Cooperative Agreement F22AC02681

COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS IN THE MAIN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS WERE ONCE DOMINATED BY SEABIRDS AND NATIVE PLANTS. AT PRESENT LESS THAN HALF OF THE COASTLINE SUPPORTS NATIVE VEGETATION AND 60 PERCENT OF THIS HABITAT IS SEVERELY DEGRADED ONLY 17 PERCENT IS HIGH QUALITY HABITAT. SEABIRDS ARE MOSTLY ABSENT AND MANY OTHER PARTS OF THE ECOSYSTEM ARE ENDANGERED, INCLUDING ENDEMIC PLANTS AND NATIVE POLLINATOR SPECIES. INVASIVE, NON NATIVE PREDATORS AND HERBIVORES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MOST OF THIS LOSS.THIS PROJECT S MAIN FOCUS IS ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF A 1.1 MILE PREDATOR PROOF FENCE TO PROTECT 90 ACRES ALONG OF A MILE OF SHORELINE IN FEDERALLY DESIGNATED CRITICAL HABITAT. THE PROJECT LOCATION IS ONE OF FIVE PRIORITY WORK SITES IN THE MAIN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS AS PER THE USFWS COASTAL PROGRAM S 2016 2021 STRATEGIC PLAN, AND MOLOKAI LAND TRUST (MLT) AND AMERICAN BIRD CONSERVANCY (ABC) ARE LISTED AS A KEY PARTNERS. ALONG WITH PROTECTIONS FOR GROUND NESTING SEABIRDS, THE PROJECT WILL ALSO PROTECT NUMEROUS ENDANGERED PLANT SPECIES POPULATIONS AND ENDANGERED HAWAIIAN YELLOW FACE BEE POPULATIONS. THESE THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES ARE NATURALLY EXPANDING THEIR POPULATIONS DUE TO HABITAT RESTORATION WITHIN THE CURRENT 60 ACRE SITE, WHICH IS PROTECTED BY A TEMPORARY FENCE EXCLUDING UNGULATES AND CURRENTLY MANAGED FOR HABITAT RESTORATION. TWO RARE SPECIES THAT WERE EXTINCT IN THE WILD HAVE BEEN REINTRODUCED THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE STATE OF HAWAII DLNR, INCLUDING THE STATE FLOWER HIBISCUS BRACKENRIDGEII OR MAO HAU HELE. PERMITS AND THE CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS HAVE BEEN SECURED, THESE FUNDS WOULD SUPPORT THE ACTUAL FENCE CONSTRUCTION.