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The ‘Ua‘u and the threat of invasive species
Hawai‘i is famous for rare birds: scarlet honeycreepers that dart through the rainforest and gold-flecked owls that hunt at twilight. But another Hawaiian bird lives most of its life at sea. The ‘ua‘u...
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Plants Out of Place–Native to Hawaii but Invasive Elsewhere
The native Hawaiian ecosystem is often described as fragile and prone to invasion, so it may come as a surprise to find that some of our island species on the most unwanted list of invasives in other...
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Traveling by boat? Swab those hulls and propellers to stop invasive stowaways.
Each year over ships make over 1000 trips to Hawai‘i. Container ships and barges, fishing boats, cruise Organisms colonize an anchor chain. Photo courtesy of Hawaii DLNR-DAR ships, and sailboats,...
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Maui Activities for Invasive Species Awareness Week
It’s Hawaii Invasive Species Awareness Week and on Maui, we’re focusing on ant awareness (more activities to follow). What do you know about the little fire ant? Here’s a change to test your...
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Mullein and Milk Thistle-Some medicinal plants are a bad prescription for the...
Humans have always relied on plants for medicine and many modern remedies are still derived from plants. Blessed milk thistle, or Silybum marianum, isn’t so holy when it forms prickly, invasive...
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Educator Workshop on Maui
Hō‘ike o Haleakalā Curriculum-35 million years of Hawaiian natural history over 3 days Workshop Dates: -Friday, August 16, 9-4 (Classroom) -Saturday, August 17, 10-4 (Hike into The Nature Conservancy’s...
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“Devil weed” sneaks into Hawaii
They saw the pitchfork leaf pattern and knew something was amiss. The unmistakable smellDevil weed, or Chromolaena odorata growing along a trailside in the Kahuku Motocross Riding Area. This invasive...
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And then the pollinator wasp arrived…
Bo tree, Ficus religiosa, is an attractive ornamental that was once safe to plant in Hawaii. Now the pollinator wasp for the bo tree is in Hawaii and this prolific seeder threatens watersheds. Photo by...
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Invasive plants=Less water
This rainforest, in Puu Kukui on West Maui, is an example of an open canopy rainforest typical of native rainforest in Hawaii. This forest acts like a ‘sponge,’ absorbing water from rain and gently...
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Christmas berry’s unwelcome presence
Christmas berry, is also a pest in the pastures of Hawaii. Photo by Forest and Kim Starr Covered in glossy green leaves and bedecked with red berries, the invasive shrub, Schinus terebinthifolius, is...
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A Haʻiku gulch full of suprises
The prickly seed pods on this climbing vine led to a concerned Ha’iku resident reporting it to MISC as a potential invader. Turns out it is a native plant, Mucuna sloanei. Photo by Hank Oppenheimer...
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Clearing the weeds for albatross
Space is at a premium for nesting Laysan albatross on Midway atoll. Removal of the invasive golden crownbeard may have helped provide more nesting area. Photo by Forest and Kim Starr Midway Atoll has...
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How did that get here? Strange plants atop Haleakalā
High atop Haleakalā winds whip across the summit, frost crystals sparkle in the morning sun – melting as the day progresses. But even in this harsh landscape, native plants and animals can thrive – and...
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Pigs and Pampas
A spike camp in the East Maui rainforest. Camps like these are home for the crews working to protect and remove invasive species in this remote section of Maui. Photo by Maui Invasive Species...
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Deck your hall with boughs of locally harvested plants
Join the Friends of Haleakalā for their annual pine pull – a chance to remove invasives and take home some locally harvested holiday greenery. Photo by Matt Wordeman. Collecting pine trees Maui style....
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Glycine got ya down?
Tips & Tricks for Common Pests – Glycine Glycine blankets the roadsides of Ulupalakua and parts of Kula. Photo by Forest and Kim Starr With all the rain last summer, many upcountry Maui homeowners...
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Pines threaten Haleakalā
Forest Starr removes a pine sapling as part of the effort to protect Haleakala Crater. Only few species of pines are invading Haleakalā: Pinus radiata (Monterey pine), Pinus patula (Mexican weeping...
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Fountain grass threatens dryland ecosystems
Jared Clapper with Hāna Lima Land Management, working on behalf of Haleakalā Ranch, was part of a team responding to an infestation of invasive fountain grass in proximity to Pu‘uokali above Kīhei....
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