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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0179.001 1998-2000 ~ ~ Chartered 1961 ~ ~ ax r~ rs - ~ :es, ~ ~ .e- ~ 1- k c3• ' ~v mp g 4~ E~j ry' ~ ~ .y".P ~ 4 E` 4"_i ~ ~ 4 ~ m. . . - , ~ - POST OFFICE BOX 368 KURTISTOWN, HAWAII 96760 PHONE: (808) 966-9892 February l8, 1999 Council Member James Arakaki Hawaii County Building 25 Aupuni Street Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Subject: Funding for Big Island Operation Miconia Dear Council Member Arakaki, Without your support the highly successful efforts to contain and control the weed tree Miconia calvescens on the Big Island may come to an end this summer. Big Island Operation Miconia needs to secure combined funds from the State and County of Hawaii to match $175,000 in federal funds that have already been requested. Without local funding, matching funds from federal partners will be lost. These funds hire local workers to solve a local problem. We need your support for a supplemental budget allocation of $175,000 directed for Miconia control on the Big Island Currently the Governor's budget includes $100,000, through DLNR-DOFAW, for Miconia control statewide. These funds would need to be split between Maui and the Big Island. This is insufficient to continue operations at an effective level on either island. The supplemental funds would help secure federal matching funds and continue Operation Miconia on the Big Island for the ] 999-2000 FY. It would also allow a full $ ] 00,000 to be directed to Miconia control on Maui. For the last three years, primary funding has come from the County of Hawaii and federal partners. The County has had to make difficult economic decisions and has not included any funding for Operation Miconia in the current budget. State support is essential to continue the campaign. Miconia is recognized as the "Worst Weed in Hawaii". It has the potential to threaten agricultural productivity, invade rangelands, devastate native forests, and disrupt watersheds on nearly 500,000 acres of the Big Island and thousands more acres on Maui. Dense Miconia stands have already established a foothold along the famous Onomea Scenic drive. We can not afford to let this noxious plant overwhelm the rest of the windward forests and farmlands of Hawaii and Maui. l"~9.0/ Comm. No. L~ File No. G~r;r~!d Gl L. Ref. To: ~ 5 "The Sptrit of Hawaiian Acres" Ref, Date In April 1996, Governor Cayetano kicked off Operation Miconia. Since then, a small crew supervised by a collaborative group of local leaders, state and federal agencies and dedicated volunteers known as the Big Island Melastome Action Committee (BIMAC) has won back large chunks of ground. Neazly all flowering trees in Puna have been killed. The northward and westward spread of Miconia along the Hamakua coast has been checked. The infestation has been accurately mapped using Geographic Information Systems(GIS). Treatment methods have been fine-tuned to maximize efficiency and the first biological control (a leaf spot fungus) has been released. Despite national rewgnition as model invasive weed control effort, Operation Miconia will fail without continued State support. If we must lay off this crew, experience, knowledge, and organizational ability will be lost. Miconia will quickly regain ground, re-colonizing treated acres and spreading into new azeas. Investments already made will be lost and future costs to control a fully developed Miconia epidemic would be astronomical. A sustained effort to control Miconia is needed for about 10 years with secure funding from state, local and federal partners. Success against Miconia, and other invasive weeds, requires commitment, perseverance and a skilled rapid response force. Though the invasive menace is not as dramatic as the destructive forces of wildfire, the long-term environmental and economic impacts are even more devastating. We must fight this slow Fire with a standing force of trained professionals and willing volunteers, similar to our long-standing approach to fighting wildfire. Operation Miconia on the islands of Hawaii and Maui must also succeed to protect other islands. Incipient populations have already been eradicated on Oahu and Kauai. Heroic efforts to control the plant are underway near Hana and at other locations on Maui. However, tiny Miconia seed can hitch-hike to new locations on hikers boots, tourist's clothing, heavy equipment or contaminated agricultural products. No place is safe from invasion, if Miconia remains within the state. Therefore BIMAC supports continuing efforts to eradicate Miconia on neighbor islands. Given the high visibility and nearly universal recognition of the menace posed by Miconia, we can not afford to fail to control this plant. We have drawn the line in the sand. The organization is in place. The public is educated. We have the technical ability to contain and ultimately eradicate this pest. Do we have the resolve? Please contact me for additional information. Sincerely, /U-~L~i1~7 fiw.~-t:a Roberta Brasheaz President Hawaiian Acres Community Association