Posted on: Tuesday, September 14, 2004

EDITORIAL
Brown-tree-snake-war needs more resources

With the war on terrorism in full swing, it is understandable why the federal government might cut back slightly in its war against a small, mildly venomous snake that is largely a problem on Guam.

It's a budget saving that might make sense to a bookkeeper somewhere, but it is a disastrous decision for those who are concerned about the ecology and economy of the Hawaiian Islands.

Hawai'i's congressional delegation is already working to restore funding for the brown tree snake control program. To the degree they are unsuccessful, Hawai'i should devote its own resources toward keeping the program operating at optimum levels.

Under the existing program, some 25 full-time trappers and inspectors capture or intercept as many as 6,000 brown tree snakes annually at Guam's major ports and airfields.

The snake has already devastated Guam's ecology and represents a major threat to the Hawai'i environment.

Under a budget reduction plan, the U.S. Department of Agriculture intends to reduce its snake interdiction program by as much as half.

If the budget cuts go through, the state of Hawai'i should seriously consider making up the difference out of its own resources.

The potential cost of a failure to act would far outstrip our local investment in this important program.