Posted on: Monday, August 30, 2004

HAWAI'I'S ENVIRONMENT
Grants aid private projects

By Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Columnist

Private landowners across the state are getting a $1.1 million cash infusion from the federal government for the protection of rare plants, animals and insects.

Much of the endangered species work in the state is being done by government on government land. But these U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service outlays, under the Private Stewardship Grants program, are designed to encourage and assist in the preservation of native species on private lands.

The biggest single grant is $336,000 to the National Tropical Botanical Garden for the fencing of 400 acres of the upper Limahuli Valley area, an isolated region on Kaua'i's north shore with remarkable natural resources that are being threatened by an invasion of feral pigs and goats.

At least 10 federally listed endangered and threatened species are known to exist in the area. Any pigs inside the region will be hunted out. Goats are nearby, having moved north from the Na Pali Coast, but are not known to be in the area.

A fencing program by the Hawaiian Silversword Foundation received a $114,125 grant for a 3-mile fence that will lock pigs, goats and mouflon sheep out of 15,000 acres of forest and former ranch lands at Keauhou on the Big Island.

The Nature Conservancy will use part of its $65,750 grant to install a water catchment system to irrigate outplantings of 12 endangered plant species in a fenced area in the North Puali'i Gulch area of the Big Island.

On Maui, 'Ulupalakua Ranch got $56,000 to remove grazing animals from a 236-acre parcel and to raise and plant six endangered species in the Pu'u o kali wiliwili dryland forest.

Ducks Unlimited has been allocated $49,800 to improve habitat for Hawaiian ducks and geese, the koloa and nene, on 97 acres at Ahualoa on the Big Island.

The other money goes to generally similar projects on several islands.

The private landowner under the Private Stewardship Grant program must match the grant with cash or services valued at 10 percent of the grant amount, said Naomi Bentivoglio, a Fish and Wildlife Service biologist and coordinator of the program.

"A lot of these private landowners are interested in community involvement and can use volunteer work to match the grant," she said.

If you have a question or concern about the Hawaiian environment, drop a note to Jan TenBruggencate at P.O. Box 524, Lihu'e, HI 96766, e-mail jant@honoluluadvertiser.com or call (808) 245-3074.