Status and Problems of Conservation in Hawaii
Zeenath Sheikh
Environmental and Plant Biology Department
Questions
• What is conservation and factors affecting it ?
• What is biological diversity and factors affecting and
controlling it?
• What is biological diversity of Hawaii ?
• Factors threatening biological diversity in Hawaii ?
• Role of Natural conservancy in conservation of Hawaii ?
• Techniques followed by Nature conservancy to achieve conservatio
in Hawaii?
• What are the Problems arising in conservation in Hawaii?
Questions contd…
• Nature conservancy preserves in Hawaii?
• Endangered species in Hawaii?
• What is the planning and protection methods followed in
Hawaii to implement conservation ?
• Future plans of Nature conservancy for Hawaii?
• What is the conservation education undertaken in
Hawaii ?
• Organizations helping in conservation in Hawaii?
Conservation
Maintaining biological diversity by applying the
principles of ecology, biogeography, population genetics,
economics,sociology, anthropology, philosophy, and other
theoretically based disciplines. (Meffe et al., 1997)
Biological Diversity
• Biological diversity - or biodiversity - is the term given to
the variety of life on Earth and the natural patterns it forms
(Muller 2003)
• A simple measure of biological diversity is the number of
species in a given area (Stone and Stone 1989).
Biological Diversity contd..
• Species checklist is the most common form of data for this
kind of measurement (Stone and Stone 1989).
• The biodiversity we see today is the fruit of billions
of years of evolution, shaped by natural processes and,
increasingly, by the influence of humans (Muller 2003)
Factors Affecting Biological Diversity
1. Limiting Factors
– Water
– Nutrients
– Space
2. Physical Complexity
– Land type(dry/wet, Island/ peninsula)
– Land elevation (high /low)
– Periodic disturbances
3. Biological Interactions
– Parasitism
- Commensalism
– Mutualism
(Stone and Stone 1989)
Factors Threatening Biological Diversity
1.
Human overpopulation
2.
Fragmentation of habitat
3.
Invasion of alien plants and species
4.
Nuclear war and nuclear winter
5. Air pollution and climatic change
(Stone and Stone 1989)
Biological Diversity Of Hawaii
1. Plant Diversity
2. Animal Diversity
3. Landscape Diversity
Uniqueness of Hawaii
• Hawaii's Economy Depends on its Environment
• Potential New Discoveries in Medicine
• Hawaii's Culture is Linked to its Rich Natural Heritage
• Hawaii's Rich Agricultural Heritage
• Hawai`i is a Center for Scientific Study
Factors Threatening Biological Diversity in
Hawaii
1.
overpopulation
2.
Agriculture
3.
Invasion species
4.
Pollution
5.
Deforestation
6.
Illiteracy
Invasive species of hawaii
• Invasive plants and animals
– Goats, deer, wild pigs and the weed miconia (represent the greatest
threat to East Maui's forests)
– foreign insects, snakes, plants and pests.
– Feral pigs trample delicate nesting birds.
– Rosy wolfsnails gorge themselves on the island's native snails
– Miconia plants shade out native plants and hurt water quality.
Proposed danger
• Some 63 % of Hawaii’s species are at risk of extinction,
the highest proportion in the U.S.,
• 217 species are already known to have been lost, the
gravest total.
Conservation in Hawaii
• Hawai`i has worked with its federal, state, and private
partners to protect more than 200,000 acres of Hawaii's
natural areas that shelter native species, many of which are
found nowhere else in the world.
Natural conservancy
• The Nature Conservancy uses non-confrontational, market-based
economic solutions to protect habitat: a win-win approach to
conservation.
• Working only with willing sellers and donors, the Conservancy
protects land through:
• Gifts exchanges
• Conservation easements
• Management agreements
• Purchases from the Conservancy's revolving Land Preservation Fund
• Debt-for-nature swaps
• Management partnerships
Nature Conservancy Preserves In Hawaii
I.
Island of Hawai`i
Kona Hema Preserve
Ka’u Preserve
II.
Island of Maui
East Maui Watershed
Waikomoi Preserve
West Maui Mountains Watershed
Kapunakea Preserve
III.
Island of Lana`i
Kanepu’u Preserve
Lana’i Forest and Watershed Partnership
Nature Conservancy Preserves In Hawaii contd..
IV. Island of Moloka`i
East Moloka’I Watershed
Pelekunu Preserve
Kamakou Preserve
Mo’omomi Preserve
V. Island of O`ahu
Honouliuli Preserve
‘ihj’jhilauakea Preserve
Ko’olau Mountains Watershed
VI. Island of Kaua`i
Kaluahonu Preserve
Preserves In Hawaii
Island Of Hawaii Preserves
Hawaii Preserves, Honouliuli, Island of O’ahu
• Pristine native forest
Kona Hema Preserve, Island of Hawaii
• 75% of all native species occupies
• 1.5 m acres of land , biggest
Island Of Maui Preserves
East Maui Watershed
West Maui Mountains Watershed
• Biologically diverse and pristine in the islands
• Threatened by invasive species like insects and plant diseases
Waikomoi Preserve
• Has 63 rare plant species and
• 13 rare bird species (7 endangered)
Kapunakea Preserve
• Has 24 species of rare plants, including four endangered species
• Has only known kauila tree of its kind on Maui
Island of Lana`I Preserves
Kanepu’u Preserve
Gardenia brighamii
• Has several patches of an old, extremely rare Hawaiian
dryland forest still remain
• Represents one of the last remaining examples of a
dry lowlands forest that once covered the main Hawaiian islands.
• Has guided hike paths
Lana’i Forest and Watershed Partnership
• Ensures the future supply of water for the island of Lana`i,
• Protect the health of near-shore waters, fisheries and beaches
Island of Moloka`i Preserves
Mo’omomi Preserve
• Has rare coastal species than in any other single place in the main
Hawaiian Islands.
• Has native beaches which has been lost to coastal development
• 22 native Hawaiian plant species (four globally rare or
endangered)
East Moloka’i Watershed
• To protect high quality native Hawaiian rain forest communities
Kamakou Preserve
• Has 250 species of Hawaiian plants - 219 of which can be found
nowhere else in the world.
• Has countless native insects, supporting a unique array
of birds.
Island of O`ahu Preserves
‘Ihj’jhilauakea Preserve
• Located in extinct crater on O'ahu's southeast end
• Contains rare Marsilea villosa fern, also known as 'ihi'ihi,
Honouliuli Preserve
• Has dark fertile lands that stretch from the waters of Pearl
Harbor to the summit of the Wai`anae Mountains
• 70 rare and endangered plant and animal species
Endangered Species Of Hawaii
Animal species
– Hawaiin Hawk
– Hawaiin hoary bat
– Hawksbill Turtles
Plant Species
– Tetramolopium rockii
Hawaiin Hawk
Future Plans of Nature Conservancy
• Nature Conservancy to Protect Critical Nesting Beach for
Endangered Hawksbill Turtles
• The Nature Conservancy of Hawai`i has signed an
agreement to purchase 24 acres of oceanfront property at
Kamehame Beach on the Island of Hawai`i to help ensure
the protection of the endangered Hawaiian hawksbill
turtle.
Conservation Education In Hawaii
• Teaching the importance of conservation in schools and
colleges
• Starting voluntary organizations
• Encouraging student participation in conservation
programs.
• Educating target groups about conservation.
• Recognition of participation.
Organisations Helping in Conservation in Hawaii
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U.S. Forest Service
Nature Conservancy
East Maui Watershed Partnership
West Maui Mountains Watershed Partnership
East Moloka`i Watershed Partnership
Ko`olau Mountains Watershed Partnership
Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species
Maui Invasive Species Committee
Big Island Invasive Species Committee
O'ahu Invasive Species Committee
Malama Hawai'I
The Maui County Board of Water Supply
Organisations Helping in Conservation in Hawaii
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Kamehameha Schools
C. Brewer and Company Limited
Amfac/JMB Hawaii, L.L.C.
The Nature Conservancy of Hawai`i
Maui Land & Pineapple Co., Inc.
State Department of Land and Natural Resources
State Department of Land and Natural Resources
County of Maui Board of Water Supply
Haleakala Ranch Co.
East Maui Irrigation Co., Ltd.
Haleakala National Park
Hana Ranch
Organisations Helping in Conservation in Hawaii
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Castle & Cooke Resorts LLC
Hui Malama Pono O Lana`i
Maui County Board of Water Supply
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
State of Hawai`i, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division
of Forestry and Wildlife
The Nature Conservancy of Hawai'i
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
Molokai-Lana`i Soil and Water Conservation District
Lana`i Water Advisory Committee
State of Hawai`i Department of Land and Natural Resources,
Commission on Water Resource Management
Maui County
References
• Meffe K.Gary, C.Ronald Carroll and contributors. Principles of
Conservation Biology. 1997.
• Stone P.Charles, Danielle B.Stone. Conservation Biology in
Hawaii.1989.
• www.Hawaiipictures.com
• www.nature.org
• Williamson, M. 1981. Island populations. Oxford University Press,
Oxford, England.
• Muller WEG, Brummer F, Batel R, Muller IM, Schroder HC
Molecular biodiversity. Case study: Porifera (sponges)
Naturwissenschaften 90 (3): 103-120 MAR 2003