Ka`u News Briefs Sunday, Aug. 31, 2014

Gases and particles emitted by active volcanoes like Kilauea can affect the climate, according to scientists at Hawaiian Volcano
Observatory. Photo by Peter Anderson

THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LANDS HAS OUTLINED the future of Kaunamano if plans to purchase and preserve the property go through.

Ka `Ohana O Honu`apo would be stewards of Kaunamano, which stretches
along the coast south of Honu`apo.

      The property will be owned by Hawai`i County and stewarded by the nonprofit Ka `Ohana O Honu`apo that stewards Honu`apo Park. Working with the Ka`u community, the Keanu Family with ancestral ties to the property, and Kuahiwi Ranch, the entities would pursue a Management Plan and a Preservation Plan. 

      Goals of the plans include protection of all cultural sites, native species, and the marine environment; access for Hawaiian cultural practitioners and Ka`u subsistence fishing and gathering; pedestrian access and limited vehicular access; limiting built improvements to fencing and educational signage; continued ranching if it does not compromise resources; and frequent community monitoring.
      The Trust for Public Lands is asking individuals and organizations for letters of support for the purchase. Send letters by Tuesday, Sept. 2 to Laura Ka`akua at laura.kaakua@tpl.org.

      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Jeff Mikulina

BLUE PLANET FOUNDATION’S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JEFF MIKULINA is disappointed with Hawaiian Electric Co.’s latest plan that the utility said will bring Hawai`i to the highest level of renewable energy in the nation by 2030. The utility submitted its plan to the state Public Utilities Commission last week following the PUC’s rejection of the utility’s Integrated Resource Planning Report in April.
      HECO’s plans include increasing the number of rooftop solar systems, expanding use of energy storage systems and switching from oil to liquefied natural gas to fire electricity generating units.
      According to Mikulina, the utility needs to change its business model and find ways to profit from rooftop solar and sales of battery storage and power for electric vehicles.
      “The utility had the opportunity to really think radically, and radical is the least riskiest position right now,” Mikulina told Sophie Cocke, of Civil Beat. “Playing it safe is the riskiest thing they can do. 

      “I think that is how a Google would look at it as opposed to a 100-year-old power company,” he said.

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KA`U TROJANS WON IN EIGHT-MAN FOOTBALL competition last night with its season opener against Kohala Cowboys. Ka`u beat Kohala 34 – 12. Wide receiver Cy Tamura, who also plays backup quarterback and defense, scored four touchdowns. Full back Kaimanu Medeiros Dancel scored one.
      With every Trojan touchdown, Ka`u chose to run instead of kicking for extra points. They succeeded once, crossing the line for two extra points. Kupono Pakakiko-Leffew scored two points with a safety.

Trojans won their season opener at home last night.

      Evan Manoha shined with his defensive teammates in holding back the Cowboys by making many tackles. Tamura made two interceptions as a safety.
      Scoreless in the first half, Kohala returned a kickoff for an 80-yard touchdown in the second half but could not overcome Ka`u.
      For the first time in many seasons, a Trojans cheerleading team, led by Nanea Medeiros, kept the crowd roaring. More than a dozen Trojan women and Mark Galacio form the Trojan cheerleading squad.
      Rain pounded the field on and off for most of the game, leaving it very muddy with players slipping and sliding. However, the crowd stayed close to witness the win.
      Head Coach Kainoa Ke will lead the Trojans to their next battle, taking the team to Maui on Friday, Sept. 5 for a game against Seabury Hall. Trojans are still raising money to pay for the off-island trip by selling T-shirts at teespring.com/kaufootball. Donations can also be made by contacting Athletic Director Kalei Namohala at 928-2012.
      This story was written with reports from Ka`u High School journalism interns Kaweni Ibarra and Cheyenne DaCalio.

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Ka`u kept the higher points on the scoreboard all evening with the 8-man season
opener at home. Photo by Cheyenne Dacalio, Ka`u High Journalism Intern

KA`U HIGH GIRLS VOLLEYBALL TEAMS hosted Hawai`i Preparatory Academy yesterday. HPA came out on top in both junior varsity and varsity. Scores were 12 – 25, 25 – 27 and 18 – 25 for varsity and 17 – 25, 25 – 16 and 10 – 15 for junior varsity.

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VOLCANIC DISCHARGES OF GASES AND PARTICLES into the atmosphere can affect climate, according to a recent Volcano Watch article posted by Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. 

      According to the article, the three dominant gases emitted by volcanoes are water vapor (about 90 percent), carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide. Both water vapor and carbon dioxide are important greenhouse gases that trap solar radiation.
      When radiation from the sun heats the earth’s surface, the surface re-radiates some of this energy back up through the atmosphere as infrared radiation, which selectively heats greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. “The greater the concentration of greenhouse gases, the greater the atmospheric heating,” the article stated. “Without greenhouse gases, the infrared radiation would just escape into space. The greenhouse gases, however, re-radiate the heat in all directions, including back to the surface. 

      “Carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere remains there for a long time, so increasing concentrations of this gas result in long-term global warming. The residence time of water vapor in the atmosphere is normally much less than that of carbon dioxide. However, the concentration of water vapor in the atmosphere does increase with temperature. So, heating of the atmosphere by carbon dioxide buildup increases the amount of atmospheric water vapor, creating a positive feedback mechanism that further increases the temperature.

Water vapor, carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide or the three dominant
gases emitted a Halema`uma`u. Photo by Tim Orr/HVO

      “The scientific community generally accepts that the buildup of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is the principal contributor to global warming. But, it’s noteworthy that volcanoes contribute less than one percent to this buildup. The bulk of increased atmospheric carbon dioxide comes, instead, from human activity.
      “For example, the largest volcanic eruption during the past 100 years occurred in 1991 at Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines. It would take 700 Pinatubo-like eruptions each year to equal the annual carbon dioxide emissions from human activities. Closer to home, it would take more than 11,000 simultaneous Kilauea eruptions to equal that amount.
      “Large volcanic eruptions have been observed to affect Earth’s climate, but through global cooling rather than warming. This cooling is the work of sulfur dioxide, the third common volcanic gas.
      “Sulfur dioxide injected into the stratosphere by powerful eruptions reacts chemically, producing sulfur acids, which in turn form the same sulfate aerosols commonly found in vog (volcanic smog). These tiny stratospheric aerosol particles reflect sunlight (heat) energy back into space, causing cooling of the lower atmospheric layers.
      “The 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption created what is thought to be the largest stratospheric sulfur dioxide injection of the 20th century. For three years following the eruption, the earth’s surface cooled by as much as 2.3 degrees Fahrenheit.

      See hvo.wr.usgs.gov/volcanowatch.

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Himalayan ginger in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
Photo from NPS

PARTICIPANTS LEARN ABOUT THE BIRTH of the islands from the Hawaiian hotspot and about past eruptions that impacted Kahuku Unit of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park at a free program tomorrow, Labor Day, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Visitors will be able to identify various pu`u (hills) and other volcanic features and learn about their formation.

STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT is and ongoing program where volunteers help out Hawai`i Volcanoes National park and the `aina (land) by cutting invasive Himalayan ginger (Heydechium gardnerianum) on park trails. Loppers and gloves are provided. Participants are encouraged to wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants and closed-toe shoes.
      Work is often in the shade of the forest with sounds of native honeycreepers like `apapane, `amakihi and `oma`o above to serenade volunteers as they work. Water, snacks, rain gear and sun protection are recommended.
      This project is open to the public, and no reservations are required. Interested people can stop by Kilauea Visitor Center to get directions and more information. The hike is around a one mile, moderate round trip into Kilauea caldera down Halem`auma`u Trail, leaving from Kilauea Visitor Center. The hike involves walking over rough uneven terrain on a dirt and rock path, with up to a 400-foot elevation change.
      Stewardship at the Summit takes place each week in September on Fridays, except for Sept. 12. That week, the event is on Saturday, Sept. 13.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2014.swf.

Ka`u News Briefs Saturday, Aug. 30, 2014

Ka `Ohana O Honu`apo has issued a call for letters of support from Ka`u individuals and organizations for preservation of Kaunamano. Photo from Hawai`i Pacific Brokers

THE BOARD OF KA `OHANA O HONU`APO requests letters of support for acquisition of Kaunamano, the 1,363-acre parcel at the south end of Honu`apo Bay that is currently for sale.

      The Trust for Public Land is assisting the county, Ka `Ohana O Honu`apo, the Keanu family of Ka`u and the Ka`u community to protect these lands in perpetuity. The county has recommended funding for the purchase, and the partners are seeking state and federal matching funds. TPL will include support letters received by this Tuesday, Sept. 2 in its state funding application.

Trust for Public Lands board members toured the site in January.
Photo from TPL

      TPL describes Kaunamano as “a place of great historic significance as a seat of government for Ka`u chiefs who kept a watchful eye on Kaunamano from a vantage point overlooking the large coastal property and the Kahua `Olohu makahiki grounds directly mauka of the property. The property contains at least 444 ancient Hawaiian cultural sites with more than 3,900 features, including enclosures, mounds, platforms, walls, salt pans, walled terraces, petroglyphs, papamu, heiau, ceremonial sites, burial sites, a refuge cave (and other lava tubes) and a portion of Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail which connects the coastal villages of Honu`apo to the north with Waikapuna to the south. Many of these sites are in the largely intact ancient coastal village of Pa`ula. Native coastal plants dominate the coastal landscape, `opae `ula (native red shrimp) abound in the large coastal cave of Puhi'`ula, and its pristine waters are home to numerous native fish, limu and other marine species.

      “Acquisition would protect native gathering rights, subsistence fishing, the Ka`u community’s access to the property’s nearly four miles of coastline, native ecosystems, possible endangered species, cultural sites and burials, and a cultural landscape of historic significance. Acquisition would also allow for some recreational practices to continue such as recreational fishing, flying kites from the property’s lookout area Pohina Pali Lookout, and possibly camping. Excluding the coastal village, the property is grazed by a local rancher. Since there are no trees on this land, the huge, open vistas from the top of the property down to the shoreline allow ocean views almost unparalleled from any other site in Ka`u. The property offers high educational and cultural benefits from being able to visit and learn from the many cultural sites. Kauanamano means “’the multitudes are placed here.’ Protecting Kaunamano will honor a place where Ka`u’s kupuna lived and where the people of Ka`u visit today to remember their past.”

Kaunamano includes nearly four miles of Ka`u coastline.  

      In letters of support from individuals, TPL suggests discussing personal connections to the property and why is it important that the properties be kept undeveloped. “Please speak to what you personally care about. For some, it will be preserving Ka`u’s rural/local/country character, for others it will be the cultural sites, and for others it will be being able to teach Ka`u youth about Ka`u’s history.”
      Organizations can also send letters of support. Letters can include answers to the several questions. How does the organization’s mission relate to protection of these properties in Kaunamano? How could the organization’s students/clients/beneficiaries benefit from the properties remaining undeveloped? Would the organization’s beneficiaries benefit from Kaunamano functioning as a place of learning for area schools and the community, and/or for the perpetuation of Hawaiian cultural practices? How? What is the organization’s vision or wish for the property?
      Send support letters to Laura Ka`akua at laura.kaakua@tpl.org, or Laura Ka`akua, The Trust for Public Land, 1003 Bishop Street, Suite 740, Honolulu, HI 96813.

      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

NO LAYOFFS AT KA`U HOSPITAL are planned in the first round of budget-cutting measures announced by Hawai`i Health Systems Corp, according to a report in Hawai`i Tribune-Herald. All of HHSC’s East Hawai`i Region facilities escaped without layoffs that will begin by December as the organization tries to close a $48 million budget shortfall.
      Dan Brinkman, interim East Hawai`i Regional CEO, told reporter Erin Miller, “We have made reductions to some of our contract workers” and eliminated some positions as staff members resigned. For now that, combined with other measures, has been enough to keep layoffs at a low level.

Paddling crew became Ka`u Coast cleanup crew Thursday.
Photos from Hawai`i Wildlife Fund

      According to HHSC, its facilities are facing decreased state subsidies and health insurance reimbursements, while operating costs continue to rise and the need for health care in a growing population increases.
      HHSC officials have been meeting with representatives from the state Legislature to discuss strategies and possible long-term solutions.
      Ka`u’s state Sen. Josh Green, told Miller he continues to be concerned about ensuring the hospital system has enough funding to remain fully staffed.
      See hawaiitribuneherald.com.
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TEN PADDLERS FROM BRITISH COLUMBIA helped Hawai`i Wildlife Fund clean Kamilo Beach Thursday. The group filled 31 bags with 449.5 pounds of debris within a couple of hours, said HWF coordinator Megan Lamson.
      Marine debris from Kamilo has shown up in an art show in Anchorage, Alaska. HWF has been sending material to artist Pam Longobardi since July. Her work is featured in the exhibit called Gyre, which is raising awareness of ocean plastic that ends up on Alaska’s coast.
      HWF’s next Ka`u Beach Cleanup in on Sunday, Sept. 21 as part of the international annual Get the Drift & Bag It effort. To sign up, call 769-7629 or email kahakai.cleaups@gmail.com.

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Henry Curtis

LIFE OF THE LAND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR HENRY CURTIS questioned the value of Hawaiian Electric Co.’s latest plan to triple the amount of rooftop solar by 2030. The utility announced the plan as part of its effort to achieve the highest level of renewable energy in the nation by that year.
      HECO at present receives 328 megawatts of electricity from its customers who have solar systems. That amount will increase by 35 megawatts per year until in reaches 900 megawatts in 2030.
      The plan amounts to a seven percent increase per year, much lower than in previous years. According to Curtis, in Hawai`i, installed solar has grown between 70 and 200 percent each year for the past seven years. Globally, installed solar has grown at 43 percent per year for more than a decade.
      HECO’s announcement follows its decision last September to slow the growth rate of solar installations because many circuits had reached or were approaching their maximum penetration level.
      See ililanimedia.blogspot.com.

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HAWAI`I TOURISM AUTHORITY HAS LOWERED the number of visitors it expects to come to the islands, reported Audrey McAvoy in West Hawai`i Today. David Uchiyama, HTA’s vice president for brand management, said the agency expects 8.2 million visitors to come to the islands this year and 8.4 million next year.
      “The year has not turned out as we had hoped in terms of continuing the same growth trend,” Uchiyama told hotel and travel agency representatives at a conference in Honolulu. “But the experience in recent years is that we’re going to be able to continue this with the dynamic diversification that we’ve found in international markets.” According to Uchiyama, markets in Australia, China and South Korea fuel continued expansion.
      China is expected to send 11.4 percent more visitors for a total of 170,000. Although airlines have added service from Beijing, demand hasn’t increase as much as expected, Uchiyama said.

      See westhawaiitoday.com.

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Ceramicist Clayton Amemiya. Photo from Volcano Art Center

AN EXHIBIT OF WOOD-FIRED CERAMICS by Clayton Amemiya continues daily through Sept. 7 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Amemiya uses an anagama, or climbing kiln, that is a 12-foot-long tunnel, about 4½ feet tall and 4½ feet wide, built on a hillside. The firebox is at the bottom, and the exit flue is at the top. Hot flames are drawn from the firebox, through the chamber and out the flue. 

      The speed and intensity of the fire and how each piece is positioned in the kiln determine the final look of each piece. Flame and flying ash affect the clay surfaces, so that no two pieces look the same. Even though it takes four days to tend the fire, the anagama allows Amemiya to get much wider variations in glaze and surface than he could with a gas or electric kiln.

      Free; park entrance fees apply.

DURING KAHUKU: BORN FROM A HOTSPOT on Monday from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, participants learn about the birth of the islands from the Hawaiian hotspot and about past eruptions that impacted Kahuku. Visitors will be able to identify various pu`u (hills) and other volcanic features and learn about their formation. Free.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2014.swf.

Ka`u News Briefs Friday, Aug. 29, 2014

Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park Superintendent Cindy Orlando, at left, joined other National Park Service representatives in accepting honors from Hawai`i Tourism Authority. Photo from HTA

HAWAI`I TOURISM AUTHORITY, THE STATE’S TOURISM AGENCY, recognized the National Park Service at its 2014 Tourism Legacy Awards Luncheon during the 2014 Hawai`i Tourism Conference yesterday at Hawai`i Convention Center.

Ala Kahakai, which crosses Ka`u, is one of
HTA's honorees.

      “The National Park Service overseas eight parks and sites throughout the Hawaiian Islands, which welcomed nearly five million visitors and generated $312 million in economic benefits to the state last year,” said Mike McCartney, president and CEO of HTA. “They not only help to preserve the natural beauty of the destination, but help to perpetuate and promote the people, place and culture that make Hawai`i a unique and special place to live and visit. Congratulations and mahalo to this year’s award recipients."
      One of the honorees was Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. “Home to two of the world’s most active volcanoes, Kilauea and Mauna Loa, Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park is well known for its biologic landscapes,” HTA said in its description. “The NPS helps to protect and restore the park’s wide diversity of ecosystems and serves as a refuge for many Native Hawaiian species.”
      Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail, which crosses Ka`u, was another honoree. HTA described it: “Established in 2000 for the preservation, protection and interpretation of traditional Native Hawaiian culture and natural resources, Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail is a 175-mile network of culturally and historically significant trails. It traverses through hundreds of ancient Hawaiian settlement sites and more than 200 ahupua`a (traditional sea to mountain divisions).”

The state and county will appeal FEMA's
denial of federal storm-damage assistance.
Photo by Anne Celeste

       Evolving from HTA’s “Keep it Hawai`i” program, the Tourism Legacy Awards were established to honor individuals, organizations and businesses that perpetuate Hawaiian culture and traditions. “Honorees have worked diligently to nurture the host culture, creating respectful and authentic visitor experiences while securing bonds between the visitor industry and the Hawaiian community,” according to HTA.

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“THE STATE AND THE COUNTY OF HAWAI`I are working together to gather sufficient additional information, including socio-economic data, to justify a successful appeal,” announced Mayor Billy Kenoi and Gov. Neil Abercrombie in a joint statement following Federal Emergency Management Agency’s denial of the state’s request for assistance for victims of Tropical Storm Iselle.
      “In the meantime, county, state and other federal agencies, as well as nonprofit organizations, are providing support under their own authorities. The state also remains eligible for a declaration from the U.S. Small Business Administration, which will enable qualified individuals and businesses to receive low-interest loans for repairs.”
      In announcing FEMA’s decision yesterday, Administrator W. Craig Fugate said, “It has been determined that the damage from this event was not of such severity and magnitude to be beyond the capabilities of the state, affected local governments, and voluntary agencies.”

Services for the late Bob Herkes have been
announed. Photo by Julia Neal

      “We are very disappointed in FEMA’s decision to deny the state’s request for individual assistance for the victims of Tropical Storm Iselle,” Kenoi said. “Our residents and families suffered destroyed homes, property losses and many other impacts from this historic storm. For many people, their lives have still not returned to normal, and the federal government must help our communities. We strongly urge Gov. Abercrombie to appeal the FEMA decision directly to President Obama. We hope the president will recognize that the residents of Puna need his help, and deserve all the support and assistance that we can give them.”

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DETAILS OF SERVICES FOR THE LATE BOB HERKES have been announced. Visitation at Dodo Mortuary in Hilo will be from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 27, with services beginning at 11 a.m.

      U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz expressed his sincere sympathy upon the passing of former legislator. “We extend our condolences to the family, many friends and all the people Bob Herkes steadfastly served as a Hawai`i County Council member and Hawai`i state legislator,” Schatz said. “Bob was a plainspoken leader who was simultaneously business- and community-minded. His colleagues always sought his opinion because he was smart, balanced and valued the facts. The more I got to know him, the more I understood his compassion for people most in need and his deep love for our island home. Bob brought a broad talent to public service, and he will be missed.”

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THE STATE LAND USE COMMISSION has regained a quorum and decision-making powers following Gov. Neil Abercrombie nominations of Brandon Ahakuelo, Kent Hiranaga and Arnold Wong, effective immediately. All are interim appointments subject to state Senate approval.
      Ahakuelo and Wong were appointed to at-large seats, and Hiranaga to the seat representing Maui County.
      With their appointments, there are now seven members on the nine-seat commission, which restores the LUC’s ability to meet quorum and exercise decision-making powers that were lost following five resignations in July.

Brandon Ahaku

Arnold Wong

      “The Land Use Commission can resume business thanks to Brandon, Kent and Arnold’s commitment to public service,” Abercrombie said. “Each brings a unique background of experience that will inform land use decisions in the interest of the people of Hawai`i.”

      The State Land Use Law was adopted in 1961, establishing a framework of land use management and regulation in which all state lands are classified into urban, rural, agricultural or conservation districts. The Legislature established the Land Use Commission to administer this statewide zoning law. The commission is responsible for preserving and protecting Hawai`i’s lands and encouraging those uses to which the lands are best suited.

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NOW THAT SCHOOL IS BACK IN SESSION, Hawai`i Island police remind the public to follow all traffic laws that apply to operators of bicycles and skateboards and to watch for pedestrians.

Bicyclists must ride single-file and as far to the right as possible.
Photo from Hawai`i County Police Department

Bicycles

• Bicyclists must follow all traffic laws that apply to motorists when they travel on public roadways. 
• Bicyclists must ride single-file, as far to the right of the road as possible and on bike paths where provided. 
• Bicycles may not be ridden on sidewalks or against the flow of traffic. 
• Motorists are advised to be aware of bicyclists sharing the road and to drive with caution, especially when passing a bicycle. 

Skates/skateboards

• Skates and skateboards are prohibited on all roadways, except in crosswalks, where persons riding them have the same rights as pedestrians. 

Pedestrians

• Vehicles must stop for pedestrians on the half of the roadway upon which the vehicles are traveling, and shall not proceed until the pedestrian has passed the vehicle and the driver can safely proceed. 
• No pedestrian shall suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle that is so close that it is impossible for the driver to yield. 

      Drivers are advised to share the road with bicycles and mopeds and to beware of persons on skates or skateboards who may pose a risk to themselves and others. Also, while driving in school zones, motorists should use caution and be attentive to children walking to school and crossing streets in and out of crosswalks.

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Hawai`i Food Forest Project is planning a Ka`u Country Festival
at Honu`apo in November.

THE FIRST ANNUAL KA`U COUNTRY FESTIVAL will be held Saturday, Nov. 1 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Honu`apo Harbor, Whittington Park. 

       The event features fun activities for keiki, contests, local food, island music, vendors, exhibits, special performances, demonstrations, workshops, a plant and seed exchange and more.
      The festival is a fundraiser for Hawai`i Food Forest Project.
      For more information, see hawaiifoodforest.com/festival or contact Sharman O’Shea at 808-256-3193 or sharman@turquoise.net.
      Donations are tax deductible through the nonprofit Sanctuary of Mana Ke`a Gardens. See hawaiianwellness.com.

ZENTANGLE: ORGANIC GARDEN is the topic tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. Participants learn new tangles and practice modifying tangle patterns to create whimsical garden features inspired by Dr. Seuss. $40 VAC members/$45 nonmembers. Register at volcanoartcenter.org or 967-8222.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2014.swf.

Ka`u News Briefs Thursday, Aug. 28, 2014

Fuzzy table coral, one of the Hawai`i species left off the threatened list. Photo from NOAA

NONE OF THE HAWAIIAN CORALS in the finals for endangered and threatened species status made the list, according to the announcement yesterday from the federal government. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration named 20 new species worldwide to the threatened list, which had previously protected only two corals, the elkhorn and staghorn which were named in 2006.
    NOAA defines threatened as those “likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range.” NOAA concluded that the Hawaiian species are not in danger of extinction.
    The candidates proposed to be listed in Hawai`i included Montiporal corals, the blue rice – flabellate, the dilitata and turgenscens. The blue rice is the coral that has been dying off on Kaua`i but is found in nearshore waters of all the Hawaiian Islands,  through French Polynesia and on the other side of the globe in the Red Sea.  Montipora flabellate, dilatata and turgescens are encrusting corals with lobelike growths. They are blue, but can photograph pink. They can also be brown or purple. They are found in most reef environments.

Spreading or sandpaper rice coral that did not make the threatened list. 
Photo from NOAA

     The NOAA report said it declined to include blue rice and its relatives because there are “tens of millions of colonies.” However, the report did note that it is possible that the risk of extinction could increase in the future.
     The Montipora patula and verrilli, which were also cut from the proposed list for Hawai`i, are called spreading or sandpaper rice coral. The colonies are tan with purple polyps and grow flat or in tiers of overlapping plates in shallow reef environments with wave action.
   Another coral in Hawai`i that did not make the cut was Acropora paniculata, the fuzzy table coral. Colonies are cream, grey or blue and are found on upper reef slopes, just below the low tide mark, close to shore.
   Four of the corals from the Pacific that are now officially named threatened are from Guam, the first time that Guam coral has been protected by NOAA. Eight of the newly listed species are in waters of American Samoa.
    The Center for Biological Diversity filed the petition to list 83 corals as threatened, including those from Hawai`i. A statement from the non-profit based in San Francisco said: “The world’s coral reefs are in crisis from global warming and acidifying oceans.” The organization refers to coral reefs as rainforest of the ocean that enhance marine diversity, protect the shoreline and support fisheries, tourism and local economies. “This is a wakeup call that our amazing coral reefs are dying an dneed federal protection, but there’s hope for saving corals.” The organization recommends making cuts in greehouse gas pollution to stop global warming and ocean acidification.”

Montipora verilli, an encrusting coral left off the list. Photo from NOAA

     Through a press release, the assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries, Eileen Sobeck, stated that “Protecting and conserving these biologically rich ecosystems is essential, and the Endangered Species Act gives us the tools to conserve and recover those corals most in need of protection.”
    NOAA also acknowledged that global warming and ocean acidification are being taken into consideration when placing species on the endangered and threatened lists.
     See more at www.fisheries.noaa.gov and www.biologicaldiversity.org.

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EVERYONE IS INVITED TO PARTICIPATE in upcoming free events and hikes at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park’ Kahuku Unit beginning this Sunday.
      Palm Trail is a moderately difficult 2.6-mile loop traversing scenic pastures along an ancient cinder cone, with some of the best panoramic views Kahuku has to offer. Highlights include relics of the ranching era, sections of remnant native forest and volcanic features from the 1868 eruptive fissures. A guided hike of Palm Trail is offered Sunday, Aug. 31 and Saturday, Sept. 20 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
      During Kahuku: Born from a Hotspot, participants learn about the birth of the islands from the Hawaiian hotspot and about the past eruptions that impacted Kahuku. Visitors will be able to identify various pu`u (hills) and other volcanic features and learn about their formation. Kahuku: Born from a Hotspot is offered Monday, Sept. (Labor Day) from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Palm Trail Hike affords expansive views of the Ka`u Coast. 

Photo from NPS

     During the `Ohi`a Lehua program, participants learn about the vital role of `ohi`a lehua in native Hawaiian forests, the many forms of the `ohi`a tree and the lehua flower. Visitors will be able to identify the many differences of the most prominent native tree in Kahuku on this easy, one-mile or less walk. The`Ohi`a Lehua program is offered Sunday, Sept. 7 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
      People and Land of Kahuku is a moderate two-mile, three-hour guided hike that loops through varied landscapes to explore the human history of Kahuku. Participants learn about the powerful natural forces at work here and how people have adapted to, shaped and restored this land. The guided hike is offered Saturday, Sept. 13 and Sunday, Sept. 28 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
        During Hi`iaka & Pele, participants discover two Hawaiian goddesses, sisters Pele and Hi`iaka, and the natural phenomena they represent. Visitors experience the sisters coming alive through the epic stories depicted in the natural landscape of Kahuku on this easy 1.7-mile walk on the main road in Kahuku. The Hi`iaka and Pele program is offered on Sunday, Sept. 21 from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
            For all programs, enter the Kahuku Unit of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park on the mauka side of Hwy 11 near mile marker 70.5, and meet near the parking area. Sturdy footwear, water, raingear, sun protection and a snack are recommended.

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Post-Iselle paving and bridge building on Wood Valley Road.
Photo by Julia Neal

RECONSTRUCTION OF A BRIDGE UP WOOD VALLEY ROAD is going quickly with Hawai`i County Department of Public Works pouring concrete and cleaning out the stream bed. The bridge was undermined Aug. 8 by floodwaters of Tropical Storm Iselle. The road was reduced to one lane with buckled pavement. Repaving of Wood Valley Road, which was underway before the storm has resumed.

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FARMERS AND RANCHERS have until Dec. 31 to apply for Tropical Storm Iselle emergency state loans of up to $100,000 at a 3 percent interest rate. Loans applications for $50,000 or less will not require credit denials from financial institutions. The state Board of Agriculture also waived a three-year residency requirement for the emergency loans. Collateral requirements, on case-by-case basis, were also waived. Ka`u farmers can call 933-9975 or 933-9977. Also see http://hdoa.hawai.gov/agl.

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VOLUNTEERS MEET AT KILAUEA VISITOR CENTER in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park’s to help remove invasive Himalayan ginger from park trails Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Free; park entrance fees apply.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.