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The only comments Mr Singer made were his interrupting the first panelist to to ask what his qualifications were, and then continued interruptions asking why he cannot make any comments & asking why this meeting was being controlled, and that it was a travesty, and that everyone should just leave.... (I think he interupted with that statement/question 5 or 6 times, and was warned on each outburst - they overpowered the miked panelists- that this was not the time for comments, and to please allow the panelist to continue). His lack of Kuleana towards the audience & the panelist was not appreciated by most audience members. I honestly have no idea what point Mr. Singer was trying to make, other than he wanted to control the meeting. After Mr Singer left, there were no other outbursts like that.
Considering his lack of a PhD, which he seemed to require of the first panelist, it is amazing he even felt the need to contribute...
Mind you the meeting had over 100 people, standing room only, we had been told they would try to have as much time as they could for Q&A, his repeated interruptions cut that down to less than 30 mins.
It was obvious that a 2 hour meeting could not answer the questions of over 100... gotta admit, many of my questions were answered during the presentation....
Do I think that the scale is the best answer in a perfect world? NO! Did I get the impression that the panelists would have chosen the scale if they had any hope of having the manpower and money to control the exponential & unchecked growth of the Strawberry guava? NO!
Most of the panelist did bring up their concerns, about both the growth rate that the strawberry guava is exhibiting on the islands & the introduction of any species to control....
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I am encouraged to read that the questions re. waiawi are getting somewhat better, although I am not convinced that many have taken the time to read the actual Environmental Assessment, so they know exactly what is proposed and what the outcomes will be. Also, those that attended the meeting will know that it was never advertised as a debate, but as an oppurtunity to learn from the US Forest Service and other supporting agencies why strawberry guava needs biocontrol.
Carey captured some of the points from that meeting. To respond to some of the recent postings, you gotta eat the leaves if you want to eat the scale. If you want to eat Drosophila spp. or oriental fruit fly maggots, eat the ripe fruit. A publication (Eitam, A. and R.I. Vargas 2007 Annals of Entomological Soc. of America Vol 100 p.603) by Dr. Roger Vargas (who spoke at the meeting) documented a range of 72 to 110 oriental fruit flies emerging per kilogram of waiawi fruit. Now figure how many kilograms of fruit are produced per season over 291,650 acres (from talk by J. Denslow USFS at that meeting) just on the Big Isle alone. Each main island has plenty more. And you don't think there is an impact our on tropical fruit production now or in the future? Growers use pesticide bait spray to control them and that costs time and money.
Insects imported for classical biocontrol to control alien pests are referred to as NATURAL enemies. Always have been. Classical BC is re-uniting a pest with what controls it within its native range. Soemthing you don't want the average guy doing in his back yard here. That's why the govenment does it. Domingo Cravalho of the HDOA at that meeting reviewed in great detail all the years of review and oversight that have been done on the scale. It's not an evil plot against pakalolo growers,it's a last ditch effort to save our heritage native Hawaiian forest.
Sure there is a small risk, but it's better than watching what is truly diverse Hawaiian forest disappear and get replaced by a single plant from Brazil. If you like the plant that much move to Brazil where the bugs keep it under excellent control!
Lastly, if you think there is a lot of waiawi now, just wait until we get one or both species of frugivorous bul bul from Oahu. I said when, not if.
I like the take the Kanaka Council has taken on this issue. Hat tip to Hunter Bishops Blog.
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It is the way... the way it is.
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“They are taking away a food source and still leaving us the problem to clean up. This insect will only kill the fruit and the waiawi tree will continue to grow. The insect does not kill the waiawi tree. Manual labor will still need to be used to clear the waiawi. ” said Kale Gumapac, Alaka’i for the Kanaka Council.
So does this mean they want a more radical solution, one that will kill the trees intead of just stopping the spread?
Or are they another chapter of the growing group of CAVE people (Citizens Against Virtually Everything) ?
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Here's my mind dump at this point.
The strawberry guava has little redeeming and NO unique positive value. We can get Vitamin C from plenty other available and less destructive sources. The wood? If it is so great, then use it immediately -- all of it! We do not need to save any.
The strawberry guava is definitely a destructive force against 'native' plant species, especially ohia lehua, at all altitudes.
Release of a parasite is expected to stop or nearly stop seeding and spreading. Based on research the parasite is not expected to be a problem.
The parasite will not kill the strawberry guava trees.
Other actions under consideration for combating strawberry guava are ...? [help here, anyone?]
James Weatherford, Ph.D.
15-1888 Hialoa
Hawaiian Paradise Park
quote:
Originally posted by james weatherford
Other actions under consideration for combating strawberry guava are ...? [help here, anyone?]
Several eradication teams like this.
This crew killed more then 50,000 Miconia trees in a single day.
Can you imagine what several of these crews could do over ... say a 10 year period?
Cost estimate... $4 million per year.
Jobs created: Estimated 1000 Guava Whackers.
We don't hear much grumbling about Miconia much anymore.[  ]
According to This 2004 starbulletin article, Strawberry Guava isn't even listed as one of the least wanted species in Hawaii.[?][^]
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It is the way... the way it is.
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Killing strawberry guava by hand in the forests (and miconia for that matter) is darned hard work! First of all, you generally have a long commute through the thick woods. Not much traffic, but the mosquitoes are bumper to bumper - if ya know what I mean. And you have to wear your "business suit" - which includes long pants, long sleeved shirt, glasses and rubber gloves. (It gets kinda toasty like that in the dank humid strawberry guava thickets). When you finally make it to work, you spend all day trying to find enough room in the mess to sling your machete into the trees and squirt some herbicide in the cuts, being very careful to avoid any native plants that might be left. Maybe the hardest part is psychological - it feels like it's an impossible task. I think I'm an optimist ... or whatever. I want to try and do something positive rather than stand idly by while the forest is consumed.
I think this biocontrol will buy some time and help slow the infestation. It's hard to believe how anyone could oppose getting rid of strawberry guava, knowing that it WILL destroy the last remnants of windward native forests - SOON - if left unchecked. If you live here and you've been paying attention in the right places, you know that this plant is serious bad news. There is NO REASON not to do our best to control strawberry guava. As others have stated, there are myriad other sources of fruit, wood and ornamental plants here in Hawai'i - even for the wild pigs.
'A'ole waiawi!
Uluhe Design
Native Landscape Design
uluhedesign@yahoo.com
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For anyone that thinks that hand harveting waiawi is a potential solution PLEASE volunteer to head up an eradication team....
I have heard from soooo many people about how this is the way it should be done, but so far NOONE has volunteered to head up even a local little group (not even the Myna Bird!)
I can supply you with all of the contacts, and probably get you all of the materials you need... just supply the workforce
For areas that are far off trail, your team might have to hike in with supplies & herbicide for a week or two...
This is not in jest.... I have heard soo many people say that hand harvesting is the way to go. I harvested waiawi for one day... I have done a lot of physical labor in my time.... this was the toughest.... the ground is filled with pukas, there are times you realize you are standing on a mat of intertwined plants above a hole... add to all of this that most herbicides are marginally effective... they may stunt the growth, but not kill the plant.... & you will have to repeat this over & over....
Damon, I know that you have stated you are interested in voluteering... How about this? (BTW miconia is nothing like waiawi, single stalk & herbicide intolerant.... guavas are ready & able to spring forth multiple layers of suckers & behave like shrubs, almost relishing cutbacks...) If you really truly feel this is the best way to eradicate the strawberry guava, are you willing to prove it in a good sized test plot???
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Everybody remember that scene from the Sorcerer's Apprentice? Mickey Mouse takes an axe and chops up the evil broom... and each shard and splinter then turns into another evil broom? That's what hand clearing guava is like. An endless task.
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quote:
Originally posted by Carey
....
Damon, I know that you have stated you are interested in voluteering... How about this? (BTW miconia is nothing like waiawi, single stalk & herbicide intolerant.... guavas are ready & able to spring forth multiple layers of suckers & behave like shrubs, almost relishing cutbacks...) If you really truly feel this is the best way to eradicate the strawberry guava, are you willing to prove it in a good sized test plot???...
If you consider 10 acres a good sized test plot...then yes... done and kept the guava at control.
Before I left for Oahu more then a decade ago... Helped clear 10 acres of the family farm by chainsaws and hard sweat. This is above Pahoa High School in the very thick fields of the guava.
This was not easy... and I didn't get paid. Took almost 3 months of hard work. Was done because I had too... [B)] Part of being in the "family".
Hey, if the pay is right... and the money is good... I would love to do this as a job... Get out there in the jungle and chainsaw up my frustrations all day.
Volunteering for this project should not be an option. Funds should be made available for this to work as a 16 hour a day project 7 days a week job. Yes it's hard work... big deal.
I know 30 people right now that would love to work for $25.00 an hour working on a state or federally funded project.
Now back to the story about the 10 acres here in Puna that was hand cleared more then a decade ago.
With monthly upkeep, the 10 acres is still free of the Strawberry Guavas... Well except for the few trees we keep around to snack on and feed the pigs.
It can be done, if the funds are there.
Heck - I know a kid who got paid $10.00 an hour cleaning Port-a-potties and there basins.
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It is the way... the way it is.
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