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Melastoma (Melastoma candidum) which can be restored to excellent game bird habitat by mowing, <br />clearing and planting with beneficial grasses such as Bahia grass Pas alum notatum), and Bermuda grass <br />( ynodon dac lon). Game bird productivity and access for hunters to harvest game birds has been <br />hampered by this weedy overgrowth. Planting and maintaining fruit trees within the Kekaha GMA will <br />also help supplement feed for game production. <br />B. Objective <br />• Clear, in contour strips, a total of 50 acres (10 acres per year) of undesirable vegetation. <br />• Plant with Bahia grass and/or Bermuda grass within Kekaha and Wailua GMAs and Hunting Unit <br />L — Cooperative Management Area. <br />• 1000 acres (200acres/year) of in house staff strip mowing of undesireables <br />• 15 acres (3 acres/year) of fences fruit trees <br />C. Expected Results and Benefits <br />Planned strip mowing, clearing and planting is expected to improve game bird productivity and survival <br />by doubling the available nesting and feeding habitat. It also is expected to improve access for hunters to <br />areas currently overgrown with impenetrable weed growth. This improvement will also reduce the <br />chance of catastrophic brush fires by creating fire breaks within dense stands of flash fuels within Kekaha <br />and Wailua GMAs and Hunting Unit L- Cooperative Management Area <br />D. Approach <br />Habitat areas will be cleared by bulldozing, harrowing and/or mowing on 50 to 100 foot wide contour <br />strips, and planted with Bahia grass and/or Bermuda grass. A portion of this job will be by State contract <br />following procurement guidelines and rules due to limited in-house resources to complete the job on time. <br />Mowing will be done with in-house staff operating tractors and 15-20 foot pull -behind mowers. Fruit <br />trees seedlings will be bought, planted and maintained in fenced in areas around the Kekaha and Wailua <br />GMAs. <br />E. Location <br />This project will be conducted on the island of Kauai within Kekaha and Wailua GMAs and Unit L — <br />Cooperative Hunting Area <br />5-Yr <br />Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 1 Year 4 Year 5 Total <br />$30,000 1 $65,000 1 $70,000 1 $75,000 1 $80,000 1 $350,000 <br />Project 20 W-27-GF-01 Game Facilities Construction Hawaii County - East <br />Hawaii District <br />A. Need <br />Large portions of Kapapala and Kipuka Aina Hou CGMA's are only seasonally occupied by game birds <br />because there is no permanent source of water. Additional game bird water units will expand game birds <br />34 <br />