HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0341.002 2010-2012DONALD IKEDA
Council Member
District 2 South Hilo
HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL
County of Hawai
Hawaii County Building
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
DATE: September 19, 2011
TO: Dominic Yagong, Chair
Hawai`i County Council
FROM: leonald Ikeda, Council Member
RE: Invasive Species Presentation Agendized for the September 20,:2011 Zeetiljgof
the Council Committee on Environmental Management _ r
Phone No.: (808) 961 -8261
Fax No.: (808) 961 -8912
E -mail: dikeda @co.hawaii.hi.us
I have just received the attached single page summary from Dr. Jan Schipper, Manager, Big
Island Invasive Species Committee. I request that this information be processed in a timely
manner so that the information will be available for the above - referenced meeting.
Thank you for your attention in this matter.
DI:awm
cc: L. Murashige
J. Aiello
G. Yamada
Hawai `i County Is An Equal Opportunity Provider And Employer
Comm 3 T(• Z
Ref. o;_p �/rrjG
Ref.
INVASIVE SPECIES BULLETIN
Big Island Alert
An Axis Deer population is present on the Big Island
Axis deer have had devastating
impacts on Maui, Molokai and
Lanai agricultural industry.
Because the Island of Hawai `i has
enormous potential to produce
food and energy crops, in addition
to its current cattle and dairy, it
has more to lose — and the
establishment of deer to this island
would be a major burden to
cattleman, farmers and
horticulture industries —
having deer would put many
farmers and families out of
business and the Island of
Hawai `i could no longer be
looked to as the "bread
basket" of Hawaii.
How does it affect you?
"Axis deer are nocturnal animals, and they'd be a significant concern
for commuting workers, residents and companies that use our
roadways at night." Steven Anderson Wildlife Biologist
"Deer can carry a number of diseases, such as bovine tuberculosis
and anthrax, but they also contaminate vegetation with E. coli
bacteria." Steven Anderson Wildlife Biologist
Attention
Bovine Tuberculosis
Lxis dyer brought to the Big Island could
be reservoirs Jim Bot'ine TB. The impact
of this disease on the local cattle industry
,, ould be dcya•ranng
Agriculture Impact
.-Isis Deer will cause significant impacts
101W-ions agricultural sectors of the
island especially rots crops and catle.
but also colbee and tree crnits.
Conservation Impact
It sill be necessary to raise all
"The problem is there's not a whole lot you
can do about it, they've actually stopped
me from planting. They've shut me down."
Kaleikoa Farms, Molokai.
"I'm not in a position to keep repairing and repairing, so I give
up on some places." Joe Kennedy, Molokai
"They've cost us thousands of dollars in labor alone, and we
have no way of controlling them as far as shooting goes with
housing nearby." Steve Olsen, Golf Course Superintendent
"There's gotta be a fix to this, I'm not even sure how we put a
dollar figure on what this is costing us." Warren Watanabe Maui
Farm Bureau