Local efforts to combat invasive species continue as we mark the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Endangered Species Act.
Close to 300 people submitted testimony to state agriculture officials this week about the threat of invasive species.
Officials held a hearing to change the rules when it comes to combating invasive species, putting teeth in the law to deal with plant nurseries that may be infested with little fire ants.
Kapua Kawelo works in resource management at Schofield Barracks. Her worries about little fire ants extend beyond her day job.
She's also active in her community of Kahaluʻu, which has turned its focus to the threat of the little fire ant. Many new ant sites have been reported in Windward Oʻahu in the past year.
"I think the concerns of the community are that there's not enough paid personnel to be keeping ahead of this path and that the little fire ant will change our relationship with ʻāina. I mean, as a Hawaiian, this pest is like my worst nightmare," Kawelo said.
"I'm a person that spends time in my yard harvesting fruit and growing kalo and love being outdoors. So people who are outdoors and love being outdoors, having Oʻahu infested with little fire ant is going to completely change our relationship with ʻāina."
The Hawaiʻi Ant Lab, with organizations like the Oʻahu Invasive Species Committee and the KEY Project, has been actively treating or surveying about 40 cases of the little fire ant on the island.
"The state Legislature needs to step up and the City and County of Honolulu needs to step up to really achieve eradication on Oʻahu," Kawelo said.
"Of course, we want to keep it out of urban areas and affecting humans and our lives. But the worst case scenario is we fail in that, and then it moves into the mountains — and invasive ants are a significant pest to our native insects."
Click here to learn more or request an ant collection kit. Report new pest sightings at 643pest.org or call 643-PEST.
This story aired on The Conversation on Feb. 1, 2024. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
