Strategic Plan for Wetland Conservation in Hawai`I
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PACIFIC COAST JOINT VENTURE HAWAI`I STRATEGIC PLAN FOR WETLAND CONSERVATION IN HAWAI`I 1st REVISION JANUARY 2006 Waihe`e Wetland and Coastal Sand Dune Preserve, Maui Photo by Dale Bonar Photo by Sharon Reilly THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY BLANK PACIFIC COAST JOINT VENTURE HAWAI`I STRATEGIC PLAN FOR WETLAND CONSERVATION IN HAWAI`I REVIEW DRAFT MARCH 2005 Prepared by Adonia R. Henry Ducks Unlimited, Inc. For The Pacific Coast Joint Venture www.pcjv.org Carey Smith, PCJV Coordinator Christina McGuire, Hawaii State Coordinator In Collaboration with Conservation Partners in Hawai`i Federal Government Agencies U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S.D.A. Natural Resources Conservation Service, U. S. Geological Survey, National Park Service, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Forest Service Pacific Islands Research Institute State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Health Local Government County of Maui, City and County of Honolulu, County of Kaua`i, County of Hawai`i Non-governmental Organizations Maui Coastal Land Trust, Kauai Land Trust, Trust for Public Land, The Nature Conservancy, Hawai`i Natural Heritage Program, National Tropical Botanical Garden, Bishop Museum, Gaylord Memorial Laboratory, Kamehameha Schools, and landowners who have supported conservation on private lands Funding was provided by: The Hawai`i Community Foundation The Pacific Coast Joint Venture ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Hawai`i Community Foundation and the Pacific Coast Joint Venture provided funding for the development of this draft strategic plan. Helen Felsing from the National Park Service Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program helped in the preparation of the original draft plan. Conservation partners identified sites for potential restoration, protection, and enhancement programs and suggested recommended actions for meeting conservation goals. Mahalo! ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................................... ii LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................................viii LIST OF TABLES .....................................................................................................................viii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................... ix PART I: INTEGRATED CONSERVATION ........................................................................... 1 AVIAN CONSERVATION PLANS – NORTH AMERICAN.................................................. 2 North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) ................................................... 3 United States Shorebird Conservation Plan (USSCP) ............................................................ 3 North American Waterbird Conservation Plan (NAWCP)..................................................... 4 North American Landbird Conservation Plan (NALCP)........................................................ 4 AVIAN CONSERVATION PLANS – REGIONAL ................................................................. 5 U.S. Pacific Islands Regional Shorebird Conservation Plan (PIRSCP) ................................. 5 Pacific Region Seabird Conservation Plan (PRSCP).............................................................. 5 AVIAN CONSERVATION PLANS – HAWAI`I ..................................................................... 6 USFWS Draft Revised Recovery Plan for Hawaiian Waterbirds........................................... 6 USFWS Draft Revised Recovery Plan for the Nēnē or Hawaiian Goose............................... 6 USFWS Draft Revised Recovery Plan for the Laysan Duck.................................................. 7 State of Hawai`i Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CWCS) .......................... 7 IMPLEMENTATION INITIATIVES ........................................................................................ 7 IMPLEMENTATION INITIATIVES ........................................................................................ 8 North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI)......................................................... 8 North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) ...................................................... 9 Regional Joint Ventures.......................................................................................................... 9 PACIFIC COAST JOINT VENTURE ..................................................................................... 11 Hawai`i State Component ..................................................................................................... 11 EXISTING HABITAT PROTECTION IN HAWAI`I............................................................. 13 United States Government .................................................................................................... 13 State of Hawai`i .................................................................................................................... 15 City and County Governments.............................................................................................. 16 iii PART II: NATURAL & CULTURAL RESOURCES OF HAWAI`I .................................. 18 GEOLOGICAL ORIGIN.......................................................................................................... 18 Main Hawaiian Islands ......................................................................................................... 18 Northwestern Hawaiian Islands ............................................................................................ 18 BIOGEOGRAPHY................................................................................................................... 19 CULTURAL & HUMAN GEOGRAPHY ............................................................................... 19 WATERSHEDS........................................................................................................................ 20 WETLANDS ............................................................................................................................ 21 Flooding Regime and Ecological Function........................................................................... 21 Geomorphic Characteristics of Marine Influenced Wetlands & Aquatic Habitats............... 22 Geomorphic Characteristics of Terrestrial Freshwater Wetlands & Aquatic Habitats......... 24 CHANGES AND CURRENT THREATS TO WETLANDS.................................................. 26 PART III: STRATEGIC WETLAND CONSERVATION.................................................... 28 HABITAT GOALS................................................................................................................... 28 POPULATION GOALS........................................................................................................... 31 GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION SYSTEM...................................................................... 32 Recommended Actions ......................................................................................................... 32 18.0 MAIN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS FOCUS AREA ............................................................... 33 TARGET AREAS..................................................................................................................... 33 NI`IHAU................................................................................................................................... 33 Playa Lakes ........................................................................................................................... 33 KAUA`I .................................................................................................................................... 34 Mānā Plain ............................................................................................................................ 34 Wailua River and Associated Watershed.............................................................................. 34 Waimea River and Taro Fields ............................................................................................. 35 Koloa District Reservoirs and Coast..................................................................................... 35 Waita Reservoir ................................................................................................................ 35 Lawa`i Kai Estuary ........................................................................................................... 36 Waiopili Stream, Maha`ulepu........................................................................................... 36 Hanalei River Valley and Taro Fields .................................................................................. 37 Wainiha River Valley and Taro Fields ................................................................................. 38 Hanapēpē Coastal Ponds....................................................................................................... 38 iv Waikaea Watershed, Kawaihau ............................................................................................ 38 Kilauea River ........................................................................................................................ 39 Hulē`ia Stream and Associated Watershed, Lihue District .................................................. 39 Lumaha`i Valley, Hanalei District.......................................................................................