HomeMy WebLinkAboutHawai‘i County Awarded $375,000 to Control Little Fire Ants%-4 OF
William P. Kenoi
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION
101 Pauahi Street, Suite 6 • Hilo, Hawaii 96720
(808) 961-8311 9 Fax (808) 961-8411
NEWS RELEASE
July 7, 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Clayton S. Houma
Director
Hawaii County Awarded $375,000 to Control
Little Fire Ants
The Hawaii County Department of Parks and Recreation has partnered
with County Councilman Dennis "Fresh" Onishi to obtain $375,000 to
control little fire ant infestations island -wide.
The State Department of Agriculture is providing $200,000, and the Hawaii
Invasive Species Council has awarded a grant of $175,000 that will allow
the Department of Parks and Recreation to establish a little fire ant (LFA)
control program at County parks and facilities.
Funding will be used to hire up to three full-time employees who will work
exclusively fighting LFA infestations island -wide, purchase bait and
equipment, and finance transportation needs.
Once an infested park or facility has been identified, the LFA team will
apply bait on a six-week cycle, rotate the bait type based on
recommendations from the Hawaii Ant Lab, and then continually monitor
the treated area to ensure a reduction in ant infestations.
Similar treatments conducted at Richardson Ocean Park in Hilo have
reduced LFA populations in the affected areas by up to 40 percent,
according to data collected during a recently completed pilot project
involving the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Hawaii Ant Lab.
County of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.
Hawaii County News Release
Funding to Combat LFAs
July 7, 2014
Page 2
Ranked among the world's worst invasive species due to the environmental
harm they cause and ability to inflict painful stings that can blind animals,
LFAs have established colonies in numerous areas following their
discovery on Hawaii Island in 1999.
The Department of Parks and Recreation wishes to thank Scott Enright,
chairperson of the Hawaii Board of Agriculture, and Hawaii Invasive
Species Council members for providing the funding needed to establish the
LFA control program.
For more information, please contact Jason Armstrong, Public Information
Officer, at 961-8311 or iarmstronq�a co.hawaii.hi.us.
991111
County of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.