1.

This Cooperative Agreement awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) under the Plant and Animal Disease, Pest Control, and Animal Care Federal Grant Program (CFDA 10.025) provides $1,444,622 to the University of Hawaii to prevent the introduction and reduce the impacts of the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (CRB) in Hawaii. The key activities include:

1. Reducing CRB populations on Oahu by prioritizing monitoring and eradication efforts around high-risk areas such as ports and locations with potentially infested commodities.

2. Increasing monitoring for CRB on non-infested Hawaiian islands through remote sensing and partnerships, with a plan to respond rapidly to any detected incipient populations.

3. Enhancing commercial and public participation in CRB monitoring and management through outreach and training initiatives.

4. Establishing a regional hub for CRB research and extension by leveraging diverse funding sources.

The award period is from September 1, 2024 to August 31, 2025, with the goal of reducing the current and future impacts of CRB on Hawaii's agriculture, ecology, businesses, and culture, as well as preventing the spread of CRB to other Pacific islands and U.S. states.

Purpose

The primary purpose is to prevent the introduction of CRB and associated impacts to unaffected hawaiian islands, US states, and nations where CRB has not yet been found. The secondary purpose is to reduce the current and future impacts of CRB to the agriculture, ecology, businesses, and culture of hawaii. 2.

Activities

• reduce CRB populations on oahu as guided by a tier system, which prioritizes routes of exit. Priority areas includes a buffer surrounding ports (air and sea) and properties where potentially infested commodities like mulch, compost, and palms are staged before transit off oahu. • increase monitoring on non-infested hawaiian islands by remote sensing and partnerships with other organizations and agencies, coupled with eradication response if incipient populations are detected. • increase commercial and public participation in the monitoring and management of CRB facilitated by outreach and training. • establish a regional hub for CRB research and extension by leveraging diverse funding. 3. Deliverables and expected outcomes: the desired outcome is to reduce the current and future impacts of CRB to the agriculture, ecology, businesses, and culture of hawaii and to prevent the introduction of CRB and associated impacts to other hawaiian islands, US states, and nations where CRB has not yet been found. 4. Intended beneficiary(IES): the state of hawaii, other islands in the pacific who do not have CRB, and palm-growing regions of the U.S. 5. Subrecipient activities, if known or specified at the time of award: no subawards