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

Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge
Comprehensive Conservation Plan
Species: Silene hawaiiensis
Recovery Action: Recent discoveries of several large populations indicate that this plant is not as rare
as once thought. Populations should be monitored to ensure that numbers are being maintained. After
habitat on which at least five of the larger populations occur is managed to control threats from feral
animals, alien taxa, and military training, delisting of this species can be considered.
Species: Phyllostegia racemosa, Phyllostegia velutina, Sicyos macrophyllus
Recovery Actions: Construct fenced exclosures around the known populations, and initiate removal
of ungulates and alien plant taxa. Once they are fenced, ungulates and alien plants should be
removed. Outplant new populations in areas of reduced threat. Prior to and following outplanting, the
sites’ alien plants should be removed.
Since endangered plants are a Refuge Purpose species, many of the CCP goals, objectives, and
strategies tie directly to plant recovery. Native forest restoration, including plant and animal species
that are components of the forest, is the key element of this CCP and future management at Hakalau
Forest NWR.
Recovery Plan for Four Species of Hawaiian Ferns (USFWS 1998): The most important recovery
action for these taxa is to protect high elevation lava tubes, including removal of feral animals.
Asplenium fragile var. insulare (now named Asplenium peruvianum var. insulare) has a very
scattered distribution and surveys will help determine the best areas for habitat protection. Optimal
survey areas can be determined by considering the age of the substrate and the vegetation type.
Protection of high elevation lava tubes is included as Goal 2. The key elements of fencing and
ungulate removal will provide a direct benefit to this species.
Revised Recovery Plan for the ‘Alalā (Corvus hawaiiensis) (USFWS 2009): The ‘alalā is listed
as endangered without critical habitat. No individuals are known to exist in the wild. As of 2010,
77 ‘alalā, representing the entire population of the species, are in captivity; including 1 bird at the
San Diego Wild Animal Park and the remaining 76 at the Keauhou and Maui Bird Conservation
Centers on Hawai‘i and Maui islands, respectively.
Recovery Objective: The ‘alalā currently exists only as a small population in captivity, and so the
exact needs of the recovery program cannot be specified beyond a relatively short time horizon.
Recovery of this species will require both sustained, long-term conservation actions and repeated
experimentation to determine the optimal means to reestablish wild populations. This recovery plan’s
structure reflects these needs by articulating both long-term strategies (the Strategic Plan) and shortterm
actions (Implementation Plans) which will be revised regularly. The elements of the recovery
strategy are to (1) expand captive propagation to minimize the loss of genetic diversity, (2) identify,
protect, and manage suitable habitat, and reduce threats at the selected release sites, (3) introduce
birds into the wild in suitably managed habitat once the captive population is stabilized, (4) garner
public support and funding, and (5) conduct research and adaptively manage the ‘alalā recovery
program.
Recovery Actions:
1. Manage the population of ‘alalā by increasing the number of captive ‘alalā to at least 75
individuals to retain all possible genetic diversity and provide individuals for release into the
1-24 Chapter 1. Introduction and Background