Last Stand The Vanishing Hawaiian Forest The Vanishing Last Hawaiian Forest F orests can change dramatically over relatively short periods of history. Hawaii's native forests evolved over millions of years to become one of the most remarkable natural Stand assemblages on Earth. Yet since the onset of human arrival, 1,000 years ago, their history has largely been one of loss and destruction. The worst damage occurred during the 19th century, when cattle and other introduced livestock were allowed to multiply and range unchecked throughout the Islands, laying waste to hundreds of thousands of acres of native forest. The situation became so dire that the captains of government and industry realized that if the destruction continued there would be no water for growing sugarcane, the Islands’ emerging economic mainstay. In response, the 1903 Territorial Legislature created Hawaii’s forest reserve system, ushering in a new era of massive public-private investment in forest restoration. Today, we reap the benefits of this investment but, ironically, no longer have a well- funded forest management program. Public investment in watershed protection has dropped precipitously, and once again the Hawaiian forest stands at a critical historical juncture. The State of Hawai‘i, which has stewardship responsibilities for half of the Islands’ 1.5 million acres of forested lands, is currently spending less than 1% of its budget to protect all of its natural and cultural resources. The knowledge and tools to protect our forests exist, but almost two decades of chronic budget shortfalls has left forest managers struggling to sustain watersheds, battle the nation’s worst extinction crisis, and stem a silent and growing invasion of alien plants and animals. Hawaii's native forests are among the Earth’s biological treasures, sheltering more than 10,000 unique species. These forests supply our state with fresh water, protect our world-class beaches from destructive run-off and sediment, and are a vital link to the survival of Hawaiian cultural practices. In the battle to defend these ancient forests, new public-private partnerships have formed across the state. These partnerships, which reflect a deeper understanding of the connection of native forests to water resources, offer perhaps the best hope for long-term forest preservation. Indeed, only by committing to a new era of public-private cooperation can we ensure the survival of the Hawaiian forest for generations to come. Watershed When When eplenish the aquifer. eplenish the aquifer. that emanate from Streams is eroded forest a native When Watersheds Watersheds are Destroyed Destroyed are When a forest is degraded, rain falling rain is degraded, a forest When water- The earth causes erosion. on bare of the soil are upper layers retaining behind less leaving washed away, off this runs Water permeable clays. instead of filteringimpermeable surface down to r during mountains flood deforested the streams stop, the rains When rains. and loss of stabilizing tree The dry. run Debris in landslides. results plant roots quickly ends up in streams by carried reefs. smothering ocean coastal areas, opportunistic foreign and damaged, these newWhile species easily invade. ground, bare plants can help stabilize is they create cover the watershed and not typically simple in structure forest. as that of native as effective Millions of years of evolution have made the Hawaiian forest forest made the Hawaiian have of evolution Millions of years Generally water. and retaining at capturing highly efficient the more of a forest, complex the structure the more speaking, with forest, rain Hawaiian The functions. enhanced its watershed secondary tall canopy, structure– multi-layered its marvelous mosses and leaf ground-hugging layers, and fern shrubs trees, absorbing water and like a giant sponge, acts litter– Even and into streams. slowly underground allowing it to drip passing clouds. from can pull moisture the forest without rain, and above can push water capture this interception In Hawai‘i, by as much as 30 percent. beyond total annual rainfall A giant living sponge A giant living sponge
There is a direct correlation in Hawai‘i between the in Hawai‘i correlation is a direct There the health and watersheds health of our forested a healthy forest Without and beaches. of our reefs effects to anchor the soil and temper the erosive amounts of sediment wash off large rain, of heavy polluting our steep mountains and into the ocean, and degrading reefs, coral destroying streams, resources. coastal fishing of of the thousands value the greatest Perhaps is the function species in our upland forests native as part of a complex, together, that they perform the over balance achieved The ecosystem. natural that can best forests millennia has produced and flood of drought weather the typical cycles adapted to the uniquely and are in the region, forest Native and soils of the mountain. climate a stable the best chance for ecosystems provide and it would be impossible to replace watershed, destroyed. if they were them at any price The Hawaiian Rain Forest Rain Hawaiian The Ultimate The A reef saver A reef and flood against drought Our defense The Hawaiian rain forest is a great conserver of water. The tall, closed canopy shades out the sun, canopy shades out the sun, closed tall, The of water. conserver is a great forest rain Hawaiian The also blocks wind, dense vegetation The and transpiration. in less water lost to evaporation resulting blunt the erosive of vegetation many layers The the land. from which would otherwise pull moisture in wetter immediate flow reducing water, of stored the release buffer and once saturated, of rain, effects human use. water for fresh delivers the forest subsides, Long after rain it in dry. maintaining times, A conserver of water of water A conserver Water is the most important product of the forest, but its supply has supply its but of the forest, product is the most important Water our that and so cheap, our needs, to relative been so plentiful always an unlimited is not water Fresh has dimmed. value of its awareness are and sustainability quality, availability, ready and its resource, watersheds. the health of our forested linked to i, our forested forested our i, ‘ Nature’s Nature’s The Watershed: Collection Basin Basin Collection Water mountains are our primary watersheds. watersheds. our primary mountains are which contain both native areas, These our recharge forests, and non-native a and provide aquifers underground water for of clean dependable source our streams. A watershed is an area of land, such as of land, an area is A watershed that catches and mountain or a valley, influ- Topography water. collects rain the ocean toward ences how water moves movement or via streams, rivers, via In Hawai underground. ‘au - ka ua i la ka ulu - The answer lies in the convergence of winds upon answer lies in the convergence The collection is an essential function of allWater of the forest, is the most important product Water Hahai no – Hawaiian proverb Rains always follows forest the Rains always hen you live on islands in the middle of a vast ocean, it’s it’s ocean, on islands in the middle of a vast hen you live the Islands’ richly forested mountains. As warm ocean air mountains. forested richly the Islands’ by the mountainous upwards it is forced inland, moves slopes. cooling and condensing on its forested terrain, fog, of mist, water in the form captures upland forest The and it into streams absorbing and releasing and rain, aquifers. underground designed seems perfectly forest but the Hawaiian forests, an umbrella Its dense canopy provides the task. for by nature acts as a understory Its thick layered rain. that intercepts the mountain grip Its roots up water. soaking giant sponge, and enhancing erosion reducing and anchor the soil, water quality. surface to our been so plentiful relative but its supply has always has of its value that our awareness and so cheap, needs, and its water is not an unlimited resource, Fresh dimmed. linked to the and sustainability are quality, availability, ready our for- we destroy When watersheds. health of our forested we put our future to degrade, ests or allow our watersheds at risk. and quality of life prosperity itWithout water. of fresh on the value price to put a hard arid Islands lie in a relatively Hawaiian The is no life. there continental the nearest from 2,500 miles part of the Pacific, ocean is only in the surrounding and the rainfall landmass, is abundant here. freshwater Yet 25 to 30 inches a year. does it come from? Where W Where Does Where From? Come
WATER AND THE FOREST
a ‘ , hi‘a lehua will - hi hi‘a grows on sun-scorched on sun-scorched hi‘a grows Metrosideros polymorpha Metrosideros - - hi‘a lehua can be found almosthi‘a lehua can be found - lava and in rain-soaked bogs, and bogs, and in rain-soaked lava to the tree sea level just above from It can appear as line at 9,500 feet. 100-foot or an emergent a shrub can be smooth and Its leaves tree. covered thick and leathery, glossy, and of hairs, with a dense felt two Typically, in between. everything ‘o of forms or more meaning “many forms,” describes it describes “many forms,” meaning ‘O well. everywhere in native Hawaiian Hawaiian native in everywhere tree ecosystems and is the signature Its scientific forest. of the Hawaiian name, ‘O be growing next to each other, so next to each other, be growing leaf and aspect, in stature, different that they look to be entirely flower, species. different o Signature Tree Tree Signature Forest of the Hawaiian ‘ lehua refers to Why Why Matters “Biological diversity” plays a critical role a critical plays Biodiversity forestA biologically diverse forests, we lose our native When Biodiversity Biodiversity what is biodiversity? And why does what is biodiversity? Born of volcanic soil and shaped by soil and shaped by of volcanic Born are forests native Hawaii’s evolution, of biological diversity. storehouses rich But it matter? the variety of life forms on Earth, from on Earth, forms of life the variety It is this genes to species to ecosystems. things that allows living genetic variation to different change by adapting to survive physical and biological conditions. and medicines and is foods in providing essential to maintaining the ecological depends. upon which life processes and microorganisms animals, Plants, systems that the cogs within natural are purify and atmosphere, climate regulate and maintain soil systems. water and air, support backup for ecosystem provides in Thus, essential biological functions. stock that a diversified the same way to weather enables an investor portfolio markets, sudden shocks to the financial ecosystem allows a forest a diversified like disasters natural from to recover and disease. fire, drought, we lose the important ecological ser- as a big part as well they provide, vices and cultural natural the collective of of quality The of our Islands. heritage and our own quality of our environment is the quality too, So, diminished. are life that we pass on to our children. of life Riches pounds pounds fifty fifty more than 90% of which are found nowhere else nowhere found are than 90% of which more hi‘a lehua, hi‘a lehua,
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to any collector who would go there and work.” good work.” flora of Hawai‘i. subscribe I wo uld and there go would who collector any to “ Of all the placesOf all to the like see world, would I in the the “ Naturalist – Charles Darwin, . Science calls this phenomenon “endemism” – naturally occurring in only one place. High rates in only one place. occurring – naturally “endemism” calls this phenomenon Science .
Biologists today are still cataloguing what lives in the Islands’ native forests, but already they have they have but already forests, native in the Islands’ still cataloguing what lives are Biologists today species, 10,000 native is home to over Hawai‘i na‘i its dry forests of lama its dry forests na‘i - hi‘a and lapalapa. Many of and lapalapa. hi‘a - harles Darwin never made it to Hawai‘i, but other naturalists who did documented its astonishing natural but other naturalists made it to Hawai‘i, Darwin never harles and its wonder, is an evolutionary Hawai‘i its sun-baked coasts to its snow-capped summits, From diversity. of biological riches. a storehouse forests native described a litany of wonders: happy-face spiders and carnivorous caterpillars; giant, flowering lobelioids flowering giant, caterpillars; and carnivorous spiders happy-face a litany of wonders: described allows it to scale fins whose powerful pelvic fish native a remarkable – even hued song birds and brilliantly waterfalls. thousand-foot in the world of endemism typically signal biological wealth. With more endemic species than any place of similar size on place of similar size endemic species than any more With of endemism typically signal biological wealth. globally important. forests and its native rich, is biologically Hawai‘i Earth,
of Biological of A Storehouse A Storehouse C and olopua, Kaua‘i its mist-shrouded swamp its mist-shrouded Kaua‘i and olopua, ‘o of dwarf forests known for its bright red, orange, or yellow orange, red, its bright known for the highly prized and koa, flowers, brush-like the dominant are species, hardwood native ends hardly But the diversity types. forest Big Island has its sub-alpineThe there. La mamane forests, Hawai‘i has almost as many types of native has almost as many types of native Hawai‘i the including states, U.S. are as there forest ‘O forests. rain only tropical nation’s our forest types defy naming. Scientists are Scientists are types defy naming. our forest mesic forests” “diverse to call them forced is so long because the list of constituent trees blended that no one and the mix so evenly there All total, species can be called dominant. and forest Hawaiian native 48 different are than 175 different woodland types and more of majority the vast trees, species of native else on Earth. nowhere found which are Forests That Defy Naming That Forests SCIENCE AND THE FOREST Hawai‘i has almost all of Earth’s When one species variation becomes many Liittschwager and Middleton with Environmental Defense in climate, Hawai‘i surpasses the Galapagos SCIENCE AND THE FOREST SCIENCE AND FOREST THE Islands in the number and variety and most of of species that evolved from a its variation common ancestor, a phenomenon in soil. scientists call “adaptive radiation.” A Natural Over time, and in response to © their environment, species evolve 2002 to occupy diverse habitats. Thus, The marvels of co-evolution a single Hawaiian tarweed When two interacting species, typically an animal Laboratory radiated into 36 species, a single and a plant, evolve together in ways that are Nature’s species of tree snail became a beneficial to both, it’s called “co-evolution.” In genus of 40, a single finch the Hawaiian forest, honeycreepers and lobelioids proliferated into more than 50 University co-evolved in a tight relationship of feeding. species of honeycreepers. for the The long curved bills of certain honeycreepers There are few better natural laboratories than Hawai‘i Hawaiian lobelioids are fit precisely into the tubular flowers of many for the study of evolution, the role of individual species considered one of the most lobelioids. The fit of beak to flower is often so in an environment, and the complex relationships Study of Evolution spectacular examples of island precise that the bird can draw nectar while evolution in flowering plants. An between organisms. maintaining a clear view of the world, alert for early botanist referred to Hawaiian avian predators such as hawks and owls. Not only is the Hawaiian archipelago well lobelioids as “the peculiar pride isolated, but as Darwin noted, its main islands of our flora” because of the amazing diversity of form and are well isolated from each other. Each is a habitat taken by an adaptive different geological age and boasts radiation of more than 100 endemic species. Hawaiian species, all derived from Hawai‘i has almost all of Earth’s R emote oceanic island archipelagos one original ancestor. Hawaiian like Hawai‘i are prized as unparalleled lobelioids are the world’s largest variation in climate, and most of its natural laboratories for the study of group of related plant species variation in soil. Rainfall ranges evolution. While species that colonize endemic to an island archipelago. from eight inches a year to more such island groups evolve in the same than 400 inches, and temperatures way as continental species, the process from near desert heat to freezing. occurs much faster in an island setting and is more readily observable. Many In addition, elevation changes are of the phenomenon that Darwin dramatic, rising quickly from sea level documented in the fabled Galapagos to summits approaching 14,000 feet. Islands, another isolated island group, All of this spectacular variation is found in a and which led to his theory of evolution, find even greater expression in Hawaii’s very small area, and it’s almost all on one kind of rock, native forests. with ecosystems that are neatly organized – by lava When herbs become trees flow, by elevation, by side of the mountain, by island. The original plants and animals that colonized All of these factors work to produce extraordinary Hawai‘i found a place that was free of mammals, reptiles, and most other harmful predators and native forests that enable scientists to conduct pests. As a result, many species evolved away research in ways that can be duplicated in few other their defenses – their thorns and odors and saps. places. Armed with this knowledge, scientists can “Hawai‘i is the greatest place on Earth to be a biologist.” Free to focus their energies elsewhere, many herbs and shrubs became trees, which helps measure biodiversity, assess its potential threats, – Peter Vitousek, Stanford University; Member, National Academy of Sciences explain why Hawai‘i has such diverse forest types. and design methods to protect it. Scientists call these and other similar evolution- ary changes “adaptive shifts.”The Hawaiian for- est contains many examples, including the native nettle, or ma- maki, which lost its stinging hairs, and 50 species of “mintless” mints. Wood – Mainstay of
HAWAIIAN CULTURE AND THE FOREST the Material Culture Early Hawaiians possessed an especially detailed knowledge of the differing physical characteristics of wood. Trees such as ‘o-hi‘a lehua, lama, and naio were often chosen for the basic framework of a house, while endemic hardwoods such as kauila, uhiuhi, olopua, and koa were used to The Roots fashion spears, daggers, and clubs. Wiliwili, a wood of the dry forest, was known for its buoyancy and used - for making fishing floats and surfboards, while koa Auwe! was used for making canoes, bowls, containers, and of our Culture tools. Wood played a singularly important role in all In the early 1990s when the double-hulled Hawaiian aspects of Hawaiian life. Shelter, agriculture, fishing, food H awaiian cultural traditions reflect a voyaging canoe, Hawai‘iloa, journeyed to Tahiti, it “Each time we lose another Hawaiian plant or bird or preparation, storage, transportation, weaponry, and religion long, close-standing relationship with the was the first modern canoe of its kind created forest, we lose a living part of our ancient culture.” all included key structures or tools made from the different trees as much as possible from native materials. available in the native forest. native forest. In ancient times, the forest – Nainoa Thompson was celebrated in chant, song, and dance, During its conception, however, the Polynesian Voyaging Society Hawai‘iloa hit a significant snag: a year- and its many gifts provided for the spiritual Liittschwager and Middleton with Environmental Defense © 2002 and material needs of the culture. long search through the native forests Hula and the Forest Water from the forest fed the lo‘i The Hawaiian of the Big Island identified only two living In Hawaiian culture, Laka, the goddess of hula, (taro fields) in the lowlands and the koa trees large enough for her hulls. is a forest deity, and so are the various plants that Relationship are sacred to the dance, including ‘o-hi‘a lehua, Wao Akua fishponds along the coast. Woods from For master navigator Nainoa Thompson, “Realm of the Gods” forest were used to make houses, canoes, to Nature the discovery came as a shock, and he maile, and palapalai ferns. When the ancients went to the forest to gather the materials with weapons, and tools. Forest plants and found that he could not, in good conscience, Ancient Hawaiians believed they were which they made their lei and costumes, they were herbs were gathered for healing and remove the trees from the forest. Instead, he direct kin of the plants and animals mindful of a conservation ethic that is deeply medicinal purposes, and the feathers of that shared their world, and that traveled to the Pacific Northwest where he asked two tribes of native Americans for a gift of two large rooted in old Hawaiian ways: Take from the forest birds fashioned into brilliantly colored both animate and inanimate things only what you need. Chant and give thanks. spruce trees. The experience instilled in Nainoa a capes, helmets, and lei. possessed spiritual power, or mana. A deep reverence for the natural They believed that beings with great strong conviction that preservation of the native forest world permeated ancient life. Hawaiians In the Forest mana could take on the form of is fundamental to Hawaiian cultural revival. saw themselves as part of, not separate Reside the Gods other plants and animals, and that - from, nature. The land was the ‘aina , or The ancient Hawaiians saw one’s spirit might cycle through other “that which feeds,” and its rich diversity gods everywhere in nature living things after human death. In helped shape and inspire the native and worshiped a pantheon such a world, you could talk directly of natural deities. The culture. Today, the survival of an authentic to the winds and rains and expect a upland forest was wao Hawaiian culture is inherently tied to the response, or have the ‘io, the Hawaiian akua, the realm of the preservation of the forest and the natural hawk, as your ancestral guardian, Wao Kanaka gods, and the trees were a Fishpond “Realm of Man” environment in which its traditions watching over you from his perch in physical manifestation of Featherwork evolved. “To maintain our own this spiritual realm. Entry the forest. beauty, we must maintain the into the forest was limited As the youngest descen- ‘ beauty of the forest,” says in Old Hawaii to a few consecrated dents among living family, humans The Ahupua‘a Kumu Hula Pua Kanahele. individuals and involved a had the role of caretakers, while the Ancient Hawaiian life T he feathers of many endemic forest birds were used “If we cut down the forest, strict protocol, including an plants and animals, as the older was based around the to fashion capes, cloaks, helmets, and lei of spectacular we cut down ourselves.” offering and a statement of siblings of the ‘a- ina, provided ahupua‘a system of land beauty in old Hawai‘i. Feather garments were a symbol identity and purpose. If the guidance. The saying goes: He ali‘i management, which of high social rank. They were worn only by royalty and purpose was to collect - - , - evolved to protect the upland no ka ‘a ina he kauwa wale ke connected the chiefs to the gods. The red feathers of trees, only a single tree or . The land is chief, the water resources that sustained kanaka the ‘i‘iwi and the ‘apapane, and the yellow feathers of species could be collected human life. A typical ahupua‘a, or human is but a servant. - - at a time. The upland forest the now extinct ‘o‘o and mamo, predominated, but black, land division, was wedge-shaped and extended from the summits was sacred to Ku-, the god white, green, and other colors were also used. While into the sea. As water flowed from the upland forest, down through of war, governance, and featherwork may have contributed to the decline of the ahupua‘a, it passed from the wao akua, the realm of the gods, to - leadership. ‘Ohi‘a lehua was many native birds, examples of the art form are among the wao kanaka, the realm of man, where it sustained agriculture, the physical manifestation the most treasured objects to be found in the Pacific aquaculture, and other human uses. Water was a gift from the gods, of Ku-, and the taking of a collections of the world’s greatest museums. and all Hawaiians took an active part in its use and conservation. large ‘o-hi‘a was regarded as a sacred act, requiring a human sacrifice. THREATS TO THE FOREST FOREST THREATS TO THE Deadly Invaders Forests Under Siege A lmost everywhere you go in Hawai‘i, the native forest is under siege. Goats are eating their way up the side of the mountain in “The Green Cancer” Rototillers of the Forest Avian Peril Koa Killer Dangerous Beauty Rats! Cannibal Snail East Moloka‘i. Miconia calvescens, the Miconia is recognized as the most Wild pigs are widespread in The Hawaiian archipelago once Banana poka, a non-native vine Using their antlers to girdle and Rats are widespread in Hawai‘i In addition to rats, one of the greatest “green cancer,” has a foothold on Maui invasive and dangerous alien plant Hawaii’s native forests. Where sustained at least 140 species introduced to Hawai‘i from South kill native trees, axis deer wreak and their impact on native forests threats to Hawaii’s endangered tree and the Big Island. Feral pigs have spread species of Pacific Island rain for- they root and trample, they of native birds. Seventy of those America, has smothered over havoc on native Hawaiian eco- is profound. Rats dine on native snails is the carnivorous rosy into every watershed in the state. ests. This fast-spreading Latin destroy native vegetation, species are now extinct, and 70,000 acres of prime native systems. Like other hoofed ani- snails and raid the nests of wolfsnail. Native to Florida and Remote, oceanic islands are more American plant casts a dense shade accelerate erosion, spread another 30 are endangered. For forest. Hardest hit have been the mals, they trample and eat native native birds. They devour the Central America, the wolfsnail was vulnerable to ecological invasions that that kills everything beneath it, and weeds in their droppings, and Hawaii’s remaining forest birds, state’s precious koa forests, which vegetation, spread non-native seeds and fruits of native plants, introduced to Hawai‘i in 1955 in a any other ecosystems. In Hawai‘i, the its shallow roots cannot hold the for- pollute the water supply with introduced mosquitoes that supply Hawaii’s most renowned weeds, and greatly contribute to as well as many of the native misguided attempt to control an damage done by feral cattle, pigs, est floor’s exposed soil. Over time a eroded silt, feces, and foreign spread avian malaria and other hardwood and support many rare erosion. Axis deer have already insects these birds and plants agricultural pest, the giant African goats, rats, weeds, wildfire, diverse, multi-layered native forest diseases. Pigs eat the nestlings diseases are a primary threat. birds and plants. proven their ability to destroy rely upon. In the end, they can snail. Wolfsnails eat all snails - The invasive insects, and other threats Wildfire becomes a single-species miconia of ground nesting birds, and Hawaiian forests on Lana‘i and shut down natural regeneration regardless of size and have decimated introduced by people has rendered forest, prone to landslides. Incipient their wallows create breeding Moloka‘i. They now threaten to of our native species and native Hawaiian snail populations. Extinction Except in active volcanic areas, miconia populations on O‘ahu and sites for foreign mosquitoes, do the same on Maui. contribute to their decline and Wolfsnails even devour their own the Islands’ native forests among “Far wiser to nip these pests in the bud before they fire is not a part of the natural Kaua‘i have been cleared, but more which spread deadly diseases extinction. species, giving them the common Crisis the most endangered in the world. bloom into expensive and formidable plagues.” life-cycle of native Hawaiian eco- aggressive and sustained efforts to Hawaii’s endangered name “cannibal snail.” Since the onset of human – Honolulu Star-Bulletin Hawai‘i has the dubious distinction systems, and only a few species are needed for Maui and the forest birds. of being home to more than one- arrival, Hawai‘i has lost almost regenerate after a fire, if at all. Big Island, where this weed infests third of the birds and plants on the half of its native forest cover. The void they leave is quickly thousands of acres. U.S. Endangered Species List. When While the historical impacts from filled by fire-adapted alien weeds, spiders, snails, and insects are agriculture, grazing, logging, and which increase the risk of future An Ounce of Prevention included, nearly 60% of Hawaii’s total development are responsible for much of fires. This vicious cycle of destruc- native flora and fauna is imperiled, this loss, the greater threat today is the tion has played out on Moloka‘i, by far the highest percentage of destruction wrought by invasive plants which has seen four major fires S tate, federal, and private managers of Hawaii’s forests any state. Destruction and the loss and animals. in the last 20 years. Previous spend more than 75% of their resources to prevent the of forest habitat is the primary Non-native species prey upon and fires allowed flammable alien spread of alien pests, and repair the damages they cause of species decline. If we are destroy the habitat of native species, compete grasses to gain a foothold, and cause. The best way to protect our native forests from to preserve our remaining native with them for food and habitat, and spread with each new fire they spread further invasions is through enhanced prevention – forests and prevent further species foreign diseases. Over time, they can trans- further. The worst fire covered stopping alien pests before they get here, or before loss, we must halt the continuing form the forests they invade, changing 13,000 acres and destroyed some they spread. For example, experts warn that Hawaii invasion of non-native plants and them from native to non-native, simplifying of the last remnants of lowland could soon have established snake populations if several animals that is undermining the their structure, altering soil composition, dry forest and rare species. practical steps are not taken now. Hundreds of credible sucking up scarce water, and increasing snake sightings have been reported in the Islands, and ecological stability of our Islands. the risk of fire. most of those snakes were free-roaming and not recovered. “Once you allow an invasive pest to become established, it’s almost impossible to eradicate, says Maui scientist Lloyd Loope of the U.S. Geological Survey. “Expensive control costs are permanent. There’s no putting the mongoose back in the cage.” Liittschwager and Middleton with Environmental Defense © 2002
Biodiversity and Scientific Study Hawaii’s native forests are one of the world’s biological treasures and a natural laboratory for the study of Aesthetics evolution. Studies of Hawaii’s native plants and animals have already The scenic beauty of Hawaii’s rain-forested revolutionized scientific understanding of how species evolve. mountains is of great value to Island residents and a primary visitor attraction. Ground water quality
$4.5 - 8.5 billion
Commercial Forestry Surface water quality Hawaii’s koa forests are are the source of one $83.7 - 394 million What of the world’s most valuable hardwoods. In-stream uses Our Forests Worth? $82.4 - 242 million Clearly, Species habitat F ew places are more renowned for their natural environment than Hawai‘i. Biotechnology Research into the genetics of the Islands’ native biodiversity billion Yet as a state we devote little money to its protection and essentially take for could have a significant impact on medical science, genetic $487 million - 1.4 our forests granted the many benefits it provides. engineering, and agricultural biotechnology. In the case of our forests, we pay no bill for the capture and filtering Biodiversity of rainwater that replenishes our island aquifers, no bill for natural erosion control and clear nearshore waters. We pay no bill for the uptake of carbon $660,000 - 5.5 million are enormous dioxide and the supply of oxygen, for the calming influence of green mountains on our psyche, or the shady trails we hike. Total Value of Subsistence Contemplate the cost of replicating just one of these essential services Goods and Services through feats of technology or engineering and you begin to appreciate the $34.7 - 131 million economic assets contribution our forests make to our economy and quality of life. from a Single Hawaiian Liittschwager and Middleton with Environmental Defense Forested lands account for 1.5 million acres, or more than one-third Hunting of our state. But their value, and the value of the water they produce, is not included in conventional assessments of economic health. Value can only be Water$hed $62.8 - 237 million indicated by price, and natural capital such as water enters into most economic Cultural Preservation discussions as a free resource. The perpetuation of an Aesthetic Values A recent study by researchers at the University of Hawai‘i took a authentic Hawaiian ©
bold stab at quantifying the goods and services derived from our forests. In 2002 Water culture is closely tied Water is the primary product of the forest to the preservation of $1 - 3 billion determining that value, the authors examined the Ko‘olau Mountains forest, and the lifeblood of our economy. our native forests. Amenity O‘ahu’s primary source of water, and concluded that if there were complete Estimated Net Present Commercial harvests deforestation due to a catastrophe, natural or otherwise, the value of the lost Value for Ko‘olau Watershed recharge to our aquifers would be between $4.6 and $8.5 billion. $600,000 - 2.4 million When aesthetic values, water quality, climate control, biodiversity, and other forest services were calculated, the total value of the Ko‘olau Ecotourism forest was estimated at between $7.4 and $14 billion.* Other forested watersheds around the state, such as those on East Maui, were found to be comparable in value. $1 - 3 billion Clearly, our forests are enormous economic assets. Just as clearly, the cost of maintaining them is not reflected in the price we pay for water Climate Control and the other benefits they supply. Scientific research, tourism, fishing, forestry, agriculture, and biotechnology are all industries that directly benefit from $82 million or depend on our forests. To the extent that the state is involved in the management and pricing of its forest resources, such management and Ecotourism and Recreation Total pricing should reflect their true value to our economy. Ecotourism, or nature-based travel, is one the fastest growing sectors of global tourism and an $7.4 to 14 billion important component of the Hawai‘i visitor industry. Hawaii’s * “Environmental Evaluation and the Hawaiian Economy,” prepared by the University of Hawai‘i Economic Research Organization. forests provide hundreds of miles Principal investigator: Jim Roumasset. of hiking trails for the enjoyment “Environmental Evaluation and the Hawaiian Economy,” prepared by the University of Hawai‘i Economic of visitors and residents alike. Research Organization. All costs are estimated as net present value (NPV) using 3% and 1% social discount rates for the ranges.
Liittschwager and Middleton with Environmental Defense © 2002 No Forests, No Water, No Sugar The Lessons of History As sugarcane overtook cattle as an economic force in the Hawaiian Islands, the influence of the planters in government increased. In 1892, a Bureau of Agriculture and Forestry was established, and with the support of the Hawaiian Sugar Planters’ Association, the 1903 Territorial Legislature created a Division of “The future welfare and agricultural For the Hawaiian forest, 1903 was a watershed year. After more than a century of massive forest loss and destruction, the Territory of Forestry with authority to establish forest reserves. The early part of the 20th century saw a massive reforestation effort and the creation of 37 new prosperity of the Hawaiian Islands depends Hawai‘i acknowledged that preservation of the forest was vital to the future economic prosperity of the Islands. forest reserves comprising nearly 800,000 acres of state and private land. A primary management goal on the preservation of the forest.” Urged by sugarcane growers and government foresters concerned about the vanishing woodlands, the Territorial Legislature created Hawaii’s forest reserve system, which became the basis for the largest public-private partnership in the history of the Islands. was the exclusion of livestock from the native forests, as well as tree-planting and fire-control programs. – U.S. Forester E.M. Griffith, 1902 Today, more than a century later, we would do well to remember the wisdom our forebears so that future generations will not have to Reforestation reached a peak in the late 1930s, when nearly two million introduced trees were planted relearn the lessons of the past. annually in the forest reserves. Although these efforts were well meaning, most of the trees were fast-growing introduced species such as eucalyptus. These non-native trees prevented catastrophic destruction, but they also produced sparse forests with fewer species than the complex, multi-layered systems created by native forests. By The early Hawaiians were the first to establish agriculture the advent of World War II, the forest reserve system included 1.2 million acres, more than a quarter of The First Hawaiians and settlements in the native landscape. the Islands’ total land area. When the first Polynesians arrived in Hawaii around the ninth century A.D, they found an archipelago of high islands rich in forest cover, with lush windward valleys in which to make a new home. They A Natural Heritage Worth Preserving brought animals for food, as well as staples such as breadfruit, sugar cane, taro, and sweet potato. Today, Hawaii has the 11th largest state-owned forest and natural area reserve system in the United States, They also inadvertently brought rats, geckos, and the first introduced weeds. encompassing 700,000 acres. This is augmented by an equal amount of forestland in private ownership By recognizing the relationship between our forested mountains and a dependable supply The Hawaiians took care to protect the upland forests, which they considered wao akua, the of clean water, Hawaii’s sugar planters helped usher in a new era of forest restoration. and 250,000 acres under federal jurisdiction. Our long-standing policy of watershed protection has realm of the gods. But they cleared much of the arable lowland forest to plant crops, constructed fish- resulted in dramatic improvements from the degraded conditions that prevailed at the turn of the 20th ponds and taro patches in large, wet valleys, and hunted birds for food and ceremonial feathers. By the century, but much more work is needed. time of Captain James Cook’s arrival in the Hawaiian Islands in 1778, much of the original lowland Half of the Islands’ unique tropical forests are already gone, and with them many of our native plants and forest had been greatly altered by almost 1,000 years of intensive agriculture and the impacts of animals. Nearly three quarters of the nation’s plant and bird extinctions are from Hawai‘i. The major threats to introduced animals, especially rats. the Hawaiian forest are no longer logging or cattle ranching, but feral animals and invasive weeds. What’s more, public investment in watershed management has diminished, and once again our forested watersheds are degrading. To halt this slide, public and private landowners have formed a network of “watershed partnerships” Western Contact: The Era of Sandalwood and Cattle across the state. Dedicated to forest conservation, these partnerships represent an encouraging trend. But With European and American contact, changes to the Hawaiian environment accelerated and spread into to succeed, they must be supported and funded, as they were at the turn of the 20th century. the mountains. Sandalwood, exported to China for its fragrant aroma, became the Islands' first cash crop, with millions of trees harvested from the mountain forests. Livestock brought by Westerners – pigs, By the beginning of the 20th goats, sheep, and especially cattle – severely denuded the forests on all islands. Trading ships brought century, damage from goats and non-native songbirds and mosquitoes, introducing a key vector of avian malaria and pox to Hawaii’s birds, cattle had denuded the forest in The replanted forest: By Nu‘uanu Valley above Honolulu, which were soon eliminated from the warm, moist lowlands of all the islands. By the mid-19th century, 1940, millions of fast- raising concerns about the city’s growing, non-native future water supply. the Islands’ cattle and goat populations numbered in the hundreds of thousands. Forest destruction trees had been planted above Honolulu was so great it had all but stripped Nu‘uanu Valley of its greenery, stirring concerns throughout the Islands and the state forest about the city’s future water supply. reserve expanded to 1.2 million acres.
Cattle and other livestock In the 1800s, trading ships introduced with Western con- brought mosquitoes to Hawai‘i, tact were allowed to multiply Massive public-private investment which carried avian malaria that and roam unchecked through- in reforestation during the early eliminated native birds from the out the Islands during the 20th century replenished the Islands’ lowlands. 19th century. water supply and fueled the era of plantation agriculture in Hawai‘i. Kaua‘i Watershed Alliance Ni‘ihau Kaua‘i Wai‘anae Mountains Watershed Partnership
Partnerships and the Forest Ko‘olau Mountains Watershed Partnership Partnering for Water O‘ahu Current Moloka‘i East Moloka‘i Watershed Partnership The Future of Forest Conservation Conservation West Maui Mountains Watershed Partnership East Maui Watershed Partnership - Lana‘i Forest and Watershed Partnership Leeward Haleakala- Watershed Restoration Partnership “Watershed partnerships are voluntary alliances of public and private and Watershed La-na‘i landowners committed to the common value of protecting large areas Maui of forested watersheds for water recharge and conservation values.” Kohala Watershed Partnership Hawai‘i Association of Watershed Partnerships Partnerships Kohala Mountains Watershed Partnership ACRES 66,959 A s Hawaii’s extinction crisis accelerated in the closing decades of the FORMED 2003 20th century, natural area managers began to look for ways to dramatically PARTNERS Kahua¯ Ranch; Kamehameha Ranch; Kohala Preserve Conservation Mauna Kea Watershed Alliance East Maui Watershed Partnership increase their protection efforts. The practice of setting aside individual Trust; Laupa¯hoehoe Nui, LLC; Parker Ranch, Inc.; Ponoholo Ranch, Ltd; State ACRES 119,505 Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; State Department of Land and Natural forest parcels – whether as state forest reserves, private nature preserves, FOUNDED 1991 Resources; Queen Emma Land Company. ASSOCIATE PARTNERS Hawai‘i County or national wildlife refuges – was clearly not enough. Threats such as PARTNERS County of Maui; East Maui Irrigation Co., Ltd; Hana Ranch Partners, LLC; Haleakala¯ Department of Water Supply; The Nature Conservancy. National Park; Haleakala¯ Ranch Co; State Department of Land and Natural Resources; The Nature feral pigs and invasive weeds did not respect parcel boundaries. To be Conservancy. truly effective, forest protection needed to occur across ownership Kaua‘i Watershed Alliance The Benefits ACRES 144,004 lines, involve public and private landowners, and serve economic and Three Mountain Alliance FORMED 2003 ACRES 1,116, 300 environmental interests – just as it did at the turn of the 20th century. of Partnerships PARTNERS Ben A. Dyre Family Limited Partnership; Department of Water of the FOUNDED 1994 In 1991, a model for large-scale forest protection was pioneered County of Kaua‘i; Kamehameha Schools; Kaua‘i Ranch, LLC; Lihue Land With ownership of forested lands in Hawai‘i PARTNERS Kamehameha Schools, National Park Service; State Department of Land and Natural Company; McBryde Sugar Company, Ltd; Princeville Corporation; State on East Maui. That year six public and private landowners and the county Resources; State Department of Public Safety; U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service; U.S. Forest Service; Hawai‘i evenly split between public and private land- Department of Land and Natural Resources; Grove Farm Company, (Big Island) U.S. Geological Survey; The Nature Conservancy; USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. government formed the East Maui Watershed Partnership, a cooperative owners, effective conservation can’t be achieved Ko‘olau Mountains Watershed Partnership Incorporated; State Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; National Tropical Botanical Garden. Partnership Coordinator: The Nature Conservancy. without the cooperation of both. By bringing ACRES 98,737 effort to protect a 100,000-acre forest ecosystem that is the island’s West Maui Mountains Watershed Partnership public and private landowners together around FOUNDED 1999 primary source of water. Recognizing that they shared protection of the ACRES 47,322 - Three Mountain Alliance a shared interest, such as watershed protection, PARTNERS Bishop Museum; City & County of Honolulu Board of Water Supply; Leeward Haleakala Watershed Restoration Partnership FOUNDED 1998 watershed as a common interest, the partners agreed to pool resources these partnerships benefit forest conservation Dole Food Company, Inc; Hawaii Reserves, Inc; Kamehameha Schools; Kualoa ACRES 43,000 PARTNERS County of Maui; Ka‘anapali Land Management Corp; Kahoma Land Company LLC; in a variety of ways. Ranch; O‘ahu Country Club; Queen Emma Land Company; State Agribusiness FORMED 2003 and implement an active watershed management program across the Kamehameha Schools; Ma¯kila Land Company LLC; Maui County Department of Water Supply; Maui Development Corporation; State Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; State PARTNERS Haleakala¯ National Park; Haleakala¯ Ranch; Kamaole Ranch; entire East Maui landscape. Land & Pineapple Co., Inc; State Department of Land and Natural Resources; The Nature They exponentially expand our ability to protect Department of Land and Natural Resources; Tiana Partners, et al; UH Manoa/ Kaonoulu Ranch; Kaupo Ranch; Nu‘u Mauka Ranch; State Department of Conservancy; Wailuku Water Company, LLC. Hawaiian Home Lands; State Department of Land and Natural Today, the East Maui partnership has become the prototype for forestlands quickly and efficiently. Lyon Arboretum; U.S. Army; U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. ASSOCIATE PARTNERS The large-scale forest protection efforts in Hawai‘i, and its success has Nature Conservancy; Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit; State Department of Resources; Ulupalakua Ranch; Jerry Thompson; John Zwaanstra. Wai‘anae Mountains Watershed Partnership They allow for more comprehensive East Moloka‘i Watershed Partnership Health; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; U.S. Forest Service; USDA ACRES 59,762 spurred the formation of similar partnerships across the state. To date, ACRES 30,136 conservation planning. Natural Resources Conservation Service; U.S. Geological Survey. FORMED 2009 FOUNDED 1999 more than 2 million acres of watershed and conservation lands in PARTNERS Gill-Olson Joint Venture; Honolulu Board of Water Supply; Ka‘ala They enable land managers to construct PARTNERS Kalaupapa National Historical Park; Kamehameha Schools; Kapualei Ranch; Kawela - Farm, MA‘O Organic Farms; U.S. Army Garrison, Hawai‘i; U.S. Navy Region, Hawai‘i have been protected within these unique public-private partnerships. fences and remove feral animals across land Plantation Homeowners Association; Ke Aupuni Lo¯kahi Enterprise Community Governance Board; Lana‘i Forest and Watershed Partnership ACRES 9,497 Hawai‘i; State Department of Land and Natural Resources. In the fight to save the Hawaiian forest, they represent our best hope ownership boundaries. Hawai‘i Department of Health; Maui County; Maui County Department of Water Supply; Moloka‘i FOUNDED 2001 Soil and Water Conservation District; State Division of Forestry and Wildlife; The Nature for the future. They make for more efficient use of resources PARTNERS Castle & Cooke Resorts, LLC; County of Maui; Hui Ma¯lama Pono O Conservancy; USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; U.S. Environmental Protection Mauna Kea Watershed Alliance and staff. La¯na‘i; La¯na‘i Water Advisory Committee; Maui County Board of Water Supply; ACRES 534,221 Agency; U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service; U.S. Geological Survey. They allow for greater unity in applying for Moloka‘i-La¯na‘i Soil and Water Conservation District; State Department of FORMED 2009 Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife and PARTNERS Kamehameha Schools; Ku¯ka‘iau Ranch; State Department of public funding. Commission on Water Resource Management; The Nature Conservancy; USDA Hawaiian Home Lands; State Department of Land and Natural Resources; They provide greater access to other funding Natural Resources Conservation Service; U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The Nature Conservancy; U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. opportunities. Protecting Our Forests
A Plan of Action Increase Dedicated Funding for Watershed Protection Resolve Conflicts between Game Mammal and Watershed partnerships are the most effective tool for the long-term Native Forest Management protection of Hawaii’s forested watersheds. These voluntary partnerships One of the greatest challenges to protecting rare native species is the The mission of The Nature Conservancy is to protect the plants, animals, What You Can Do and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by enable public and private landowners to share their expertise and resources, continued presence of pigs, goats, deer, and sheep in native forests. protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. and efficiently manage our watershed forests across ownership boundaries. to Protect Our Forests These introduced game mammals reduce populations of endangered species Secure, dedicated public funding is essential for landowners to make the by eating, trampling, and degrading native habitats. One potential solution The Nature Conservancy of Hawai‘i long-term commitment of their lands and resources for the protection of Volunteer: Take part in rebuilding a trail, planting trees, is to finance and implement a strategy that serves competing needs. In Suzanne Case, Executive Director this precious public resource. It also provides crucial state matching funds or other forest-related activities. some cases, this means removing game mammal populations from intact 923 Nu‘uanu Avenue Honolulu, HI 96817 for other public and private grants. Currently, limited dedicated funding is native forests that harbor rare species. It also means increasing quality Take a hike. Get outdoors and learn about Phone: (808) 537-4508 provided through the State conveyance tax. Additional sources of funding hunting opportunities by improving habitat that support game mammals, nature.org/hawaii for watershed protection should be considered such as a reasonable water the forest through experience. opening new areas to hunting, and increasing the number of game animals available. fee and a share of the state tax on imported oil. Pack out your trash. Keep the forest free of litter. Produced by The Nature Conservancy of Hawai‘i Prioritize Policies, Cooperation and Funding for Invasive Do not release animals such as chameleons, tree frogs, Reconnect Native Hawaiian Values that Support Species Management parrots, rabbits, cats, and other invasive species into our Forest Management In cooperation with Invasive species such as weeds, feral animals, alien insects, and diseases forests. They can multiply quickly and cause irreparable harm. Management policy to preserve Hawaii’s forests should not ignore the State Department of Land and Natural Resources U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service pose the greatest threat to the health of Hawaii’s native forests and traditional Hawaiian style of ahupua‘a (mountains-to-sea) management. Ma-lama Hawai‘i watersheds. The Governor and the Legislature must mandate and fund Be careful not to introduce non-native plants and animals The East Moloka‘i Watershed Partnership, for example, is managing the invasive species policies, prevention systems and controls as high-priority into Hawai‘i, and report sightings of any animals that upland forest to protect the island’s primary source of water, and in so Grady Timmons, Lead Writer/Project Director issues that are core government functions, and coordinate their response don’t belong here, such as snakes and lizards. doing reducing the runoff and sediment in the farming and fishing Dr. Sam Gon III, Scientific and Cultural Consultant communities below. Ahupua‘a management strengthens people’s ties to Design by Ostrander Chu to invasive species on a statewide level and across jurisdictional boundaries. Conserve water. Turn off the hose and tap when not in use. The most cost-effective means of invasive species control is prevention the land and empowers local communities to protect their natural Production by David Cox, Daphne Chu, Kathleen Connelly, Merriam Fontanilla – stopping invasive species before they get here or before they spread. Keep fires out of Hawaiian forests. Our native resources. It should be supported and expanded throughout the islands. Photography and Illustration Credits Federal authorities need to support the State Department of Agriculture ecosystems are not adapted to fire. Regeneration can be Bishop Museum in its efforts to establish policies to protect Hawaii’s unique environment. difficult, and, in some cases, impossible. Increase Public Awareness and Involvement in Natural John Carothers Sea and air carriers alike should support effective inspection and quarantine Resource Protection and Management Richard Cooke III programs at ports of entry. And federal and state inspection agencies Protect our streams and drinking water. Don’t dispose of dirty Effective forest protection requires strong political and financial support John De Mello should work together in joint inspection facilities at air and sea ports to liquids, plastics, trash or other debris in streams. John Eveland and partnerships among public and private landowners. But increased Peter French improve detection of pests while also facilitating the smooth movement of Learn more about Hawaii’s unique natural heritage public support is also needed. The larger community is not sufficiently Betsy Gagné cargo in and out of the islands. While dedicated funding for inspections aware of what is at stake in the potential loss of the state’s native forests, and how to preserve it for future generations. Robert Gustafson from cargo fees is now established in state law, dedicated funding is still nor what it can do to prevent this loss. Programs Paul Holthus Read, surf the web, and enjoy the outdoors. needed for rapid response and control of invasive species that are here to develop environmental education curricula Jim Jacobi Chris Johns/National Geographic or are relatively new to the islands. State law should also be enhanced to Ma¯lama Hawai‘i. Teach others, especially your children, for Hawai‘i schools should be expanded restrict the movement of pests within and between islands. so that young people can learn about Jack Jeffrey to care for Hawaii’s environment. Ralph Kaghiro the island’s native forests and Jack Leishman Support Public and Private Efforts to Restore Hawaii’s ecosystems, and the opportunities David Liittschwager and Susan Middleton with Environmental Defense © 2002 Native Koa Forests for saving them. University Harold E. Malde Important native watershed forests are found on public and private agriculturally programs and more hands-on Peter Menzel zoned lands on Hawai‘i island. Many of these forests, formerly dominated experience are essential to train David Muench by Acacia koa, are barely surviving after generations of harvesting and Fund Federal Natural Resource Management conservation professionals for Bill Mull Eric Nishibayashi land clearing. Reforestation can restore many of these forests, providing and Research Programs the future. And expanded public Marc Schechter ideal watersheds, habitat for native species, as well as sustainable forest Some of the nation’s most critically endangered species access and volunteer opportuni- Rob Shallenberger products. Public cost-sharing and tax incentives are needed for private are found on the federal lands in Hawai‘i, at national ties are needed to involve local Phil Spalding III landowners to invest in long-term reforestation, and federal and state parks, wildlife refuges, and on military bases. Many of communities in forest protection Ray Tabata laws need to encourage long-term commitment to native habitats on private these federal lands are the core protected areas and management projects. Grady Timmons lands. In cooperation with ranchers, agriculturally zoned state lands that for watershed partnerships, and their Greg Vaughn Nathan Yuen are currently leased for marginal pasture operations should be returned management influences surrounding to koa forests. state and private lands. Additional Special Thanks federal funding is needed for fencing, John Wythe White Fund Management of State Conservation and animal control, and weed eradi- La‘akea Suganuma (Hawaiian Weapons) Michael Buck Agricultural Lands cation, as well as for research Bishop Museum Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) receives less on threat management and Donna Jung than 1% of the state general fund budget to manage nearly 1 million forest restoration. Ultimately, Hawaiian Forest Industry Association acres of natural lands, as well as Hawaii’s marine resources. The state is these investments will Hawai‘i Natural Heritage Program a key player in all watershed partnerships, and increased funding for provide public and private Fran Butera management of state lands is critical for successful large-scale watershed landowners with more Kim Hum management and endangered species protection. Many agricultural effective and efficient Pauline Sato ‘Aulani Wilhelm lands under DLNR jurisdiction also contain important public trust forest management tools. Mark Fox resources that need management.