It’s been a while since I last posted. Been devoting pretty much all of my time to this project, but now that we are entering the review phase of producing our SWARS, looks like I’ll be posting more often.

Today we have a Technical Advisory Committee (a committee of the Natural Resources Conservation Service) via PeaceSat so that all of the Pacific Islands can participate.

Here is the Outline and Issues for Hawaii’s Assessment of Forest Conditions and Trends. The Strategy document will mirror this structure, and will address the items in the Issues section.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Message From the Chair     9
Hawaii State Motto     10
Introduction and Objectives for this Assessment     11
Methodology     17
Scope     17
Data     17
Process     17
Stakeholder Groups Consulted     17
Priority Landscape Areas (where and why)     18
Hawaii’s Themes     18
Hawaii’s Forests: Historical Context     20
The Aina (working title)     33
The Ahupuaa Paradigm and Ecosystem-Based Management     33
Land Use and Zoning in Hawaii     35
Conservation zone     37
Agriculture zone     40
Urban Zone     41
Coastal Zone     46
Near Shore Zone     48
Issue-Based Themes     49
Watershed Management     49

1. Benefits     53
2. Threats     54
3. Trends     54
4. Present Condition     54
5. Priority Landscapes     54
6. Data Gaps     54

Conservation of Biodiversity     55

1. Benefits     55
2. Threats     55
3. Trends     55
4. Present Condition     55
5. Priority Landscapes     55
6. Data Gaps     55

Forest Products     55

1. Benefits     59
2. Threats     59
3. Trends     60
4. Present Condition     60
5. Priority Landscapes     60
6. Data Gaps     60

Forest Health: Invasive Plants, Insects, and Diseases     60

1. Benefits     62
2. Threats     62
3. Trends     62
4. Present Condition     65
5. Priority Landscapes     65
6. Data Gaps     65

Wildfire     66

1. DOFAW’s Fire Management Program     66
2. Fire History     67
3. Collaboration     67
4. Planning     67
5. Harmful Effects of Wildfires in Hawaii     67
6. Threats and Trends     68
7. Impacts on Watersheds and Groundwater     68
8. Soil erosion and coral reef impacts     68
9. Threats to Native Biodiversity     68
10. Threats in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI)     72
11. Wildfire and Fuel Loading Cycle     72
12. Present Condition     72
13. Fire Response Zones     72
14. Funding     73
15. Establishment of a Land Fire Protection Law     73
16. Wildland Urban Interface     74
17. Community Wildfire Protection Plana 74
18. Priority Landscapes     74
19. Firewise Hawaii Program     74
20. Data Used     76
21. Hawaii Fire Danger Rating System (HFDRS)     76
22. Hawaii Fuel Models     76

Climate Change/Sea Level Rise     79

1. Threats     79
2. Trends     79
3. Present Condition     79
4. Priority Landscapes     79
5. Data Gaps     79

Coastal Issues     79

1. Benefits     79
2. Threats     79
3. Trends     79
4. Present Condition     79
5. Priority Landscapes     79
6. Data Gaps     79

Recreation & Tourism     80

1. Benefits     80
2. Threats     80
3. Trends     80
4. Present Condition     80
5. Priority Landscapes     80
6. Data Gaps     80

Health of Our Urban Forests     80

1. Benefits     80
2. Threats     84
3. Trends     84
4. Present Condition     84
5. Priority Landscapes     84
6. Data Gaps     85

Multi-State and Regional Issues     86

1. Benefits     87
2. Threats     87

• Movement of Invasive Species
• Impacts of Climate Change/Sea Level Rise on the Pacific Islands Region

1. Trends     87

• Access to Various on-line resources documenting trends of climate change/sea level rise
• Education and Capacity Building

1. Present Condition     89
2. Priority Landscapes     89
3. Data Gaps     89

Graphics for Document (Temp)     90
Appendix A: Timeline of Forest Management in Hawaii     91
Appendix B: Plans Considered     105
Resource Land Acquisition Plans and Priorities in the State of Hawaii     106
County Plans & Priorities     106
County of Hawaii     106
County of Maui     106
County of Kauai     107
State Plans & Priorities (organized by agency)     108
Department of Land and Natural Resources     108
Department of Agriculture     110
Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism     110
The University of Hawaii     111
Other Plans & Priorities (within Hawaii, but not State or county)     112
Appendix C: Stakeholder Involvement     113
City & County of Honolulu Watershed Partners and Projects     113
Appendix D: Orthography and Language     117
Appendix E: Acronyms     119
Appendix F: Glossary and Place Names     121
Appendix G: 2008 Farm Bill Summary of Forestry Title VIII     125
Bibliography     141

Did you miss the 2009 Hawaii Conservation Conference? Have you heard the latest information on climate change, cultural practices, invasive species, the economic crisis, and where Hawai`i is heading? Do you want to hear from islanders from Hawaii and Micronesia in their own words? Would you like to hear for yourself Dr. Stephen Schneider, Nobel Peace Prize winning climatologist on what can be done to mitigate the effects of climate change and sea level rise. Do you care about these Hawaiian Islands; our people, our biodiversity, our culture, the awesome power of our oceans, volcanoes, coral reefs and traditions?

Then you should check out the HCC presentations. They’re online. And free.

The link for the conference index is http://hawaiiconservation.org/2009hcc_presentations.asp

Or you can get one or all of the podcasts on your itunes. Make sure that you are connected to the internet and that itunes can access the itunes store. In itunes, choose Advanced – then Subscribe to Podcast  and then copy and paste this URL into the dialogue box:

http://hcc09.blip.tv/rss/itunes

The podcast directory will load, and you can download one or more of the presentations complete with abstract (in the lyrics section of the podcast).

Enjoy