Almost a century ago, botanist Joseph Rock rejoiced in the astounding diversity of plants and animals at Pu’uwa’awa’a. It was, he wrote, “the richest floral section of any in the whole Territory.”
In 1932, C.S. Judd was still able to describe Pu’uwa’awa’a as a “veritable bonanza for the delight of the delving botanist,” although by then, certain plants were “now becoming rather scarce.”
A decade later, in 1945, National Park Service ranger A.L. Mitchell could find only the mamane and wiliwili were effectively reproducing. “If we are to be assured of success in preserving these tree species, it seems as if the only solution will be to protect these trees in their natural habitat until they can become established elsewhere or become re-established where they are.”
The cause of the decline was not difficult to identify: ranching. Since 1894, more than 100,000 acres in the ahupua’a had been grazed by cattle, sheep, and goats. Although several ranchers erected fences around some of the very rare plants known to them, many more were not so fortunate.
In addition, working against any protection effort was the office of the Commissioner of Public Lands of the Territory of Hawai’i. In 1958, the commissioner was advised by his staff on ways to “fully and economically utilize” lands of Pu’uwa’awa’a and the neighboring Pu’unahulu ahupua’a: “In the Land of Pu’uwa’awa’a between 2,500 and 4,500′ elevation located on the slopes of Hualalai there is some 20,000 acresÉ In general, this area needs, more sunlight by clearing out more of the native trees in some areas and elimination of dense patches of brush weeds in other areas.” This would increase the “carrying capacity” of the ranch by 1,000 head of cattle, the staff estimated.
While much of the recommended clearing has occurred – whether by design or by grazing – little has been done to defend the unique resources of this land section on the northern slopes or Mount Hualalai, on the western side of the island of Hawai’i. The dryland forest is pretty well gone and has been replaced by fountain grass and alien tree species – most notoriously, perhaps, the silver oak.
Despite the losses, the area’s natural resources – plants, animals, and fossil records – are still considerable. At least 32 rare plants are still known to grow in the area, according to Jon Giffin, head of the Hawai’i district office of the Division of Forestry and Wildlife. Of those, Giffin says, about two dozen are officially listed as endangered. In addition, seven or eight rare plants that used to be found there have disappeared. “The amazing thing is that more haven’t disappeared,” Giffin says.
“It’s unfortunate,” Giffin went on the say, referring to the ongoing grazing. “If I were to go over and pull up those plants, I’d be arrested under state law, but if a cow does it, it would be okay.”
When the state Board of Land and Natural Resources toured Pu’uwa’awa’a last February, Giffin distributed to the members a list of the area’s remaining resources and the threats they face.
Here are the highlights:
Forest Bird Sanctuary In 1984, recognizing the damage to natural resources that cattle grazing was inflicting, the Board of Land and Natural Resources removed about 3,800 acres of koa and ‘ohi’a forest from the land leased Pu’uwa’awa’a Ranch. “Three species of endangered birds currently occupy the sanctuary,” Giffin wrote: the Hawai’i Akepa, the Hawai’i Creeper, and the Hawaiian Hawk.
Lava Tube Ecosystems: Lava flows, cinder cones, pit craters, tree molds, lava tubes – these are some of the geological features found at Pu’uwa’awa’a. “Certain sections of the ranch and forest bird sanctuary [mauka of the present lease area] are riddled with lava tubes that formed 1,500 to 5,000 years ago in pahoehoe lava flows,” Giffin wrote. “These underground passages are some of the most biologically significant features on Hualalai volcano. They provide habitats for many species of rare cave-adapted arthropods (spiders, crickets, centipedes, and plat hoppers). At least 11 É cave arthropods have colonized Pu’uwa’awa’a’s lava tubes. Several species are new to science and found nowhere else. Some rare plants only grow in cave openings where they are protected from roaming feral animals.”
Native Dryland Forest Communities: “Ungulates, non-native plats, fire and human activities threaten the continued existence of the Pu’uwa’awa’a forest and the native plats that comprise them,” Giffin continued. “The long-term management goal for Pu’uwa’awa’a is to reestablish native forest on approximately one-half of its former rangeÉ The objective for the short-term is to protect existing populations of rare and endangered plant species and dryland forest communities with exclosure fences and fire-breaks and to encourage natural regeneration of native vegetation.”
Avian Paleontology: A recent boon to scientists has been the discovery eight years ago of an intact skeleton of an extinct species of flightless goose in a lava tube at Pu’uwa’awa’a. Since then, further surveys have revealed many more bird remains. “Subfossil bird bones have been accumulating in Pu’uwa’awa’a’as lava tubes for the past 5,000 years,” Giffin told the board. And as a result of the discovery of these fossils, he continued, “we now know that several kinds of flightless birds roamed Pu’uwa’awa’a. These included large herbivorous geese and small, active rails. The flightless goose was Hawai’i’s largest land animal, standing about three feet tall. This species existed until at least 500 years ago, probably grazing on grasses and fern fronds. Flightless rails survived until the turn of the century, with a few live specimens being collected by early naturalists. All of Hawai’i’s flightless birds are now extinct.
Snails and Other Invertebrates: More than 30 species of snails, in nine families, were known to have existed at Pu’uwa’awa’a. Most are now extinct, but, Giffin wrote, ” A rich array of native forest insects also inhabits the area. Some are striking in coloration and form, but are difficult to find because of limited distribution, secretive habits or rarity. Other less showy species are more numerous and widespread but go unnoticed because of their small size.”
It is not as though no one has thought of protecting Pu’uwa’awa’a. in 1976, recognizing the area’s unique qualities, 3,000 acres of drylands forest were proposed for inclusion in the state’s Natural Area Reserve System. However, objections from the state’s leasee, F. Newell Bohnett, stood in the way of this plan. The area proposed for withdrawal from his ranch produced 450 calves each year and this “sacrifice,” he said, is “too great a price to pay for the pleasure of such a small interest group.” Deferring to Bohnett’s wishes, the Land Board rejected the recommendation of its own NARS staff to set aside the area, but did suggest that the staff return later with a plan for a plant and ‘alala sanctuary in the area.
In 1984, the Land Board again rejected a plan to set aside a 3,000- acre natural area reserve, but it did urge its staff to identify areas where rare plants were found and to fence them off. Since then, DOFAW has fenced 14 separate areas – totaling just 18 acres – to protect rare and endangered plants at Pu’uwa’awa’a.
In 1992, a far more ambitious plan was developed in response to instructions from the state Legislature. That plan, approved by the Land Board in 1993, called for DOFAW to spend $1.2 million over six years to protect, restore, and provide for the long-term management of “rare plant communities found in the Pu’uwa’awa’a lease area,” to reduce the threat of fire, and control spread of fountain grass, one of the chief fire fuels.
Eight years later, the plan remains an undone task. “Some stuff happened,” says Mike Buck, head of the sate Department of Land and Natural Resources. “Some fire prevention, rare plant protection efforts, mainly in the sanctuary area. But there was never any dedicated funding for the plan.”
What has been done has been paid for through other programs, Buck said, including the federal Pittman-Robertson funds the state receives, funds from the Fish and Wildlife Service (to assist with protection of endangered species), and some funds from the DLNR budget – “although that’s been getting smaller,” Buck adds.
Much more support has been directed to improving habitat for game animals at Pu’uwa’awa’a and the adjoining Pu’uanahulu game management areas. Funds used include Pittman-Robertson and the state’s Wildlife Revolving Fund, administered by the DLNR.
In its most recent proposal to the Fish and Wildlife Service for Pittman-Robertson funds, the state plans to spend a total of $85,000 for game habitat management in the Pu’uwa’awa’a and neighboring Pu’uanahulu game management areas. Some of this would be used for planting native mamane trees, according to Myles Nakahara of the Division of Forestry and Wildlife, but also for non-native eucalyptus trees. In addition, the state plans to spend about $45,000 for watering systems for game birds at Pu’uwa’awa’a.
— Patricia Tummons
Volume 11, Number 3 September 2000
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