THE BATTLE AGAINST INVASIVE SPECIES IS ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL ISSUES FACING HAWAII.

FOREIGN INSECTS, NOXIOUS WEEDS, AND ALGAE THREATEN OUR NATIVE PLANTS AND ANIMALS AND THE FIGHT TO PROTECT OUR VULNERABLE ECOSYSTEMS IS COSTLY.

LEARN WHAT IS BEING DONE AND WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP, NEXT ON INSIGHTS.

BATTLE AGAINST INVASIVE SPECIES.

TONIGHT'S LIVE BROADCAST AND LIVESTREAM OF INSIGHTS ON PBS HAWAII START NOW.

INVASIVE SPECIES LIKE COQUI FROGS, LITTLE FIRE ANTS AND RHINOCEROS BEETLE HAVE BEEN DESCRIBED AS THE SINGLE GREATEST THREAT TO HAWAII'S ECONOMY, NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITIES.

THESE INVADERS ARE TOUGH AND COSTLY TO CONTROL.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP FIGHT THESE MENACES?

JOIN THE CONVERSATION WITH THOSE ON THE FRONT LINES OF HAWAII'S BATTLE AGAINST INVASIVE SPECIES.

TONIGHT'S LIVE BROADCAST AND LIVESTREAM OF INSIGHTS ON PBS HAWAII START NOW.

ALOHA AND WELCOME TO INSIGHTS ON PBS HAWAII.

I’M YUNJI DE NIES.

THE HAWAII STATE LEGISLATURE IDENTIFIED INVASIVE SPECIES AS THE SINGLE GREATEST THREAT TO THE ECONOMY, NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, AND HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITIES.

HAWAII RESIDENTS ARE WELL ACQUAINTED WITH MANY OF THESE NUISANCES LIKE THE LITTLE FIRE ANT, COQUI FROG, RAPID OHIA DEATH, AND RINGED PARAKEET.

BUT THREATS TO OUR ISLANDS’ WELL BEING COME FROM A VARIETY OF LESS NOTORIOUS PLANTS, ANIMALS, MICROBES, AND PATHOGENS AS WELL.

THESE INVASIVE SPECIES WREAK HAVOC ON OUR DELICATE ECOSYSTEMS, CAUSE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN DAMAGE TO PROPERTY AND CROPS, AND COST THE STATE MILLIONS TO CONTROL.

TONIGHT WE WILL TALK TO EXPERTS THROUGHOUT THE STATE WHO ARE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE ONGOING BATTLE AGAINST THESE DESTRUCTIVE PESTS AND LEARN WHAT WE AS COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN DO TO HELP LIMIT THEIR IMPACT.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR PARTICIPATION IN TONIGHT'S SHOW.

YOU CAN EMAIL, CALL OR TWEET YOUR QUESTIONS.

AND YOU’LL FIND A LIVE STREAM OF THIS PROGRAM AT PBSHAWAII.ORG AND THE PBS HAWAII FACEBOOK PAGE.

NOW, TO OUR GUESTS.

CHRISTY MARTIN IS THE SPOKESPERSON FOR THE COORDINATING GROUP ON ALIEN PEST SPECIES, OR C GAPS, A PARTNERSHIP OF GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND NON GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TO STRENGTHEN HAWAII’S BIOSECURITY PROGRAM.

TIFFANI KEANINI IS THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR KAUAI INVASIVE SPECIES COMMITTEE.

SHE WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE COMMUNITY TO RAISE AWARENESS ON THE IMPACT OF INVASIVE SPECIES AND STRENGTHEN KISC PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS THE ISLAND.

MICHAEL MELZER IS AN ASSOCIATE RESEARCHER IN AGRICULTURAL SECURITY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII’S DEPARTMENT OF PLANT AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION SCIENCES.

HIS PROGRAM IS WORKING TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT WAYS TO ERADICATE HAWAII’S INVASIVE SPECIES.

SUZANNE CASE WAS APPOINTED CHAIR OF HAWAII’S DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES IN 2015.

SHE OVERSEES THE MAINTENANCE, CONSERVATION, AND PRESERVATION OF ALL OF THE STATE OF HAWAII’S PUBLIC LANDS.

SHE IS ALSO THE CO CHAIR OF THE HAWAI?I INVASIVE SPECIES COUNCIL.

MAHALO TO YOU FOR JOINING US THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.

REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

SUCH AN IMPORTANT ISSUE ANYONE WHO LIVES IN HAWAII.

WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE DISCUSS INVASIVE SPECIES.

HOW DO YOU DEFINE IN AS?

>> INVASIVE SPECIES IS BASICALLY ANYTHING THAT IS A NONNATIVE TO A PARTICULAR ECOSYSTEM.

SEVERAL DIFFERENT PATHWAYS FOR INTRODUCTION.

MOST OF THEM THESE DAYS ARE HUMAN VECTOR.

THROUGH TRADE OR TRANSPORT OF SOME SORT.

AND INVASIVENESS, DEPENDS ON YOUR BIOLOGY.

AND THE MOST INVASIVES ARE ONES DON'T HAVE NATURAL PREDITATION OR PARASITISM OR PATHOGENS IN THEIR NEW ENVIRONMENT AND SO THEY MORE OR LESS REPRODUCE UNCHECKED.

WREAK HAVOC CLIMATE IS RIGHT AND CONDITIONS ARE CORRECT, CAN EXPAND TO RATHER LARGE POPULATIONS IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

>>Yunji: I WANT TO ASK YOU BOTH OF YOU.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE BIGGEST THREATS TO OUR ECOSYSTEM TODAY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INVASIVE SPECIES.

DEPENDS WHO YOU ASK.

THERE'S ECOLOGY IN OUR NATIVE BIODIVERSITY AND NATURAL RESOURCES.

LIKE RAPID OHIA DEATH.

AFFECT US LIKE COQUI FROGS THAT YOU'RE PROBABLY FAMILIAR WITH.

BIG ISLAND.

OR AGRICULTURE.

DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU'RE REALLY INVESTED IN, WHICH ONE IS THE LARGEST ONES GOING TO BE IMPACTING US IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND HAWAII.

>>Yunji: I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU THE SAME QUESTION.

WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE BIGGEST THREAT TO OUR ECOSYSTEM RIGHT NOW?

>> FOR ISLANDS LIKE HAWAII, BIGGEST DRIVER OF EXTINCTIONS IS INVASIVE SPECIES.

COULD BE ANYTHING FROM PLANTS, INVASIVE PLANTS, STRAWBERRY GUAVA, RELENTLESS IN THEIR ABILITY TO INVADE AND TAKE OVER.

GOING TO TAKE OVER A LOT OF NATIVE FORESTS.

>> AND CONVERTED IT INTO MONOTIP I CAN ONE SPECIES FOREST.

WHERE WHEN PEOPLE ASK ME THAT QUESTION, THEY'RE ASKING FOR SOMETHING RATHER EXOTIC AND EXCITING.

WELL, IT'S PROBABLY JUST WEED IN YOUR BACKYARD ONE OF THE HARMFUL WE CAN SEE.

NOT EXCITING BUT THERE YOU GO.

>>Yunji: INTERESTING TO ME THAT YOU IDENTIFY STRAWBERRY GUAVA BECAUSE YOU GO OUT FOR A HIKE AND YOU PICK A FEW AND EAT THEM AND INTEGRATED INTO OUR FOOD SYSTEM.

PART OF LOCAL CULTURE.

IT SOUNDS IN SOME CASES THINGS THAT WE DON'T EVEN REALLY THINK OF AS INVASIVE BECAUSE IN SOME CASES, THOUGHT OF AS PLEASANT.

>> SURE.

BROUGHT SO LONG AGO, 1800, IT HAS BECOME PART OF OUR CULTURE.

WE ARE USED TO IT.

BUT IT IS VERY SUCCESSFUL.

MOVED HERE WITHOUT ITSELF NATURAL PREDATORS.

HOME RANGE, REALLY RATHER DIFFICULT TO FIND.

BECAUSE IT'S NATURAL PREDATORS, THE PARASITE, LEAVES AND THINGS LIKE THAT KEEP IT IN CHECK.

SO WHEN IT WAS BROUGHT HERE, YOU DON'T BRING IT'S REALLY NASTY LOOKING.

IT WAS BROUGHT WITHOUT ALL OF THOSE NATURAL ENEMIES.

AS MIKE WAS SAYING, AND SO VERY SUCCESSFULLY OUTCOMPETED REALLY HEALTHY OHIA FOREST.

FOR OTHERS, THEY REALLY DEPEND ON THE NATIVE SPECIES, THAT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME.

OF COURSE, ECOSYSTEM IS HAVING THOSE OHIA IN THERE.

>>Yunji: SUZANNE, IN THAT INTRODUCTORY VIDEO, WE SAW FIRE ANTS.

>> TALK ABOUT COQUI.

THERE'S OF COURSE THE ALGAE IN THE OCEAN.

AND THEN THERE'S THE RAPID OHIA DEATH.

SO MANY SPECIES ON SUCH A VARIETY OF LEVELS.

>> WHERE IS THE STATE FOCUSING THEIR EFFORTS RIGHT NOW BECAUSE SURELY, IT'S DIFFICULT TO BATTLE ANY ONE OF THESE ON ITS OWN, TAKEN AS A WHOLE, MUST BE JUST TOO MUCH.

>> CERTAINLY.

THAT IS IT'S REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE.

THERE ARE SO MANY INVASIVE SPECIES THAT ONCE THEY GET HERE, DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT YOU'RE MISSING UNTIL IT GETS HERE.

THEN IT GETS HERE.

IF IT ESCAPES GETS OUT INTO THE ECOSYSTEMS AGRICULTURE, ENVIRONMENT, IT CAN BE VERY, VERY DEVASTATING.

SO I LIKE TO THINK OF IT AS SORT OF THREE TIERED PREVENTION.

IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.

THERE'S SO MANY THINGS OUT THERE WE WANT TO PREVENT THEM FROM COMING HERE.

SECOND LEVEL IS EARLY DETECTION AND RAPID RESPONSE.

SO YOU WANT TO, AS SOON AS YOU SEE SOMETHING AND IDENTIFY IT, BEFORE IT SPREADS YOU WANT TO JUST RIGHT AWAY.

ALL HANDS ON DECK.

SEE A NEW INFESTATION FROM OUTSIDE HAWAII OR TRANSFERRING INTERISLAND.

ALL HANDS ON DECK.

THEN THE ONCE YOU GET PAST THAT, TO THE ENVIRONMENT NATURALLY.

HUMAN ENVIRONMENT.

YOU'RE INTO CONTROL STATE.

MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL AT THAT STAGE.

I WOULD SAY, WE'RE FOCUSED ON ALL OF THOSE LEVELS AND BUT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO GET IT AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE AND PREVENT IT IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.

>>Yunji: TIFFANY, BROUGHT UP THE COQUI FROGS ON HAWAII ISLAND.

A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, CERTAIN POCKETS OF THE BIG ISLAND NOT THROUGHOUT, BUT BASICALLY, THEY'RE EVERYWHERE.

THERE NOW.

IT'S KIND OF JUST PART OF THE LANDSCAPE.

DO YOU EXPECT THAT THAT WILL BE TRUE FOR THE REST OF THE STATE?

>> WE HOPE NOT.

WE HOPE NOT.

I MEAN, SO THE I THINK THERE'S TWO WAYS SOMETHING CAN COME IN.

ONE IS INTENTIONALLY.

AND ONE IS ACCIDENTALLY.

AND THAT CAN HAPPEN AGAIN EITHER INTERISLAND OR FROM OUTSIDE HAWAII.

SO IT MAKES IT REALLY IMPORTANT.

A LOT OF THESE THINGS HAVE COME IN INTENTIONALLY.

STRAWBERRY GUAVA IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT.

COQUI CAME IN, SOME THINK MAYBE BROUGHT IN INTENTIONALLY, BUT I THINK EVERYBODY KNOWS THE HARM IT CREATES NOW AND THEY REALLY CAN, THEY JUST HOP A RIDE ON PLANTS GENERALLY.

>> COMING INTERISLAND.

IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE INSPECTIONS SYSTEMS TO BE ON THE WATCH FOR PLANTS ONCE THEY GET HERE IN THE NURSERIES.

THEY GET DISTRIBUTED.

SAME WITH FIRE ANTS REALLY IMPORTANT TO KEEP AN EYE ON ALL STAGES THAT HAVE POTENTIAL TRANSPORT.

>>Yunji: I KNOW YOU'RE JOINING US FROM KAUAI TONIGHT.

CAN YOU TELL US WHAT IS SOMETHING UNIQUE TO YOUR ISLAND THAT YOU'RE FACING THERE?

>> ROSE RING PARAKEETS.

IF YOU WANT TO JUMP INTO THAT ONE.

THERE ARE ROSE RING PARAKEET POPULATION OTHER ISLANDS BUT THEY'RE NOT AS DENSELY POPULATED.

SO THE ROSE RING PARAKEETS ON KAUAI, INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, BELIEVE TO COME FROM JUST A FEW RELEASED INTENTIONALLY OR ACCIDENTALLY.

IN THE 1960S.

OVER, THEY HAD A SMALL POPULATION OVER NEXT FEW DECADES AND THEN IN THE EARLY 2,000, EXPONENTIAL GROWTH.

ABOUT 10,000 ESTIMATED IN 2020.

SO IMPACTS THAT THEY HAVE ARE AGRICULTURAL IMPACTS.

>> THEY AFFECT OUR LARGE SCALE AGRICULTURES.

BACKYARD GROWERS.

FRUIT GROWERS.

>>Yunji: WHAT IS BEING DONE TO, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A POPULATION THAT SIZE, YOU SURELY CAN'T TRAP THEM ALL.

WHAT IS BEING DONE TO TRY TO CONTROL THIS POPULATION?

>> RIGHT, GOOD EXAMPLE OF PARTNERSHIP EFFORT.

MULTIAGENCY COLLABORATIVE EFFORT.

WE HAVE FEDERAL, STATE, COUNTY, PRIVATE, NONPROFIT, AND FOR PROFIT, ENTITIES WORKING TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH A PLAN THAT CAN BE LONGTERM AND SUSTAINABLE.

TO REDUCE THE POPULATION DOWN.

THIS PLAN HOPEFULLY WILL BE DEVELOPED AT THE END OF THIS YEAR OR EARLY 2022.

COME UP WITH DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES THAT WE CAN USE TO CONTROL IT AT DIFFERENT LEVELS WITHIN THE ISLAND.

ACROSS THE ISLAND.

>>Yunji: MICHAEL, WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO CONTROL THESE POPULATIONS COQUI IS A GOOD EXAMPLE ON ONE ISLAND THAT OBVIOUSLY GOOD EXAMPLE ON ONE ISLAND COULDN'T DO IT.

GEOGRAPHY OF THAT PLACE.

SO MUCH VARIETIES AND LUSH PLACES FOR POPULATION LIKE THAT TO GROW.

HOW LUSH AND WELCOMING OUR ECOSYSTEM IS.

HOW DO WE MITIGATE THESE PESTS?

>> THAT IS THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION RIGHT THERE.

IF YOU LOOK AT STUDIES, CLIMATE SIMILARITIES FROM THE ORIGIN TO THE WHERE THE TO HAWAII BASICALLY, IS USUALLY THE BIGGEST LINKAGE FOR AN INVASIVE SPECIES TO ESTABLISHMENT.

AND I DO HAVE THAT GREAT ENVIRONMENT FROM A LOT OF TROPICAL LOCATIONS.

I THINK HOW WE STOP IT IS YOU KNOW, GETTING BETTER AND BETTER TECHNOLOGIES.

FOR DETECTING THINGS INITIALLY.

FOR EXAMPLE, WE'RE FOCUSED MORE ON DIAGNOSTICS I GUESS, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THE, I THINK WE GENERALLY BEEN OKAY LOOK FOR SOME OF THE BIG THINGS.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO, LOOK FOR THE MICROBES YOU CAN'T JUST SEE VISUALLY DEVELOPING DIAGNOSTICS FOR THEM.

LARGE FOCUS OF WHAT WE DO.

WE'RE TRYING TO HELP LITTLE BIT IN THAT WAY ON PREVENTING SOME OF THE SAY, BACTERIA, VIRUSES, FUNGI COMING IN.

>> TOOLS AVAILABLE.

I THINK WE'RE GETTING MORE AND MORE FOCUSED ON INVASIVE SPECIES AND THE FIGHT AND THE MITIGATION OF INVASIVE SPECIES THAT MORE AND MORE CAPACITY AND TOOLS ARE COMING INTO THE STATE.

AND WE'RE HOPEFULLY GOING TO BE BETTER SET FOR WORKING ON THOSE AND PREVENTING FUTURE INCURSIONS.

>>Yunji: PLEASE JUMP IN ON THIS.

>> I WANTED TO CHIME IN ON THE ROSE RING PARAKEET BECAUSE YEAH, TIFFANY GOT A BIG PROBLEM THAT SHE TALKED ABOUT FOR KAUAI.

OAHU HUGE POPULATION OF ROSE RINGED PARAKEET.

ALL AROUND MY HOUSE.

MAUI, RECENT REPORT FROM THE PUBLIC BACK IN AUGUST THAT THERE WERE ROSE RING PARAKEETS IN NAPILI.

SHOWED UP IN A GROUP AT A MULTI BIRD FEEDER.

MULTIAGENCY RESPONSE.

>> ONE BIRD CAPTURED.

TRYING TO TRACK DOWN THE OTHER ONES.

THEREIN LIES THE ANSWER PARTIALLY.

IN THAT WHAT CAN WE DO, ALL WORK TOGETHER TO MONITOR FOR THINGS.

TO REPORT THEM WHEN WE SEE THEM.

AND HOPEFULLY, WE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO RESPOND.

THAT'S GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITY.

WE'VE GOT AGENCIES TASKED PROTECTING PUBLIC TRUST RESOURCES LIKE SUZANNE AGENCY.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL THAT IS CHARGED WITH PREVENTION.

SO IT'S REALLY A VERY LARGE PARTNERSHIP INCLUDING PEOPLE AT SITTING AROUND THE BUILDING TO MANAGEMENT SITUATION.

>>Yunji: WHAT I THINK IS INTERESTING, WHEN YOU BRING UP THOSE, PARK RECENTLY WITH MY KIDS IN MANOA.

SAW A BUNCH THEM.

MY REACTION WAS ACTUALLY THE WRONG ONE.

I SAID, OH, KIDS LOOK AT THOSE BEAUTIFUL BIRDS BECAUSE THEY ALL FLY IN THIS BEAUTIFUL FORMATION AND YOU'RE RIGHT.

SO MANY OF THEM.

ALL AT ONCE.

IT'S KIND OF STUNNING WHEN YOU SEE THEM.

PART OF IT IS ALSO MATTER OF PUBLIC AWARENESS.

IF I SEE A BIG GROUP LIKE THAT, AM I SUPPOSED TO CALL IT IN?

MAUI, FIRST SIGHTING.

THAT'S OBVIOUS.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU SEE THESE IN YOUR ENVIRONMENT?

>> YOU HAVE THE RIGHT REACTION.

THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL.

WE CAN APPRECIATE EVERY LIVING THING.

THEREIN LIES THE TEACHING MOMENT AS FORMER TEACHER, YOU CAN SAY, THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL, BUT HERE'S WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THEM.

THEY'RE OUT OF NATURAL HABITAT.

TAKING FOOD FROM THINGS THAT ARE NATIVE TO THIS AREA THAT FOUND THEIR WAY HERE OR HAVE BEEN HERE FOR MILLIONS OF YEARS.

WE HAVE TO LEAVE SPACE FOR THEM.

IT'S NOT SO MUCH SPEAKING OUT AGAINST ONE THING.

BUT IT'S SPEAKING UP FOR THOSE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE BEING IMPACTED.

TO GET TO YOUR QUESTION, TEACHER HAT, BUT BECOME AWARE OF WHAT IS PRESENT, WHAT IS OF CONCERN, AND IF YOU'RE NOT SURE, GO AHEAD AND REPORT IT ANYWAY.

AND WHAT WE'VE DONE, WE'VE DONE SOME PUBLIC AWARENESS SURVEYS AND FOUND THAT PEOPLE ARE MORE, IF THEY'RE NOT SURE OF WHAT THEY'RE LOOK AT OR REPORTING, THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO DO IT ONLINE.

THERE'S A WAY TO DO THAT ONLINE.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO PICK UP THE PHONE IF YOU'RE SCARED.

BUT IF YOU'RE RELUCTANT DO THAT, YOU CAN REPORT IT ONLINE AND WE DO HAVE A FRAMEWORK WE'LL GET BACK TO PEOPLE.

SO YES.

DO A LITTLE RESEARCH.

SEE IF IT'S OF CONCERN.

WHEN IT DOUBT, BRING IT UP.

>>Yunji: INTERESTING ONE FOR YOU.

CONTROVERSIAL WAY TO MANAGE PESTS WHICH STEVE SAYS TIME TO BRING IN SOME NATURAL OF SPECIES PREDATORS TO CONTROL THESE INVASIVE POPULATIONS BIOLOGICALLY.

IN THE PAST, DONE THIS AND GOTTEN IN TROUBLE.

WHAT IS THE STATE'S SORT OF STANCE ON BRINGING IN PREDATOR TO THEN HANDLE INVASIVE SPECIES?

>> WE'VE COME SO FAR IN A CENTURY ON BIOCONTROL.

OLD EXAMPLES OF THE MONGOOSE AND THE RAT, NOT EVEN A STATE SPONSORED ACTION.

NOW, IT'S SO TECHNICAL.

AND THE ABILITY THAT WE HAVE, I GOT ADMIRE, THE ABILITY WE HAVE TO IDENTIFY SPECIES, GO WHERE IT CAME FROM.

AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON THERE.

EXAMPLES OF KAHILI GINGER, HIMALAYAN GINGER, WHERE IT COMES FROM, IT'S THERE.

BUT IT'S NOT PREVALENT AT ALL.

IT DOESN'T GROW IN LARGE CLUMPS.

BECAUSE IT HAS CRITTERS, PATHOGENS BUGS THAT KEEP IT IN CHECK.

PROCESS YOU CAN GO THROUGH TO STUDY THOSE CREATURE, THEN TEST THEM ON SIMILAR, ON THINGS THAT YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY DON'T INVADE IN HAWAII.

SO ACTUALLY GO THROUGH TRIALS OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS TO SEE, IS IT, IS IT HOST SPECIFIC?

DOES IT JUST STAY ON THAT GINGER OR WHATEVER, OR DOES IT HAVE A CHANCE TO JUMP AND SO WE DON'T WANT THAT.

SO THAT IN THAT WAY, YOU CAN REFINE WHAT IS GOING TO BE THE MOST EFFECTIVE AND SAFE.

VERY, VERY PROMISING.

WE ARE WORKING HARD ON DEVELOPING FACILITY CONTROLLED FACILITIES IN HAWAII.

HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO FLY IN THE ECUADORAL AMAZON.

LITTLE PLANE ON TO DIRT RUNWAY.

BEAUTIFUL TREE.

THERE WITH A YELLOW FLOWER ON IT.

I ASKED THE GUIDE WHAT IT WAS.

HE SAID, WELL, THAT WAS MICONIA.

I SAID, THAT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE MICONIA TO ME.

I EXPLAINED WHAT THE SITUATION WAS WITH MICONIA IN HAWAII.

INVADING EAST MAUI, HAMAKUA AND NOW, POPPING UP A LOT OF PLACES.

SO HE WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT HIS PLANT BOOK, CAME BACK AND HE SAID, 100 SPECIES OF MICONIA HERE.

THIS PART OF THE AMAZON.

YOU KNOW, THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF THEM WE DON'T WANT HERE.

SO I AGAIN CONTROL AND ALSO, WHAT IS KEEPING IT IN CHECK WHERE IT'S COMING FROM.

USE THAT HERE SAFELY.

>>Yunji: MICHAEL, I LOVE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT AS A RESEARCHER.

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT METHOD OF TRYING TO CONTROL INVASIVE SPECIES?

>> TOOLBOX.

NOT ALWAYS CATCH ALL.

PART OF INTEGRATED APPROACH.

WE DO HAVE BOTH AT STATE AND HERE AT U.H.

SEVERAL FOLKS THAT WORK ON BIOCONTROL AGENTS AS WELL.

PART OF WORK CAN BE DONE HERE AND OFTEN SOMETIMES MORE IMPORTANTLY OVERSEAS.

HAVING COLLABORATIONS DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BRINGING IN THESE THINGS INTO HAWAII.

WHERE THEY GOD FORBID, THEY STAY INTO THE ENVIRONMENT BEFORE THEY'RE FAIRLY VETTED.

WE'RE HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS.

I KNOW HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE HAS COLLABORATIONS SOUTHEAST ASIA.

DIFFERENT PARTS OF WORLD TO HELP US ESTABLISH AND SCREEN SOME OF BIOCONTROL AGENTS THAT COULD BE USED IN THE FUTURE HERE IN HAWAII.

>>Yunji: WE'VE GOT A VARIETY OF QUESTIONS ABOUT KINDS OF THINGS THAT PEOPLE ARE SEEING IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.

WANT TO BRING THIS ONE TO YOU.

WHY ISN'T ANYTHING DONE TO CONTROL FERAL CATS THAT ENDANGER SUCH AS MONK SEAL AND BIRDS.

HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE DISEASE THAT CAN TRAVEL IN THE FECES OF THESE ANIMAL AND HOW MUCH THEY CAN HURT OUR ALREADY THREATENED MONK SEAL POPULATION.

WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THESE FERAL CATS.

>> TOXOPLASMOSIS.

ALL WOMEN WHO HAVE EVER HAD KIDS, TIME OFF CLEANING OUT THE CAT LITTER BOX BECAUSE IT CAN AFFECT PEOPLE AND CAUSE SICKNESS IN PEOPLE TOO.

WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT FERAL CATS AND THAT INTERACTION?

WE OF SOCIETY STRANGELY MOVED OVER THE YEARS TO CONTROL DOGS.

WHEN I WAS A KID, DOGS USED TO RUN AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD ALL THE TIME.

AS A SOCIETY, WE DECIDED THAT THAT IS NOT OKAY.

AND THAT DOGS HAVE TO BE KEPT ON A LEASH AND PICK UP AFTER DOGS AND THAT IS HOW WE WORK.

WHEN WE LET THEM OUT, TAKE THEM TO THE DOG PARK.

WE HAVE NOT MOVED IN A SIMILAR DIRECTION FOR CATS.

THEY'VE PRIORITIZED CATS SO THAT THEY CAN LIVE ANYWHERE INCLUDING THESE PLACES THAT ENDANGERS SPECIES THAT HAVE AS MUCH OF A RIGHT, IF NOT MORE OF A RIGHT, TO LIVE FREELY AND WITHOUT HARM.

THOSE ARE THE MONK SEAL.

THOSE ARE SPECIES, EVEN BIRDS THAT ARE AFFECTED BY FERAL CATS.

EVEN WITHOUT THE TOXOPLASMOSIS.

I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT CATS.

>> IT'S A DIFFICULT DISCUSSION.

AND ONE THAT THINK WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE.

>>Yunji: SUZANNE WHAT, ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON CAT POPULATIONS WE SEE?

YOU KNOW, SHE BRINGS UP GOOD POINT NOT JUST MONK SEAL.

NATIVE BIRDS THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THIS.

>> IT'S NATIVE BIRDS.

IT'S FOREST BIRD, SEA BIRDS SHORE BIRD.

>> MARINE MAMMALS OF ALL KIND.

MONK SEAL, DOLPHINS, AND SO IT IS A VERY VERY SERIOUS ISSUE.

AND KRISTI IS RIGHT.

GROW AS A SOCIETY, WHAT HUMANE SOCIETY SAYS, KEEP YOUR PETS INDOORS.

AND DO NOT RELEASE CATS OUTSIDE.

DON'T FEED THEM OUTSIDE.

TAKE IF YOU HAVE A STRAY CAT THAT YOU SEE, TAKE IT TO THE HUMANE SOCIETY.

AND DON'T FEED IT OUTSIDE EITHER IN THE FOREST OR IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

BECAUSE THE PROBLEM, INVASIVE PROBLEM OF THE TOXOPLASMOSIS GETTING INTO OUR SEWER SYSTEM AND GOING OUT INTO THE OCEAN THAT WAY.

WE REALLY NEED TO KEEP CATS INDOORS.

LOVE THEM INDOORS.

FEED THEM INDOORS.

AND KEEP THEM AS INDOOR PETS.

>> CAN I CHIME IN ON THAT?

LITTLE BIT MORE?

YOU KNOW, I HAVE BEEN AN INDOOR CAT.

HAD TO CLOSE THE DOOR BECAUSE SHE WILL COME, TAPS ON MY SHOULDER REACHES UP ON TO MY CHAIR, TAPS ON MY SHOULDER WHEN SHE WANTS ATTENTION.

AND I LOVE THAT.

BUT HERE'S WHY I'M SAYING THIS.

I HAVE A FERAL CAT IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, PULLED OFF THE SCREEN, OF MY HOUSE ONE DAY, AND IT CAME IN.

AND IT ACTUALLY ATTACKED MY CAT.

I CAPTURED THAT, TOOK TO THE HUMANE SOCIETY, BUT WHEN I HAD ANOTHER ONE, SECOND, FERAL CAT NUMBER TWO, THAT, AGAIN TRIED TO BREAK INTO MY HOUSE.

>> I HAVE ANOTHER CAT.

I NEED TO BRING IT IN.

THEY HAD CHANGED THEIR POLICY.

I'LL GOING TO MAKE SOME ENEMIES.

WERE NOT WILLING TO TAKE THE CAT UNLESS I AGREED TO RETURN IT TO THE ENVIRONMENT.

I SAID, NO.

SO I'VE NOW GOT A FERAL CAT AT LARGE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND HAVE TO KEEP MY WINDOWS CLOSED.

I THINK WE ALL NEED TO HAVE SOME REALLY GOOD DISCUSSIONS AND TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN MANAGE THE PROBLEM BECAUSE I THINK SOME OF US ARE NOT ON THE SAME PAGE.

WE'RE ALL ON DIFFERENT PAGES I THINK.

>>Yunji: I WANT TO GET SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS.

I'LL DIRECT THESE TO TIFFANY AND THESE BECAUSE THEY'RE BOTH ABOUT THE PARAKEETS.

D SAYS I LIVE ON A VAST NAVY HOUSING IN PEARL CITY.

WHAT CAN WE RESIDENT DO WHEN WE SEE THESE PARAKEETS?

I SEE THESE BIRDS IN THE MILILANI AREA.

HERE ON OAHU.

WONDERING WHAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING.

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH SUCCESS ON KAUAI AND WHAT SHOULD THESE FOLKS BE DOING HERE ON OAHU?

>> ON KAUAI, WE GENERALLY WORK AT DETERRENTS OR NEIGHBORHOODS OR RESIDENTIAL AREAS.

DETERRENTS YOU CAN USE.

FOR AGRICULTURE, LYCHEE TREES OR MANGO TREES, I DON'T THINK THERE'S A LOT OF PREDITATION ON THOSE POINTS ON OAHU.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S AS MUCH.

SHAKING HER HEAD.

YOU HAVE THE TREE.

OUR INDIVIDUAL LYCHEE FARMERS TO DETER THE BIRDS FROM RUINING THEIR ENTIRE TREE.

DROPS FROM THEIR TREE.

HAVE TO PUT A NET OVER EVERY SINGLE TREE.

DIFFICULT TO DO.

HOW LARGE THE LYCHEE TREES ARE.

THERE'S OTHER TYPE OF DETERRENTS PEOPLE, SOME ARE SUCCESSFUL.

SOME ARE NOT WITH LASERS AND DIFFERENT THINGS.

>>Yunji: WOW.

THAT'S INTERESTING.

I HAVE A QUESTION HERE.

VIEWER FEELS THAT OAHU GETS MORE ATTENTION AND MORE RESOURCES WHEN IT COMES TO FIGHTING INVASIVE SPECIES THAN OTHER ISLANDS.

MY CONCERN IS THAT SO CALLED AGGRESSIVE RESPONSES FOR INVASIVE SPECIES HAVE NOT BEEN BACKED BY ACTUAL EVIDENCE THAT THIS IS HAPPENING.

CITY/COUNTY GOVERNMENTS RESPONDING TO THESE THREATS.

IF IT HAPPENS ON NEIGHBOR ISLAND, HOWEVER, ON OAHU, YOU SEE TREMENDOUS RESOURCES IMMEDIATELY MOBILIZED.

COQUI FROG INFESTATION IS ONE EXAMPLE.

STATE ONLY HAS SO MUCH RESOURCE.

HOW RESPOND TO THE VIEWER WHO SAYS THAT OAHU GETS ALL ATTENTION?

>> WELL, IT'S A TOUGH SITUATION.

HARD TO BALANCE.

AND I FEEL THERE ARE A LOT OF EFFORTS TO APPLY LIMITED RESOURCES WE HAVE ACROSS THE BOARD.

YES, IT'S TRUE THAT ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE IS AN INFESTATION FROM ANOTHER ISLAND, COMING TO A MORE POPULAR ISLAND, POPULOUS ISLAND, THERE IS PROBABLY A LOT MORE PEOPLE PAYING ATTENTION TO IT AND BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT REALLY NEED TO WATCH OUT FOR BECAUSE IT NEEDS TO BE ALL OF THE ISLANDS NEED BE PROTECTED FROM INVASIVE SPECIES FROM OTHER ISLANDS OUTSIDE HAWAII.

TOTALLY AGREE WITH THAT.

>>Yunji: MIKE IN PALOLO, FOCUS AGING A LOT ON LAND.

QUESTION ABOUT THE OCEAN.

ARE THEY GOING TO CLEAN UP THE LIMU PROBLEM AT MAUNALANI BAY?

IT'S BEEN A PROBLEM.

LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING OUR WATER SYSTEM.

BOTH FRESH AND SEA WATER.

>> I THINK I'M GOING TO DEFER THAT ONE TO PROBABLY SOME OTHER PEOPLE ON THE PANEL.

MORE OF AG GUY THAN ANYTHING.

>>Yunji: OKAY.

KRISTI, WE'LL LET YOU TAKE THAT ONE.

>> YEAH.

>> I CAN TAKE THAT ONE.

YOU'RE RIGHT.

ALGAE PROBLEM.

MALAMA MAUNALUA IS GREAT GROUP THAT IS TACKLING THAT STILL.

THEY ARE USING VOLUNTEERS.

SO IF YOU'RE MOTIVATED TO GO AND VOLUNTEER, THEY'RE JUST SHORT GROUP AND THEY HOLD VOLUNTEER EVENTS.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT TOUGH.

TOUGH THROUGH 2020.

A LOT OF GROUPS THAT HOLD THESE ALGAE CLEAN UPS HAVE HAD TO STOP.

I THINK EVERYBODY IS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO RUN.

SO KEEP WATCH.

I WOULD SAY IN GENERAL, FOR INVASIVE ALGAE, SOME OF THE WAYS THAT WE CAN MANAGE THOSE THINGS, BESIDES PUBLIC, WE CAN BALANCE, URCHIN, ACTUALLY DOES A GREAT JOB AS A LAWNMOWER EATING A LOT OF DIFFERENT ALGAE.

SO WE WANT TO SUPPORT NOT TAKING THOSEEL HERBIVORE IS NOT JUST THE URCHINS, SOME OF THE SURGEON FISH THAT WILL FEED ON ALGAE AS WELL.

LIMIT OUR TAKE OF NATURAL PREDATORS FOR THOSE ALGAE, IT CAN HELP.

OTHERWISE, WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TOOLS.

WE DO SUPERSUCKER, UNDER WATER VACUUM.

CAN'T USE THOSE IN ALL LOCATIONS.

>>Yunji: THERE IS THREE FOLKS HERE ON THE BIG ISLAND.

ALL ASKING ABOUT COQUI.

TOM SAYS, WHY ARE THERE SO MANY COQUI FROGS AROUND HILO?

THAN CALLER FROM WAIKALOA SAYS, COQUI FROGS THERE NOW.

BUT THEY WERE NOT THERE BEFORE.

CALLED TO REPORT THIS, TOLD IT DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE THERE ARE TOO MANY OF THEM TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

AND IAN CAPTAIN COOK SAYS, WHAT IS THE STATE DOING TO GET RID OF THE COQUI FROG PROBLEM.

SLEEP DEPRIVATION PROBLEM.

IAN IN CAPTAIN COOK.

IS HAWAII ISLAND BASICALLY GOING TO HAVE TO LEARN TO LIVE WITH THIS PEST?

>> IT'S A TERRIBLE SITUATION.

IT'S A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE OF HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO TRY TO KEEP HANDLE ON THINGS BEFORE IT SPREADS.

UNFORTUNATELY, IT HAS SPREAD PRETTY WIDELY ON HAWAII ISLAND.

HARD AT THIS STAGE WITHOUT SOME OTHER MAYBE THERE IS A BIOCONTROL, BUT PRETTY HARD TO KEEP IN CHECK IN ALL OF THOSE LOCATIONS.

I MEAN, A LOT OF CITIZEN PATROLS, PATROL.

BUT SO THAT IS SUPERIMPORTANT.

IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

YOUR YARD.

YOUR BLOCK.

TEAM UP AND TRY TO GO UP AND CATCH THEM IF YOU HEAR THEM.

BEFORE THEY GET SO PREVALENT THAT YOU'RE OUTNUMBERED.

BUT IT IS A VERY, VERY CHALLENGING SITUATION FOR SURE.

>>Yunji: KRISTI, I KNOW BEFORE WE STARTED, YOU SAID THAT THEY ARE HERE ON OAHU TOO.

>> YES.

THEY HAVE BEEN TRANSPORTED SEVERAL TIMES TO OFF OF HAWAII ISLAND.

AND EVEN THOUGH THERE IS MECHANISMS TO CHECK AT LEAST PLANTS MOVING FROM HAWAII ISLAND TO NEIGHBOR ISLANDS THEY STILL GET THROUGH.

WE HAVE A POPULATION THAT THE STATE IS TRYING TO GET A HANDLE ON.

BUT THERE IS SO FEW RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS, THAT WELL, WE'RE TRYING.

AND I HATE TO SAY, BUT YOU KNOW, ON THE BIG ISLAND, SITUATION, CHAIR CASE IS EXACTLY RIGHT.

WE DON'T HAVE THE TOOLS TO BE ABLE TO ERADICATE THEM.

AND THAT IS THE THING ABOUT INVASIVE SPECIES.

ONCE YOU GET IT, IT'S TOUGH.

>>Yunji: MICHAEL, ARE THERE BIOCONTROLS FOR THAT PARTICULAR PEST?

I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING THAT REALLY AFFECTS A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE WATCHING TONIGHT.

>> YEAH.

NOT NECESSARILY IN THE PIPELINE OF BEING WORKED ON, BUT THERE IS THE POTENTIAL THERE.

ONE OF THE DIFFICULTIES IS THE LIKELY GOING TO BE A PATHOGEN, MORE THAN ANYTHING.

DIFFICULT TIME SCREENING PATHOGENS FOR PESTS IN HAWAII THAN OTHER PREDATORS.

INSUFFICIENT CONTAINMENT FACILITIES HERE TO WORK WITH PATHOGENS.

WHAT HINDERS SOME OF THE PATHOGENS SIDE OF BIOCONTROL THAT IS USED IN OTHER PARTS OF WORLD.

REQUIRED FACILITIES FOR DOING THAT WORK IS UNFORTUNATELY NOT IN HAWAII.

>>Yunji: TIFFANY, HAVE ANY COQUI BEEN IDENTIFIED ON KAUAI?

JUST CURIOUS.

SUCH A LUSH ENVIRONMENT.

PRETTY HARD TO CONTROL AS WELL.

ESPECIALLY WITH ALL OF THOSE VALLEYS.

>> YES.

ACTUALLY, WE HAVE A BREEDING STATION.

RATHER LARGE ERADICATED 2012.

SINCE THEN, WE AVERAGED ABOUT MAYBE 2 TO 20 A YEAR.

INTRODUCTIONS.

RAPID RESPONSE.

REALLY IMPORTANT IS THE COMMUNITY REPORTING IT COQUI CAPTURE IT BEFORE IT'S HAD A CHANCE TO SPREAD AND GET TO LEVELS, ON OAHU, TAKEN A LOT MORE RESOURCE.

CATCH.

>> WE'VE GOT ONE, CAN PROBABLY SEE IT OVER OUR SHOULDER THERE.

FIGHT AGAINST COCONUT RHINOCEROS BEETLE, IS STALEMATE, I THINK TO SOME EXTENT.

>> MADE REALLY GOOD GAINS IN SOME LOCATION.

STARTING TO SPREAD THROUGH CENTRAL OAHU.

ONCE A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK ONCE IT MAKES TO THE WINDWARD SIDE, IT'S GOING TO BE VERY MUCH SITUATION.

THIS IS ONE OF CONCERNS FORTUNATELY.

ONE OF OUR BETTER FUNDED PROJECTS.

BECAUSE IT IS FEDERAL PLAN.

VERY GOOD RESOURCES COMING IN FROM BOTH U.S.D.A., OUR STATE AGENCIES, AND EVEN FROM MILITARY AS WELL.

TO HELP WITH THIS.

WE'VE REALLY BEEN LUCKY TO GET A LOT OF TOOLS TO HELP AGAINST CRP, THAT WILL ALSO BE USEFUL.

WE'RE HOLDING STEADY.

FANTASTIC TEAMWORK.

JUST THERE IS REPORTING LINES.

BOTH WEBSITE AND PHONE NUMBERS.

FOR PEOPLE TO REPORT.

OUR BIGGEST ISSUE NOW IS THAT NOW, THAT THE, SORT OF LEFT LARGE LANDOWNERS INTO RESIDENTIAL AREA, BECOMES MORE COMPLEX PROBLEM.

UNIVERSITY IS, WE ARE, WE ADMINISTER THE PROJECT.

NOT A REGULATORY AGENCY.

WE CAN ONLY ASK PERMISSION TO GO AND CHECK FOR MULCH PILE AND BREEDING SITES.

SO THIS IS WHERE REALLY NEED TO BE INVOLVED TO HELP MOVE THIS PROJECT ALONG AND LANDOWNER BUY IN AND IT'S FREE.

WE'RE BASICALLY OFFERING ALL.

ANY COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT WOULD REALLY HELP AND PREVENTING THIS FROM MOVING FURTHER BECAUSE IT WILL BE A BAD SITUATION ONCE IT MOVES ON TO WETTER PARTS OF ISLAND.

>>Yunji: YOU MENTIONED CENTRAL OAHU.

NOT THAT FAR FROM NORTH SHORE.

HOW DID THIS FIRST GET HERE?

IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, IT WAS THE WHEEL WELLS OF PLANES.

IS THAT CORRECT?

WHERE DID IT COME FROM AND HOW HAS THE SPREAD BEEN?

>> IT'S ONLY SPECULATION AT THIS POINT.

GENETICS SAY IT COMES FROM LINEAGE COCONUT RHINOCEROS BEETLE CURRENTLY IN GUAM.

PARTS OF TAIWAN.

HOW IT GOT HERE IS SPECULATION AT THIS POINT.

NEAR THE AIRPORT.

BASICALLY, RIGHT OFF SECTION OF THE AIRPORT AND JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR HICKAM.

THAT'S WHERE ONES, THERE HAS BEEN REPORTED DEAD ONES AS WELL.

AGAIN THAT, WOULD JUST BE SPECULATION.

>>Yunji: IS THIS A PROBLEM ON OAHU?

YES, PLEASE.

SUZANNE.

>> I WANT TO ADD WHAT MICHAEL IS SAYING, COMMUNITY, IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITIES, PEOPLE IN HONOLULU, IN NEIGHBORHOODS KEEPING AN EYE OUT FOR THESE THINGS AND REPORTING THEM.

ESPECIALLY IN COCONUT RHINOCEROS BEETLE KIND OF CASE.

OR COQUI OR WHATEVER.

IT'S SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE CAN'T BE EVERYWHERE.

BUT THERE IS ALSO A REALLY GOOD SURVEILLANCE PROGRAMS IN PLACE AROUND THE AIRPORTS.

WE'RE HOPING TO EXPAND THEM AROUND HARBORS.

SHIPMENTS COME IN.

AND WE'VE GOT SOME GREAT NEW TOOLS TO MAP ALL OF THESE KINDS OF POPULATIONS.

BE ABLE TO SEE THE TRENDS.

JUST THE GROWTH IN SORT OF GPS, GIS, MAPPING TOOLS FOR ALL OF THESE INVASIVE SPECIES HAS BEEN HUGELY IMPORTANT FOR OUR ABILITY TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THE SPREAD AND TRY TO LIKE SORT OF SURROUND THINGS AND KNOCK THEM BACK.

>>Yunji: IS THE COCONUT RHINOCEROS BEETLE AN ISSUE FOR OAHU RIGHT NOW?

OR ARE YOU SEEING IT ON OTHER ISLANDS AS WELL?

>> CURRENTLY, JUST OAHU.

AS CHAIR CASE MENTIONED, PROGRAMS AT PORTS OF ENTRY, WE DO HAVE TRAPPING PROGRAMS THERE.

MAINTAINED BOTH STATE AND FEDERAL FOLKS.

TO LOOK AT THOSE AND EARLY DETECTION IS CRITICAL.

THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.

NOW, THAT WE HAVE THE TOOLS, I THINK WE MIGHT HAVE A GOOD CHANCE OF, STILL FIGHT POPULATION ON OAHU.

AS LONG AS REPORTED EARLY, THAT POPULATION STAYS SMALL.

>>Yunji: I WANT TO STAY WITH YOU FOR A MINUTE AND GO TO ANOTHER ONE.

LITTLE FIRE ANT.

CAN BE PAINFUL.

AND HURT PETS.

HOW IS THE BATTLE ON THAT GOING?

WE KNOW THAT WE HAD HEARD LOT OF THEM ON TREES DROPPING DOWN.

WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE BATTLE AGAINST LITTLE FIRE ANTS?

>> DO YOU WANT ME TO TAKE THAT ONE?

>> YEAH.

LITTLE FIRE ANTS TEAMS, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THAT BECAME ESTABLISHED ON THE BIG ISLAND.

AND LIKE THE COQUI FROG, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY WAY TO TREAT THEM.

WHEN THEY WERE FIRST DISCOVERED.

>> DIDN'T HAVE ANY CONTROLS FOR THE COQUI FROG.

TOOK US YEARS TO DO THAT.

AND FIND THAT WAS REGISTERED LEGAL.

SAME THING WITH THE LITTLE FIRE ANTS.

BY THE TIME HAD A TOOL, IT WAS ALREADY 40 PLUS ACRES IN DIFFERENT PROPERTIES.

SO FAST FORWARD TO NOW.

PRETTY WIDESPREAD.

BIG ISLAND.

NOT EVERYWHERE.

SO WE'VE GOT ALL ALMOST 20 ACTIVE SITES ON OAHU.

7 SITES WERE DISCOVERED JUST IN 2020 ALONE.

AND SOME OF THESE LOCATIONS ARE FAIRLY LARGE.

SEVERAL ACRESSER.

BUT MOST OF THEM ARE SOMEWHAT SMALL.

OF HOUSE LOTS.

THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT PEOPLE DISCOVERING THEM WHAT EARLY AND.

REPORTEDLY HAVE SOME LOCATION ON MAUI.

WE HAVE SOME LOCATION, TIFFANY YOU'RE DEALING WITH A NEW ONE ON KAUAI.

ONE THING THAT WE FOUND THAT SUPERIMPORTANT IS THAT WE ASKED PEOPLE WITNESS A YEAR TO COLLECT ANTS FROM THEIR PROPERTY.

AND TURN THEM IN FOR IDENTIFICATION.

BECAUSE COULD BE LITTLE FIRE ANT.

COULD BE ONE OF THE OTHER OR COULD BE SOMETHING NEW.

IMPORTED FIRE ANT.

ALSO TREMENDOUSLY HARMFUL.

THE SITUATION ISN'T LOOKING, HAVE TO DEAL WITH, 20 ACTIVE SITES ON OAHU.

PLUS THE 20 MORE SITES THAT ARE IN THE MONITORING PHASE.

WE'RE TRYING.

>>Yunji: TIFFANY, TELL US ABOUT WHAT THE FIRE ANT FIGHT LOOKS LIKE ON YOUR ISLAND.

>> WE HAVE A POPULATION THAT WAS ACTUALLY BEEN HERE.

KEPT IT CONTAINED IN AREA UNTIL PROPER TOOLS WERE DEVELOPED.

ONCE THEY WERE DEVELOPED, POPULATION, HAVEN'T DETECTED LITTLE FIRE ANT SINCE 2018.

GOING ON 3 YEARS NOW.

SECOND POPULATION IN 2019.

WAS CONTROLLED.

WE HAVEN'T DETECTED LITTLE FIRE ANT SINCE 2020 BRAND NEW POPULATION.

>> HOPING IT DOES THE SAME TREND AND TREATMENT WILL WORK.

YEAR AND A HALF, DETECTED ANY LITTLE FIRE ANT.

ENCOURAGING FOUND IN THE AGRICULTURAL SETTINGS, ENCOURAGING ALL GROWERS AND FARMERS ON THE ISLAND AS THEIR PROPERTY, BRING IN AND WE WILL LET THEM KNOW WHAT KIND OF ANTS THEY HAVE AND CATCH IT EARLY, BEFORE IT STARTS AFFECTING THEM AND MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR THEIR CROPS.

>> IF IT HAPPENS.

>>Yunji: I SAW THAT YOU JUMP IN HERE.

>> YEAH.

I WANTED TO GIVE JUST KUDOS TO THE HAWAII AND THE LAB.

THEY ARE PROGRAM OF THE CITY AND THEY'RE A GAP FILLER.

WE'RE CALLED CGAPS WITH BECAUSE WE LOOK AT THE GAP AND TRY TO HELP FIX THEM.

NOT ONE OF THOSE GAPS THAT WE WORK WITH.

BUT HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF CAPACITY TO ADDRESS INVASIVE ANTS.

SO THE UNIVERSITY HOUSED, HAWAII LAB.

SPECIALIST, DR. VANDERWOD LED REGISTERING CONTROLLED TOOLS AND WAYS TO DEPLOY THEM BECAUSE UNLIKE MOST ANTS, THESE ANTS LIKE TO LIVE IN TREES ALSO.

SO YOU CAN'T JUST THROW THOSE AND THE ON THE GROUND AND GET ALL OF THE ANTS.

>> YOU HAVE TO GET INTO A GEL FORM AND GET IT INTO THE TREE OR IT WILL STICK.

THOSE ANTS WILL PICK UP THE BAIT AND TAKE IT BACK TO THE QUEEN.

THAT THE ONLY WAY YOU'RE GOING TO GET RID OF THAT COLONY.

IF YOU GET THE QUEEN.

IN THE LAB DOING THIS WORK.

ALL OF THE ISLANDS.

WE'VE BEEN TASKED WITH THAT.

>>Yunji: THINK ABOUT ACRES OF THAT.

SOUNDS SO OVERWHELMING TO HAVE TO ACTUALLY GET INTO ALL OF THOSE TREES.

SPEAKING OF, SUZANNE I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT RAPID OHIA DEATH, SUCH AN IMPORTANT PLANT TO OUR CULTURE.

SO MUCH OF IDENTITY OF THE ISLAND.

SO CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT WHAT THE FIGHT IS WHEN IT COMES TO RAPID OHIA DEATH ON THE BIG ISLAND, AND ON ALL THE ISLANDS?

>> SURE.

WELL, PEOPLE KNOW, RAPID OHIA DEATH, CALL IT NOW, IS PATHOGEN FIRST DISCOVERED ON THE BIG ISLAND, HAWAII ISLAND, IN 2015.

AND FOR A WHILE, WE JUST DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING.

JUST PEOPLE JUST STARTED NOTICING THE TREES WERE DYING.

TOOK, AGAIN, GROUP OF JUST REALLY DRILLING DOWN.

THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE.

FOLKS IN HILO.

FEDERAL AND COUNTY TO IDENTIFY THEM.

NOW WE KNOW WE HAVE KULIOHIA, CANCHOR.

LOCAL OHIA, ONE IS FASTER.

BOTH DEADLY TO THE TREES.

SO WE HAVE SPREAD PRETTY MUCH ACROSS HAWAII ISLAND.

SO POCKETS NOW TO THE OTHER ISLANDS.

>> WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP IT FROM SPREADING.

THE MOST INTERESTING THING I THINK WE'VE FOUND, THIS IS SURVEILLANCE A A LOT OF AERIAL TRANSECTS, HIGH RESOLUTION AERIAL MAPPING, MOST INTERESTING THAT THE FENCED, AREAS THAT ARE FENCED, HOOFED ANIMALS, REMOVED, GOATS, SHEEP, DEER WHICH ARE THE INVASIVE SPECIES WE'RE TRYING TO PROTECT THE FOREST FROM, ANY WAY.

NUMBER OF TREES DYING IN THOSE FENCED AREAS IS JUST A FRACTION OF WHAT IS GOING ON OUTSIDE.

SO IT'S JUST SO FASCINATING TO ME THAT THE MAIN TOOL WE HAVE TO PROTECT OUR FOREST FROM THESE INVASIVE SPECIES IS GROWTHING OUR FOREST FROM RAPID OHIA DEATH.

VERY, VERY PROMISING.

JUST HAVE TO WORK REALLY HARD AT FENCING AND PROTECTING OUR FOREST.

>>Yunji: HAS THAT BEEN ALL OF ISLANDS?

WHERE ARE WE SEEING THE RAPID OHIA DEATH?

>> WE HAVE POCKETS.

SEE POCKETS NOW ON MAUI AND OAHU AND KAUAI.

AGAIN, WE'RE TRYING TO EARLY DETECT IT, AND TRY TO KEEP IT FROM SPREADING.

>>Yunji: MICHAEL, I WANT TO ASK YOU.

THINGS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.

REALLY JUST BECOME ISSUES SORT OF IN THE LAST DECADE OR SO.

AT LEAST THINK ABOUT THE COCONUT RHINOCEROS BEETLE.

THINK ABOUT RAPID OHIA DEATH.

SOME OF THINGS LIKE TIFFANY WAS TALKING ABOUT, PARAKEETS.

SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

WHAT IS THE NEXT PATHOGEN?

WHAT IS THE NEXT RISK AND HOW DO WE STEEL OURSELF AGAINST IT?

I HAVE COVID ON MY MIND.

THAT IS A WHOLE OTHER SHOW.

>> I'M HESITANT TO SAY THAT BECAUSE WHEN WE HAVE TABLE TALK FOR COCONUT RHINOCEROS BEETLE BEFORE IT ARRIVED HERE, WITHIN A FEW MONTHS, WE DEFINITELY DON'T WANT TO JINX OURSELVES BY SPECULATING THE NEXT ONE.

MY WORRIES, WAS COFFEE LEAF RUST.

PUT THAT ONE PROBABLY TOP THREE.

OF PESTS AND PATHOGENS OF CONCERN FOR HAWAII.

REALLY HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT CROP OR AGAIN, I HAVE AGRICULTURAL.

I WORRY ABOUT WHAT CROP.

VERY WORRIED ABOUT DISEASE, WE DON'T HAVE A HUGE INDUSTRY ANY MORE, VERY BAD DISEASE.

PLACES WHERE BANANA IS GROWN.

NOT YET IN HAWAII.

CONSTANTLY DOING SURVEYS AND MONITOR AND MAKE SURE IT'S NOT HERE.

SO THESE ARE, FORTUNATELY, IN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR, WE DO HAVE THAT AND SEVERAL LABS THAT DO STATEWIDE SURVEYS.

>> KIND OF BORING BECAUSE IT'S USUALLY NEGATIVE.

THAT'S ALSO VERY GOOD.

THESE ARE, THERE'S SEVERAL FEDERAL AND STATE PESTS THAT WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT AND WE ARE DOING SURVEYS FOR THOSE AND IN HOPES IF THEY DO SHOW UP, TO ESTABLISH A RESPONSE.

>>Yunji: QUESTION HERE.

I HEAR A LACK OF RESOURCES ONE OF THE LIMITING FACTORS TO CONTROL INVASIVE SPECIES.

HAS THE DLNR APPLIED FOR GRANTS OR HAVE YOU HAD FUNDING FROM THE GOVERNMENT FOR HELP?

>> YES.

ALL THIS TIME, WHATEVER SOURCES, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FISH AND WILDLIFE, SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL PARKS, WE DO HAVE SIGNIFICANT LACK OF SUFFICIENT RESOURCES, TO TACKLE ALL OF THIS.

TRIAGE.

VERY CAREFUL PRIORITIZATION.

DOING THE BEST YOU CAN WITH LIMITED RESOURCES.

TIFFANY GOT THIS HOT IN THE FIELD, EVERY SINGLE DAY OF HER LIFE.

IN TRIAGE.

TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THER SHOULD SPEND THEIR DAYS ON.

SCARY.

I WILL SAY, BEST RESOURCES IS THE HUMAN RESOURCES THAT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING ACROSS THE BOARD, THEIR DEDICATION, THEIR KNOWLEDGE, AND THEIR, WILLINGNESS TO JUST GO OUT AND JUST SLOG THROUGH IS REALLY OUR BEST HOPE.

>>Yunji: TIFFANY TURNING TO FOR A MOMENT.

NUMBER BE QUESTIONS ABOUT WILD CHICKENS.

THAT SORT OF NOTORIOUS ISSUE ON YOUR ISLAND.

ARE THESE CONSIDERED INVASIVE SPECIES?

WHAT IS BEING DONE TO CONTROL THAT PEST?

>> SO TO BE AN INVASIVE SPECIES, NOT JUST INTRODUCED, HAS TO HAVE IMPACT.

WILD CHICKENS ON KAUAI DON'T HAVE A LARGE IMPACT ON A PARTICULAR SECTOR OR COMMUNITY HERE.

SO MAINLY THEY'RE BEING CONTROLLED ON PROPERTY OWNERS LEVEL.

WIDESPREAD CONTROLLED PROGRAM.

>>Yunji: A PEST WE SEE IN ALL THE PARKING LOTS.

WE'RE ALMOST OUT OF TIME.

I WANT TO GET TO A COUPLE OF MORE OF VIEWER QUESTIONS.

THIS VIEWER LIVES IN KANEOHE.

SAYS, EVERY TIME I LOOK UP AT THE KO'OLAU, ALL I SEE ARE CANOPIES OF ALBESIAS FRONTING THE MOUNTAINS.

WHAT IS BEING DONE TO GET RID OF THESE SPECIES?

BIG PROBLEM ALSO I BELIEVE IT WAS TROPICAL STORM ISELLE KNOCKED DOWNPOUR LINES.

WHAT IS BEING DONE ABOUT THE ALBESIA TREES?

>> A LOT OF LOCATIONS, WE HAVE TO TRY TO, WELL, WE HAVE TO FIND A BIOCONTROL FOR IT.

THEY ARE SO WIDE SPREAD.

AND THE SEEDS THAT FROM A SINGLE TREE, EVERY SINGLE YEAR, THERE'S MILLIONS OF SEEDS COMING OUT.

SO WHILE ON THE BIG ISLAND, THEY ARE TRYING TO MANAGE THE TREES ALONG CORRIDORS.

WHERE PEOPLE HAVE TO DRIVE.

TO PREVENT THAT EMERGENCY SITUATION.

FROM HAPPENING AGAIN.

KEEPING ROAD AN ACCESS OPEN.

USING VOLUNTEERS TO GO TREE TO TREE TO MANAGE IT.

LANDSCAPE SCALE.

GOING TO NEED FACILITIES BIOCONTROL FACILITIES THAT ARE CAPABLE OF HOUSING AN ALBESIA TREE SO WE CAN TEST AGENTS POTENTIAL NATURAL ENEMIES IN A SAFE SITUATION.

FOR THAT WE JUST NEED NEW FACILITIES.

>>Yunji: JUST 3 MINUTES.

>> WANT TO GET TO EACH OF YOU.

MAYBE 30 SECONDS OR SO.

LARRY IS REALLY LIGHTING A MATCH UNDER ALL OF US HERE.

HE SAYS I REALLY LIKE THE SHOW.

BUT IT SEEMS ALL I'M HEARING IS LIP SERVICE ABOUT HOW TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT COQUI FROGS, FIRE ANTS AND WHAT CAN BE DONE TO ON OUR PART.

YOU KNOW WORD OF MOUTH WILL MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE WITH ERADICATING THESE SPECIES.

WHAT CAN BE DONE AS A RESIDENT?

I'LL POSE THE QUESTION TO ALL OF YOU.

SUZANNE, START WITH YOU.

>> SURE.

I MEAN, AGAIN, KEEP AN EYE OUT.

REPORT.

LOOK IT UP.

USE YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA TO INFORM EVERYBODY YOU KNOW ABOUT SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT.

CLEAN BOOTS BEFORE YOU GO ON THE TRAIL.

PULL PLANTS.

WE CAN ALL DO THINGS PROBABLY EVERY DAY TO TRY TO KEEP THESE THINGS FROM SPREADING.

>>Yunji: TIFFANY?

>> I'LL ADD ON TO WHAT SHE SAID.

BIOSANITATION.

CLEANING YOUR BOOTS.

>> CLEANING YOUR TIRES.

WHEN YOU GO HIKING, CLEANING YOUR PODS.

>> REMOVING MUD.

CAN TRACK SEED AND RAPID OHIA DEATH.

INOCULUM INTO DIFFERENT AREAS.

>> YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU CAN BE TRACK.

EASIEST THING WE CAN DO AS INDIVIDUALS CLEAN OUR GEAR GOING OUT AND CLEAN OUR CARS BEFORE DRIVING AROUND OR MOTORCYCLES AND DIRT BIKES?

MICHAEL?

>> I THINK SAME THING.

REPORT.

WE CAN SEE WHAT'S IN YOUR BACKYARD.

IF YOU FIND SOMETHING IN YOUR BACKYARD OR LAND YOU CONTROL, CALL THE HOTLINE.

LET SOMEBODY KNOW AND THERE IS SEVERAL AGENCIES THAT CAN HELP TO RESPOND.

>>Yunji: OKAY.

CHRIS IT, WE'LL LET YOU HAVE THE LAST WORD.

>> I'LL PROVIDE EVERYBODY WITH THAT HOTLINE.

SINCE HERE FOR IT NOW.

643 PEST.

643 7378.

ALSO, YOU CAN DO THAT ONLINE THE.

643 PEST.ORG.

>>Yunji: OKAY.

>> FANTASTIC.

DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU SEE.

IF YOU'RE NOT SURE, YOU CAN STILL REPORT IT.

>> YEAH.

>> I'D SAY THAT FOR PEOPLE THAT REALLY AREN'T SURE, TAKE A PHOTO WITH YOUR SMARTPHONE, YOU CAN UPLOAD THAT TO THE 643 PEST.ORG SITE AND GET IMMEDIATE ASSESSMENT AS CLOSE AS HUMAN CAN GET TO IMMEDIATE WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANT YOU TO TALK A CLOSER LOOK OR POSSIBLY GET A SAMPLE.

>>Yunji: FANTASTIC.

COMMUNITY PROBLEM.

THERE ARE SOME COMMUNITIES SOLUTIONS.

WE APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.

AND WE THANK OUR GUESTS, CHRISTY MARTIN FROM THE COORDINATING GROUP ON ALIEN PEST SPECIES, TIFFANI KEANINI THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR KAUAI INVASIVE SPECIES COMMITTEE, MICHAEL MELZER, ASSOCIATE RESEARCHER IN AGRICULTURAL SECURITY FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII’S DEPARTMENT OF PLANT AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION SCIENCES AND, SUZANNE CASE.

CHAIR OF THE STATE OF HAWAII’S DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES AND CO CHAIR OF THE HAWAII INVASIVE SPECIES COUNCIL.

NEXT WEEK ON INSIGHTS, AN UPDATE ON THE EFFORT TO VACCINATE HAWAII RESIDENTS AGAINST COVID 19.

HOW DO WE SLOW OR STOP THE CURRENT SURGE OF INFECTIONS IN OUR STATE?

PLEASE JOIN US THEN.

I’M YUNJI DE NIES FOR INSIGHTS ON PBS HAWAII, ALOHA!