HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0386.026 2010-2012Murashige, Laura
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Deer Testimony
Letter Elliott ...
Elliott Parsons [eparsons @hawaii.edu]
Monday, October 03, 2011 11:32 AM
counciltestimony@co.hawaii.hi.us
tcolleencole @gmail.com
Testimony Letter for Bill No. 112
Deer Testimony Letter Elliott Parsons 2011.docx; Deer Testimony Letter Elliott Parsons
2011.pdf
Deer Testimony
Letter Elliott ...
Dear Environmental Management Committee, Attached is
letter and letter of support (in MS Word and PDF formats) regarding Bill 112
island transport of Axis Deer.
Thank You.
Elliott Parsons
Elliott Parsons
Pu'u Wa'awa'a Ahupua'a Coordinator
Three Mountain Alliance
Cell(808) 333 -0084
FAX (808) 325 -3610
email: eparsons @hawaii.edu
http : / /www.puuwaawaa.org /index.html
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my testimony
to ban inter-
Comm. No. 38'6.14
Ref. To: / a/tic-
Ref. Date UC 4 21t?
Elliott Parsons
71 -1645 Mamalahoa Highway #8
Kailua Kona, HI 96740
(808) 333 -0084
Council of the County of Hawaii
Environmental Management Committee
October 4th 2011
Testimony of Elliott Parsons
Regarding Bill # 112
Aloha Mr. Chair and members of the committee.
My name is Elliott Parsons and I am the Pu'u Wa'awa'a Ahupua'a Project
Specialist assisting Three Mountain Alliance and the Division of Forestry and
Wildlife with management activities at Pu'u Wa'awa'a in north Kona. I live, and
vote, in Kailua Kona, HI. 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.
Populations of axis deer on Hawai'i Island would cause significant negative impacts
to agriculture, the cattle industry, and the conservation of rare, threatened or endangered
species. In terms of agriculture, experience on other islands teaches us that browsing by
axis deer would negatively impact row crops, tree crops, and coffee. On Maui, Molokai,
and Lanai, the residents, farmers and business owners are already being adversely affected
by axis deer populations.
With the ability to jump over conservation fences (that are currently only 4 — 5 feet
tall) it could cost the conservation community at least $20 million dollars to retrofit
enclosures and other barriers. For the private landowners and farmers to raise their fences,
total island wide costs could be as high as $190 million. At Pu'u Wa'awa'a in particular
we have multiple fenced conservation units with threatened and endangered plants inside
that would be impacted negatively by deer.
As the origin of the deer remains in question 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 could be devastating. On neighboring
islands that have deer problems, and incidence of vehicular strikes has been gradually
increasing — accidents which are certainly costly but also potentially fatal.
Testimony of Elliott Parsons
Regarding Bill 112
Page 1 of 2
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Hawai'i Island's numerous large protected areas 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. Marine reserves
include a series of marine life conservation districts, aquarium fish protection areas,
commercial fishing restriction areas, and the largest marine protected area in the U.S. All
of these areas would eventually experience the adverse effects of an established axis deer
population.
Hawaii Island has enormous potential to increase production of food and energy
crops, and because of its large land area, Hawaii Island would see a significantly larger
overall population of axis deer then Maui, Molokai or Lanai. With this population size
Hawai'i Island would be incapable of being the "bread basket" of Hawai'i.
All reports indicate that axis deer and other wildlife continue to be 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.
Respectfully submitted,
Thank You.
Elliott Parsons
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Testimony of Elliott Parsons
Regarding Bill 112
Page 2 of 2