RES 062 Draft 01 2016-2018 - Laserfiche WebLink

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arr11111rr• arr' Spatial dynamics of the threat—There is a continued need for information about where ROD occurs, where it is spreading, and why some 'ohi'a stands appear to be impacted more than others. Significant investment has already been made into ROD detection capability through remotely operated vehicles, plane and helicopter-based surveys to map and monitor ROD impacted areas. (The aerial detection surveys described in the Response section will be closely coordinated with this work.) This approach integrates several technologies and uses new imaging methods to precisely map and monitor how tree-by-tree 'ohi'a condition is changing over time on Hawai'i Island. Remote sensing results will drive spatial analyses that model patterns of ROD mortality, helping understand how environmental factors such as temperature, rainfall, and soils affect the distribution, spread, and virulence of ROD. This will support efforts to target the most vulnerable habitat types across Hawai'i for protection. Given the rapid spread of the disease, annual re-mapping of Hawai'i Island is critical for informing rapid response and containment efforts. Personnel and resources required for this work include remote sensing flights, a post-doc, and partial support for technicians and geospatial analysts ($425,000 each year for 2017, 2018, and 2019). Restoring ROD-impacted forests -There will be a critical need to develop condition specific and cost-effective strategies for restoring ROD impacted forests, and to create tools to support decision makers and managers in their efforts to prioritize ROD treatment and restoration projects on the landscape. Forests of 'ohi'a naturally occur across enormous gradients in climate and soils and are associated with diverse species assemblages. Additional variation is driven by diverse ownerships on which 'ohi'a occurs. ROD is already affecting 'ohi'a across widely ranging sites—from young lava flows in warm and wet areas of Puna to older lava flows in cooler and drier areas of Ka'u to older well devel- oped soils in cooler and wetter areas of North Hilo. Restoration actions and decision support for ROD containment and post-containment management restoration need to be developed that are specific to 41 site climate and soils, existing and , '0 , ' nearby assemblages of native and • r"# `y;' + ''� ! "*► non-native species, land ownership .; 0* and landowner objectives, cultural +` .r �` "fir , Q::. , ' a 1 . w .111. considerations, access to planting , *or p materials, funding sources, prox- imity to weed species, extent of mortality caused by ROD to 'ohi'a, and other ecological and social considerations. Because even a 11[r greatly expanded investment into C iRNEGIE restoration is unlikely to match what is already an enormous need, implementation of restoration ac- By conducting test flights with the Carnegie Airborne tions must be highly cost-effective Observatory in 2016, aerial surveys measured and mapped and strategic. These activities will biologically important chemicals in forest canopies in three be on-going and carried out with dimensions, with the goal of developing ROD detection ca- existing staff and agency programs pability to track and study the spread of ROD for patterns, until a more structured and informed and possibly detect it earlier than by other means. (Carne- restoration plan is developed. gie Airborne Observatory image) 10