Hawaiʻi鈥檚 isolated and unique island ecosystem makes the state especially vulnerable to invasive species, which can cause major damage to the environment, agriculture and public health. That is why federal, state and private funders are turning to the University of Hawaiʻi for solutions.

糖心Vlog官方 researchers are currently leading 98 grant-funded projects totaling more than $33.5 million to combat invasive species. The work targets some of the state鈥檚 most urgent challenges, including rapid ʻōhiʻa death, invasive mosquitoes that spread avian malaria, destructive food crop plant pests, invasive ants and beetles, and non-native plants and animals that damage forests and watersheds. Together, the projects aim to protect drinking water sources, food production, cultural resources and native ecosystems and species found nowhere else in the world.

The funding includes 44 federal awards totaling $21,050,427 and 54 non-federal awards totaling $12,494,933. Projects are led by researchers at 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa and 糖心Vlog官方 Hilo and involve partnerships with national and state agencies.

“These awards reflect the trust that agencies have in 糖心Vlog官方 to protect Hawaiʻi鈥檚 people, environment and economy,” said 糖心Vlog官方 Interim Vice President for Research and Innovation Chad Walton. “You can see the damage coconut rhinoceros beetles leave behind, or how native birds are being wiped out by multiple invasive threats. Our 糖心Vlog官方 teams are conducting research to develop practical solutions that protect both our environment and our communities.”

Protecting birds, forests, farms, communities

Several large projects focus on protecting native forest birds by reducing populations of invasive mosquitoes that carry avian malaria. Others use satellite imagery and remote sensing (technology that gathers data from aircraft or space) to track forest health and detect invasive plants early, when they are easier and less expensive to control.

Researchers are also developing new molecular diagnostic tools—lab methods that use DNA to identify species—to quickly detect fruit flies, moths and plant pathogens that threaten local farms. Additional projects support fencing and removal efforts to keep invasive animals out of sensitive ecosystems, as well as testing new pest control tools that reduce reliance on traditional insecticides.

Some of the active invasive species projects:

• $5,343,414—Suppression of non-native mosquito populations in key forest bird habitats of East Maui (糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa)
• $2,562,586—Protect unique park ecosystems through exclusionary fencing (糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa)
• $2,250,000—Analysis of satellite imagery and meteorological data for forest health (糖心Vlog官方 Hilo)
• $1,393,541—Protecting endangered native birds on Kauaʻi from avian malaria (糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa)
• $1,361,016—Preventing coconut rhinoceros beetles from spreading in the Hawaiian Islands
• $789,777—Understanding how Phytophthora palmivora attacks plants to protect crops and ecosystems (糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa)
• $651,084—Using mosquito biology to suppress avian malaria and protect endangered honeycreepers on Kauaʻi (糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa)
• $600,580—Refine control and treatment methods for ecosystem-altering invasive plants at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa)
• $200,000—Outreach, surveillance and treatment of little fire ant infestations (糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa)
• $34,500—Initial studies to control coffee berry borer (糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa)

For more than a decade, the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 has been on the front lines of the battle against the invasive coconut rhinoceros beetle (CRB). Now, researchers at the (CTAHR) are seeing progress in a promising weapon: viruses.

“Pathogens are being used, but viruses are being underutilized as far as I鈥檓 concerned,” said Mike Melzer, researcher and virologist at CTAHR鈥檚 Department of Plant & Environmental Protection Sciences. “I know we can find viruses that will have a really good impact on important target species that are pests in Hawaiʻi.”

Unlike chemical pesticides, the virus infects CRBs from the inside, weakening and killing them before they reach adulthood. By targeting larvae, the virus can suppress beetle populations over time while minimizing harm to non-target species. Researchers believe the virus should also infect adults, making them lethargic and less likely to damage palms.

Rigorous safety standards

For 10 years, federal regulators told 糖心Vlog官方 researchers that the CRB virus could not be brought into Hawaiʻi due to a lack of adequate containment facilities. A breakthrough finally came in early 2025 through a collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture鈥檚 permit unit.

Current permits specifically restrict research to the larval stage because larvae cannot fly, significantly reducing the risk of an accidental environmental release. “We rear CRB for research purposes and we’ve never lost an adult out of there,” he said.

Protecting the Kauaʻi stag beetle

A primary goal of the current lab testing is to ensure the virus is host-specific and will not harm Hawaiʻi‘s native ecosystem. While the virus has been used effectively in other Pacific nations, Melzer emphasized that Hawai驶i has unique native species to protect, such as the Kauaʻi stag beetle.

“Nobody really gives too much of a thought about CRB where the virus has been released” Melzer noted, explaining that while some damage remains, the virus keeps it at a manageable “two out of 10” rather than the devastating levels seen in Hawaiʻi.

A good night鈥檚 sleep

In August 2025, Melzer and a former student, Nelson Masang Jr., traveled to Palau, a region where the virus has successfully managed the beetle for decades, to collect genetic variants of the virus. The research trip was part of a close partnership with Professor Chris Kitalong and Jacques Idechong of Palau Community College.

The research, led by doctoral student Kristen Gaines, involves infecting CRB larvae to observe how the virus spreads. Early results have been encouraging, showing that the virus can kill larvae within 12 to 30 days. “I sleep a little better at night because Kristen said she鈥檚 starting to see larvae getting lethargic and dying after just being exposed to the virus,” Melzer said.

Nearly all little fire ants along the Lanikai loop in Windward Oʻahu are on track for eradication thanks to the efforts of University of Hawaiʻi researchers working with community members.

During an assessment in February 2024, dozens of locations along the Lanikai loop and beach areas were found to harbor invasive little fire ants. Researchers with the and , both in the in the 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 , conducted a large-scale treatment effort over 26 acres to combat the infestation. Between March 2024 and January 2025, ant baits were applied eight times across affected areas. To assess the extent of the invasion, more than 3,600 ant samples were collected, and treatment was carried out at 85 residences and 1.5 acres of the beach.

The latest survey, conducted in February 2025, collected more than 2,000 samples, with only a single ant detected. The affected area was immediately re-treated, and the project has now entered a long-term monitoring phase to ensure the infestation does not resume.

“This project demonstrates that with persistence, community involvement and science-based treatments, we can effectively control little fire ants,” said Hawaiʻi Ant Lab Manager Michelle Montgomery. “Continued monitoring and stable funding are essential to ensure these invasive pests do not return and threaten our ecosystems again.”

To be considered fully eradicated, no little fire ants can be detected for a minimum of three consecutive years. Since the ants were first identified in Lanikai in 2019, residents have struggled to manage infestations, with limited resources making large-scale control efforts difficult.

Little fire ants are a highly invasive pest known for their painful stings, which can harm people, pets and wildlife while disrupting ecosystems.

The Hawaiʻi Ant Lab and Oʻahu Invasive Species Committee continue to support community-driven little fire ant control efforts across Hawaiʻi. Both organizations rely on funding from the Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council, the Department of Land and Natural Resources, the Department of Defense, and other government and non-profit sources. Officials stress that stable, long-term funding is crucial to ensuring sustained efforts to eliminate invasive species and protect local ecosystems and communities.

In response to recent discoveries of illegal releases from private marine aquariums across the state, the University of Hawaiʻi and other organizations launched an awareness campaign, “,” aimed at stopping this unlawful behavior.

The campaign is spearheaded by Christy Martin, program manager of the (CGAPS), a project of the 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 housed in the 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 .

One instance of an aquarium release involved the illegal soft coral known as “pulse coral” or “pulsing xenia” (Unomia stolonifera). It has spread from what is believed to be the initial release site to now occupy a nearly 80-acre footprint near the mouth of Pearl Harbor.

Some marine aquarium releases are thought to be from hobbyists that were not aware of no-kill and rehoming alternatives, possible harm to the environment, or that the species released were illegal to import and possess.

The has also responded to several public reports of non-native or suspicious marine species of hard corals and anemones that appear to have been purposefully outplanted from illegal aquariums into nearshore environments by hobbyists, for later collection and sale on the black market. This is also illegal and poses multiple risks to the marine environment.

“During the past year, a similar marine aquarium species of soft coral native to the Red Sea was found spreading on reefs in Puerto Rico. With the global increase in marine aquarium ownership, and the U.S. being the largest consumer, we should expect to see an increase in releases,” Martin said.

糖心Vlog官方 student designs logo

Martin has served as a guest speaker for 糖心Vlog官方 classes, highlighting current issues, needs and opportunities to participate. In fall 2023, she shared her description of the situation in Pearl Harbor with the (MOP) class and piqued the interest of Hannah Chang, a recent graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, who is working on her second bachelor鈥檚 degree in marine biology. Chang created the logo for the new campaign.

“When I learned about the impacts that pulse coral is having in Hawaiʻi, I wanted to find a way to help,” Chang said, whose experience includes scientific illustrations and whimsical character designs. “Working on this project helped me gain some real-world experience and I am happy with the responses to the new logo.”

Chang鈥檚 logo was officially introduced and launched at a media event on October 28 at the Waik墨k墨 Aquarium. She hopes to continue to use her background in art and marine biology as a science communicator to raise awareness about marine biodiversity.

“Awareness campaigns are critically important, and Hannah鈥檚 contributions to this effort are deeply appreciated,” Martin said.

糖心Vlog官方 MOP Director Cindy Hunter added, “This is a great example of how the Marine Option Program provides opportunities for any 糖心Vlog官方 student with ocean interests to engage in real-world experiences as they progress toward their career goals.”

The University of Hawaiʻi has become the first university to sign a memorandum of understanding to provide environmental research expertise to the (NCEL). The NCEL serves as a non-partisan resource network of over 1,200 state legislators representing all 50 states working to protect, conserve, and improve the natural and human environment around regional and issue-specific projects.

The agreement, signed by 糖心Vlog官方 President David Lassner, 糖心Vlog官方 Vassilis L. Syrmos, Hawaiʻi State Sen. Chris Lee and NCEL Executive Director Dylan McDowell, provides the necessary framework for NCEL to seek out environmental expertise from 糖心Vlog官方 faculty and researchers.

“Our pre-eminent capabilities in environment protection and conservation research have been built organically over many decades and are now widely recognized,” said Lassner. “This new agreement will enable us to share what we have learned with others around the country, as we do throughout Hawaiʻi and the Pacific.”

Under the agreement, NCEL may seek out expertise from 糖心Vlog官方, who will connect NCEL members to the appropriate subject matter expert(s) to discuss. If more research or reporting is required, NCEL may direct 糖心Vlog官方 to available grant opportunities to assist with the additional tasks. Requests from NCEL will be processed through the recently created 糖心Vlog官方 Office of Land and Ocean Conservation Futures directed by Suzanne Case.

“Natural resource management and conservation are no longer just catch phrases as Hawaiʻi and the world are facing an onslaught of environmental challenges that are threatening our well-being,” Syrmos said. “I鈥檓 pleased that NCEL has partnered with 糖心Vlog官方 research to assist them with various initiatives to help preserve and maintain our natural environment.”

, which serves as the flagship of the 10-campus 糖心Vlog官方 System, is classified as a Research 1 institution and one of a handful of land-, sea-, space-, and sun-grant universities. Researchers at 糖心Vlog官方 have world-class expertise in a wide area of environmental-related fields, such as biological control, biocultural restoration, agroforestry, natural resource management, invasive species management, oceanography, clean energy, hydrology and Indigenous knowledge.

“We are unlocking an incredible new opportunity for innovative policy solutions by connecting legislators with the research and expertise of the University of Hawaiʻi,” said NCEL Executive Director Dylan McDowell. “This partnership is an important part of NCEL鈥檚 efforts to connect our network of 1,300 lawmakers with 糖心Vlog官方 experts across the globe on some of the most pressing environmental challenges.”

Lee serves as president of the NCEL board of directors. A strong advocate of clean energy and the environment, Lee felt that it was absolutely necessary to bring to bear all of 糖心Vlog官方鈥檚 world-class research expertise and resources to assist NCEL with its vision of advancing a clean and healthy environment through state leadership.

“Equipping policymakers around the country with real science and data on our biggest issues will empower state leaders to deliver more effective and successful results for communities around the country,” said Lee. “At a time when courts have begun to restrict the scope of science in decision-making by the federal government, it鈥檚 more important than ever that states take the lead.”

Three new public impact research papers on invasive species issues were published on the U.S. Department of Interior鈥檚 website, and the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 Christy Martin played a role in each.

Appointed in 2023 to the U.S. Invasive Species Advisory Committee (ISAC), Martin worked with her ISAC colleagues to research and produce three white papers to advise the National Invasive Species Council, focusing much of her effort as co-chair for the subcommittee that drafted a paper on how .

The paper provides examples of how several invasive species impact different underserved communities, including Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, while also pointing out the challenges of using the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST) which is intended to be a guide for federal agencies to provide support, including for invasive species issues.

“As this paper illustrates, it is vitally important to support communities like Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and others that have been historically underserved,” Martin said. “However, we found that there are significant gaps in available data that preclude identifying underserved communities, much less those that are overburdened due to invasive species, and there is no regular, systematic, longitudinal data available and incorporated into the CEJST on invasive species or their impacts in different areas. Further, there are many barriers that underserved communities face, and nothing can replace the value of engaging with these communities directly to understand their needs and how best to provide support.”

There are many barriers that underserved communities face, and nothing can replace the value of engaging with these communities directly to understand their needs and how best to provide support.
—Christy Martin

The other two papers are and .

As the program manager of the , a project of the 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 in the , Martin has more than two decades of experience working on invasive species issues in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific region.

The Invasive Species Advisory Committee was created by Executive Order 13112 and continued by Executive Order 13751, and consists of 12 appointed members and five non-voting advisors, from state, territorial, tribal, and local governments, as well as academic institutions, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector. .

Although undersized, little fire ants have had a massive impact in Hawaiʻi, from stinging residents and blinding pets to displacing other insects and animals and leaving agricultural land unusable. In N膩hiku, Maui, the fire ants have invaded 175 acres of land, the largest known infestation in the state. A team from the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 has developed a strategy to manage, and possibly eradicate the little fire ants.

After the N膩hiku infestation was discovered in 2014, the Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC) in the 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 partnered with the Hilo-based Hawaiʻi Ant Lab (HAL) and the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture. MISC used an ant control technique developed by HAL that relies on an insect growth regulator combined with a beef liver bait that is highly attractive to little fire ants, but not other insects. Due to an intermittent stream found in N膩hiku, HAL and MISC also ensured that the mixture would be safe for use around waterways, as well as humans and animals.

The mixture is the consistency of pancake batter, appropriate for use in the pumps and spray equipment that are attached to the helicopter that distributes the little fire ant treatments. Additionally, the consistency causes the mixture to stick on the leaves of trees and shrubs long enough for worker ants to find and deliver it to the queen to prevent her from laying eggs. After regular treatments, she and her colony die out.

After more than three years and 24 treatments, annual surveys of the N膩hiku infestation show the little fire ants have been nearly eradicated.

“We鈥檝e reached a milestone in our efforts to get rid of the ants in N膩hiku,” said Brooke Mahnken, MISC鈥檚 lead on Maui fire ant eradication efforts. “We didn鈥檛 find any fire ants in our last survey. This means we鈥檙e in a monitoring phase. While there鈥檚 a chance they may turn up during future surveys, we鈥檝e reached the point on the journey where eradication is in sight.”

“Having an effective product and a way to get it into the trees was a turning point for the State,” added Interim MISC Manager Teya Penniman. “[The N膩hiku success story is a] victory for us, but also the rest of the state. We have a proof of concept that it鈥檚 possible to eliminate large infestations of little fire ants in some of the most extreme habitats.”

Stop the Ant month

A team of more than 30 people from MISC will be joined by staff from other conservation organizations throughout October in honor of “Stop the Ant” month as they search for any straggler ants. Surveys will continue for several years.

“If we find little fire ants on our next survey, we know we can knock out these small populations with the tools we鈥檝e developed,” said Mahnken. “If repeat surveys over the course of five years yield no ants, we will declare the site eradicated.”

During Stop the Ant month, Hawaiʻi residents are encouraged to collect and submit ants from their properties to help detect and control the spread of the little fire ants and other harmful pest ants that may be new to the state. Instructions and more information to report the ants .

The hala tree, its sprawling leaves famously used for woven lauhala pieces and iconic in Hawaiian and Polynesian culture, is being threatened by a critical invasive pest—the hala scale. Experts at the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 (CTAHR), the 糖心Vlog官方 and 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 teamed up to save the trees on campus. Thanks to their collaborative efforts, the pest was eradicated at 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 in August 2022.

The hala scale is an invasive insect that damages hala leaves as well as the tree鈥檚 fruit and young seedlings, which can prevent the regeneration of new hala. Common signs of infestation include wilted leaves and tiny black specks found primarily on the underside of leaves, as well as on the tops of leaves and on the hala fruit. Hala scale originated in H膩na, Maui in 1995 but has since spread to Molokaʻi and Oʻahu. In November 2021, 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 was identified as one of three Oʻahu hot spots of the pest.

Prior to hala scale removal, 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 was home to 54 hala trees. The hala scale on 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 campus was concentrated in two main areas: the lower campus athletics complex and the Kamakak奴okalani Center for Hawaiian Studies. In addition to being a popular landscape plant, the hala is iconic in Hawaiʻi and Polynesia for its versatility.

“It was used by many cultures for thousands of years, most notably the leaves being used and woven into basic necessities at the time, 1,500 years ago,” said N艒weo Kai, curator at the 糖心Vlog官方 Campus Arboretum. “It was used for medicine, famine food and fibers. Hala leaves (lauhala) were even used to make sails for double-hull canoes.”

Researching solutions

Zhiqiang Cheng, an associate professor and extension specialist at CTAHR鈥檚 Department of , has been researching hala scale with his since 2016.

“HDOA staff reached out to me in 2016, and asked me to review the hala scale infestation situation on Chaminade University鈥檚 campus and set up a field research trial there,” said Cheng. “I then received funding to conduct a larger scale research trial on Maui, where hala scale is widespread.”

Working alongside Cheng is Mason Russo, a CTAHR PhD student in . Their research has so far identified several low-risk insecticides that are effective against hala scale. One of the insecticides—imidacloprid—was used to combat the hala scale at 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补.

Eradicating the pest

Starting in January 2022, 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 Landscape Services collaborated with Cheng and Russo to begin efforts for hala scale removal and treatment. Cheng communicated best practices for managing the pest, which landscaping then implemented.

Their efforts mainly involved the careful removal of infected hala. Landscaping personnel would cut down infected hala, placing it into a dedicated roll-off bin. After removal, they would drench the contents of the bin with imidacloprid (the insecticide that Cheng recommended), and leave the bin covered for two weeks before sending it to H-POWER for incineration. As a preventative measure, they also applied the insecticide to the ground below each tree that was removed. Anyone who worked on removal each day had to disinfect themselves and their tools with rubbing alcohol to prevent further spread of the pest.

Fifteen hala trees were removed from campus due to scale infestation. Hala that were not infested to the point of removal were also treated with imidacloprid. These efforts were well worth it, when the hala scale was officially deemed eradicated at 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补.

Going forward, landscaping plans to continue the pesticide treatment on an annual basis. Through continued collaboration and due diligence, the hope is to prevent the remainder of the hala on campus from being infested and to mitigate further hala scale spread across Oʻahu.

—By Alisha Churma

The coconut rhinoceros beetle (CRB) is a major invasive pest that feeds on coconut palms, betelnut, Pandanus palms, banana, pineapple and sugarcane. In Hawaiʻi, with no natural enemies to this beetle, the damage to crops can be significant.

That鈥檚 where University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 Professor Dan Jenkins of the and his PhD student Mohsen Paryavi come in. Armed with a drone that looks like something borrowed from a Transformers movie set, the duo coordinated with Mike Melzer of the and his CRB Response team to combat the CRB.

Jenkins recently spent three days at the Hawaiʻi Country Club on Oʻahu, using the drone to shoot targeted aerial applications of an insecticide called Demon Max (cypermethrin) atop 53 coconut trees that showed signs of infestation.

Arising before dawn in order to avoid the stronger tradewinds later in the day, the team sent the drone up again and again, drenching each tree鈥檚 crown with a half-gallon of product diluted to 0.5% Demon Max.

“Most of the trees were defoliated enough that we really applied directly in the crown—in contrast to healthy trees where fronds grow straight up and occlude the crown,” said Jenkins. “At my discretion, I treated some highly defoliated trees with approximately half treatments.”

On the first day, 14 trees were treated and a total of 20 dying beetles were observed from the base of treated trees. On day two, 30 trees were treated and 59 dying beetles were collected at the base of treated trees. Mortalities from the previous day were cleaned up, out of concern of spreading them up the food chain. The collected beetles were placed in their own container in the quarantine facility for observation. On the last day, nine trees were treated, and 29 dying beetles were collected at the bases of these.

“One observation is that virtually all of the beetles we found were at the bases of trees that had no other vegetation or long grass at the base (approximately half of the trees), so I would think that we killed at least double what we were able to find,” said Jenkins.

Jenkins added, “Some trees had insect burrows/tunnels at the base of these trees and where they existed we collected a lot of beetles trying to dig further into them. We also found a lot of centipedes in this kind of habitat—possibly trying to predate on the beetles?”

For analysis and further study, Jenkins has created shapefiles showing the locations of treated trees, photos with GPS embedded in the metadata, and a 3- and 6-month timeline for revisiting the golf course.

The Hawaiʻi State Legislature has defined invasive species as the “single greatest threat” to our economy, natural environment and health of our communities. Once invasive insects and plants become established and widespread, there are very few tools that can effectively limit the unwanted impacts of those pests and weeds at a large scale. One way to combat invasive species is biological control, or biocontrol for short, the science of controlling a pest or weed by using another organism.

However, there are misconceptions about the process. When people in Hawaiʻi think of biocontrol the first thing that comes to mind is the mongoose, a small carnivorous mammal introduced by sugar planters in a misguided effort to control night-active rats. To explain the science behind modern biocontrol, the and the state鈥檚 (DLNR) developed a video to raise awareness and clear up misconceptions.

When a biocontrol is “host-specific,” when it only impacts the intended pest or weed and does not harm other species or the environment, the benefit-to-cost ratio can be between 30:1 and 300:1. This makes modern, host-specific biocontrol among the safest and most cost-effective control measures available.

To help raise awareness about the sophisticated science of selecting and testing potential biological control “agents,” the (CGAPS), a project of the 糖心Vlog官方 and the Hawaiʻi teamed up with local media communications company Hyperspective to produce a short video explaining how modern biocontrol research is conducted.

Not the mongoose

“It’s projects like this that highlight the university鈥檚 role in facilitating collaboration, research and outreach to address cross-sector issues, like invasive species in Hawaiʻi,” said Shaya Honarvar, director of the Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit. “This video does a great job of clearly explaining the concepts, while still being engaging and short enough to watch in a single viewing.”

As part of its research tracking public awareness and opinions in invasive species issues, CGAPS found that although the majority of those polled (78%) said they somewhat or strongly support the use of biocontrol that has passed environmental and regulatory testing, only a handful of the 500 survey respondents could name a single successful biocontrol project. Nine percent even said, “mongoose.”

“A successful, host-specific biocontrol works 24 hours per day, seven days a week, without impacting the environment or other species. It鈥檚 definitely not the mongoose,” said David Smith, administrator of the Division of Forestry and Wildlife. “We鈥檙e happy to partner with CGAPS to put this video together and get the word out about biocontrol as an important invasive species management tool.”

Funding for this project was provided to CGAPS by the .

Hawaiʻi鈥檚 critical shortage of affordable dwellings will get a boost from a grant. Part one of the $250,000 grant will fund the design and build of a prototype Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU), through a partnership involving the , the state and the .

This is the first time Hawaiʻi has been awarded one of these grants and it was one of 34 projects funded from 119 proposals.

The new prototype ADU will expand the exciting work of the 糖心Vlog官方 Albizia Project. On the 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 campus, a structure built from albizia is in the final stages of completion. It was constructed as a proof-of-concept of a single-family low-income shelter made from albizia, reconceptualizing the invasive species as a useful building material. It utilizes a design-build process that integrates state-of-the-art wood engineering technology and digital fabrication to pilot a Hawaiʻi-based system of sustainable wood structures.

The 糖心Vlog官方 Albizia Project is the fruition of architecture graduate Joey Valenti鈥檚 vision. Today, Valenti is the project leader for the newly formed Hawaiʻi Wood Utilization Team, a collaboration of state, university, public and private wood industry experts.

• Related 糖心Vlog官方 News story: Full-sized albizia house a model of innovation and sustainability at 糖心Vlog官方, April 22, 2018

“In addition to the abundant supply of albizia, Hawaiʻi has millions of board feet of harvestable wood from other tree species, that thus far has not enjoyed much of a market because of the lack of local, large-scale processing facilities and the high cost of shipping lumber out-of-state,” said Valenti. “If we can begin to utilize our excess timber resources for housing, it鈥檒l be a win-win for our communities and for our forests.”

Nationwide, the U.S. Forest Service is awarding almost $8 million in grants for projects in 20 states to expand and accelerate wood products and wood energy markets. The grants are intended to stimulate the removal of hazardous fuels from forests and reduce the risk of wildfires, promote overall forest health and reduce forest management costs.

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The wooden structure, which echoes the Waik墨k墨 Shell or a Samoan fale, on the corner of University Avenue draws plenty of curious stares. A former doctoral student鈥檚 dream is now a full-sized reality near the at the . Joey Valenti鈥檚 award winning idea to build an innovative temporary housing unit out of invasive albizia has come to fruition.

“I think it驶s going to be a gamechanger for Hawaiʻi in a lot of ways,” says Valenti, now serving as project manager for the 鈥檚 Albizia Project.

The prototype was constructed as a proof-of-concept of a single-family low-income shelter made from albizia, reconceptualizing the invasive species as a useful building material. It utilizes a design-build process that integrates state-of-the-art wood engineering technology and digital fabrication to pilot a Hawaiʻi-based system of sustainable wood structures.

In 2016, the 糖心Vlog官方 president鈥檚 green project implementation $10,000 award from Johnson Controls kick-started funding for what was Valenti驶s doctor of architecture project, a scale model home. Since then, the 糖心Vlog官方 Office of Sustainability has raised about 10 times that amount to build the full-scale prototype, including funding from the Hawaiʻi Housing Finance Development Corporation.

“It鈥檚 a really great example of the type of integrated systems thinking that sustainability demands,” said 糖心Vlog官方 System Sustainability Coordinator Matthew K. Lynch. “We鈥檙e excited about all the support we驶ve gotten and all the excitement that the project has generated.”

The current albizia house has proven that the invasive tree could be used as a local building material. Future questions are economic feasibility and possible economies of scale. The goal is also to expand the project beyond albizia to other locally abundant species.

“We鈥檙e very cognizant of making sure we don鈥檛 create demand for an invasive species,” Lynch said. “We are thinking about this in a way that sort of mimics natural succession and evolution processes in nature. So if we can figure out how to create drivers for the removal, what then is the next step to replant, restore and repair our native ecosystems?”

—By Kelli Trifonovitch

House built out of Albizia wood might solve multiple sustainability issues

September is Spot the Ant, Stop the Ant month in the City and County of Honolulu, in Maui County and across the state. Several projects in the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (PCSU) are spearheading this little fire ant public awareness and community action campaign in partnership with the (HDOA). This campaign was funded through a grant from the .

Little fire ants (Wasmannia auropunctata) continue to spread on Hawaiʻi island, and every week they are intercepted in plants, cut flowers, fruit and other materials shipped from infested areas to neighbor islands. What’s scary is that not all goods from infested areas are inspected, and sometimes the ants just don’t come out of hiding when inspectors are present.

“These ants can show up anywhere, which means that we need the public’s help in finding and reporting them so that the team has a chance at eradicating them,” said Christy Martin, leader of the PCSU project called Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species. “The agencies involved have really limited staff on each island. 糖心Vlog官方 PCSU projects including the , the Invasive Species Committees on each island, some of the Watershed Partnerships and many others are helping. This is a real team effort.”

Early detection key to eradication

Spot the Ant, Stop the Ant Month comes at an opportune time. Last week, the Oʻahu ant team (comprised of staff from PCSU projects Hawaiʻi Ant Lab, Oʻahu Invasive Species Committee, Oʻahu Army Natural Resource Program, Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species and agency staff from the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources and HDOA), conducted follow-up surveys after a year of treating the known infestations on a lot in Waimānalo, and twenty adjoining properties in Mililani Mauka. No little fire ants were found at either site, which means that they were either eradicated, or, more likely, they are at undetectable levels. This moves both eradication programs to the monitoring phase, where quarterly surveys will be conducted over the next three years. This protocol of 8 to 10 treatments over the course of a year, followed by three years of monitoring surveys was established by the Hawaiʻi Ant Lab and proved successful in the eradication of little fire ant from a Maui farm in 2009.

Early detection and eradication of little fire ants is the goal for uninfested areas and islands, and public awareness and involvement is necessary. “Last year, a homeowner in Mililani Mauka took the time to test his yard for little fire ants. He turned in the ant sample to HDOA for identification, and today that family and 19 of their neighbors are well on their way to being fire-ant free,” said Oʻahu Invasive Species Committee spokesperson Erin Bishop.

Work on two East Maui infestation sites is now underway and some of the work involves detective work combined with outreach.

“We are looking for a vehicle that had been parked for several months in the infestation zone,” said Adam Radford, operations manager with the Maui Invasive Species Committee. “We learned that it was moved to a yard in Hāna, which led us to discover a third infestation. The vehicle was once again moved, and its whereabouts are currently unknown. It is highly likely that the vehicle is still carrying and spreading little fire ant colonies to new locations.”

Spreading awareness

As part of Spot the Ant, Stop the Ant Month, the Maui Invasive Species Committee is planning a contest to engage Hāna residents in surveying their properties for the ant. The committee is also finishing work on a new little fire ant documentary which will air on all major network televisions stations in late September and early October. On Oʻahu, IHeartMedia radio stations will be airing public service announcements and is hosting a Spot the Ant contest with prizes. Additional activities are planned statewide.

“This is a great example of the work that the University of Hawaiʻi participates in to protect native species, public health, and our local economy,鈥� said David Duffy, 糖心Vlog官方 Department of Botany and PCSU unit leader. “PCSU provides a fiscal and administrative mechanism to link the scientific and knowledge resources of the University of Hawaiʻi with resource management agencies, but I think one of our greatest strengths is that PCSU projects bring fresh energy and creativity. We have a governor’s proclamation, a giant ant costume, a good logo, a website, Stop the Ant Facebook page, Instagram and a movie. I think these are things that would have been difficult for a state agency to pull off if they were working alone.”

For more information on little fire ants, or activities on each island during Spot the Ant, Stop the Ant Month, visit .