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What are the objectives of the proposed project? Choose only one category and use
<br /> additional pages as needed.
<br /> ❑ Management Planning Maintenance Activities and Public Education
<br /> Ho'ohui No Wai'ele
<br /> HER aims to(i)keep the entire Wai'ele property free of Little Fire Ants,(ii)maintain and create footpaths for preservation and conservation
<br /> activities,(iii)transition the property to contain fewer aggressive invasive plants and more native/canoe plant presence, (iv)plant appropriate
<br /> native trees with protection from pigs,and(v)maintain 2500 feet of coastline debris-free,while substantially reducing the amount of
<br /> cannabis-growing debris within the 30 acre hau forest.
<br /> (i)Keep entire Wai'ele property free of Little Fire Ants
<br /> Early volunteer work(starting in 2022)plus Maintenance fund support(2023-25)have accomplished the rare goal of keeping Little Fire Ants from
<br /> penetrating this significant 157 acres of coastal natural resource. The LFA-free status of Wai'ele means that archaeologists,students,and
<br /> members of the community will be able to have immersive experiences of the'aina,without the head-to-toe coverings and aversive behavior that
<br /> has become all too common when venturing into lowland wet tropical forests in Hawaii these days.
<br /> This narrative reflects the planned transition to Tango gel bait buffers as the only nontoxic,permitted LFA insecticide system available for public
<br /> lands. (Of note,Tango was the bait deployed to successfully eradicate LFA from 175-acre Nahiku in Maui.) Diga Kern and/or a properly skilled
<br /> and trained replacement contractor will conduct the following activities along a total of 1791 feet of vulnerable property border at three locations.
<br /> From 7/1/2025-12/31/2025, HER will conclude the 12-month establishment of Tango gel bait buffers set to begin 1/1/2025. In accordance with
<br /> advice from Hawaii Ant Lab(HAL),during this period the Tango bait is used at a maximum rate,with arboreal/terrestrial application along both
<br /> sides of the buffer trail. During this period, LFA baiting will continue at a 6-week frequency and testing at a 12-week frequency. From
<br /> 1/1/2025-6/30/2026, HER will begin ongoing maintenance of the gel bait buffers. During this period,testing continues at the same frequency,but
<br /> baiting frequency reduces by 50%.
<br /> From 7/1/2025-6/30/2026,the remaining roughly 7000 linear feet and 6000 ft2 of vulnerable boundary and high-use area will be tested every 16
<br /> weeks. No new discoveries of LFA are anticipated. Treatment of any new incursions or extensions of existing incursions is covered in the
<br /> contingency portion of the budget.
<br /> (ii) Maintain and create footpaths for preservation and conservation activities.
<br /> All footpaths are for pedestrian access only,and are established and maintained using hand tools only. Footpath routes are chosen to allow
<br /> technicians access to remove debris,reduce invasive species presence,test/treat for little fire ants,and comb the coastline for marine debris.
<br /> Best practices include zero cutting of native species,only judicious cutting of smaller canoe plant species limbs,and zero activities that would
<br /> potentially disturb cultural features. Existing border footpaths(5870 ft,biannually)and access footpaths(4630 ft,quarterly)will be regularly
<br /> maintained. Footpaths established between 9/4/2024 and 6/30/2025(estimated 1000 ft.,biannually)will be maintained. New footpaths
<br /> (estimated 1500 ft, biannually)will be created and maintained.
<br /> (iii)Transition property to contain fewer aggressive invasive plants and more native and canoe plant presence.
<br /> HER will continue to implement and refine its invasive plant control strategy developed since Feb 2023. This strategy combines the principles of
<br /> (1)systematic,thorough,and ongoing identification of species/colonies with aggressive area/population spreading profiles;(2)judicious
<br /> succession planning/planting to minimize invasive plant proliferation(e.g.,avoid removing too much shade without an effective plan for
<br /> occupying the newly exposed terrain with beneficial species);(3)balancing labor cost-effectiveness,soil impacts, location,and methodology in
<br /> selecting manual and/or herbicide control tactics;and(4)avoiding any potential impacts to cultural landscape features(e.g.felling a large tree
<br /> that might structurally alter a stone wall). Jaya Dupuis,Ann Kobsa,and Diga Kern will regularly observe,discuss,prioritize,and manage a team
<br /> of from 2 to 4 field technicians conducting the work once a month. Herbicide will only be applied during the time period of an active SMA permit,
<br /> currently under application.
<br /> (iv)Plant appropriate native trees with protection from pigs.
<br /> Based upon their decades of experience primarily in the Nanawale and Keauohana State Forest Reserves,Jaya Dupuis and Ann Kobsa will
<br /> make determinations of locations where native trees may be planted,adding to the diversity and resilience of Wai'ele. Because feral pig is an
<br /> ongoing threat to the ecology and cultural features of Wai'ele, new plantings must be meticulously protected from pig damage. This will be
<br /> achieved by making use of re-purposed fencing and hardware clothe materials abandoned in the hau forest by past cannabis growers. In this
<br /> way,a small team will plant thirty trees from at least five species over the course of the year.
<br /> (v)Maintain 2500'of coastline debris-free;reduce amount of old cannabis-growing debris throughout 30 acre hau forest.
<br /> The beauty of the Wai'ele coastline is continuously marred by fresh deposits of flotsam and jetsam. HER will continue with the Koa'e tradition of
<br /> biannual coastal cleanups,most probably for the dates 12/31/2025 and 6/21/2026. Twenty-five individual volunteers are projected to participate
<br /> in each event,promoted through HER, MOP,and Koa'e Community Association networks. At each event,over 2500 feet of coastline will be
<br /> combed and at least 600#of marine debris collected and delivered to the transfer station,for a total of fifty volunteers and 1200#of debris.
<br /> Scouting forays will be conducted along the new inner hau forest footpath to identify and geo-mark significant accumulations of past
<br /> cannabis-growing debris. Every 3 months a group of 3 workers will collect and haul this debris to a concealed staging area where it can be
<br /> added to the marine debris removal truck. Pig protection materials will be staged for use as pig protection by the planting crew.
<br /> FINAL 2025 Stewardship Grant Application,Page 4 of 13
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