – presented by Three Mountain Alliance, Kohala Watershed Partnership, and Mauna Kea Watershed Partnership. View the recording here.

Friday, February 26

1:00 pm – 1:45 pm
Aquatic Invasive Species on Kauai: Salvinia, Tilapia and a new Algae – presented by Aaron Swink, Heather Ylitalo-Ward, & Kaili Shayler. View the recording here.

Saturday, February 27

6:45 am: Closing ceremony with Hālau ʻŌhiʻa. Check out our closing ceremony on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/halauohia

Throughout the month look for the tag #HISAM2021 for more live events and activities

February 2021 is Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Awareness Month

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR HISAM 2021 WINNERS!

These individuals and organizations are being recognized for their extra efforts to help manage invasive species in our island home. Check out this Story Map to watch videos about each of our winners!

Business Leader

Maui Disposal – Bill Hendershot.
Maui Disposal has partnered with Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC) to provide green waste disposal bins in the Community Coqui Control neighborhoods. By providing this service at a greatly reduced rate MISC has been able to facilitate proper green waste disposal during our community spray weeks.

Community Hero

John Phelps
John leads the Community Coqui Control effort for the Haiku Hill neighborhood. Every 6 weeks John organizes his neighbors to participate in the coqui frog spray week, during which an average of 15 properties are treated with citric acid solution to control coqui frogs. John’s dedication to the coqui control effort helps his community and the rest of Maui from being taken over from this pesky pest.

Island MVPs

Hawaiʻi Island

Carolyn Wong
As the State Grazing Land Management Specialist for NRCS in Waimea, Carolyn was instrumental in bringing stakeholders together to fight the newly introduced two-lines spittlebug (TLSB). TLSB is a serious threat to Hawaii’s cattle industry and food security, devastating over 200,000 acres of pasture in just four years. However, her commitment did not stop with TLSB, as she recognized the larger issue of biosecurity and invasive species in Hawaii and has become a staunch and outspoken advocate.

Maui Nui

Keith Ideoka
Keith’s prompt action to survey and submit a sample for possible little fire ant allowed rapid response from the MISC crew to what in deed turned out to be little fire ant at a Maui school. MISC staff was able to delimit an area and begin treatments while the infestation was still relatively small and, importantly, before it had reached into the canopy of the large banyan trees that surround the site. Throughout the course of MISC’s treatments at the site Keith has provided support and encouragement, working with school administration. Although the pandemic soon interfered with on-site learning at the school, Keith has continued with plans to establish the school’s nursery and agricultural functions in a separate area of the grounds in order to support the long-term quarantine necessary for the infested area.

Oʻahu

Conservation Dogs of Hawaiʻi: Kyoko Johnson
Kyoko and her team are dedicated to supporting efforts to suppress the expansion of devil weed on Oahu by assisting with early detection and removal projects. The efforts put forth by this organization not only serve a utilitarian purpose in conservation efforts, but the ability to recruit volunteer dog owners and train them provides a most valuable outreach effort. Invasive plants aren’t the easiest invasive species for people enthusiastic about, but having 4-legged conservation mascots in the fight against one of the world’s worst invasive plants gets everyone excited.

Kauaʻi

Kaniela and Janoah Young
Over the last year, Kaniela and Janoah, owner’s of Kani Wildlife Control, have proven to be invaluable partners in the effort to minimize the agricultural and economical impacts of the Rose-ringed parakeets (RRP) on Kauaʻi. They have been instrumental in providing expertise and essential data to help strengthen the island-wide, long-term RRP population reduction plan. Kaniela and Janoah are a shining example of the importance of community collaboration and working together with federal, state, county, non-profit, and community partners to address an island-wide problem.

Hawaii Invasive Species Council