2019 09-10 Game Management Advisory Commission Minutes

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Hawaii Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – September 10, 2019 NP: Thank you very much – those are good points. Doesn’t salt also work? Putting salt on weeds. JO: Yes, invading armies used to do that a lot, yes. PRESENTATION: Kanalu Sproat will be presenting DLNR/DOFAW plans for the expansion and herbicidal management of fire breaks on Mauna Kea NP: We have our West Hawaii Biolgist – Kanalu Sprout – who will be giving us a slide show. MH: He’s gonna put it on to the – he’s gonna put a PowerPoint up so you can see it. KS: I’m gonna open the JPEGs too - There’s been a lot of concern and legitimate concern about potential fuel loads and fire – wild fire potential on Mauna Kea and especially with the reduction in sheep and other things and so we are doing some fire break expansions, I guess, or anyways, we’re mowing the grasses on the fire breaks and if you look at this map – the red was a trial that we did last year where they mowed and then ten feet on either side of the fire break they did use herbicide, um, I think it was Honcho Horgar Roundup and Garlon and taking that vegetation down to bare mineral soil and so that red line – that’s firebreak 4 – and so that was the test that they did and so I’ll show some pictures of the results of that in a minute here, but we intend to do that on the rest of the firebreaks – so those blue lines there are one, firebreak 3, R14 and R13 and so I guess what we just wanted to get input and we got some just now, as well, which we appreciate but some more input from you guys about the amount that we’re cutting back – if it’s acceptable or if it’s too much or whatever and, of course, comments on the types of herbicides we use or how much. So I’m just gonna go scroll through some pictures real quick. ?: Yeah, I just wanted to add that there’s a combination of treatments that we’re looking at doing, um, what we’d really like to do if the terrain allows it is to be able to clear on each side of the roads and then mow it with our tractors so that that would just be a fuels – keep the grass low – that should help the bird hunting as well and then keep the vegetation from encroaching on the roads because if we do get a fire start in there – the condition of the roads presently makes it hard for us to stop it on those roads because they’re so overgrown. TN: Could you tell us what area of Mauna Kea this is – is it above Camp Kilohana? So hunters’ check station above Kilohana? 3