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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0386.028 2010-2012Murashige, Laura Cpp,aut 5(3—& From: joanyosh@aol.com Sent: Monday, October 03, 2011 11:55 AM To: counciltestimony@co.hawaii.hi.us Subject: Tesimony for Bill 112 - Joan Yoshioka Attachments: Bi111122esimony.doc Thank you for the opportunity to present testimony for Bill 112, which I've attached. Mahalo, Joan Yoshioka 10/3/2011 Page 1 of 1 pl am 3 86.24 comm. No. Ref. To: P/ iti cv Ref. Date OCT 4 ZOlt Joan Yoshioka PO Box 2214 Volcano, HI 96785 (808) 937 -2604 Council of the County of Hawaii Environmental Management Committee October 3, 2011 Testimony of Joan Yoshioka Regarding Bill # 112 Aloha Mr. Chair and members of the committee. My name is Joan Yoshioka and I am testifying as an individual. I have been working in the field of natural resources management for over 20 years in Hawaii. I recently moved to Volcano, HI but was living and voting in Hilo, HI for the past 10 years and have worked and lived on Oahu and Molokai. I appreciate the opportunity to address Bill 112. I am strongly in favor of restricting the transportation of Axis deer into the County of Hawaii. The introduction of axis deer to the island of Hawai'i is a serious threat to Hawaii's agriculture and natural resources. Agricultural crops such as vegetable and fruit crops, tree crops, Hawaii's premier crops such as coffee, and cattle are at severe risk, especially where many farms are unfenced and therefore unprotected. I have personally witnessed the damage axis deer can do to unprotected gardens and farms, which axis deer can eat, trample, and destroy in one night. This is the case on the islands of Maui, Molokai, and Lanai where farmers and business owners are already being adversely affected by growing axis deer populations. On Molokai, it became necessary to install a fence around the entire Kalaupapa community because the deer became such a nuisance. With the ability to jump over conservation fences that are presently 4 -8 ft tall, it could cost the conservation community at least $20 million dollars to retrofit enclosures and other barriers against these animals that are known to jump_over 10 ft fences. For private landowners and farmers to raise their fences, total island wide costs could be as high as $190 million and will be cost - prohibitive for many. Farmers on the Big Island are already struggling in this present economy and this added but necessary burden of a fence will likely drive many of them out of business. At a time that we need to grow foods locally with the goal for Hawaii to be less dependent on imports and to be more agriculturally sustainable, Axis deer on Hawaii Island would be devastating. Testimony of Joan Yoshioka Regarding Bill 112 Page 2 of 2 Unprotected natural areas and the rare species contained within them will also need to be fenced, adding millions that will be needed to protect Hawaii's native plants and animals. Hawai'i Island has enormous potential to produce food and energy crops, in addition to cattle and dairy for much of the state. Unfortunately, Hawaii's large size and carrying capacity also means it would see a significantly larger population of axis deer than Maui, Molokai or Lanai and it would be much more difficult to control any population that would become established. If Axis deer were to become established on Hawai'i Island, it would be incapable of supporting agriculture for the state. The cattle ranching sector will be adversely affected. We cannot dismiss the fact that any deer brought to the Big Island could be reservoirs for bovine tuberculosis. The impact of this disease on the Hawaii Island cattle industry would be devastating as diseased animals will need to be culled. Axis deer are also a public hazard. Since they are particularly active at dawn and dusk, they tend to jump or run across roads in herds, where they are often difficult to avoid. On the neighbor islands, the incidences of vehicular strikes are gradually increasing and are potentially fatal. This was a serious problem when I lived on Molokai. Axis deer eat and trample native plant species and are disease vectors and are a threat if introduced to Hawai'i Island's numerous large protected areas, which comprise over 1 million acres of conservation lands managed by federal, state, local and private agencies. These include national parks, wildlife refuges, forest reserves, and private land owners. All of these areas would eventually experience the adverse effects of an established axis deer population. All reports indicate that axis deer and other wildlife are being brought to the Big Island from other islands and that populations are being illegally established across the island from Ka'u to Kohala. An ordinance restricting transportation, of living axis deer in the county of Hawaii would assist in protecting Hawai'i Island's native forest, private property owners, the agriculture industries and the general public from damages and adverse impacts that may be caused by Axis Deer. Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this important bill (Bill 112). Respectfully submitted, Joan Yoshioka