VOTING MEMBERSJOSH GREEN

LAURA KAAKUADEPARTMENT OF LAND & NATURALRESOURCES

GOVERNOR OF HAWAIISYLVIA LUKESHARON HURDHAWAII DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

LIEUTENANT GOVERNORKATHLEEN HO, D.Env
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTHANIA WIECZOREK, Ph.D.
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI‘IHAWAIʻI INVASIVE SPECIES COUNCIL

MARY ALICE EVANS
BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT &TOURISMEDWIN SNIFFENDEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATIONAGENDA
FOR THE MEETING OF THE
HAWAIʻI INVASIVE SPECIES COUNCIL
DATE:
TIME:
PLACE:

Tuesday, December 19, 2023
1:00 PMIn-person - Conference Room 16; Hawaiʻi State Capitol 415 S Beretania
St., Honolulu, HI 96813 / & Online Via Zoom Meeting ID: 854 4323
4542

ZOOM LINK:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85443234542?pwd=LAXKaf9yRuHR3YOcmDAvvKQQL3AVia.1
Passcode: HISC
This Council meeting will be held using interactive conference technology under section 92-3.7,
Haw. Rev. Stat. Council members, staff, testifiers and the public can choose to participate on
person, online via Zoom, or by telephone. The public may also view the live meeting via its live
stream at: https://youtube.com/live/6JPf6QRcMuo?feature=share.
To Provide Written Testimony
We encourage interested persons to submit written testimony in advance of the meeting, which
will be distributed to Council members prior to the meeting and allow a timely review. Pleasesubmit written testimony via email to: jack.f.reef.researcher@hawaii.gov. Written testimonies
can also be mailed to: 1151 Punchbowl Street, Rm 325 Honolulu HI 96813. Written testimonies
may be posted upon the Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council Meeting website; as a precaution,please be mindful with any personal information prior to submitting unless you intend it to beshared. Late testimony will be retained as part of the record and distributed to Council members
as soon as practicable, but we cannot ensure Council members will receive it in sufficient time toreview prior to any decision-making.
To Provide In-Person Oral Testimony (masks are highly encouraged)
Attend in-person at: 415 S Beretania St., Honolulu, HI 96813, Conference Room 16; HawaiʻiState Capitol.
To Provide Testimony by Telephone
On the day of the meeting at the start of the agenda item you wish to testify on, dial: + 1 719
359-4580 (Zoom); input the Meeting ID: 854 4323 4542 and follow the prompts.
To Provide Video/Zoom Testimony

Send your request in a timely manner to jack.f.reef.researcher@hawaii.gov with yourinformation, email address, and the agenda item you wish to testify on. Once your request has
been received, you will receive a confirmation email with pertinent information. You may testify
without signing up in advance.
We kindly ask that all oral/video testimony be limited to not more than three (3) minutes. We ask
that you identify yourself and any affiliation before speaking, but you can choose not to do so.
Join Zoom Meetinghttps://us06web.zoom.us/j/85443234542?pwd=LAXKaf9yRuHR3YOcmDAvvKQQL3AVia.1
Meeting ID: 854 4323 4542
Passcode: HISC

Special Accommodations
If you need auxiliary aid/service or other accommodation due to disability, please contact Jack,the Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council Planner, at 808-587-0166 or
jack.f.reef.researcher@hawaii.gov as soon as possible. Requests made as early as possible have agreater likelihood of being fulfilled. Upon request, this agenda and other materials are available
in alternate/accessible forms.
AGENDA
Agenda items #3, 5, and 8 will be Council voting actions. The remaining agenda items provide
status updates and information that do not require Council action.
1. Call to order
2. Introductions of Council Members
3. Approval of minutes from August 23, 2023 Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council meeting
4. Updates from Council members and Department representatives on 2024 legislative
requests & policies related to biosecurity and invasive species. This is only an update.
a. Governor’s FY25 Budget for Department of Land & Natural Resources; Divisionof Forestry & Wildlife & Division of Aquatic Resources funding to support
statewide invasive ant research and control to be carried out by the Hawaiʻi Ant
Lab, additional funds for fire pre-suppression, readiness, response, and post-firerestoration and rehabilitation, and funding to support forest/resource management.
Internal actions regarding the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (VIDA).
b. Governor’s FY25 Budget for Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture (DOA) includes
legislation Relating to Agriculture Loans - Reduces and sets fixed interest rates
for loans under the Agricultural Loan Program, Relating to Pesticides - Replaces
representatives from the sugar and pineapple industries with representatives of thecoffee and diversified agriculture industries, Relating to a Strategic Plan to
Increase Food Production and Food Security - Requires the DOAin cooperation
with the office of the governor, to establish an updated strategic plan to increase
Hawaii's food production and food security. Requires DOA to submit a report tothe legislature 20 days prior to the 2025 regular session. DOA is working toschedule meetings starting mid-January 2024 for rulemaking regarding HawaiʻiAdministrative Rules, Chapter 4-72, entitled “Plant and Non-Domestic Animal
Quarantine Plant Intrastate Rules”. This is only an update on next steps of therulemaking process and not a formal hearing.
c. The Hawaiʻi Department of Health; Vector Control Branch is working on alegislative proposal to add language to Hawaiʻi Revised Statute (HRS) 322-1, thatclarifies that the department of health shall act when there are conditions which
are dangerous or injurious to “public or environmental” health. HRS 322 is one of
the core authorizing statutes that provides the DOH with powers to prevent,remove or abate invasive species which can cause sickness (disease vectors) or
may be otherwise dangerous or injurious to health.
5. Submittal Requesting HISC Program Support Staff to develop a biosecurity & invasive
species legislative package for tracking and coordination purposes during the 2024
Legislative Session; and Submit HISC-specific testimony.
6. Informational presentation from Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Hawaiʻion invasive corals discovered in the Pearl Harbor area and ongoing management efforts.
7. Informational presentation from University of Hawaiʻi Extension Specialist in
Ecosystems & Fire on Wildfire in Hawaiʻi with particular focus on the role of invasive
grasses and shrubs
8. Submittal Requesting a Resolution Recognizing the Role of Invasive Plants as it Relates
to Wildfire in Hawaiʻi & Supporting Recommendations for the Prevention and PostRecovery Efforts to Mitigate Future Impacts
9. Recommendations from Council members on topics for future HISC meetings andtimeframe.
10. Adjournment
The Council may go into Executive Session pursuant to Section 92-5(a) (4), Hawaiʻi Revised
Statutes, in order to consult with its attorney on questions and issues pertaining to the Council’s
powers, duties, privileges, immunities and liabilities.
For information, contact:
HISC Support staff:
1151 Punchbowl St, #325, Honolulu, HI 96813; (808) 587-0166; Fax: (808) 587-0160
Chelsea Arnott, Coordinator: Chelsea.L.Arnott@hawaii.gov
Leyla Kaufman, Project Coordinator: leyla@hawaii.edu
Elizabeth Speith, 643pest.org Report Facilitator: speith@hawaii.edu
Chuck Chimera, Weed Risk Assessment Specialist: chimera@hawaii.edu
Jack Reef, Planner: jack.f.reef.researcher@hawaii.gov

VOTING MEMBERSJOSH GREENDAWN CHANG
DEPARTMENT OF LAND & NATURALRESOURCES

GOVERNOR OF HAWAIISYLVIA LUKESHARON HURDHAWAII DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

LIEUTENANT GOVERNORKATHLEEN HO, D.Env
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTHANIA WIECZOREK, Ph.D.
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI‘IHAWAII INVASIVE SPECIES COUNCIL
1151 PUNCHBOWL ST, #325
HONOLULU, HAWAII 96813

MARY ALICE EVANS
BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT &TOURISMEDWIN SNIFFENDEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

DRAFT MEETING NOTES
Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council
August 23, 2023; 1:00 PM
Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources, Board Room (Rm 132) 1151
Punchbowl St, Honolulu, HI, 96813
Per Hawaii Sunshine Law guidelines, this meeting was hybrid with attendees
participating virtually through a Zoom link provided by HISC Support Staff or through the
HISC YouTube channel or in-person at the DLNR Board Room in the Kalanimoku
Building in Honolulu, HI. Council members, legislative representatives, and HISC
Resources Working Group members were provided with a Zoom link. Members of the
public were able to view the meeting through the HISC YouTube Channel. A
recording of the meeting can be found here: https://youtu.be/AznHvYVS6K0
1. Call to order• Opening comments for the hybrid committee were made by Chair Hurd at
1:02pm.
2. Introductions
List of Attendees:• Council Voting Members:o Dawn Chang, Co-Chair (Department of Land and Natural Resources);
Sharon Hurd, Co-Chair [Hawai'i Department of Agriculture (HDOA)];
Tammy Lee on behalf of Ed Sniffen (Department of Transportation);
Mary Alice Evans (Department of Business, Economic Development andTourism); Ania Wieczorek (University of Hawaii)• Legislative Non-Voting Members:o Representative Krisin Kahaloa (District 6). Malie Thoemmes Adams onbehalf of Representative Luke Evslin (District 16)• Support staff:
o Chelsea Arnott (HISC), Darcy Oishi (HDOA); Rob Hauff (Forestry andWildlife); Elizabeth Speith (HISC), Jack Reef (HISC), Ellie Montgomery(HISC)• Other Participants:
o Christy Martin (CGAPS); Franny Brewer (Hawai’i Invasive Species
Committee), Nate Dube (O’ahu Invasive Species Committee): Laurie
Buchanan (Molokai/Maui Invasive Species Committee); Tiffani Keanini(Kauai Invasive Species Committee).

•

Other Attendees:o Tom Hallwalk and his wife.

3. Approval of minutes from June 13, 2023 meeting
HISC approved the minutes from June 13, 2023.
A motion of approval was made by Member Evans and seconded by Co-Chair Chang.
4. Presentations: FY24 HISC Recommended Budget
Item 4 involved two presentations by staff. The first presentation was from Rob
Hauff (Forestry and Wildlife) and Chelsea Arnott (Forestry and Wildlife and HISC)
regarding HISC funding recommendations as recommended by HISC’s Working
Resources Group (RWG).
The second presentation was from Franny Brewer (Big Island Invasive Species
Committee) regarding the operations and funding of the Island Invasive Species
Committees that oprtsyr on Kauai, O’ahu, Molokai, Maui, and Hawai’i islands.
A summary of these presentations and the discussion with HISC members is set forth
below.
HISC Funding Recommendations
Rob Hauff (DLNR and the RWG Chair) provided background regarding the HISC
funding applications and recommended funding actions of RWG.
o HISC funding awards followed its scoring process to recommend funding
allocations;o There were 10 members of RWG evaluating applications;o RWG funding priorities were based on the Hawaii interagency BiosecurityPlan;o There were 28 funding application submitted this year;o Total funding requested was $8.494M; ando HISC 2024 available funding was $4.1M.
Questions and Discussion from the Council Members and Staff
Biocontrol§ Rob Hauff provided a description of “biocontrol” and the process
to implement biocontrol in the field in response to Member Evans’question;§ Chair Hurd added that the process to implement biocontrol is anextremely lengthy process; and§ Rob Hauff advised that the HISC website has a great detailed
description of Biocontrol.

Application Procedures§ In response to a question from Chair Hurd, Chelsea Arnott
provided details regarding the RFP process to solicit HISC funding
applicants; and§ Member Evans asked about the challenges with State procurement
requirements, and staff stated that not all of the State’s restrictive
procurement requirements applied to HISC because HISC fundingis only open to other State agencies.
HISC Funding Applications• Chair Chang asked why the number of HISC applicants was
smaller this year, and Chelsea Arnott advised that entities who
previously applied and were not awarded funds, decided against
applying for funds this year. In addition, in response to Member
Wieczorek’s question Chelsea stated that 97% of applicants wererepeat candidates;• Member Wieczorek and Co-Chair Chang asked about “scalability”
of funding proposals. Staff advised that applicants are offered an
opportunity to detail how their projects could be scaled down
based on funding availability, and that applicants can clarify
questions for evaluators if they attend the RWG meeting;• In response to member Evan’s questions, Chelsea Arnott advisedthat HISC does request funding from the legislature to supplement
the HISC awards, but that last year’s request was not approved.
Co-Chairs Chang and Hurd stressed the importance of stakeholders
attending legislative meetings to advocate for funding andlegislative action;• Staff clarified for Co-Chair Hurd that reducing funding for LFA
did not reduce the number of islands served.
• Member Wieczorek stated that the public could falsely perceivethat applicants had inflated their funding needs because awards
were provided at a reduced amount Therefore, the process needed
more clarity that reduced funding directly leads to a reduction inproject scope. Chelsea Arnott said that HISC is always looking forways to improve the process;• Staff advised that payments are reimbursements to applicants in
response to a question from Co-Chair Hurd;• Co-Chair Hurd stressed the importance of the RWG’s
recommendation to provide funding for two-lined spittlebug; and• Co-Chair Chang and Member Evans discussed that UHERO relies
on contracting and grant funding for student projects.

•

ISCs
Chelsea stated that last year former Chair Case discussed the topic
of setting aside a set-amount of funding for the ISCs; and•

Co-Chair Chang stressed the important of quantifying “In kindservices” or community volunteering in order to demonstrate that“in kind services” double or triple the investments made by thelegislature. Member Wiczoek seconded this point. Co-Chair
Chang said that the private sector is a potential collaborative
partner.

Franny Brewer’s Presentation on ISCs
• Each ISC has its own steering committee;• ISCs are not State employees and therefore can operate with more
flexibility such as accessing private property;• ISC core work is to assess invasive species and work toward
eradication;• ISCs work as the glue to help diverse stakeholders work together;• 14k plants have been introduced in state of Hawaii and there are
56 action plans to eradicate invasive species on the Hawaiian
islands;• Early detection is not a passive duty;• Eradiation is possible, but easier if caught early;• ISCs leverage government funding with private funding;• In response to Member Evans, Franny Brewer clarified thatadministrative costs can reach 15%;
• Co-Chair Hurd commented that ISCs and HDOA can mutually
benefit from staff recruiting between entities;• Co-Chair Chang said that DLNR has taken steps to expand work
experiences when scoring job applications in order to ensure those
who have experience working on invasive species are eligible forState jobs; and• Co-Chair Chang stated that community outreach is important for
LFA.
o Non-voting Member Deputy Lee (DOT) stated that in regards toaddressing Albizia, the State created a temporary exemption to allow for
expanding contracting capabilities.
5. Submittal: Requesting approval of a recommended budget for Fiscal Year 2024
Rob Hauff summarized the actions steps needed to approve RWG’s recommendations.
Member Evans moved that the HISC submittal be approved and Co-Chair Chang
seconded this action.
Co-Chair Hurd acknowledged that the Motion was approved without objection.

6. Public Comments• Tom Hallwalk from a local cat sanctuary discussed that feral cats are a danger toendangered species. Co-Chair Chang expressed willingness to partner with a cat
sanctuary if DLNR is given priority preference. Mr. Hallwalk requested a briefing
with Chair Hurd to further develop a cat sanctuary.
•

•
•
•

•

Chelsea summarized written public testimony as follows:o David Davis proposed a new tool to combat Coqui Frogs;§ Chair Hurd asked for more information regarding the Coqui frog
proposal and said that the pesticide branch of HDOA is best suited toaddress this proposal; ando Community members, windward side of Oahu (Waimanalu) expressed
concern for Little Fire Ant, Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle and Coqu frogs andthat they are seeking HISC assistance.
The Maui ISC wanted to inform HISC that they receive funding from the County.
Co-Chair Chang said that the recent Waimanolu community meeting was wellattended;
Co-Chair Chang stated that staff should consider or the next HISC meeting should
address combatting invasive species in order to reduce the risk of wildfires, including
focusing on the areas impacted by the Maui fire. Any review should address how toensure invasive species do not grow back in wildfire impacted areas, and that
underground utilities may be helpful. Co-Chair Hurd said that Hemp wood is termite
resistant and fireproof.`; andCo-Chair Hurd stressed that its important for stakeholders to show up to thelegislature when advocating for funding of legislative action. Members Chang andEvans agreed with Co-Chair’s Hurds comments regarding advocacy to the legislature.

7. Adjournment
2:48pmVOTING MEMBERSJOSH GREEN

LAURA KAAKUADEPARTMENT OF LAND & NATURALRESOURCES

GOVERNOR OF HAWAIISYLVIA LUKESHARON HURDHAWAII DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

LIEUTENANT GOVERNORKATHLEEN HO, D.Env
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTHANIA WIECZOREK, Ph.D.
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI‘IHAWAIʻI INVASIVE SPECIES COUNCIL

MARY ALICE EVANS
BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT &TOURISMEDWIN SNIFFENDEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

December 19, 2023
SUBMITTALTO:

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

SUBJECT:

Requesting HISC Program Support Staff to Develop a Biosecurity & Invasive Species
Legislative Package for Tracking and Coordination During the 2024 Legislative Session;and Submit HISC-specific Testimony

Background
The Hawaii Invasive Species Council is an inter-departmental collaboration comprised of the
Departments of Land & Natural Resources (DLNR), Agriculture (DOA), Health (DOH), Transportation(DOT), Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT), and the University of Hawaii (UH). The
HISC was established in 2003 by Chapter 194, Hawaii Revised Statutes, in response to a 2002 State
Legislative Reference Bureau study identifying the need to address a number of gaps in invasive species
management statewide.
The purpose of the Council is providing policy level direction, coordination, and planning among state
departments, federal agencies, and international and local initiatives for the control and eradication ofharmful invasive species infestations throughout the State and for preventing the introduction of otherinvasive species that may be potentially harmful.
As part of the HISC mandate to provide policy direction, program support staff for the Council put
together legislative packages based on departmental requests reflective or in support of the HawaiʻiInteragency Biosecurity Plan each legislative session prior to the pandemic. This helped coordinate
department efforts and support for biosecurity and invasive species policies, keep the Council informed ofupcoming hearings, and continue implementation of the Biosecurity Plan. HISC Program Support Staff
also submitted HISC-specific testimony for bills related to invasive species and biosecurity.
Legal Authority• HRS 194-2 (a): Establishes the HISC for the purpose of cabinet-level coordination and planning
among state departments, federal agencies, and international and local initiatives;• HRS 194-2 (a)(2): Advise, consult, and coordinate invasive species-related efforts with andbetween the departments of agriculture, land and natural resources, health, and transportation, as
well as state, federal, international, and privately organized programs and policies.
Recommendation:
The Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council requests HISC Program Support Staff to include relevant requests,
presented in Agenda Item # 4 and other related policies, in a 2024 Biosecurity & Invasive Species
Legislative Package for tracking purposes, inform HISC Departments of upcoming hearings for testimony
submittal, and submit HISC specific testimony as long as it does not conflict with Council Department’s
testimony.

VOTING MEMBERSJOSH GREEN

LAURA KAAKUADEPARTMENT OF LAND & NATURALRESOURCES

GOVERNOR OF HAWAIISYLVIA LUKESHARON HURDHAWAII DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

LIEUTENANT GOVERNORKATHLEEN HO, D.Env
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTHANIA WIECZOREK, Ph.D.
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI‘IHAWAII INVASIVE SPECIES COUNCIL
1151 PUNCHBOWL ST, #325
HONOLULU, HAWAII 96813

MARY ALICE EVANS
BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT &TOURISMEDWIN SNIFFENDEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

December 19, 2023
SUBMITTALTO:

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

SUBJECT:

Requesting a resolution recognizing the role of invasive plants as it relates to wildfire in
Hawaiʻi & supporting recommendations for the prevention and post-recovery efforts tomitigate future impacts

BackgroundThe devastating fires in Lahaina and Kula, Maui in August 2023, as well as reoccuring wildfires on HawaiʻiIsland and throughout the State, are clear examples of the negative impacts of invasive species and achanging climate. Over the last century, the average annual rainfall decreased across 90% of the Hawaiian
Islands with the greatest declines in already dry leeward areas, the frequency and severity of drought has
increased, and the average area burned in Hawaiʻi increased by 400%. Invasive species can exacerbate
climatic conditions leading more increased frequency and intensity of natural disaster like wildfire.
Hawaii’s native ecosystems did not evolve with fire as a regular part of the ecosystem resulting in mostnative species not being fire-adapted. Hawaiian landscapes began a massive change 245 years ago with theintroduction of livestock (including cattle, goats, and sheep) and western principles of land management,
as well as drought-resistant grasses and shrubs for their fodder, and invasive plants that contribute to thedegradation of watersheds and loss of native species. The transformation of upland native forests todominated stands of invasive plants like strawberry guava, psidium cattlianum, can cause more water totranspire into the atmosphere resulting in less water feeding into streams, aquifers, and cooling forests.
Introduced grasses, when left unmanaged, can dry rapidly resulting in a large build-up of continuous fuelsacross large areas that allow for easier ignitions and for fire to spread long distances before they are stopped.
Discussion
The natural environment is the first line of defense against climate change and managing invasive species
must be included as a critical component of protecting island resiliency. Current and projected futureclimate change impacts, include increased land temperatures, a decline in rainfall, increased frequency andseverity of drought, and increased storm severity that will all serve to increase the risk of wildfire in Hawaiʻiin the future. Invasive grasses can dry rapidly resulting in a large build-up of continuous fuels across large
areas that allow for easier ignitions and for fire to spread long distances before they are stopped.
When Hawaiian forests burn, fast-growing grasses and woody invaders will be the first to establish byoutcompeting native regeneration, thus altering hydrological and nutrient cycling, and making landscapes
more prone to future fire.
This Resolution recognizes the complexity of wildfire in Hawai’i and takes into account that 1) unmanaged
lands pose a greater wildfire risk than managed land and that any vegetation, invasive or not, can burn underextreme drought and high wind conditions, 2) some invasive grasses still play a critical role in managed
systems like ranching and agriculture that are economically important industries, as well as in ecologicalrestoration where some species suppress other harmful plants or are adapted to grow in more extreme
climatic conditions without the need for irrigation, and 3) high intensity wildfires can leave bare groundthat is at increased risk of large-scale erosion that can threaten the near-shore environment and also deplete
soil of vital nutrients that are needed for soil stablization and revegetation.
Legal Authority• HRS 194-2 (a): Establishes the HISC for the purpose of cabinet-level coordination and planning
among state departments, federal agencies, and international and local initiatives• HRS 194-2 (a)(2): Advise, consult, and coordinate invasive species-related efforts with andbetween the departments of agriculture, land and natural resources, health, and transportation, as
well as state, federal, international, and privately organized programs and policies.
Recommendation:
That the Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council adopt a resolution, substantially similar to the attached draft
resolution, in order to:
1. Recognize the prevention, management, and control of invasive plants must be prioritized tomitigate future wildfire threats and improve Hawaii’s climate resiliency for the protection andhealth of communities, native species, businesses and industries, and way of life in the islands;
2. Support a holistic approach for land-use planning, including fire codes and taxation policies toincentivize risk reduction and enhance ecosystem services and public well-being that includes
identifying support mechanisms that empower ranchers and local agricultural producers to reduce
existing fuel loads while also meeting food security goals, and setting aside land for fire buffers
around communities using low-fire risk crops, and considering the use of biocontrol strategies forlandscape level control, a process that does take into consideration economic and ecologicalimplications as well as potential impacts to critical industries;
3. Recommend:a. Using native plants or non-native plants that are low risk of becoming invasive forrevegetation efforts whenever feasible and that local seed sources are used wheneverpossible to reduce the risk of new invasive plant introductions;b. Amplifying the production of locally appropriate native seed and other plant materials toprovide adequate resources for post-fire recovery and fuels conversion projects to reducefire risk;c. Sourcing organic materials for erosion control and re-vegetation from on-island sources,and ensuring if a local source is not available, that material is inspected or treated before
transporting to the site for invasive species like coconut rhinoceros beetles (Oryctes
rhinoceros) and little fire ants (Wasmannia auropunctata); and4. Not recommend revegetating or creating fire breaks with plants that are considered invasive or
high-risk by the Hawaii-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment and the Weed Fire Risk Assessment
Tools, both of which are scientifically established and validated methods for assessing a plant’s
risk of invasion or being fire-promoting respectively.
Attachments:
1. Draft HISC Resolution 23-1: Recognizing the Role of Invasive Plants as it Relates to Wildfire in
Hawaiʻi & Supporting Recommendations for the Prevention and Post-recovery Efforts to Mitigate
Future Impacts
2. The Tragedy in Lahaina: How invasive grasses and shrubs are fueling the wildfire crisis in Hawai’i
https://naisma.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Tragedy-in-Lahaina-Parsons-and-Martin-2023with-Endnotes-FINAL.pdf

VOTING MEMBERSJOSH GREEN

LAURA KAAKUADEPARTMENT OF LAND & NATURALRESOURCES

GOVERNOR OF HAWAIISYLVIA LUKESHARON HURDHAWAII DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

LIEUTENANT GOVERNORKATHLEEN HO, D.Env
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTHANIA WIECZOREK, Ph.D.
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI‘IHAWAIʻI INVASIVE SPECIES COUNCIL

MARY ALICE EVANS
BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT &TOURISMEDWIN SNIFFENDEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATIONRESOLUTION 23-1
RECOGNIZING THE ROLE OF INVASIVE PLANTS AS IT RELATES TO WILDFIRE IN HAWAIʻI& SUPPORTING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE PREVENTION & POST-RECOVERY EFFORTS
TO MITIGATE FUTURE IMPACTS
WHEREAS the devastating fires in Lahaina and Kula, Maui in August 2023, as well as reoccuring
wildfires on Hawaiʻi Island and throughout the State, are clear examples of the negative impacts ofinvasive species and a changing climate; andWHEREAS Hawaii’s native ecosystems did not evolve with fire as a regular part of the ecosystem andmost native species are not fire-adapted; andWHEREAS Hawaiian landscapes began a massive change 245 years ago with the introduction of
livestock (including cattle, goats, and sheep) and western principles of land management, and also
drought-resistant grasses and shrubs for their fodder, and invasive plants that contribute to the degradationof watersheds and loss of native species; andWHEREAS the transformation of upland native forests to dominated stands of invasive plants likestrawberry guava, psidium cattlianum, can cause more water to transpire into the atmosphere resulting inless water feeding into streams, aquifers, and cooling forests; andWHEREAS over the last one hundred years, the average annual rainfall decreased across 90% of the
Hawaiian islands with the greatest declines in already dry leeward areas; andWHEREAS the frequency and severity of drought has increased in the Hawaiian Islands, contributing toincreased wildfire risk and the average area burned in Hawaiʻi increasing by 400% over the last century;
andRECOGNIZING that the natural environment is the first line of defense against climate change and thatmanaging invasive species must be included as a critical component of protecting island resiliency; andRECOGNIZING that unmanaged lands pose a greater wildfire risk than managed land and that any
vegetation, invasive or not, can burn under extreme drought and high wind conditions; andRECOGNIZING that invasive grasses can dry rapidly resulting in a large build-up of continuous fuelsacross large areas that allow for easier ignitions and for fire to spread long distances before they are
stopped; andRECOGNIZING that when Hawaiian forests burn, fast-growing grasses and woody invaders are the firstto establish by outcompeting native regeneration, thus altering hydrological and nutrient cycling, andmaking landscapes more prone to future fire; andRECOGNIZING that some invasive grasses still play a critical role in managed systems like ranching andagriculture that are economically important industries, as well as in ecological restoration where somespecies suppress other harmful plants or are adapted to grow in more extreme climatic conditions without
the need for irrigation; andRECOGNIZING that high intensity wildfires can leave bare ground that is at increased risk of large-scaleerosion that can threaten the near-shore environment and also deplete soil of vital nutrients that areneeded for soil stablization and revegetation; andRECOGNIZING that current and projected climate change impacts, including increased land
temperatures, a decline in rainfall, increased frequency and severity of drought, and increased storm
severity will all serve to increase the risk of wildfire in Hawaiʻi in the future; andWHEREAS, Chapter 194, Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes, authorizes the Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council toadvise and coordinate invasive species-related efforts with and between local, state, federal, international,
and private programs, and to coordinate the State’s position with regard to invasive species; now,therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED that the Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council recognizes that the prevention,
management, and control of invasive plants must be prioritized to mitigate future wildfire threats andimprove Hawaii’s climate resiliency for the protection and health of communities, native species,
businesses and industries, and way of life in the islands; andBE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council supports a holistic approach
for land-use planning, including fire codes and taxation policies to incentivize risk reduction and enhance
ecosystem services and public well-being that includes identifying support mechanisms that empower
ranchers and local agricultural producers to reduce existing fuel loads while also meeting food security
goals, and setting aside land for fire buffers around communities using low-fire risk crops, andconsidering the use of biocontrol strategies for landscape level control, a process that does take into
consideration economic and ecological implications as well as potential impacts to critical industries; andBE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council recommends using nativeplants or non-native plants that are low risk of becoming invasive for revegetation efforts wheneverfeasible and that local seed sources are used whenever possible to reduce the risk of new invasive plant
introductions; andBE IT FURTHER REOLVED that the Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council recommends amplifying
production of locally appropriate native seed and other plant materials to provide adequate resources forpost-fire recovery and fuels conversion projects to reduce fire risk; andBE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council recommends sourcing organic
materials for erosion control and re-vegetation from on-island sources, and ensuring if a local source is
not available, that material is inspected or treated before transporting to the site for invasive species likecoconut rhinoceros beetles (Oryctes rhinoceros) and little fire ants (Wasmannia auropunctata); andBE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council does not recommend
revegetating or creating fire breaks with plants that are considered invasive or high-risk by the HawaiiPacific Weed Risk Assessment and the Weed Fire Risk Assessment Tools, both of which arescientifically established and validated methods for assessing a plant’s risk of invasion or being firepromoting respectively; andBE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor of
Hawaii, the President of the State Senate, the Speaker of the State House of Representatives, and to thedirectors or chairpersons of each HISC agency.

Adopted by the Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council on the following date: December 19, 2023

Laura Kaakua, Department of Land & Natural
Resources

Dexter Kishida, Department of Agriculture

Kathleen Ho, D. Env., Department of Health

Tammy Lee, Department of Transportation

Mary Alice Evans, Office of Planning, Department of
Business, Economic Development, and Tourism

Ania Wieczorek, Ph.D., University of Hawaiʻi

The Tragedy in Lahaina: How invasive grasses and shrubs are fueling the wildfire crisis
in Hawaiʻi
By: Dr. Elliott Parsons - Pacific RISCC & Christy Martin - CGAPS
Weeks have passed since the deadly fire in Lahaina, one of several wildfires thatstarted on Maui and on Hawaiʻi, the “Big Island,” on August 8-9, 2023.1 Many of us
learned about the fire triangle,2 that without one of the three components – oxygen,heat, and fuel – a fire cannot start or be sustained. High winds with gusts up to 80 miles
per hour were recorded3 on the dry, leeward slopes of the islands from Hurricane Dorapassing 550 miles to the south and exacerbated by a strong high-pressure system northof the islands, which led to low humidity.4 As officials and communities look for answers
about the ignition sources, it is worth understanding how the islands came to have an
overabundance of fuel and the challenges ahead with the synergistic effects of invasive
species and climate change.
A history of land use changes and grass invasions
Like many tropical Pacific islands, Hawaiʻi has far fewer lightning strikes thancontinental systems5, and thus ecosystems and species did not evolve with fire as aregular part of the system. Polynesian voyagers first arrived in Hawaiʻi more than 1,000
years ago,6 bringing a handful of culturally important non-native plants and animals,7
and are believed to have used fire to clear some lowland areas for agriculture and topromote useful plants.8 The changes that came after Western contact 245 years ago
included the introduction of livestock (including cattle, goats, and sheep), droughtresistant grasses and shrubs for their fodder, and foreign ideas such as private landownership.8,9
In the upland watershed forests, introduced trees became invasive and began
spreading and displacing native trees. Strawberry guava, which was introduced in 1825
as an ornamental with edible fruit,10 is now the most abundant tree in Hawaiʻi, present
across more than 443,000 acres in 2019.11,12 This invasive tree was shown to transpire
53% more water into the atmosphere in dry years than the native ʻōhiʻa trees they
replaced, water which used to seep into aquifers, cool the forest, raise humidity, andfeed streams.13 The last one hundred years also saw the average annual rainfall
decrease across 90% of the islands with the greatest declines in already dry leeward
areas.14
In the lowlands, large tracts of land were owned and operated as sugar or pineapple
plantations supported by water that was diverted from streams, and grazing landscovered more than 2 million acres across the Hawaiian Islands.15 By the 1990s mostplantations had closed, and the drought-resistant grasses and shrubs quickly filled thefallow fields.16 As well, pasturage declined due to the shifting economics of cattle
grazing, leaving large areas of uneaten invasive and fire-promoting grasses toproliferate.17 Dry forest ecosystems were also invaded by introduced forage grasses likeguinea grass and buffelgrass, and by ornamental species such as the fire-adapted
fountain grass.18 Recent estimates suggest that about a quarter of the land area in
Hawaiʻi (about a million acres), is now covered in flammable invasive grasses andshrubs,19 and a sobering assessment by the Western Council of State Foresters foundthat a greater percentage of Hawaiʻi’s land area is under higher risk of wildfire than the
16 western-most states in the U.S.5
The threat of wildfire in Hawaiʻi
By compiling and analyzing statewide records, scientists found in 2015 that the averagearea burned in Hawaiʻi had increased by 400% over the last century.5 This increase in
the size of fires, while driven largely by a decline in vegetation management andlivestock grazing on former agricultural lands and the proliferation of non-native grasses
and shrubs, has also paralleled a significant increase in the duration and severity ofdrought in Hawaiʻi.20 The two worst droughts over the last 100 years both occurredsince the late 1990s. Drought can elevate fire risk by lowering moisture levels in the soil
and plants, which increases flammability, and both wildfire and drought can magnify
future fire risk when invasive grasses cover areas formerly burned or denuded bydrought.20,21
The consequences of these long-term changes in Hawaiʻi have been severe. A USGS
report in 2018 found that the density of invasive species is almost 200% higher in
Hawaiʻi as compared to the U.S. continent.22 And, due to the warm, tropical climates in
Hawaiʻi, these invasive plants have favorable growing conditions year-round. Invasive
grasses in particular can respond rapidly to rainfall, greatly increasing in size and height
during wet years.23 This has led to a “fire season” that lasts 12 months,24 compared toonly a 7-month average fire season in the continental U.S.25 While fire risk can varydepending on time and location, many low-elevation and dry leeward areas face very
high to extreme fire risk all year long.26
Wildfires now burn a higher percentage of land annually in Hawaiʻi (0.48%) than in thecontinental U.S (0.3%).5 And despite the small land area, the islands are home to 1.4
million people and receive more than 9 million visitors annually, many to communities inor adjacent to large areas of invasive and flammable grasses.27 These areas, wheredevelopments intermix with wildland fuels, are called the wildland urban interface, andare indicative of a high risk of wildfire. And based on an analysis in 2020, 94.4% of thehomes in Hawaiʻi were found to be vulnerable because they are built within the wildland
urban interface compared with 42.3% of structures in the conterminous U.S.28
Invasive grasses and wildfire
While land use and climate affect wildfire risk in Hawaiʻi, it is important to understandhow invasive grasses themselves also contribute. Invasive grasses exacerbate wildfire
because grasses have thin tissues which can dry quickly and burn easily. Invasive
grasses also support a significant proportion of dead standing plant material that is very
slow to decompose, and they can provide continuous fuels across large areas that allow
fire to spread long distances before they are stopped.29 These fine fuels can also burnunder a broader range of conditions than can other fuel types (e.g., wood or leaf litter).
As a result, grasses support a microenvironment that is hotter and drier than in forests
or shrublands.21 This means that the conditions that favor fire are much more common
in grass-invaded areas.
Hawaiʻi is not alone in this increasing trend of invasive grassland-fueled fires. A 2019study found that six species of fire-prone invasive grasses in the continental U.S. werelinked to a 150% increase in fire frequency.30 Buffelgrass, one of these six species, was
one of the forage grasses introduced to Hawaiʻi. It has one of the highest fire-risk ratingsof all invasive plants in Hawaiʻi, and it can even burn when green.31 It was found to be
prolific around Lahaina before the wildfire, and is found extensively throughout Hawaiʻi.
Invasive grasses in Hawaiʻi have also fueled some of the largest wildfires. For example,
the Mana Road fire on Hawaiʻi Island in 2021 was the largest wildfire in state history andburned ~42,000 acres.32 This fire led to the evacuation of the nearby town of Waikoloa,
and created dust storms that lasted for months, making driving conditions hazardous
and reducing air quality for thousands of nearby residents. While fires do burn inshrublands and forests, greater than 80% of the area burned annually in Hawaiʻi is in
non-native grasslands.23
Invasive species and climate change
The devastating fires in Lahaina and Kula, Maui in August are clear examples of thesynergistic effects of invasive species and a changing climate.33 Recent declines inrainfall coupled with increasing drought severity have already created parched
conditions in leeward areas, yet climate change is likely to exacerbate dry conditions.34
Higher temperatures, as well as larger, more severe storms and drought are all
projected to increase with climate change,35 and these impacts will most certainlyinteract with invasive grasses and shrubs to affect wildfire risk.

So, what can be done? There is no single fix or silver bullet to protect communities andnative species from invasive plant-fueled wildfires in Hawaiʻi. Instead, there are multiple
tools that will need to be used and each will help.36 These include a focus on more
holistic land-use planning to incentivize risk reduction and enhance ecosystem services
and public well-being.37 Identifying support mechanisms that empower ranchers andlocal agricultural producers could reduce existing fuel loads while also meeting foodsecurity goals.38 Also, land that is set aside to provide fire buffers around communities
could be planted with low-fire risk crops including indigenous Hawaiian
agroecosystems,39 non-invasive plants with low flammability,40 or endemic dryland
forest trees and shrubs that lower fire risk.41,42
Finally, identifying and restricting the introduction of new species of flammable nonnative species should be a priority. For those particularly harmful species alreadypresent, biocontrol is the only viable way to reduce the abundance and vigor of widely
established invasive plants,43 followed by active restoration of plants that can better
serve communities and ecosystems.44 And while climate change impacts are projected
to favor prime wildfire conditions, and ignitions will continue to be difficult to control at
best, we need to roll up our sleeves and work together to effectively manage fuels to
break the fire triangle and protect communities.

Invasive fountain grass, a fire-promoting perennial bunchgrass introduced as an ornamental plant in 1914, now covers an
estimated 200,000 acres on Hawaiʻi Island.45 This view is along Highway 190, in the North Kona district. Photo credit:
Elliott Parsons.

A wildfire burning buffelgrass in Lahaina, Maui in 2009. Photo credit: Forest and Kim Starr.

In 2021, the Mana Road fire on Hawaiʻi Island burned 42,000 acres and is currently considered the largest wildfire in statehistory. The fire was fueled by non-native grasslands. This photo was taken after the fire alongside Highway 190. Photo
credit: Elliott Parsons

A view of buffelgrass and invasive shrubs above Lahaina, Maui before the fire in August, 2023. Photo credit: Google
Street View, accessed on 8/23/23 with imagery taken October, 2019.

Dr. Elliott Parsons is a specialist with the Pacific Regional Invasive Species and Climate Change Management Network(Pacific RISCC). He has a Ph.D. in fish and wildlife biology from the University of Montana and was a land manager for
the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources for 10 years prior to his current role. His current work focuses on
helping to build Pacific Island resilience to climate change and invasive species.

Christy Martin is the program manager and information officer for the Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species, a projectof the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa - Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit. She is also a current member of the Invasive
Species Advisory Committee to the National Invasive Species Council. Her current work focuses on addressing gaps ininvasive species policies, programs, and communications.

Endnotes
1. August 18, ABC News: Timeline: How the deadly wildfires took over Maui day by day, (link).
2. Northwest Fire Science Consortium, What is? Fire Triangle, (link).
3. August 14, NPR: Hawaii's governor orders review as Maui fires become deadliest in modern U.S. history, (link).
4. August 20, Reuters: Earth, Wind and Fire, (link).
5. Trauernicht et al. 2015: The Contemporary Scale and Context of Wildfire in Hawai‘i, Pacific Science, vol. 69, no. 4:427–444, (link).
6. Kirch, Patrick, 2011: When Did the Polynesians Settle Hawaiʻi? A Review of 150 Years of Scholarly Inquiry and a Tentative Answer. Hawaiian
Archaeology, 12, (link).
7. Lincoln et al. 2009: Amy Greenwell Garden Ethnobotanical Guide to Native Hawaiian Plants: And Polynesian-Introduced Plants, Bishop
Museum Press, 1-144, (link).
8. Cuddihy & Stone, 1990: Alteration of native Hawaiian vegetation: Effects of humans, their activities and introductions. University of Hawai‘i
Press, Honolulu, (link).
9. State of Hawaii, Department of Agriculture, Jan 31, 2013: History of Agriculture in Hawaii, website accessed 10/8/23, (link)
10. Smith C.W., 1985: Impact of alien plants on Hawaii's native biota. In: Stone C.P., Scott J.M., eds. Hawaii's Terrestrial Ecosystems:
Preservation and Management. Honolulu, Hawaii, USA: University of Hawaii Press, 180-250, (link).
11. Hawaiʻi’s forest resources: Forest Inventory and Analysis, 2010-2015: Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-1008, 2022. Portland, OR: U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 104 p., (link).
12. Dendy, J., September 20, 2023, Pacific RISCC Webinar: Presence and trends of invasive and endemic plant species in Hawaii: Results from
USFS Forest Inventory & Analysis plots 2010-2019, (link).
13. Takahashi, M., Giambelluca, T.W., Mudd, R.G., DeLay, J.K., Nullet, M.A. and Asner, G.P., 2011: Rainfall partitioning and cloud waterinterception in native forest and invaded forest in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Hydrol. Process., 25: 448-464, (link).
14. Frazier & Giambelluca 2017: Spatial trend analysis of Hawaiian rainfall from 1920 to 2012, International Journal of Climatology, 37:2522-2531,(link).
15. Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources News Release, 12/07/17: Early History of “Island Ranching” in Hawaiʻi is theme of 2018
historic preservation calendar, website accessed 10/8/23, (link).
16. Melrose et al., 2015: Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture, Statewide Agricultural Land Use Baseline, (link).
17. Cynthia Wessendorf, Nov. 11, 2022, Hawaiʻi Business Magazine, Why Hawai‘i’s Wildfires Are Growing Bigger and More Intense, (link).
18. LaRosa A.M., et al. 2008: Fire and nonnative invasive plants in the Hawaiian islands bioregion in USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep.
RMRS-GTR-42-vol. 6, (link).
19. Jacobi et al. 2017: Baseline Land Cover, Chapter 2 in Baseline and projected future carbon storage and carbon fluxes in ecosystems of
Hawaiʻi, U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1834, 134 p., (link).
20. Frazier et al. 2022: A Century of Drought in Hawaiʻi: Geospatial Analysis and Synthesis across Hydrological, Ecological, and Socioeconomic
Scales, Sustainability, 14, 12023, (link).
21. D’Antonio & Vitousek 1992: Biological Invasions by Exotic Grasses, the Grass/Fire Cycle, and Global Change, Annual Review of Ecology &Systematics, 23:63-87, (link).
22. Simpson, A., and Eyler, M.C., 2018: First comprehensive list of non-native species established in three major regions of the United States:
U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2018-1156, 1-26, (link).

23. Trauernicht, C. 2019: Vegetation-Rainfall interactions reveal how climate variability and climate change alter spatial patterns of wildland fireprobability on Big Island, Hawaii, Science of the Total Environment 650, 459-469, (link).
24. DLNR: Fire Season in Hawaiʻi is Now Year-Round, Heard Around Hawaii, July 10, 2019, News Post by Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management
Organization, (link).
25. Wildfire, Climate Hubs, U.S. Department of Agriculture, website accessed 10/8/23, (link).
26. Dingeman, R., August 18, 2023: What Other Areas of Hawaiʻi Are at High Risk for Wildfires? Honolulu Magazine, (link).
27. 2022 State of Hawaii Databook, (link).
28. Carlson et al. 2022: The wildland-urban interface in the United States based on 125 million building locations, Ecological Applications, 32(5),1-18, (link).
29. Brooks M.L., Chapter 3: Plant Invasions and Fire Regimes, USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-42-vol. 6, 2008, (link).
30. Fusco et al., 2019: Invasive grasses increase fire occurrence and frequency across US ecoregions, PNAS 116 (47), 23594-23599, (link).
31. Faccenda, K., & Daehler, C.C. 2022: A screening system to predict wildfire risk of invasive plants. Biological Invasions 24, 575–589, (link).
32. DLNR News Release, Posted Dec. 17, 2022: Mana Road Fire Tour Provides Teaching & Learning Moments, accessed 10/8/23, (link).
33. Dance S., 8/12/23: Maui fires not just due to climate change but a ‘compound disaster’, The Washington Post, (link).
34. Milman, O. 8/11/23: Devastating Hawaii fires made ʻmuch more dangerous’ by climate change, The Guardian, (link).
35. Keener et al. 2018: Hawaiʻi and U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands, in Impacts, Risks, and Adaptation in the United States: Fourth National Climate
Assessment, Volume 2, U.S. Global Change Research Program, Washington DC, USA, pp. 1242-1308, (link).
36. 2018-2019 Rapid Assessment of Vegetation Management Results: June 30, 2019, News Post (link).
37. Land use planning can reduce wildfire risk to homes and communities, April 2020, Headwaters Economics, website accessed 10/8/23, (link).
38. Bremer et al. 2021: Maintaining the Many Societal Benefits of Rangelands: The Case of Hawaiʻi, Land, 10, 764, 1-30, (link).
39. Kurashima et al. 2019: The potential of indigenous agricultural food production under climate change in Hawaiʻi, Nature Sustainability, 2 191199, (link).
40. Pacific Fire Exchange: Quick Reference Guide, Fuel Breaks for Pacific Island Grasslands & Savannas, (link).
41. Ready, Set, Go! Hawaii: Your Personal Wildland Fire Action Guide, Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization, August 23, 2021, (link).
42. Strohecker L., 3/18/2021, Maui Invasive Species Committee, Native plant firebreaks may be a tool to control wildfires, Kiaʻi Moku Column,(link).
43. Pacific Biocontrol Strategic Action Plan: 2022 Pacific Ecological Security Conference, Palau. Updated November 8, 2022, (link).
44. Cordell, S: February 2012, The Potential for Restoration to Break the Grass-Fire Cycle in Dryland Ecosystems in Hawaii, USDA Forest
Service, 1-4, (link).
45. Motooka et al. 2014: Weeds of Hawaii’s Pastures and Natural Areas: An Identification and Management Guide, University of Hawaiʻi Press,(link).