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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPuu Waawaa and Puu Anahulu Management Fire SuppressionFire Suppression Strategies at Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a and Pu‘u Anahulu 1 History Effects of Fire: Case Study Literature Review Current Strategies Overview 2 Introduction and History 1860’s - 1960:Various goat, sheep, and cattle grazing in Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a, cattle grazing in Pu‘u Anahulu 1960: 40 year cattle grazing lease signed to Dillingham Ranch, Inc. for 105,000 acres 1972: Lease signed over to F. Newell Bohnett 1984: 84,000 acres in Pu‘u Anahulu and part of Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a revoked due to illegal koa harvesting, 3,806 acres of this set aside to be made into a Forest Bird Sanctuary. 2000: Bohnett lease ends 3 Introduction and History 2002: Lands are transferred over to DOFAW and State Parks Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a Advisory Council is formed Executive Order creating Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a Forest Bird Sanctuary signed 2005: Draft Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a Management Plan approved in concept by the BLNR 2006: Executive Order transferring Pu‘u Anahulu to DOFAW and creating a GMA signed 4 Protect and restore native habitat for the survival and recovery of 15 endangered plant species and 1 endangered moth. Covered Species 5 6 7 Effects of Fire: Case Study 8 1985 Proposed NAR 2019 Effects of Fire: Case Study 9 1985 Proposed NAR (Mauka) 2019 (Mauka) Effects of Fire: Case Study 10 1985 Proposed NAR (Makai) 2019 (Makai) Effects of Fire: Case Study 11 “Even as grazing causes gradual declines in forest cover, however, it protects forests from rapid loss to destructive fires by reducing the ability of grass fuels to carry fire. Grazing in drier areas reduces the risk of fire not only by controlling the accumulation of fuels, but also by controlling the spread of more flammable grass species.” (i.e. fountain grass) Blackmore and Vitousek 2000 Literature Review 12 Manual control of invasive grasses would cost ~$4.6 million annually at Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a - Wada et. al. 2017 Estimating Cost-Effectiveness of Hawaiian Dry Forest Restoration Using Spatial Changes in Water Yield and Landscape Flammability under Climate Change Literature Review 13 Livestock grazing, when proper stocking rates are implemented, is a cost-effective tool for fuel load management in Pu‘u Anahulu Castillo et. al. 2007 Effects of Cattle Grazing, Glyphosate, and Prescribed Burning on Fountaingrass Fuel Loading in Hawaii Literature Review 14 THREAT: Fire Mitigation: Cattle/Ungulate Grazing Cattle Grazing: DOFAW issues 3 annual grazing permits in PWW for fuel control. In the circled area there are currently ~1,000 head of cattle. We are exploring the possibility of moving cattle into Puu Anahulu and implementing proper stocking rates in PWW Makai. Completed a $5 million water improvement CIP project which will help us increase the stocking rate below the highway. 15 THREAT: Fire 16 Current Strategies: Ungulate Removal 17 Fence ~8,000 acres of native forest (~50% of remaining native habitat). 80% of the known endangered plants are located in these fences. Remove all ungulates from within the fences. Mitigation for endangered plants taken outside of fences through outplanting and habitat restoration. Current Strategies: Ungulate Removal 18 Current Strategies: Weed Control Removal 19 Current Strategies: Weed Control Removal 20 Mahalo! 21