Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan - U.S. Fish and Wildlife ...

Partnering Projects
Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge
Comprehensive Conservation Plan
Current funding at Hakalau Forest NWR cannot meet all management needs. As a result, we rely on
working with various partners to assist with implementation. The projects identified below are
potential research and resource management actions and opportunities proposed by partner
organizations and academic investigators as well as include Service database projects currently used
for budget purposes. If pursued, these projects will be opportunistically pursued through internal and
external funding sources. Following is a brief list of unranked projects which could assist the Refuge
with implementing portions of its CCP. Adaptive approaches to meeting our funding needs will be
applied throughout the plan period to achieve Refuge objectives.
A) Forest bird survey training workshop
To support goal six and objective “annual transect surveys to monitor species and habitat
response to management actions,” funding is needed to host and coordinate a forest bird
survey/training workshop to increase the number of qualified forest bird surveyors available to
monitor population trends of these endangered species. With projected climate change impacts
expected to severely affect Hakalau Forest NWR birds and habitats, it is essential to improve our
collective capacity to document and detect gradual changes and trends in populations. The high
elevation old growth koa/‘ōhi‘a forests at Hakalau are largely considered one of the best remaining
refugia for these species.
Based on results of a forest bird workshop held in October 2008, the need for replacing older, more
experienced observers who have retired or are soon to retire from the field with a younger or
expanded cadre of capable field biologists to carry on decades of specialized survey efforts is an
acute crisis that needs to be addressed. Hakalau Forest NWR is uniquely situated to host such an
exercise due to its complement of endangered birds, available facilities on site to train and house
participants, long-history of established bird transects and readings, and ease of transportation to and
from airport facilities. This would be an interagency initiative with invitations to USGS-BRD, the
Service, DOFAW, UH, USFS, nongovernmental organizations, and private sector specialists in
Hawaiian bird conservation, as well as nominated/sponsored trainees with basic field proficiencies all
participating. Appropriate species experts would conduct the training. Funding would be available to
support travel needs of participants, training equipment, materials, and supplies in the field. The
desired outcome would be to increase the number of available forest bird monitors/surveyors in
partner agencies and organizations and spur the potential for the next generation of forest bird experts
to take over this essential function.
Cost estimate: $57,000
B) Population dynamics and viability of ‘ākepa and other species in Hakalau Forest NWR:
Influences of management, environmental factors, and potential nonnative competitors
Identify changes in trends of Hakalau birds with best available models. Evaluate the best models to
estimate trend and viability of monitored Hakalau birds using stochastic models. Evaluate uncertainty
in estimates of trend and viability metrics and partition this variation into its sources, including
model form, estimation method, parameter estimation, etc., to assist managers in reducing
uncertainty in viability predictions. Set up viable population monitoring (VPM) for managers to
monitor changes in short-term viability of Hakalau birds. Evaluate methods for improving
Appendix C. Plan Implementation C-15