SB 2316 MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN A PERIMETER FENCE TO PROTECT THE MAUNA KEA FOREST RESERVE.

SB 2316 MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN A PERIMETER FENCE TO PROTECT THE MAUNA KEA FOREST RESERVE.

The bill is being heard by the Senate Committee on Water and Land, Senator Clayton Hee, Chair, Monday, Feb 11 2:30 pm Room 414.

Please testify in person too if you can. This one’s important. Mahalo nui loa!

Talking Points/Background:

* $5-6 million are needed for the DLNR to build a new Mauna Kea perimeter fence to protect the Mauna Kea Forest Reserve, mämane-naio dry forest, the endangered palila bird’s critical habitat, and unfenced endangered Mauna Kea silverswords higher up the mountain.

* The old forest reserve fence is down in many areas. The federal government is building new sections of fence here and there, but we need state funding to rebuild the remaining sections of the fence and to maintain it.

* Feral sheep and mouflon in large numbers are present in the Mauna Kea Forest Reserve and palila critical habitat, in violation of the palila federal court orders in the 1970s and 1980s. Apparently, herds of goats are back in the forest as well, which hasn’t been the case for many years.

* Public hunters and the state can only do so much to remove the sheep, mouflon, and goats from the forest reserve and critical habitat. As long as miles of fence are down or in disrepair, controlling ungulates will be a constant uphill battle.

* Palila are being released on the mountain, and recovery is possible. But we have to protect the habitat from browsing and grazing ungulates. The palila depends on the mämane-naio forest on Mauna Kea for survival.

Bill: http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2008/Bills/SB2316_.htm

Hearing Notice:

http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2008/hearingnotices/WTL-TIA-ENE-JDL-IGM_02-11-08_.htm

Email testimony to: testimony@capitol.hawaii.gov