G15PS00449_Attch_3_rev1_NPS_protocols.pdf

July 25, 2014

Ant Sanitation Protocol for Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Ants are an introduced species to Hawaii. Many species have had disastrous ecological effects on other invertebrates and plants reliant on invertebrate pollinators on the islands. Ants are most abundant and widespread at low elevations. The Little Fire Ant (LFA) is not established in the park, but has the potential to become widespread. Two species, the Argentine ant and the Big-headed ant are not established above 5,200 ft elevation in the park. To prevent the introduction of these ant species into new areas of the park, vehicles will be inspected and sanitized for ants prior to arriving to the work/study site.

In vehicles, ants typically occupy the cab areas, persisting on food stuffs, and in packs, equipment, supplies, potting material, plants, or fill material. They can be in debris in the undercarriage in the beds of pickups or in the engine compartment and under the battery. The potential for ant dispersal by vehicles is greater if vehicles are parked in an area infested with ants.

The procedures outlined below must be followed for all administrative, researcher, cooperator and contractor vehicles.

In general vehicles should be regularly kept clean by:

1. Using high pressure hoses to clean wheel wells, bumpers, grill, fenders, and side panels behind wheel.

2. Visually inspecting the engine compartment including the area under the battery.

3. The interior of all vehicles will be inspected, cleared of rubbish, and vacuumed. All foodstuffs will be removed from the vehicles at the end of the workday

4. Checking all packs and other personal gear for ants.

5. Deploying baited sticky traps in the vehicle to detect ants. A sticky trap (e.g. Catchmaster), baited with small amounts of peanut butter (for ants attracted to protein) and honey or jelly (for ants attracted to sugar), will be placed in the cab, engine compartment, and trunk (or truck bed), for at least 45 minutes (no longer than 1 hr) to monitor for ants in the vehicle. Two sticky traps will be used in SUVs (one in cab under the seat and one in engine compartment). Three sticky traps will be placed in pickups (one in cab bed, and engine compartment). The baited sticky traps are only useful for detection but do not effectively control ants. If a vehicle is found to have ants, it will not be driven until it is free of ants. Infested vehicles will be sanitized by deploying poison bait stations (e.g. Maxforce) in vehicles (per label instructions) and continually monitoring for ant presence with baited sticky traps.

6. Specific for LFA, monitoring bait stations should be deployed at the vehicle base yard. If LFA ants are detected, notify UH PCSU Hawaii Ant Lab 808-315-5656 for proper treatment to remove

LFA from the area. Vehicles parked in LFA areas, will not be driven into the park until it is free of ants.

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Weed Sanitation Protocol for Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, 03/31/09

Alien plants have a devastating effect upon native ecosystems in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

Invasion by alien plants reduces native biodiversity and abundance by displacing the native vegetation and impacting the insects and birds that depend on native plants. At their very worst, ecologically disruptive alien species (e.g., faya tree, fountain grass, strawberry guava, kahili ginger) are able to completely takeover native ecosystems by disrupting water and nutrient cycles, and disturbance regimes

(e.g., increased fire frequency and forest gap creation) making restoration difficult if not impossible. The park devotes substantial efforts to eradicate or prevent the further spread of disruptive alien weeds in order to protect native ecosystems from their devastating effects.

New weeds threaten to invade the park from outside areas. For example, the first individuals of

Australian tree fern were found in the Thurston rainforest in 2001. Individuals of miconia occur in housing developments near the park. Within the park, small localized weed populations have the potential to move to pristine or uninfested areas. Preventing the movement of disruptive weeds from infested to uninfested areas within the park and from outside areas into the park is a high priority. Many of these weeds are brought in inadvertently as seeds or plant parts that hitch hike on vehicles, equipment, persons, and animals.

Sanitation protocols address ways to minimize movement of weeds within and from outside the park by individuals, vehicles and equipment.

Bringing Vehicles, Equipment and Material from Outside the Park:

7. Inspect and clean all vehicles, equipment and material (including fill) before bringing to the park.

Vehicles and equipment are sanitized using high pressure hoses to clean wheel wells, bumpers, grill, fenders, and side panels behind wheel. If a pressurized hose is not available, than a hose with spray nozzle attachment can be used. The interior of all vehicles will be inspected, cleared of rubbish, all food items removed and vacuumed.

8. During and following completion of project, work sites will be inspected and treated monthly for up to one year following completion of project. Treatment of weeds discovered at work sites will be done following consultation with vegetation staff (tel: 808-985-6085). Additional monitoring and treatment beyond one year may be necessary to eradicate some invasive species.

For Individuals Who Routinely Work in the Field:

1. Before taking vehicles into the field, clean exterior of vehicles using high-pressure hoses to clean wheel wells, bumpers, grill, fenders, and side panels behind wheel. If a pressurized hose is not available, then a hose with spray nozzle attachment can be used. The interior of all vehicles will be inspected, cleared of rubbish, all food items removed and vacuumed. Check and clean all packs, tools, and other personal gear and equipment for weeds and plant parts before loading into vehicles.

2. Before going into the field, visually inspect and clean your clothes, boots, pack, radio harness, tools and other personal gear and equipment, for seeds and plant parts. A small brush is handy for cleaning boots, equipment and gear.

3. Immediately after returning from the field, visually inspect and clean your clothes, boots, pack, radio harness, tools and other personnel gear and equipment, for seeds and plant parts.

Vehicles interiors will be swept out daily with a wisk brush

Supporting Protocols to Minimize Movement of Weeds:

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1. Keep work clothes and equipment separate from personal gear used for non-work related hiking, hunting, and camping outside of park.

2. Do not throw out vegetables or fruit containing seeds in the field, bag it out.

3. If the inspection and sanitation of vehicles, equipment, and personnel gear cannot be implemented, then these items shall not be allowed into the field or worksite.

4. No pack animals will be used in upper elevation Kahuku (e.g., above the cattle pastures), until protocols for preventing movement of weeds by pack animals can be developed.

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Is Your Vehicle Coqui-Free?

Coqui tree frogs are new to Hawaii

Volcanoes National Park. Aside from being a major noise nuisance, the frogs pose a threat to Hawaii’s island ecosystem. A thousand frogs can live on less than one acre of thickly vegetated land and eat large numbers of native insects and spiders.

These un-welcomed visitors enter the park primarily on vehicles, supplies and plant materials arriving from infested places.

Please Help Reduce the Number of Coqui Reaching Hawaii Volcanoes NP

Coqui frog numbers are greatest at lower elevations around the island, especially where it is humid, moist and thick with vegetation. When every tree is occupied by one or two calling male frogs, those left without a “home” will venture outwards. They will cross pavement in the evenings if they have to, looking for unoccupied trees. They often take refuge on parked vehicles. If the vehicle starts moving the frog often stays with it. Hundreds of coqui already made the journey of 25 to 30 miles, only to be discovered and recovered by park coqui patrols. In 2007 this happened roughly 75 times in Hawaii

Volcanoes National Park. You can help reduce the spread of coqui into the park by taking the following measures:

Decontaminate or Isolate

DECONTAMINATE vehicles and equipment coming to park from infested areas by:

Commercial car-wash prior to heading to park.

Hose vehicle with pressurized water (hot water works even better).

Especially truck beds, car bumpers and wheel wells, also check under the hood.

ISOLATE vehicles and equipment from the infestation, while parked overnight or in storage, by:

Park and store equipment in enclosed, coqui-free garage.

Maintain a coqui-free buffer around carports, homes and other structures.

AVOID bringing contaminated material to the Park, by:

Inspect plant material (including plant parts, potting soils, growing medium, pots) prior to coming to the park. If infestations are found do not bring the infested material to the park.

Photo by Wolfie Thomas, HVNP.

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