College of Tropical Agriculture cooperative Extension PUBLICATIONS and Human Resources University of Hawai‘i at manoa

Commercial Use of Native Hawaiian Laws and Requirements for the Propagation and Sale of Threatened and Endangered Hawaiian Species

Introduction • Find here an ESA fact sheet (fws.gov/endangered/esa- library/pdf/ESA_basics.pdf). The Endangered Species Act (ESA) was passed by the U.S. Congress in 1973 to help prevent the extinction of • Here is a current list of T&E plants of Hawai‘i (fws.gov/ rare species. More than one-fourth of Hawai‘i’s native endangered/?ref=topbar). plants are listed as threatened (T, likely to become endan- The FWS works in conjunction with the State of Hawai‘i’s gered) or endangered (E, in danger of extinction). Native Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), plants are those whose ancestors arrived on the Hawaiian Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) to administer Islands millions Permit Guidelines (dlnr..gov/ecosystems/rare-plants/ of years ago by permits) that allow activities involving rare, threatened, or wind, waves, or endangered plants. wings. Most are endemic, and Why Use Native T&E Plants? evolved in Ha- wai‘i’s isolated Endemic (found only in Hawai‘i) and indigenous (also ecosystem into native elsewhere) plants have aesthetic, cultural, and species found recreational values that are integral to what makes nowhere else in Hawai‘i Hawai‘i. the world. These plants are adapted to Hawai‘i’s environment. Once With hundreds established in a suitable habitat, with the proper climate of plants on the and soils, they will require less water, fertilizer, and Threatened & maintenance than non-native plants. Endangered The diversity of native plant species available offers many (T&E) list, Hawai‘i is re- ferred to as the “endangered March 2019 species capital of Subject Category: the world.” These Ornamentals and Flowers, OF-52 Sesbania tomentosa guidelines are intended to help Orville C. Baldos, Ph.D. members of the general public to obtain the necessary permits for regulated activities dealing with T&E plants in Andrew Kawabata Hawai‘i. Joanne Lichty Imamura Department of Tropical Plant Endangered Species Act Overview and Soil Sciences When Congress passed the ESA, “the purpose was to [email protected], (808) 956-8714 protect and recover imperiled species and the ecosystem upon which they depend.” The U.S. Fish and Wildlife This information has been Service (FWS) has primary responsibility for plants and reviewed by CTAHR faculty freshwater organisms. potential uses for local landscapes or interiorscapes. Prop- Table 1. List of species currently agating native Hawaiian plants contributes to the pres- in the commercial trade (as of April 2020) ervation of T&E plants by relieving collection pressure on wild plants and preserving native habitats. Choosing Scientific Name Hawaiian Name Status native over non-native plants will help prevent the Abutilon eremitopetalum E introduction of harmful alien pests and diseases that may Abutilon menziesii Koʻoloaʻula E be on imported plants. Achyranthes splendens var. rotundata ʻAhinahina E • Here is list of ornamental plants considered invasive Bonamia menziesii E in Hawai‘i (plantpono.org/high-risk-plants). Brighamia insignis ʻOlulu, Ālula E Brighamia rockii Hāhā, Pua ʻala E Laws and Requirements for Commercial Use Cenchrus agrimonioides Kāmanomano E of T&E Plants Colubrina oppositifolia Kauila E Regulations governing commercial use of Hawaiʻi’s T&E Cyperus trachysanthos Kaʻa,Puʻukaʻa E plants are administered by the State of Hawaiʻi's Depart- Delissea rhytidosperma ʻOha E ment of Land & Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of Gardenia brighamii Nānū, Nāʻū E Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW), under Hawaiʻi Administra- haukuahiwi E tive Rules, Title 13, DLNR Subtitle 5, Forestry and Wildlife, Hibiscadelphus hualalaiensis Hualalaihaukuahiwi E Part 1, Forestry, Chapter 107: Threatened and Endan- Kokiʻokeʻokeʻo, Hibiscus arnottianus E gered Plants (13-107-6): “Commercial Use Plant Species” Aloalo, hau hele (files.hawaii.gov/dlnr/dofaw/rules/Chap107s.pdf). Hibiscus brackenridgei subsp. brackenridgei Aloalo, Maʻohau hele E Hibiscus brackenridgei subsp. mokuleianus Aloalo, Maʻohau hele E Permit Guidelines, State of Hawaiʻi, DLNR, Hibiscus clayi Kokiʻoʻulaʻula E Division of Forestry and Wildlife Hibiscus waimeae subsp. hannerae Aloalo, Kokiʻokeʻokeʻo E Sale of Permitted T&E Plant Species From Cultivated Stock Hau hele ʻula E Marsilea villosa ʻIhilāʻau, ʻIhiʻihi E A Rare Plant Permit (dlnr.hawaii.gov/ecosystems/rare Mezoneuron kavaiense Uhiuhi E -plants/permits) is required for commercial use of T&E Polyscias racemosum Pōkūlakalaka E plants. The permit may be obtained by filling out the Kuluʻī E “Application For Commercial Use of Hawaiian Threatened and Endangered Plant Species” from the State of Hawaiʻi Pritchardia affinis Loulu, Hāwane E DLNR, Division of Forestry and Wildlife. Pritchardia remota Hāwane, Loulu E Schiede akaalae E • Find more information on permit guidelines Sesbania tomentosa ʻOhai E (dlnr.hawaii.gov/dofaw/permits) here. Solanum sandwicense ʻAiakeakua, popolo E All commercial T&E plants sold must have a commercial Tetramolopium filiforme E use tag (Figure 1) and should be tagged with the scientific Vigna o-wahuensis E name and source of origin. The permit holder is required to E = Endangered, T = Threatened keep records of species name, date, and number of prop- agules or plants sold, given away, or donated. The permit Important: Do not plant a cultivated T&E plant “back into the wild.” Keeping cultivated plants in the garden will help preserve wild plant genetics and protect Figure 1. An example of a wild plants from introduced pests or commercial use tag for T&E plants disease. Non-Cultivated Plants holder shall allow authorized DOFAW representatives to inspect plants, permits, books, and/or records. The list of A permit is required for research, survey, monitoring, col- T&E plants permitted for commercial trade (Table 1) can lection, possession, propagation, outplanting, or transfer be obtained from the Hawaiʻi DLNR, DOFAW. of non-cultivated rare and T&E plants. Register here Only permitted T&E plant species from cultivated stock can (inforps-dp.hawaii.gov/DLNRInvPermitting/#/login) for one. be used commercially. The list of permitted plant species All permit applications should be submitted to DOFAW 90 can be found on the application. Applications for permits days prior to the expected start of field work to allow for and tags (at cost) can be obtained from DOFAW. processing. College of Tropical Agriculture cooperative Extension PUBLICATIONS and Human Resources University of Hawai‘i at manoa

• Additional permits, such as access permits, may also be required from DOFAW or other DLNR Divisions. • A copy of the signed permit must be carried with the permit holder(s) at all times while in the field.

Summary • A permit is required for commercial use of T&E plants, and all plants must have a commercial-use tag. • The list of T&E plants permitted for commercial trade can be obtained from the Hawaiʻi DLNR, DOFAW. • Only permitted T&E plant species from cultivated stock can be used commercially. • Applications for permits and tags (at cost) can be obtained from DOFAW. Abutilon menziesii • A permit is required for research, collection, pos- session, propagation, and transfer of non-cultivated rare and T&E plants.

Acknowledgements We thank the County of Hawaiʻi Department of Research and Development for funding support and Matthew Keir, State of Hawaiʻi Division of Forestry and Wildlife, for reviewing this manuscript.

Published by the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) and issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, under the Director/Dean, Cooperative Extension Service/CTAHR, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96822. Copyright 2020, University of Hawai‘i. For reproduction and use permission, contact the CTAHR Office of Communication Services, [email protected], 808-956-7036. The university is an equal opportunity/ affirmative action institution providing programs and services to the people of Hawai‘i without regard to race, sex, gender identity and expression, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, arrest and court record, sexual orientation, or status as a covered veteran. Find CTAHR publications at www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/freepubs.