The challenge of saving Hawaii's remarkable natural heritage has spurred state and federal agencies, private organizations, and individuals to work together. Setbacks have been encountered, but encouraging progress has been made.
To protect essential habitat for native species, more than one million acres of land are now
included in a network of state, federal and private natural areas. Together, these areas include
examples of nearly 75% of Hawaii's natural communities. In some places, these natural areas are
being joined to form protected areas that cross ownership boundaries and are large enough to
sustain viable populations of forest birds and other species. In other places, these protected
areas are still isolated in small fragments and additional land needs to be protected. Increased
funding for fencing, animal and weed control, and other active management to save our remaining
ecosystems from further invasion will be key to their continued survival.
In recent years, new initiatives have begun to address many of the most serious threats to Hawaii's natural heritage. A consortium of public agencies and non-profit organizations has taken the lead in halting the threat of invasion by new and even more destructive alien species through stricter importation and quarantine procedures and widespread public education. Their work is just beginning. Other groups coordinate initiatives by environmental organizations before the Hawaii Legislature and U.S. Congress. Together these agencies and organizations have secured increased funding for state and federal protected areas and created compelling financial incentives for landowners to manage important habitats on private lands as well.
Efforts to rescue Hawaii's rarest plants and animals are underway through innovative propagation programs involving zoos and botanical gardens from Hawaii and the mainland. Captive rearing has been successful for two of Hawaii's endangered birds, the nene (Hawaiian goose) and koloa (Hawaiian duck). Propagation techniques need to be developed or improved for many others.
Similarly, over 100 of Hawaii's rarest plant species are now under cultivation and await reintroduction to protected areas. The goal of all these programs is to reestablish these plants and animals in their natural, wild habitat.
Conservation of Hawaii's unique ecosystems requires an understanding of how they work and how they should be managed. The need to focus more research on urgent conservation questions is great. To meet this need, scientists from different research groups and universities are joining forces to build field stations, increase funding, coordinate research programs, and develop university programs in Hawaiian conservation biology and resource management.
To bring conservation to the people, environmental education is essential. Another new local consortium has formed to promote and improve environmental education opportunities throughout the islands. For the first time, an elementary curriculum about Hawaii's special island ecosystems is available. A modest high school conservation internship program is expanding, and more agencies are offering volunteer programs to involve local communities in the management of their protected areas.
While these efforts are yielding promising results, it is clear that current efforts are not enough. The tide of extinction continues to sweep the islands, and more must be done.
RETURN TO OUR ENVIRONMENT -- ONLINE CONTENTS PAGE