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Comm. ( ►20
COUNTY CLERK
COUNTY OF HAWAII
Re: Hawaii County Council Resolution No.723-18 RECEIVED
Testimony submitted 10/17/18 Time lIeaUo..ri-Ry
Date 0—I"1—18
Jen Lawson, Executive Director,Waikoloa Dry Forest Initiative
The Waikoloa Dry Forest Initiative (WDFI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization working in Waikoloa Village to
protect and restore native Hawaiian dry forest through land management, outreach, education and advocacy.
WDFI hosts a variety of free programs and events for our community in the Waikoloa Dry Forest Preserve and
works for the benefit of our island's ecosystems and people.
In the recent wildfire that burned an estimated 18,000 acres in South Kohala and North Kona, 22 acres within
the Waikoloa Dry Forest Preserve were burned and significant damage to the fence line that protects the 275-
acre preserve was sustained. While damage to native vegetation in restoration areas was limited,the cost of
repairing the fence, acritical component to protecting the ecosystem from feral goats,totals$65,443.87.
Although damaging,the fire has also presented an opportunity to reclaim the area with native plants through
strategic weed control and native seed broadcasting.As a fire-adapted, invasive species,fountain grass promptly
regrows after a fire but the seeds are largely destroyed. If we are able to successfullycontrol the regrowth
egro s g y y g
before the grass sets seed,we can effectively wipe out the seed bank making room for native vegetation to
thrive. Establishing native vegetation will reduce the need to control invasive grasses in the future as the natives
occupy the space and prevent fountain grass from recolonizing by shading out germinates.Successful
establishment of native cover will also reduce the risk of another wildfire carrying through the preserve by
reducing the fine,flashy fire-fuels typical of the fountain grass.
Project Goal: Establish native-dominant vegetation on 22 acres impacted by wildfire
Project Costs
• Labor and supplies needed to control invasive grass regrowth
• Labor needed for seed collection and broadcasting
• Hawaii Island Seed Bank storage,cleaning and processing fees
• Monitoring, coordination and data analysis
Impacts •
_
• Increase native forest species abundance and expand current range
• Decrease invasive grass and fine-flashy fuels creating a more fire-resilient landscape
• Decrease erosion by increasing vegetation cover
This goal of this project is to reestablish native plants on a large scale in a very short time-frame at a fraction of
the cost of our traditional method of weed control and outplanting. If successful,this project would have
implications for management of the WDF Preserve and other managed conservation areas in dry areas
especially in South Kohala and North Kona. Other agencies that may benefit from this work include State Forest
Reserves and the Natural Area Reserves System,South Kohala Coastal Partnership, Pacific Fire Exchange, Hawaii
Wildfire Management Organization, Hawaii Forest Industry Associates, Department of Hawaiian Homelands,
Parker Ranch,Waikoloa Village Association and the Watershed Partnerships throughout the state.
Thank you for taking the time to learn more about our ideas for post-fire restoration in the Waikoloa Dry Forest
Preserve and for your consideration of releasing contingency relief funds to aid in our efforts.
Comm. No 112o I
Ref.To: P1COUfl tI
Ref. Dote CT 1 7 2010