2019 06-25 Game Management Advisory Commission Minutes

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Hawaii Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – June 25, 2019 situations but the animals will put that as least – bring that down to the least amount as possible. NP: Really great. Thank you so much. MC: Thank you guys so much for having me here... BKK: Before you leave – you have two attachments – can you explain both of them just really briefly. MC: I wanted to show you guys that – that the project with the National Guard that we won first place in the nation for DOD National Guard and Army – we won three awards for being environmentally friendly and this was recognized by the NRC. This is government agencies that actually recognized the tremendous work and the great work that everybody did on these projects and if you guys read up a little bit about it – if you guys do have time – it’ll show you guys the facts on what the sheep and goats did, the tremendous cost reduction they had by utilizing our animals and the great environmental impact cause now they’re utilizing more land down there and their herbicide use, if I’m not mistaken, went down 90-95% so they’re very, very happy – the NRC is very happy with what the goats and sheep been doing and like I said – that project is a very, very big project. We do have a lot of eyes on us with scientists, professors – we actually noticed an increase on the native bat – the Hoary Bat – noticed an increase on hawks, owls. The goats and sheep actually helped to bring back these animals around the area and it was amazing cause I, myself, seen the difference as the project was going on – in the evening parts – dusk – we’d be talking – we’d just finished moving the animals – we’d be talking – Hoary Bats would be flying right past our faces, which at the beginning we didn’t notice anything like that... AA: How long this project been going? MC: I’ve been down there for three years now... AA: OK. MC: And I gotta say it’s – very, very proud that what you guys are reading there we are – our awards was presented at the Pentagon. So, you know, that makes me very proud. A local business off of just being out there every day and noticing the environment helped win this award, so it was – it feels great. BKK: Is there any other questions. AA: Since you was working with the National Guards is there any talks or whatever to actually go up into Pohakuloa cause there’s a lot of like paddock areas already there? 13