HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0220.033 2008-2010
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Murashige, Laura GO M M 2-20 P/WUNCxL
From: Hawaii Printing Corporation [hpchilo@hpchilo.com]
Sent: Tuesday, August 18, 2009 11:33 AM
To: counciltestimony@co.hawaii.hi.us
Subject: testimony for resolution 80-09
Attachments: Aug 19 2009 SG CC.doc; july 7 SG CC.doc
See attached.
Thank you.
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8/18/2009
Page 2 of testimony on 80-09 for 8/19/09
(Testimony previously presented July 7, 2009)
To: Mr. Guy Enriques Chair, and Mr. Kelly Greenwell, Vice Chair, and
members of the County Council Committee on Public Works and
Intergovernmental Relations
From Patrick Conant
Subject: Resolution 80-09 requesting USDA to desist in plans to release scale
insect for biocontrol of strawberry guava
Thank you for another opportunity for me to express my opposition to resolution 80-09.
The Council has now heard many science-based reasons in support of the release of
the natural enemy for control of strawberry guava, from many Big Island scientists and
many supporters of native forest and watersheds. Our goal in protecting ohia forest (the
main component of our watersheds) is the same as Councilman Greenwell's. However,
his opposition to the one real solution to the problem is unacceptable and amounts to a
slow death sentence for those forests, by replacement with a non-native plant from
Brazil.
We have heard the offers of people to get out with machetes and mechanical
harvesters and tackle the problem head on. I do appreciate the enthusiasm and this is
a great way to clear small infestations of strawberry guava, but it will never work over
the almost 300,000 acres of infested native forest on this island. It would do more harm
than good in steep, dangerous, remote sites with remnant intact native forest if we are
truly serious about protecting ohia forest on a landscape level, biological control is the
last effective resort and the time for it is now.
The very thorough host plant safety tests for strawberry guava are done and the
scale has been found safe to release. Weeds such as the house-crushing Albizzia,
thorny himalayan raspberry and many others will surely need biocontrol programs also.
It is time to release the scale and move on to new threats that will surely affect most
East side residents and eventually West side residents as well.
In closing, I would like to ask the Council what its reaction is to the fact that the
Maui County Council passed a resolution supporting science-based biological control
and listed strawberry guava as one of the target weeds. Why is our County not in favor
of protecting our ohia forest and watershed with the one method that will actually work?