Newsletter of the Maui Invasive Species Committee

2013

Kia‘i i Na Moku o Maui Nui“Guarding the Islands of Maui County”

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In this issue:• Biocontrol-TheBoardgame• NewScience:SearchingforHimalayanGingerBiocontrol

• 6-leggedRanchhandsatworkin‘Ulupalakua• What'sbetterthansoap....Biocontrol!

See "Wiliwili"on page 10

TheWiliwiliBloomsAgainBy Shannon WianeckiMISC Editor and Curriculum Writer

The fate of the wiliwili tree(Erythrina sandwichensis) lookedgriminDecemberof2008.Three

yearsprior,analienwasphadarrivedinHawai‘i and swiftly began attacking alltrees in the Erythrina genus, includingtheAfricancoralandthenativeHawaiianwiliwili. It laid its eggs in leaf tissue,causing leaves to shrivel into gnarledgallsarounddevelopingwasplarvae.

No one knows how the wasp got toHawai‘i—it most likely hitched a ridefrom Taiwan. New to science, it wasnamedQuadrastichus erythrinae,ortheErythrina gall wasp, after its victims.Withoutanaturalpredatorintheislandstokeepitincheck,itdartedfromtreetotree,leavingbehindatrailofdevastation.Arborists and conservationists watchedin horror as Quadrastichus marchedfromresidentialneighborhoodsintothenativeforest.

“Iwasprettyhopeless then,” saysArtMedeiros,whospearheadsdrylandforest

restoration on the slopes of HaleakalāMaui. One of his projects, Pu‘u o Kali,representstheheartofthewiliwilipopu-lationworldwide.

WiliwiliisthekeystonespeciesoftheHawaiiandryland forest, thepillar thatprovides the ecosystem’s framework.“Wiliwili is crucial on the lava flow,”Medeirossays.“Itflushestheflowwithnitrogenonceayear,preparingthesoilfor other native plants, such as ‘ilima,‘āwikiwiki,andhibiscus.”

“Of all the forests I’ve been to, adeep wiliwili forest is one of the mostbeautiful,” says Medeiros. “When theleaves are flush, or when they fall, andthe porcelain-like barks are glowing...thereisnomoreflashyecosysteminthe Hawaiian Islands.” The species hascultural significance as well. Hawaiianscarved surfboards out of its buoyantwoodandcraftedhandsomeleioutofitsscarletseeds.

ThewaspwasfirstdetectedonO‘ahu

in April of 2005. Nonnative Erythrinaspeciesfellpreyfirst.InJuly,stateento-mologist Mach Fukada spotted gallson coral trees at Queen Ka‘ahumanuShopping Center on Maui. Within aweek,theBigIslandandKaua‘ireportedthatQuadrastichushadalsoreachedtheirshores.

Stunned biologists launched intoaction.InvasivespeciesexpertsmetwithMaui County Mayor Alan Arakawa todevisea strategy.TheCountyagreed torelease emergency funds and MISC ledcooperative efforts to prune and mulchinfectedtrees.

Initially, biologists thought thatremoving infected limbs might savethe trees and prevent the wasp fromspreadingintopristineareas.Thatwasn’tthecase.Thegallwaspsattackedthenewgrowth on trimmed trees even morevigorously. Pesticide treatments wereexpensiveandunrealisticforwildernesspopulations.

"Guarding the Islands of Maui County" is the official newslet-ter of the Maui Invasive Species Committee. To join our mailing list please call 573-6472 or email miscpr@hawaii.edu.

Editor:ShannonWianeckiDesign:LissaStrohecker

EditingTeam:ElizabethAnderson

TeyaPennimanAbeVandenberg

Contributors:DjamiDjeddour

DarcyOishiBrookeMahnken

Forest&KimStarr

website:mauiisc.orgblog:mauiinvasive.org

miscpr@hawaii.edu808.573.MISC(6472)

P.O.Box983Makawao,HI96768

The Maui Invasive Species Committee is a partnership of government, non-profit, and private organizations working to protect Maui County from the most harmful invasive plants and animals.

Kia‘i i Na Moku o Maui Nuiˉ Better than Soap

By Darcy OishiPlant Pest Control Branch Manager Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture

Thanks to a successful biological control, the seeds of the wiliwilitree, Erythrinasandwicensis, may become trees.

Darcy Oishi on Maui, releasing the biocontrol that attacks the Erythrina gall wasp.

32

Iadmit it. Iwas a skepticwhen I first

started hearingCommittee members talk aboutreleasing non-native insects to helpcontrol non-native plants. It seemedcounter-intuitive: MISC’s raison d’êtreis to eradicate certain harmful alienspecies, not support rearing andreleasingnon-nativebiota.Whatiftheprocess was flawed? What if releasingnatural enemies was like the Greektale of Pandora, who peeked insidethe forbidden box, causing disease,sicknessandeviltospillforth?Whatifwereleasedazombiekillerthattookoutourforestgemsorprizedflowers?ButasIlearnedmore,Icametounderstandandembracetheneedforbiocontrol.Inowseeitasaddressingtheimbalancescausedby invasivesandmore like thelastthingleftinPandora’sbox.

Conservation,andespeciallyinvasivespecies work, is not for the faint ofheart. On any given day you mightfind our hardy field staff hanging outtheopendoorofahelicopterscanningaprecipice forpampasgrass,wieldingmachetes through snaggy, pokeybushes searching for miconia, orhaulingfirehosesupanddownMālikogulch at night for coqui frog control.Even residential work has its hazards:unchained dogs, homeless encamp-ments,andtheoccasionalunreasonable

resident.MISChasextensivetraining,agoodsafetyprogram,andprotectiveequipment,butthenatureoftheworkinvolvessomerisk.

The same is true for biocontrol.Releasinganewnaturalenemyinvolvesarduousandrigoroustestingprocessestoensurethatitwon’tharmnon-targetspecies.Doesthismeanit’s100%guar-anteed?No,butthenumbersproduced by the Hawai‘iDepartmentofAgriculture’sbiological control pro-gram are pretty impressive.Several have played criticalroles in protecting nativeforest species, such as thewiliwili,fromextinction.

Some invasive pests,like strawberry guava orfireweed, wreak havoc withwatersheds and pasturelands,butaresowidespreadthat physical control isno longer a viable option.Chemicalcontroloverlargelandscapeswouldposeunac-ceptable risks to the samewatersheds we’re trying toprotect.Forsuchspecies,thecarefultestingandreleaseofnatural enemies offers theonlyoption.Onceacontrolagent has been released,tracking itsprogress isa lotlessriskythansendingfield

Message from the Manager

By Teya PennimanMISC Manager

crewsongroundandaerialmissions.WhichbringsusbacktoPandora.In

horror,shetriedtoclamptheboxshutonceshesawwhatshehadunleashed.Onlyoneitemremainedbehind,whichbecame known as Hope. Biologicalcontrolisprettymuchthelasttoolwehave in the box for combating wide-spreadinvasivespecies.

"Since the 1970s, more than 50 natural enemies have been released. Not one has attacked a non-target species or become invasive."

Field Notes

Back in my hana buttahdaysgrowingupinNu‘uanu,spiraling whitefly arrived in

Hawai‘i. It quickly became a hugeproblem. Whiteflies can be nasty.They produce honeydew, a stickysubstance that encourages moldgrowth and can spread diseases.Theyareallkindsofbadforplants.It was out of control. There was aplusside,atleastforme.

Iwaspaidtowashthewhitefliesofftheplantswithsoapywater.Talkaboutheaven—IgottoplaywithsoapywaterandIwaspaidtodoit.Iwashappyseeingwhitefliesonthebirdsofparadiseandotherplantsintheyard.Whiteflies=money!ThentheHawai‘iDepartmentofAgriculturewentandruineditforme.Theyfoundsomeinsectthatatewhitefliesandreleaseditintothewild.Ididn’tknowthisiswhathappened.AllIknewwasthattheproblemgotbetterandmyincomesourcedriedup.Thankyou,DepartmentofAgriculture.

Fast-forwardafewyears:myfirstprofessionalinvolvementwithbiocontrolwasontheregulatorysideoftheequation.Thecommonperceptionisfalse;inrealitybiocontrolisheavilyregulated.Ittakesaloteffort,research,paperwork,andjustifica-tiontogetabiocontrolagentreleasedintotheenvironment.Infact,Ioncecreatedaflowchartoftheregulatoryprocessanditlookedlikeaboardgame.Idon’tthinkMilton-Bradleywouldbeinterestedthough—therulesaretoocomplex.Skepticscanrestassured,theregulatoryprocessisrigorousateverylevel.

In2008,myrolechangedwhenIbeganrunningthebiocontrolprogramfortheStateofHawai‘i.We’vegottenoutthedoorawasptoattacktheErythrinagallwaspandanotherwasptoattackthestingingnettlecaterpillar.Botharedoingagreatjob.Werecentlygotpermissiontoreleaseacaterpillartofeedonfireweed.Biocontrolishappeningnow,anditisanexcitingtime.Thesepestshavebeencostlytodealwithandnowwehaverealsolutionstooffer.That’snottosaythechallengesnolongerremain.Skepticismonthepartofthepublicandevenourstakeholderswillalwaysremain.Goodbiocontrolisforgotten.Badbiocontrollingersinthepublicmemory.

Growinguphere,Ineverrealizedhowpervasivethepositiveimpactsofbiocontrolare.It’snotsomethingthat’staught.

Ifyougohikingyouwilllikelyencounterlantana,oranynumberofweeds,whichwouldbeworse,ifnotforaninsectoradiseasethatwasreleasedtocontrolit.Walkthroughanurbansettingandallaroundthereareplantsthatwouldbedeformedordyingbecauseofinsectpests,wereitnotforbiocontrol.Becausesomethingwasdonetocontroltheseepidemics,youcanchoosenottousepesticides.Strollthroughacattlepastureandeventhereyou’llseebiocontrolatwork:fromtheweedsdowntothecowpatties.

AsIsitheretakingabreakfromworkingonbiocontrolissuesfortheState,IcanreflectonwhereIcamefrom,whereweareat,andperhapsmoreimportantly,wherewearegoing.Thingsaredifferenttoday.Thereismoreofaspotlight—andamicro-scope—focusedonwhatwedonowthantherewas30yearsagoandthatisfinebyme.Ijusthopethereisn’tayoungkidouttherewholostanincomesourcebecauseofme.Ifthereis,well,maybethey‘lltakemyplacewhenIretire.

Photo by Forest & Kim Starr

Sometimes it's about what you don't see. An ‘i‘iwi feeds on a rare Lobeliagrayana in the Maui rainforest. Biocontrol researchers like Tracy Johnson focus on effective, safe ways to keep weeds out of watersheds and natural areas, protecting rare native plants and animals.

Lloyd Loope at his retirement party in 20124 5

beenhonedparticularlybyseveralyearsofintensecontroversyoverthereleaseofTectococcus ovatus[thebiocontrolagent]againststrawberryguava.”

Johnson’s communication skillshave given him a unique relationshipwithMISCandotherpartners.“Iviewthe invasive species committees andwatershed partnerships statewide asmyprimaryclientele,withdeeprespectfortheirworkonthefront lineagainstinvasive species. My job is simply togivethemadditionaltoolstohelpthemsucceed,” he says. “The sad truth isthat there is no shortage of extremelyseriousweedsinHawai‘iforbiocontrolresearcherstofocuson.Wearelookingat decades of work for many research-ers targeting dozens of weeds. I hopeto build our capacity to a level moreadequatetothistask.”

Partners Pulling Together

Restoring Balance: Biocontrol

By Elizabeth AndersonMISC Program Specialist

When the U.S. Forest Service(USFS) hired Tracy Johnsonas a research entomologist

back in 2000, one of the individualson the hiring panel said, “We don’tjustneedascientistdoingresearch,weneed someone to get the bugs out thedoor.”AndthatisjustwhatJohnsonhasworkedsteadfastlytodo.

The“bugs”Johnsonconcernshimselfwith are biocontrol agents, the equiva-lent of insect 007s carefully selected toattacksomeoftheworstinvasivespeciesinHawai‘i.

The U.S. Forest Service is one of theMaui Invasive Species Committee’skey partners despite having no actualland holdings in Hawai‘i. In additionto providing annual funding to MISCthrough the Forest Health initiative,the USFS’s Institute of Pacific IslandsForestrycontinuestobeontheforefrontof research into biocontrol agents forimportantMISCtargets,likemiconia.

Biocontrolresearch issomething“you mustbeinforthelong haul inorder to see the fruits of your labors,”explainsJohnson.Somespecies,likethearctiidmothforfireweed,wereinthelabinquarantinewhenhe started thirteenyears ago; they were finally released in2012.

One of the most visible and contro-versial biocontrol projects Johnson hasbeeninvolvedwithisthereleaseofthebiocontrol agent for strawberry guava.He wore multiple hats on that project,includingpublicrelationsandeducationliaison. “I’m encouraged to find thatthe vast majority of people are verysupportive once they understand whatwe do and why,” he says. “It’s perfectlyreasonablethattheydistrusttheideaofintroducinganewspeciesatfirst.After

all, introduction of invasive species isthe very source of the problem. I trytoexplainthelevelofcarethatistakenin evaluating biocontrol agents beforethey are introduced and the outstand-ing safety record of the last 40 years–beginninginthe1970swhenattitudesabout native species led to strongerstandardsfortheirprotection.”

Funding for biocontrol research andimplementationhasseensignificantupsanddownsovertheyears.Whileconser-vation managers intuitively recognizethe need for funding long-term strate-gies like biocontrol, it is sometimesdifficult to balance those big pictureobjectives with the day- to- day needsofpayingon-the-groundcontrol crewsandtheelectricbill.

ButJohnsonknowstheinvestmentisworth it. “Biocontrol isaboutrestoringbalance to ecosystems that are out ofbalancetoadegreethatothermanage-mentapproachessimplycannotresolve.”

Despitethewhimsoffunding and the chal-lenges associated withraising tiny insects ina controlled labora-tory environment,

Johnson’s commitment is unwavering.“There are millions of species that arecompletelyignoredbyhumans,yettheyareveryimportantinthegrandscheme,”hesays.“AfewofthesehavepotentialtomakeahugedifferencetousinHawai‘i.”

Lloyd Loope remembers whenJohnson first entered the conserva-tion scene in Hawai‘i. “He had anawesome educational background forthe position,” says Loope. Since thattime, “his interest in non-target effectsof biocontrol has served him well.Tracy is smart, conscientious, highlymotivated, and enthusiastic abouthis work, while being cautious. Hiscommunication skills are better thanthoseofmostofus scientistsandhave

When Lloyd Loope arrivedon Maui in 1980 to workat Haleakalā National Park,

hiswifesurveyedtheseeminglybarrenlandscape. “Why would they send aplantecologisthere?”sheasked.

Whyindeed.Backthenherdsofgoatsstampeded the volcanic summit whilepigs rototilled the rain forest below.ExceptionallyrareHawaiianplantsandinsects were reduced to mere snacksfor exotic pests. Haleakalā NationalPark needed a champion, someone torally support for the drastic measuresrequiredtoundothedamage.

For nearly three decades, Loope hasgiven Hawaiian resource managers,legislators,andthepublicthenecessaryinformation to preserve our state’snatural bounty—initially as HaleakalāNationalPark’splantecologistandlateras research biologist for the UnitedStates Geological Survey. In 1969, hewas among the first research scientistsemployedbytheParkService.AssignedtotheGrandTetons,helatermigratedtothe Everglades where Haleakalā foundandrecruitedhim.

Loope’s first task was to provide thescientificbackgroundforgettingridofthegoats.It’shardtoimaginenow,buteradicating invasive animals from thesummitofHaleakalāwasn’taneasysell.

“Becausethetopographywasdifficult,Ididn’tevenknow if itcould bedone,” hesays.TheSierraClubhadstartedfencingtokeepungulatesout,andwithLoope’sexpertise—plusplentyofpeoples’sweatand muscle—it was done. FencingprovedtobethecriticalfirststepintherestorationofthenativeHawaiianforest.

Next Loope drafted the feral pigmanagement plan for Kīpahulu. HismentorChuckStonesaid:thiscouldbethemostimportantthingyoueverdo.Itwassignificant,butLoopefollowedthatcoup with another, and another. Aftergoats and pigs, it was rabbits runningamokatHosmer’sGrove.Thenmiconia.Then fire ants. Each time an invasivespeciesstakedaclaimonMaui,Loope

met it with stern resolve and soundedthealarm.

Loope’scareerisastoryofconservationtriumphs—victories over bureaucracyandmisunderstanding.Hisimpeccablescientificscholarship,doggedpersistence,and unabashed passion has allowedhimtoconvincetherightpeopleattheright time to defend native Hawaiian

ecosystems.“Youcanonly

cry wolf somany times,”

hesays,“soItrytobeselective.”One of his major accomplishments

wasatemporarybanontheimportationofmyrtlespeciesintoHawai‘i—protect-ingnative‘ōhi‘atreesfromnewstrainsofapotentiallydeadlyrust.Atfirst,thestate’s agriculture department arguedthat a Myrtaceae ban wouldn’t work.The California flower and foliageindustry called it absurd, and USDAofficials suggested that it was againstinternational law. Loope maintainedthat Hawai‘i has a right to protect itsbiodiversity. The Board of Agricultureagreedandenforcedit.Loopecontinuesworkingtomakethebanpermanent.

Loope UnleashedCommittee member Spotlight

By Shannon WianeckiMISC Editor and Curriculum Writer

A founding member of the MauiInvasive Species Committee (MISC),Loopehasservedasitstrustedscientificadvisor.He’sbeenapersuasiveadvocatefor biocontrol, realizing its unequaledpotentialtocombatthemostentrenchedinvasivespecies.

“I’m really good at recognizing aproblem,” says Loope. “I scream aboutit and I get other people workingon it, then I stay in the background.”Throughout his career, he’s hired andcoachedsomeofthebrightestconserva-tionstarsonMaui.Ifateacher’sworthismeasuredbythatofhisstudents,Loopehas ample recommendation. BiologistArt Medeiros calls him “humble” and“brave.”“He’slikeafather.Hedoesn’tdothingsforhimself.Heworksinaspiritofcollegiality.”

Loope’sloveofnaturetookrootwhenhewasaboy,exploringtheBlueRidgeMountains in Virginia. He received abird guide for his thirteenth birthday;beforehisfourteenth,he’drecordedover100species.Thatyear,hegotsickwithmumps during the warbler migrationsinearlyMay.“Lyinginbed,Iheardallthese birds that I recognized from therecordofbirdsong,”hesays.“Icouldn’tsee them, but I still remember howwonderfulitwastohearthem.”

ThanksinlargeparttoLoope’sefforts,children in Hawai‘i today are able toexperience the wonders of their nativeenvironment. At his retirement party,regardspouredinfromacrossthePacific.Thegatheringwasso joyousthatsomesuggestedheretireeveryyearthereafter,sothatwemightreunitetocelebrate.

Congratulations,Lloyd!

“You must be in for the long haul in order to see the fruits of your labors.”“You can only cry wolf so many

times, so I try to be selective.”

Lloyd Loope and miconia in the early 1990sPhoto by Betsy Gagné

Photo by Daniel W. Clark

Artwork: Brooke MahnkenInspiration : Darcy Oishi

1. Disc

over a pest species.

2. Study pest and determine origin.

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76 7

New Science

Biological ControlThe Pat to

We've never seen a wasp like this before in Hawai'i! Do you know what it is?

Oh no! An alien gall wasp is crippling our wiliwili trees!

Do you need some romantic music? Privacy?

My wasp would rather die than eat that

native Hawaiian insect.

I can document that...and that....oh, yes

Hmm, yes...this is perfect! Plenty of pests,

Could this tiny speck be the egg of a predatory wasp?? Hello Tanzania! Has anybody seen

a wasp the size of a comma?

Yes, I submitted 4,309 pages of documentation last week.

Did you receive them?

This tiny parasatoid is our best hope to save the trees.

Get to work little guys!

3. Apply for perm

its to bring potential biocontrol to Hawaii

4. Travel to the pest’s

nati

ve r

ange

.

5. Find pest in the wild

6 . Propagate them in quarantine.

7. Test

again

st no

n-targ

et spe

cies

8. Apply for permits-rou

nd 2

9.

Iden

tify p

oten

tial r

eleas

e site

s10. Convince public of need

RELEASE!

Techno Ta

lk:

Classical biological control is the planned introduction of an organism (usually insect or pathogen) from a pest species’ native range for the purpose of reducing the pest’s vigor, reproductive capacity, or density where it is invasive. Biological control agents are simply the natural predators of a pest species-the insects or diseases that keep the species in balance in its native ecosystem. Before scientists release a biological control agent in Hawai‘i, it undergoes rigorous testing to ensure that it will not do any harm-a process that typically takes 5-10 years or more.

Djami Djeddour inspects ginger.

8 9

Landowner Spotlight

The undulating green landsof ‘Ulupalakua Ranch coverover 18,000 acres, from the

oceanupto6,000 feetonthe leewardside of Haleakalā. Since 1845, whenmodern agriculture was introducedto ‘Ulupalakua, the lands have gonethroughdiversechanges.Nativekoaandsandalwood forests gave way to potatopatches and rows of corn, cotton, andsugarcane,followedbypastureforwhatwould become thesecondlargestcattleranch on Maui.Throughout its richhistory, ‘Ulupalakua Ranch has been apioneer in conservation, introducingeffective biocontrol and committingsubstantial acreage to permanentpreservation.

Backin1860,‘Ulupalakualandownerand ex-whaling captain James Makeeimportedavarietyofornamentalplantsandcropstothearea.Amonghisintro-ductionswasEupatorium adenophorum,a spindly shrub with clusters of smallwhiteflowers.Whiteloosestrifebecameknown in Hawai‘i as Maui pamakani(meaningwindblowninHawaiian),andquickly spread to every island exceptKaua‘i.Thewide-rangingweedinvadeddry to wet habitats from sea level to7,000feetelevation.

This caused a huge problem afterranching came to ‘Ulupalakua in1886. White loosestrife, which by thencarpetedthehillsides,istoxictohorsesandcattle.Theonlycontrolmethodatthetime,manuallydiggingandpullingtheweed,wasnotveryeffective.

Relief for ranchers came in 1945.Agriculturalist David Thomas (D.T.)Fleming attempted to reclaim thepasturelands of Upcountry Maui using

biological control. Entomologistsexploring the mountainous regionsof Mexico, where white loosestrifeoriginates, had found the plant pest’snatural enemy-the Eupatorium gall fly.With the permission of the TerritorialBoard of Agriculture and Forestry,Fleming released Procecidochares utilisin ‘Ulupalakua. As its common namesuggests, this insect isexplicitly limitedto white loosestrife. Its immediate

success inattackingwhiteloosestrife

populationsindryareassuchasKanaioand‘Ulupalakuaallowedranchhandstostopmechanicalmethodsofcontrol.

By 1971, surveyors in Kīpahulu andWaihou had great difficulty detectingeven a single white loosestrife plant inareasthatpreviouslywerecoveredwithdense stands. It persists today in smallnumbersinstreambeds.

Ed Baldwin, whose family owned‘Ulupalakua Ranch from the 1920s tothe 1960s, credits the eupatorium gallflywith freeingaround10,000acresofleeward Haleakalā from white loose-strife. Baldwin was so grateful to D.T.Fleming for finding a solution to theproblem that he gave the botanist hischoice of land parcels. D.T. dreamt ofretiringwithanarboretumdedicatedtothe preservation of endangered plantsendemic to the ‘Ulupalakua/Auwahiarea.Pu‘uMahoe,withagrandviewofLa Pérouse Bay, was his choice. Today,Fleming Arboretum is the oldest andlargest native arboretum in Hawai‘i,protecting 92 species, 26 of which arerareorendangered.

In1963,theErdmanfamilypurchased‘UlupalakuaRanch,usheringinthelatest

Wild gingers, Hedychium spp.,belong to the same familyas edible ginger (Zingiber

officinale), but they have no culinaryvalue. Native to moist tropical forestsof Central and South-Eastern Asia,they are cultivated the world over asornamentals. Their large, glossy leavesflareoutaroundtall,reedystems.Theirorchid-like, showyblossomscome inabreathtaking array of colors and exudeaheadyperfume.Suchistheiraestheticappeal, that they are showcased in thefinestHawaiianlei.TheirscientificnameHedychium (pronounced“heh-DIK-ee-um”),isderivedfromtheGreek“hedys,”meaning sweet, and “chion,” meaningsnow.Itreferstothetypespeciesforthegenus: white ginger (Hedychium coro-narium). This sweetly fragrant speciesis the best-known ornamental ginger.In the 19th century, Cuba adoptedit as the nation’s official flower—asymbol of purity, rebelliousness, andindependence.

But in Hawai‘i, New Zealand,Australia,SouthAfrica,LaRéunion,andthe Macaronesian Archipelagos, wheregingershavebeenintroduced,beautyhasturnedtobeast.Theverycharacteristicsthat gained gingers favour in gardens,suchashardinessandcapacityforrapid,vegetativegrowth,haveallowedthemtonaturalizeinthewild.Unchecked,theysmother many unique and specializedcommunities and threaten delicateecosystems. In particular, Himalayanorkāhiliginger (Hedychium gardneria-num),hasearneditsplaceonthelistof100oftheWorld’sWorstInvasiveAlienSpecies. Resource managers considerbiologicalcontroltheonlypracticalandsustainableapproach for the long-termmanagementofHimalayangingerinfes-tationsinnativeforests.

To this end, CABI, an internationalnon-profitdevelopmentagency,initiatedthe first phase of a biological controlprogramforHimalayangingerin2008.

A consortium of sponsors from NewZealandandHawai‘ifundedthescopingstudy. As with every new biocontrolinitiative, the expedition derived itsgeographical focus from a thoroughreviewofscientificandbotanicallitera-ture,aswellasrecordsfromBritishandIndian herbaria. A short exploratorysurvey in collaboration with KeralaForestResearchInstituteconfirmedthestateofSikkiminIndiatobeahotspotfor Hedychium biodiversity, includingHimalayanginger.

Natural enemies associated witheconomic crops in the same family aswild gingers (Zingiberaceae), such asedibleginger,turmeric,andcardamom,arewellknown.Butverylittleinforma-tionwasavailableontheinsectfaunaandmycobiota associated with the invasiveHedychium species. Repeat surveys in2009 and 2010 by CA BI and Indianforestrystaffrevealedalargenumberofnatural enemies attacking Hedychium.In2011and2012,themostpromisingofthesewerebrought intoCABI’sUnitedKingdomquarantinefacilities.

The potential agents include a largerhizome-boring weevil, a Chloropidfly, several moths, and a fungus. Host-range testing formanyof thesespeciesis underway and efforts to establishculturesofeachinsectareongoing.Sincethe insectsare littleknown,establishinglifehistoryparametersanddevelopmen-taltimingsisfundamentaltohost-rangestudies. Surveys continue to highlightnewinsectandfungispeciesassociatedwith wild gingers. Prioritizing agentsbased on specificity, damage potential,andlifehabitisanongoingprocess.

Wildgingershouldlenditselfwelltoabiologicalcontrolinitiative,asthereareno native, representative Zingiberaceaepresent in Hawai‘i or New Zealand.However, the economic, ornamental,andculturalappealofHedychium speciesin their introduced range (especiallyin Hawai‘i) cannot be underestimated,

no matter how damaging the plantis to native forests. Early Polynesiansettlers introduced Zingiber zerumbet (‘awapuhi) to Hawai‘i. Though notnative to the Islands, the species hascultural importanceand is includedasa test plant for host-specificity studies.If biological control is to be acceptedas an essential part of wild gingermanagement, early engagement withtheHawaiiancommunityandhorticul-turalstakeholderswillbeofparamountimportance. Educational and outreachprograms to address concerns andpotential challenges will be of greatbenefit. Furthermore, awareness of thenegative impacts of the non-native,invasivewildgingersonnativeHawaiianflora and fauna must continue to behighlightedifitsculturalreputationandcurrentappealistobeaddressed.

Djami Djeddour is a weed biocontrol scientist at CABI's UK Centre and has 15 years of experience as a researcher in the field of weed and arthropod biologi-cal control. As well as working on the potential for biological control of wild gingers for Hawai‘i and New Zealand, she has been actively involved in a number of biological control projects targeting European weed species, including the UK's most pernicious weed, Japanese knotweed, which, in 2010, culminated in the first intentional release of a biological agent targeting a weed species in Europe.

eraoflandmanagement.TheErdmanshave partnered with conservationorganizations to protect and preservethenativebiodiversitycontainedwithinthe ranch’s borders. The Erdmanswork with state and federal agenciesin addition to conservation groupssuch as Ducks Unlimited, The NatureConservancy, Native Hawaiian PlantSociety, the Leeward Haleakalā Water-shedRestorationPartnership,andMauiInvasiveSpeciesCommittee.

Beginning in 2000, the Erdmanssupported a marvelous experiment:the restoration of native Hawaiiandryland forest at Auwahi. The ranchfirst loaned ten acres of pasture to theMauiRestorationGroup,whichsoughtto reestablish the health of this oncebiologically rich forest. When theirefforts succeeded, the Erdmans gavethem another 174 acres. Over 100,000rarenative treesandshrubshavesincebeen planted within fenced exclosures.Without the Erdmans’ unflinchingsupport and encouragement, the nowthriving forest at Auwahi would notexist.

The‘UlupalakuaRanch’smostrecentgift to conservation was its largest. In2009,theErdmansdonatedover11,000acres to the Hawaiian Islands LandTrust, in order to protect pasturelandsand dryland forest habitat from futuredevelopment. It was the largest-evervoluntary easement donation in thestate of Hawai‘i. “Our goals are toprotectopenspaceandagriculture,”saidSumnerErdman,oneof theownersof‘Ulupalakua Ranch. “The economicsof doing that sometimes are a little bittough; thispartnershipwillallowustobe able to manage and maintain openspace.”

By Djami DjeddourWeed Biocontrol Scientist, CABI

New Science

Photo courtesy of Djami Djeddour

“Our goals are to protect open space and agriculture.”

‘Ulupalakua Cares

By Abe VandenbergEducation and Outreach Associate

Taming the Wild Ginger

Photo by Forest & Kim Starr

MISC Committee MembersChair:LloydLoope,Ph.D.,RetiredUSGSVice-Chair:FernDuvall,Ph.D.,DLNR-DoFAWChairsEmeriti:PatBily,TheNatureConservancyandRandyBartlett,EastMauiWatershedPartnershipSteveAnderson,NPS-HaleakalāNationalParkJoshAtwood,Ph.D.,DLNR/Hawai‘iInvasiveSpeciesCouncilDanielClark,U.S.FishandWildlifeServiceDavidDuffy,Ph.D.,UH-PacificCooperativeStudiesUnitJohnHau‘oliTomoso,Tri-IsleRC&DJeremyGooding,NPS-PacificIslandsExoticPlantManagementTeamBobHobdy,CommunityMember,retiredDLNRJamesLeary,Ph.D.,UniversityofHawai‘i-CTAHRRobParsons,CountyofMaui

MoMISC (Moloka‘i)Committee MembersChair:WailanaMoses,TheNatureConservancyEllaAlcon,MauiCountyCouncilLiaisonAltonArakaki,UniversityofHawai‘i-CTAHRAneBakutis,DLNR-PlantExtinctionPreventionProgramLanceDeSilva,DLNR-DoFAWBillGarnett,Pu‘uoHokuRanchButchHaase,Moloka‘iLandTrustJenniferHawkins,Kūha‘oBusinessCenterWallaceJennings,USDA-NaturalResourcesConservationServiceRussellKallstrom,TheNatureConservancy-Moloka‘iDebbieKelly,Moloka‘i-Lāna‘iSoilandWaterConservationDistrictChevyLevasa,USDAAPHIS-PQJessicaLudgate,USDA-NaturalResourcesConservationServiceEdMisaki,TheNatureConservancy-Moloka‘iGlennSakamoto,USDA–PlantMaterialsCenterGlennTeves,UniversityofHawai‘i-CTAHR

MoMISC StaffLoriBuchanan,FieldandOutreachCoordinator KamalaniPali,InvasiveSpeciesFieldCrewandDataAssistantMISC StaffTeyaPenniman,ManagerElizabethAnderson,ProgramSpecialistAdamRadford,OperationsManagerBrookeMahnken,OperationsandGISSpecialistLissaStrohecker,OutreachandEducationSpecialistAbeVandenberg,Education/VertebrateAssociateStephanieMiller,DataAssociateCarlMartin,OperationsSupportShannonWianecki,EditorandCurriculumWriter

Early Detection SpecialistsForestStarr KimStarr

Vertebrate Field CrewDarrellAquino,TeamLeader AjaEarlyKonaBall DennisGreen,ActingTeamLeader

Plant Field CrewMikeAde,FieldSupervisor AbelardoRojasUmanaJaredBarros ChristianVisoria

Miconia Field Crew‘ImiNelson,TeamLeader ChadSmithJoeBrower Darryl"Kanamu"Tau‘aElroyKrause TanyaVasquez

AmeriCorps InternsPaulBerce AlohiKapoiHeatherCoad KaleiKubotaWilliamHaole

MISC & MoMISC Committee & Staff

Mahalo to our 2012/2013 Individual DonorsBobbieBeckerBarbaraBezdicek

WadeBuscherDaleCastleton

DevidDeleonJanElliot

AngelaKeplerandFrankRustMarthaLind

Join the list! Donate at www.mauiisc.org

Aloha to departing staff: JustinAvelino,MoMISCFieldCrew StephanieKowalski,PlantFieldCrewFloydHelekahi,MiconiaFieldCrew MattPratt,PlantFieldCrew

A stand of wiliwili in bloom is perhaps one of the most remarkable sights in Hawai‘i.

The Erythrina gall wasp causes Erythrinaespp. to lose leaves. Without leaves to release water, limbs become sodden and collapse.

10 11

"The onlookers collectively held their breath as thirty

Eurytoma wasps emerged and begin landing on galls."

By October 2006, the last wiliwilistandinremoteNu‘uhadbeeninfected.Newspaper headlines read, “Efforts tocontrol Erythrina gall wasps fail” and“Alienwaspmaydoomthewiliwili.”

The conservation community’semphasisswitchedfromsavingtreestopreserving seeds. Volunteers pluckedseeds from lava plains around MauiCounty, representing the wiliwili’sdiverse genetic pool. Lyon Arboretumon O‘ahu agreed to store seeds inanticipationof theworst-case scenario:extinction.

Some spirited third graders fromMontessori School of Maui performedaskitaboutthewiliwiliandcommittedto shucking90,000 seeds for storageatLyon Arboretum. One student report-edly toldhismother, “I feel sick today,but if I don’t go to school, no one willprotectthewiliwili.”

Thankfully, the students weren’t theonlyoneswillingtogothedistanceforthewiliwili.

Immediately after the gall wasp’sappearance in 2005, exploratoryentomologists with the Hawai‘iDepartment of Agriculture (HDOA)begansearchingtheworldforasolution.Mohsen Ramadan’s research revealedthat Tanzania had the largest numberofErythrinaspeciesontheplanet,andwas most likely the source of both theErythrina gall wasp and any natural

enemies. Ramadan booked a flight toAfricainsearchofapossiblepredator.

Ramadan scoured the Tanzaniancountryside, traveling for two monthsonricketybuseswithinsectsamplesintow.“Iwas luckyenough tofindsomegallssimilartothosewehadinHawai‘i,”he says—and these galls contained asecondwasp,apredatorthatlaysitseggsbesidethoseofQuadrastichus erythinae.The predator’s larvae hatch first, anddevour their neighbors. Ramadandispatched samples back to Hawai‘i,wheretheywereidentifiedasEurytoma erythrinae, which feeds exclusively onQuadrastichuslarvae.

HDOA performed comprehensivetests to ensure thatEurytomawouldn’tbecome a new pest. “This insect isspecific enough that it will not attackanything other than the Erythrina gallwasp,”saysRamadan.

Eurytoma was approved for releasein 2008. “Projects like this sometimestaketenyears,”saysRamadan.“Wediditreallyfast.”

Itwasn’tamomenttoosoon.Medeiros

estimated that between 10 and 20percentofthe20,000treesinthePu‘uoKaliforesthadalreadydied.

Just before Christmas 2008, a groupgatheredtowitnesstheintroductionofyet anotheralien species—but thisonehadbeenrearedintheState’squarantinefacilities. Darcy Oishi, who leads thestate’s biological control program, heldupavialcontainingEurytomawaspsatthebaseofagall-wastedwiliwiliinPu‘uo Kali. The onlookers—representativesfrom various conservation agencies—collectively held their breath as thirtyEurytoma wasps emerged and beginlandingongalls.Thegroupcheeredand

hooted.“Goget‘em!”This release signaled

therevivalofthewiliwiliforest.

Eurytomaturnedouttobearobustpredator,attackingQuadrastichus

assteadilyasthelatterhadattackedthetrees.Howsuccessfulhasthisbiocontrolproven to be? See for yourself duringthe next wiliwili flowering season.When late summer rolls around,drive along the remote, sun-bakedPi‘ilani Highway towards Kaupō. Slowdowntowitnesstheabundanceoftreescoveredinreddish-orangeandiridescentgreen blossoms—trees that we almostlost.

Dear Dr. MISCellaneous:Eh..So I hear all this talk about

biocontrol…you sure that’s a good idea? Remember the mongoose?Leery of Biocontrol

Dear Leery,Ah yes, the mongoose…the

mistake that will plague biological control for, well, hopefully not much longer. Introducing mongoose to control rats did not work, no doubt about it. As everyone now knows, rats are nocturnal and mongoose are diurnal. The two rarely meet. Mongoose not only failed to control

MISCellaneous Filesrats, they negatively impacted other animals, including native birds. But before we badmouth all biocontrol, let’s look at the facts:1. Sugarcane planters independently

brought the mongoose to Hawai‘i in 1885 based on (faulty) claims by a plantation owner in Jamaica. This was not a sanctioned introduction and it occurred during an era of little oversight or regulation.

2. There was no science or research behind the introduction. Modern biocontrol is a painstakingly researched process. It’s unlikely that an animal or vertebrate would be

considered for use as a biocontrol agent today. Vertebrates tend to be “generalist” feeders, unlike insects or pathogens, which feed only on their target species.

3. Since rigorous testing for non-target impacts began, there have been no instances of “host- jumping” in Hawai‘i Modern biocontrol has been successful.

Your concerns are valid. No one wants to introduce another problematic species into Hawai‘i!

Reassuringly yours,Dr. MISCellaneous

"Wiliwili" continued from page 1

Photo by Forest & Kim Starr

Working to protect Maui Nui from invasive species that threaten our environment, livelihoods, and quality of life.

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Tri-Isle Resource Conservation and Development Council, Inc.

University of Hawai‘i - College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources

University of Hawai‘i - Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit

Research Corporation of the University of Hawai‘i

US Fish and Wildlife Service

USDA Forest Service

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

USDA Plant Pest QuarantineUSDA Plant Materials Center

US Geological Survey - Biological Resources Division

LĀna‘i Resorts, LLC

Haleakalā National Park

Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture

Hawai‘i Dept. of Land and Natural Resources

Hawai‘i Department of Transportation

Hawai‘i Invasive Species Council

Kalaupapa National Historical Park

Maui County Department of Water Supply

Maui County Office of Economic Development

Moloka‘i Land Trust

Pacific Islands Exotic Plant Management Team

Pu‘u O Hoku Ranch

The Nature Conservancy of Hawai‘i

Mahalo to the MISC and MoMISC Partners:

P.O.Box983Makawao,Hawai‘i96768

Photo by Forest & Kim Starr