Hawai`i Natural Area Reserves System

Hawai‘i’s Extinction Crisis!

Half the birds ever known from the Hawaiian Islands are now extinct, as are hundreds of plants and thousands of invertebrates.  The complex ecosystem that native plants and animals depend upon for existence are also at risk, particularly in the NARS and on other state-managed lands.

The NARS was established to protect what little remains of our natural heritage on state-managed land for future generations to know and enjoy.  But designating the reserves is not enough: they must be carefully managed if they are to serve their purpose.

The now-extinct Kaua'i ö`ö `ä`ä was last observed in the 1980s. All of the ö`ö `ä`ä from the Hawaiian Islands were valued in traditional times for their yellow feathers. All of the ö`ö `ä`ä species are now extinct.

Only three endangered po'ouli cling to existence in East Maui, including the Hanawi Reserve. Last ditch efforts are being taken to prevent this species from going extinct.

Nearly all the reserves are threatened in one way or another, and active management is essential if the NARS is to succeed.  Nearly all the reserves need fences.  Most need weed and predator control.  And the commitment, funding, and staffing for such programs must be for the long term.  At present, only one-fourth of the NARS is fenced or actively managed.  Unless this changes, the resources will be lost.

On the Big Island of Hawai‘i alone, only 2,000 acres
of the 82,535 acres in the NARS (2.4%) are fenced at this time!

 
Introduced Mammals
 
Pigs, goats, sheep, mouflon, axis deer, and black-tailed deer were introduced to the Hawaiian Islands and are managed by the state as game for hunting.  However, these animals are destructive in Hawaiian ecosystems in which native plants and animals evolved over hundreds of thousands of years in the absence of grazing and browsing mammals. In order for hunting to be sustainable and compatible with the protection goals of the NARS, game mammals must be contained and managed in appropriate areas where they do not destroy native resources and watersheds. 

Introduced mammals consume native plants, trample roots and seedlings, accelerate erosion, and promote weed invasion.

Feral pigs create wallows and other openings in native Hawaiian forests, which provide habitat for breeding mosquitoes.  Domestic and feral cattle in the forest reserves also damage Hawaiian ecosystems.  Fencing and the removal of these animals are necessary to protect the NARS and other native areas.

Invasive Weeds

Aggressive introduced plants, such as miconia, banana poka, fountain grass, guava, and ginger, compete with native plants for space, sunlight, and nutrients.  The alien plants eventually replace native vegetation if not controlled. Manual and chemical weed control is essential in the NARS, but it is time-consuming and expensive.

Predators
 
Rats and mongooses prey on native Hawaiian insects, tree snails, forest birds, and seabirds.  These voracious predators must be controlled if Hawaiian species are to survive.  Diseases, parasitism, fire, and human disturbance also threaten native resources in the NARS.

Funding and staffing are the limiting factors in fulfilling the legislature’s mandate to protect the NARS for future generations!

THE DEADLY CYCLE!

Feral pigs foraging in native forests create wallows and breeding grounds for introduced mosquitoes. Mosquitoes infect Hawaiian forest birds with avian malaria and avian pox, major factors in the extinction and endangerment of the native forest birds. Infected birds, such as this sick baby 'apapane, suffer from severe anemia and frequently have large tumors on their legs caused by avian pox.  The birds are so ill they are unable to forage or escape from predators.