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

Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge
Comprehensive Conservation Plan
� Desire by partners to see staff and a satellite office in the vicinity of the KFU;
� Potential for some joint planning with NPS at Kahuku;
� Interest in developing some sort of “Partnership Boundary” that could include Three Mountain
Alliance, Mauna Kea Watershed Alliance, Wai‘ea;
� Need for strong management partnerships at KFU;
� Climate Change
o Issues that will likely become larger in the context of climate change include avian malaria,
the need for corridors to connect habitat fragments;
o Quote - “This is one of Hawai‘i’s great opportunities to deal with climate change”;
o The Plan should look for opportunities to connect the subalpine habitat with wet-lower
elevation habitats;
� On adjacent lands, DHHL is considering māmane restoration, bird corridors, koa restoration, and
gorse control. [Since this meeting DHHL’s ‘Āina Mauna Legacy Program more completely
outlines specific plans for adjacent areas.];
� Endangered plants are an important piece of the habitats that are being restored. We should
specify actions and species;
� There should be more exploration into carbon sequestration. Previous efforts did not get off the
ground, but there is an emerging market for “boutique” carbon that could serve Hakalau well;
� Research
o There is a need for research into habitat and species responses to adaptive management to
help make adjustments over time;
o There is a greater need for monitoring than for pure research;
o Consider developing a Research Management Plan with a formal subcommittee;
o Need a way to filter research requests;
� Additional enforcement should be present at both units;
� Education/Outreach
o Consider expanding the open house to twice per year;
o Develop an airport kiosk;
o Host an annual “low-budget” research symposium: potential ideas include poster sessions,
keynote speakers, in conjunction with other events that may be occurring on island.
� Hakalau nēnē appear to be a migratory subpopulation that could provide an additional avenue for
education about management at Hakalau;
� Develop a bibliography of Hakalau research; and
� Review and use the Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park ungulate control Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS).
1.8.3 Forest Bird Workshop
The Service held a workshop with partner agencies, renowned forest bird researchers, and
statisticians in Hilo October 8-10, 2008, to expand a review of the current status of the Hawai‘i
‘ākepa and other endangered Hawaiian forest birds at the Refuge for development of options for
management alternatives for the CCP.
The Service has received contradictory information over the population status of the endangered
Hawai‘i ‘ākepa in a portion of the Refuge, a major stronghold of the species, over the last several
years. The Regional Director obtained the assistance of the USGS’ Dr. J. Michael Scott in
1-30 Chapter 1. Introduction and Background