Mangrove art by Xavier Cortada, of Miama, Fla. Cortada granted permission for his art to be published here, with the understanding that his paintings reflect how mangroves are essential to the Florida ecosystem. He noted that he is a "strong proponent of mangrove destruction in Hawaii," however. "The little science I know, if I had a machete, I'd help cut them down. In an island nation, you've got to preserve the native ecosystems there." Cartada encourages those interested to check out his "Hanging Gardens" project, which aims to create vertical gardens inside the Miami-Dade Public Library "comprised not of plants we want to grow, but of those we want to kill." Click here to find out more information about the Hanging Gardens project.

(Media release) —  A community meeting will be held at 6 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2010 at the Pahoa Community Center to discuss the ongoing mangrove eradication project at several public and private properties on the Island of Hawaii, including the Wai` Opae Marine Life Conservation District, Isaac Kepo’okalani Hale Beach Park at Pohoiki, and Onekahakaha Beach Park in Hilo.

Mayor Billy Kenoi has called the meeting to allow residents to make any comments they may have regarding this project.

The County of Hawaii, Big Island Invasive Species Council, U.S. Department of Fish & Wildlife, Hawaii Department of Health and Hawaii Tourism Authority are partners in the project to remove the red mangrove, Rhizophora mangle, an invasive species, from the coast using an approved herbicide and manual means of eradication. Read the rest of this entry »

I was so bummed to see the sign for Isaac Kepo’okalani Hale Beach Park in disrepair the other day.  It looks like someone drove up over the berm and crashed into the sign.  I hope the County can get down to Pohoiki and fix the sign before it falls completely off. The sign cost $1,000 to make and erect, after the park was renamed from Isaac Hale Park at the Hale ohana’s request.  I wish people would take more pride in their community, and understand the cost of things that they vandalize.

On a more positive note regarding the Puna beach park, I’m pleased to say that, after at least a two-year push, the County Public Works Department, namely Aaron Takaba in the Traffic Division, is working on getting us speed humps installed. Below is a copy of the plans he shared with me. I’m so grateful to Takaba and the County Traffic Division for hearing our plea and I look forward to this project coming to fruition.  It really might save a life or lives by installing speed humps at this beach park.  Currently, the old section of Highway 137 that traverses through the beach park is used as a drag strip, white, at the same time, there are more and more children on bikes and skateboards in the road.

Pohoiki mangrove image courtesy of Sydney Ross Singer

By Sydney Ross Singer

Regarding the mangrove eradication on the Big Island, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has amended the label for HABITAT to prohibit its use in marine or estuarine areas.

EPA did this in response to a risk assessment that was explicit on the need for this label change/prohibition. They informed the registrant (BASF) last August. The poisoning was done months after this prohibition on its use in marine and estuarine areas went into effect.

Basically, this prohibition means no use of this poison is allowed below the high water mark. Mangroves at Wai Opae Marine Life conservation District, Paki Bay, Pohoiki (Isaac Kepo’okalani Hale Beach Park), and Onekahakaha Beach Park, which have all been targets for this poisoning, are below the high water mark.

The use of poison to kill mangroves is an experiment in finding a cheaper way to eradicate than removal by hand or machinery. Once poisoned, the dead trees are left to rot in place, clearly cheaper than removal, but damaging and blighting the environment and creating a health and safety threat to the public and to endangered species known to frequent the area. Read the rest of this entry »

The Hawaii County Council will host its committees and regular meeting this week in Hilo in the Council Chambers on the second floor of the Ben Franklin Building at 333 Kilauea Ave.  On the agenda of the 9 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009 regular meeting are the highly publicized and increasingly controversial Bill 132, Bill 160 calling for $31 million in general obligation bonds to pay for Department of Water Supply projects, and the planned executive session to discuss the recently settled West Hawaii Today civil lawsuit and the still-pending civil suit brought forth by Councilwoman Brenda Ford.

Following are other noteworthy items listed on the 10-page agenda:

— A resolution calling on the Hawaii County Council to discuss the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) with the Hawaii Congressional delegation, state Legislature, and the governor to “secure an increase in ARRA relief” submitted by Kelly Greenwell

— A resolution authorizing the mayor to enter into a five-year “inter-governmental agreement” with the City and County of Honolulu for real property tax support services submitted by Dennis “Fresh” Onishi

— A resolution for the County Council to seek federal funding for the removal of the old Kona dump “to prevent an environmental disaster” submitted by Kelly Greenwell

— Bill 132 calling for County Council oversight on land transactions over ten acres and/or appraised at $500,ooo or more submitted by Dominic Yagong Read the rest of this entry »