HONOLULU (Eagle News) – February 1st marks the start of Hawaii Invasive Species Awareness Month (HISAM), a month-long campaign intended to raise public awareness of the impacts on the agriculture, food self-sufficiency, freshwater quality and quantity, human health as well as the health of native species and ecosystems within the Aloha State.

HISAM also provides the State Government the opportunity to duly recognize the work being done by individuals and groups that protect against invasive plants, animals, and even microscopic organisms.

HISAM is hosted by Hawaii’s Department of Agriculture (DOA) and the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), with both agencies serving as co-leads for the Hawaii Invasive Species Council (HISC).

“Invasive species are often insidious and may go undetected for substantial periods of time,” said Phyllis Shimabukuro-Geiser, chairperson of the Hawaii Board of Agriculture. “Once established, invasive species are extremely difficult or even impossible to eradicate. To protect Hawaii’s agriculture and unique environment, we urge everyone to become more aware and be on the lookout for invasive plants, pests, and animals and to help stop the invasions.”

“This is an issue that highlights how people are part of the environment, not separate from it,” said Suzanne Case, DLNR chairperson. “One of the major impacts we see from invasive species is the reduced production of fresh water from native forests. That’s a problem that impacts every living thing in Hawaii, whether it’s a native bird, a pet dog, our crops, ourselves, or our loved ones.”

For the past decade, the HISC and its partners have coordinated an annual recognition of invasive species impacts. This event was originally designed as Hawaii Invasive Species Awareness Week, around the same time as the U.S. National Invasive Species Awareness Week.

However, all parties realized the numerous matters to address and projects to implement. As a result in 2018, Hawaii’s awareness effort was expanded to last the entire month.

A full schedule of HISAM-sponsored events with links to webinars is available online at the following website: http://dlnr.hawaii.gov/hisc/2022hisam/

The Hawaii Invasive Species Council (HISC) is a State interdepartmental collaboration established in 2003 by the Hawaii State Legislature. Its mission is to provide policy level direction, coordination, and planning among state departments, federal agencies, and international and local initiatives for the control and eradication of harmful invasive species infestations throughout the State and for preventing the introduction of other invasive species that may be potentially harmful.

(Alfred Acenas, EBC Hawaii-Pacific Bureau, Eagle News Service)