Use leveraging to take care of Volcanoes Park

Isle residents tend to see Hawaii Volcanoes National Park as a jewel among the state’s natural resources, but it’s one that’s taken on a little tarnish in recent weeks with a less-than-glowing review from a watchdog group in Washington, D.C.

Earlier this summer a report titled "The State of America’s National Parks" was published by the National Parks Conservation Association and its Center for Park Research. At Volcanoes, according to the executive summary, "invasive plants and animals are crowding out native species and creating one of the park’s most serious resource threats."

Hawaii was one of 160 parks in the sample, representing about one-fifth of the facilities within the National Park System. The researchers assessed both the natural and cultural resources. For the former category, they compiled existing environmental and ecological data to describe the condition of resources in their natural context; for the latter, they evaluated history, archaeological resources, cultural landscapes, historic structures, museum and archival collections, and ethnography.

Detailed explanations were not available, but Hawaii Volcanoes National Park garnered a "poor" rating (60 of a possible 100 points) for natural resources and 65 points for cultural resources, barely earning a "fair" grade.

The cultural-resources mark wasn’t shameful, relatively speaking. In 91 percent of the parks, cultural resources were in "fair" or "poor" condition and none were "excellent,"

But Hawaii’s natural-resources review highlights a reason for concern. Two-thirds of the parks surveyed were scored in "fair" condition, meaning that the Big Island park fell below even that mediocre assessment.

The recommendation in the report most pertinent to Hawaii seems a bit sanguine: "The (parks) administration should use its existing authority to control the entry of nonnative plants, animals, and diseases into the United States and provide the Park Service with the resources needed to eliminate or limit the impact of existing nonnative invasive species on the national parks."

Yes, of course. But in these fiscally strained times, there seems to be little hope for more money. And yet, a special case for aid should be made for places such as Volcanoes, where, the report states, more than 30 native plants have been lost.

Parks service officialdom did not appear surprised by the general complaint — everyone is aware that keeping invasive species in check is a problem for an area of more than 500 square miles. Three Mountain Alliance, one of several voluntary partnerships of public and private watershed landowners, watches over the Mauna Loa, Kilauea and Hualalai volcanoes. It already looks for ways to leverage the park’s limited funds (federal agencies dispatching the labor, perhaps, and a private owner providing the materials) for projects such as fencing. One of the greatest threats to native plants are the roving hoofed animals that graze on them, so keeping them away from endangered specimens is a no-brainer.

Staying on top of this issue is imperative. Hawaii has a wealth of natural resources, and such gifts must not be taken for granted, even if it means Hawaii must innovate in ways to tackle that mission, with strictly limited funds.