Posted on: Friday, April 8, 2005

EDITORIAL
New tree-snake study calls for quick action

Hawai'i has known for years that the brown tree snake poses a major threat to our islands.

And, yet, we have another study that tells us more needs to be done — and quickly — if we are to keep this dangerous reptile out of our environment.

An independent panel of experts has just issued a report for the federal Department of the Interior saying that mandatory cargo inspections, more money and better inter-agency coordination are needed to prevent the brown tree snake from invading Hawai'i.

The report faults both the military and the state for failing to do all that can be done to keep the snake from getting into cargo and vessels leaving Guam, where there are an estimated 40 brown tree snakes per acre.

The report says senior leadership in the Department of Defense, which has a number of military bases on Guam, lacks "a sense of ownership to the problem and solutions." And Defense officials acknowledge they have not done as much as they could.

The state Agriculture Department has acknowledged the state is delinquent in harbor inspections. Yet a bill that would have required that ship cargo be inspected on Guam before it is accepted here was defeated in the Legislature two years running.

Mandatory inspection of all cargo from Guam, whether arriving by sea or by air, is critical.

Yet the report notes not all cargo is inspected.

We don't know whether to be flabbergasted or outraged — or both. The time to talk about this has passed. We need to act quickly.

While Hawai'i is proud to be home to so many military bases, we also hope that the military will recognize its role here and its responsibility as stewards of our 'aina.

The state needs to get off the dime, too.

One need only look to Guam to see the devastation and havoc these snakes can generate. As pointed out in yesterday's Advertiser, the brown tree snake infestation on Guam has caused the extinction of nine of 12 native forest birds and caused millions of dollars in losses from frequent power outages.

A University of Hawai'i economic study estimated that if the brown tree snake were to establish itself in Hawai'i, the cost to the state would be $28 million to $405 million annually.

We can't afford that. Nor can we afford to lose our native species.

Guam has learned that painful lesson. Let's not let that happen here.