O‘ahu Invasive Species Committee (OISC): Highlights
In FY 2009, OISC continued work toward fulfilling the objectives of the HISC Response and Control working
group by controlling priority invasive species and detecting and evaluating newly introduced species. OISC
received $437,200 from HISC and leveraged $271,352 in additional funds. OISC was founded by volunteers in
the late 1990’s and many of those volunteers serve on OISC’s steering committee to this day. In FY 2009, OISC
continued to stop the spread of miconia, fountain grass and blackberry through systematic surveys and removal.
OISC worked with HDOA to prevent coqui frog from establishing on O‘ahu. The O‘ahu Early Detection
program completed surveys of City and County managed roads and documented several species of concern. TheOISC field crew has begun initial removal for some of these species. OISC also conducted outreach events
across the island.
HISC Response and Control Measures of effectiveness:
1) Number of species detected and evaluated for feasibility of eradication.
2) Prioritization processes identified and in place.
OISC and the Bishop Museum have partnered together
to implement the O‘ahu Early Detection (OED)
program. The team has completed surveys of all roads
managed by the City and County and discovered 131
new island records—plants never documented as beingon O‘ahu. These species are currently being evaluatedas part of a prioritization process for plants that OISC
should target in the future. The evaluation process willtake into account the threat the species poses with thefeasibility of eradication.
An example of the usefulness of this program is thediscovery of Cape Ivy (Delairea odorata) in theWai‘anae mountains. This species is a severe problem
in other temperate and tropical climates and was notpreviously known to be present on O‘ahu. Initial
OISC field crewmember Keoki Kanakaokai controlling
miconia in Ka‘alaea Valley.
control work has taken place and the species is being
evaluated with the rest of the OED team’s findings.
In FY 2010 with assistance from HDOT, the OED team will being surveying state roads.
HISC Response and Control Measures of Effectiveness:
1) Number and area of priority invasive species eradicated and/or controlled.
2) Number and names of species, habitats, ecosystems, agricultural, and managed areas protected
because of control efforts.
Between September 1, 2007 and August 31, 2008, OISC surveyed for and controlled 33 different plant,vertebrate and invertebrate species, including miconia and coqui frog, over 6,838 acres. The drop in acreage
from last year’s number reflects the loss of staff due to anticipated budget cuts in 2010. Species activity
highlights are described below:

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OISC crew completed 2,992 acres of miconia surveys during this period and removed 1,392 trees andsaplings from the Ko‘olau Watershed. Four mature trees were found this year; one in Kahili and three inKa‘alaea valley. No mature trees were found in the 20 other valleys in which surveys were conducted.
Suitable habitat for miconia exists in the entire 100,000 acres of the Ko‘olau Watershed. It is mostly
restricted to low-elevation disturbed forests, but could easily move into the native forests of the Ko‘olau
summit if not constantly controlled. Volunteers contributed 294 hours to miconia work. OISC’s work
protects the summit forests and the endangered flora and fauna dependent upon that ecosystem.
Forests and summit regions of Pālolo and Maunawili Valleys are protected from Himalayan blackberry(Rubus discolor). This species of blackberry is only found in Pālolo Valley and was creeping toward thenative forests of the Ko‘olau summit. OISC has been systematically controlling it, removing 2,255
plants over 176 acres during the reporting period.
Following the discovery of O‘ahu’s first and only known naturalized pampas grass (Cortaderiaselloana), OISC conducted surveys around the plant and increased its efforts at removing all populations
in cultivation. In 2009, 23 plants were removed. Pampas grass has a wide elevational and environmentalrange. By removing this species now, summit areas of both the Ko‘olau and Wai‘anae mountains will beprotected.
OISC has protected homes and natural areas along the Wai‘anae coast from the increased risk of fire thatan invasion of fountain grass would bring. OISC monitors and controls all populations west ofPunchbowl and north of Lanikai.

HISC Response and Control Measures of Effectiveness:1) Implementation of the priority response and control actions of the Aquatic Invasive Species, West Nile
Virus, coqui frog, and red imported fire ant plans
In accordance with HRS 194-2 (a) (4) OISC aims to reduce and control coqui frog infestations on public lands
that are near or adjacent to communities by working with the Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) tokeep all coqui frogs off O‘ahu. Control efforts implemented between 2004 and 2006 removed the island’s only
naturalized population of coqui frogs. No frog has been heard there since November of 2006. However, coquifrogs are continually re-introduced to O‘ahu via plants from coqui infested areas on other islands.
In partnership with the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture, OISC did the following during 2009 to keep publiclands and residential areas on O‘ahu free of coqui frogs:•
Monitored nurseries that import plants from coqui infested areas on other islands;•Hand captured 13 frogs at the nurseries and private homes.
•Cooperated with HDOA to conduct spray operations at 4 nurseries with more serious infestations;•Set up remote monitors at nurseries to increase efficiency of monitoring efforts.
•Conducted outreach with coqui calls to ensure the public knows how to identify the coqui call and thatthey should call HDOA’s pest hotline (643-PEST) if they hear one.
HISC Public Outreach Measures of Effectiveness:
1) Agency adoption of rules and policies against invasive species•OISC, along with HDOT, submitted comments to and met with Honolulu Rail Transit to discuss
measures to decrease the likelihood that construction of the proposed rail system will introduce newinvasive species to O‘ahu. Transit officials agreed to use the Hawai‘i Weed Risk Assessment whenchoosing plants and to require that construction companies bringing heavy equipment to O‘ahu ensurethat it is free of dirt, insects and plant parts.

2) Number of educational materials produced.
The OISC outreach specialist created the following educational materials:•Information about remote monitoring for coqui frogs that will be used by nurseries.
•A video showing OISC removing miconia.
•Updated “It’s easy to be Weed Wise” brochure that informs people about the Weed Risk Assessment
and which plants to avoid in landscaping.
3) Number of people reached through talks and displays.
•OISC’s outreach program incorporates the HISC outreach objectives and messages into all outreachactivities. In 2009, OISC reached 4,547 people through public events and talks. OISC facilitated news
coverage about miconia and is using social networking tools to reach a wider audience.
4) Number of volunteers recruited and/or referred to invasive species projects.
•OISC’s volunteer program garnered 1,096 volunteer hours to work on invasive species removal projects
Other activities:•Participated in state-wide service trip that included personnel from each Invasive Species Committee toremove invasive species from Koke‘e State Park. The combined crew of 64 people removed 28,927
Kahili ginger, 1701 smoke bush, 891 privet and 4,682 strawberry guava.
•Participated in the 2009 International Miconia Conference in Hāna, Maui. Organized by the Maui
Invasive Species Committee and funded by multiple donors including HISC, the conference brought
together leading invasion biologists and miconia specialists from around the world. Information
gathered there has already assisted OISC to fine-tune its strategy and be more effective.
•OISC participated in the Americorps program and the HIPA/PIPES programs that introduce students toconservation work.