ARMY AND KSBE WORK TOGETHER IN THE KOOLAUS. Kamehemeha Schools Bishop Estate (KSBE) owns a large portion of the Army's Kawailoa Training Area in the Koolau Mountains. The Army’s natural resources staff on Oahu has been working in this training area for three years surveying for and monitoring rare plant and animal populations, tracking ungulate impacts to the ecosystem, and controlling invasive weeds including Guava and Fiddle Wood. A bog was discovered in Kawailoa in 1993 by Joel Lau, a botanist from The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, while surveying for rare plants under contract by the Army. Oahu is unique in that it is the only main Hawaiian island which does not have extensive bog habitats. The bog that Joel discovered is the only true bog known on Oahu. Geologically, bogs are characterized by impermeable substrate which limits water drainage. This accumulation of water makes the bog environment severely acidic thus limiting vigorous growth of plants. Hawaiian bogs house both bog-specific plant species, specially adapted to the bog environment, and plant species found throughout the Hawaiian rainforest that become dwarfed in the bog environment. There are many rare and three endangered species within the Kawailoa bog’s stunted vegetation. In April, the Army invited KSBE staffers and trustees on a field trip to the Koolau summit to view these special resources on their land. The trip was organized by Manabu Tagamori, Water Resource Manager for KSBE and Army natural resources personnel. After the trip, both parties agreed to begin working cooperatively to construct a fence around the Koolau bog. This fence would protect the bog from pigs which are the greatest threat to this unique resource. Pigs devour and trample native species within the bog. This effect is magnified in the bog environment because the soils are nutrient-limited and it takes years for bog vegetation to recover from pig damage. In addition, pigs also spread weedy species such as Psidium cattelianum (Strawberry Guava) and Clidemia hirta (Koster’s Curse). These weeds are introduced either in scat or off the animal’s coat. KSBE has purchased all the materials for the construction of the fence and has contracted a professional fencer to supervise the construction. In August 1998, Army natural resources personnel will fly the materials to the Koolau summit and assist in the construction of the fence. The Army hopes that these protection efforts will be followed by many more on KSBE land that the Army leases in the Koolaus. For next year we have begun discussing the construction of a board walk across the bog to facilitate viewing. In this way KSBE can use the bog as an educational tool.

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