VOTING MEMBERSDAVID IGE

SUZANNE CASE
DEPARTMENT OF LAND & NATURALRESOURCES

GOVERNOR OF HAWAIISHAN TSUTSUISCOTT ENRIGHTHAWAII DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

LIEUTENANT GOVERNORKEITH KAWAOKA, D.Env
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTHNICHOLAS COMERFORD, Ph.D.
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI‘IHAWAII INVASIVE SPECIES COUNCIL
1151 PUNCHBOWL ST, #325
HONOLULU, HAWAII 96813

LEO ASUNCION
OFFICE OF PLANNING, DEPARTMENT OF
BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT &TOURISMDAVID RODRIGUEZDEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

January 18, 2018SUBMITTALTO:

Co-chairs and Members
Hawaii Invasive Species Council
State of Hawaii

FROM:John-Carl Watson, Former Planner, & Joshua Atwood, Program Supervisor
Hawaii Invasive Species Council

SUBJECT:

Requesting adoption of the Strategic Plan for the Control and Management ofAlbizia in Hawaii as a HISC guiding document for future policy and funding
efforts

Background
The Hawaii Invasive Species Council (HISC) recognized albizia as an important invasive species
in Resolution 11-2. Since then, the HISC has invested in multiple albizia control strategies,
including the support of the Big Island Invasive Species Committee (BIISC) and their Albizia
Control Teams, as well as mapping efforts, economic analyses, and initial research by the US
Forest Service into the use of biological control to limit the further spread of albizia. In 2013,
Senate Resolution SR41-SD1 requested that the HISC create a comprehensive plan for thecontrol of albizia throughout the State.
Attached to this submittal is a statewide strategic plan for the control and management of albizia
in Hawaii. The purpose of this strategic plan is not to provide site-specific management actions
but to provide large-scale objectives and a framework to minimize the impacts of albizia on theenvironment, human health, and infrastructure by:• Describing statewide impacts of albizia• Summarizing available control methods• Recommending directions for future research on detection and control methodologies• Supporting and encouraging the development of island or site-specific management plans• Identifying priorities for HISC funding to support research, detection, and control efforts.
This plan, if adopted by the HISC, could be utilized to direct future funding and collaboration
efforts supported by the HISC or other entities.
Discussion
Native to Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, and the Solomon Islands, albizia (Falcatariamoluccana) is a fast growing tropical tree that was introduced to Hawaii in 1917 by Joseph Rock

as an ornamental plant and for reforestation purposes. This year marks the 100th anniversary ofalbizia's arrival to Hawaii.
Based on initial imagery analysis, the plan estimates that there are roughly 20,000 acres on Oahu
infested with albizia, and 43,000 acres infested in east Hawaii Island. Albizia has been evaluatedby the Hawaii-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment as a high risk invasive species.
While albizia is widespread across Kauai, Oahu, Maui, and Hawaii Islands, localized control canbe utilized to minimize damage to people and infrastructure. This has been demonstrated by theBIISC's Albizia Control Teams, through which BIISC has collaborated with communities,
government, and utility companies to target albizia near power infrastructure, roadways, andhomes.
The attached strategic plan does not provide a complete guide to controlling all albizia in Hawaii.
Rather, it provides the tools needed to develop site-specific plans and can serve as a guiding
document for future policy and funding efforts. The plan includes a template for community
groups to create site-specific management plans, suggestions for landowner or agency actions
relating to albizia, suggestions for future research directions, and potential policies that could be
proposed as legislation and/or administrative rules.
One potential utility for this plan is to seek a legislative appropriation specific to supporting theobjectives and implementation tasks described in the plan. This could function as a separate
HISC Call for Proposals in future years.
This plan was first submitted for HISC review and adoption on August 24, 2017. The HISC did
not adopt the plan at that time, requesting an additional review of liability concerns in thedocument. HISC staff subsequently met with legal counsel provided by the Hawaii Departmentof Agriculture (HISC staff had previously met with legal counsel provided by the Department ofLand and Natural Resources). Based on guidance provided by legal counsel, additional language
was added to the plan to clarify the definition of "hazard trees," highlight this definition within
the document, and provide additional guidance in the site-specific planning template encouraging
project managers to thoroughly consider liability and compliance issues and utilize appropriate
signage in project areas.
Legal Authority• HRS 194-2 (a): Establishes the HISC for the purpose of cabinet-level coordination andplanning among state departments, federal agencies, and international and local initiatives• HRS 194-2 (a)(2): Advise, consult, and coordinate invasive species-related efforts withand between the departments of agriculture, land and natural resources, health, andtransportation, as well as state, federal, international, and privately organized programs
and policies.
Recommendations
1. That the HISC adopt the Strategic Plan for the Control and Management of Albizia inHawaii as a HISC guiding document for future policy and funding efforts, provided that
portions of the document may be updated in the future based on new information.
Attachments:
1. Strategic Plan for the Control and Management of Albizia in Hawaii