Starr, F., K. Starr, and Loope L. 2001. Status of Non-native Plants in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Poster presentation, 2001 Hawaii Conservation Conference (Hilo, Hawaii).
The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands are finite areas where techniques for restoration and weed prevention, detection, and control/eradication strategies are highly successful. Lessons learned on these smaller islands can be applied to similar efforts on the main Hawaiian Islands and vice versa. Alien plants which may be harmful to NWHI can be identified and addressed in a timely manner through periodic monitoring and rapid control. Eradication is easiest when population size is small, preferably a single site, control is swift, and follow up is diligent. As suggested by Herbst and Wagner (1992), a well illustrated non-technical manual of the common plants of the NWHI would assist in identifying plants. In addition, a full time control crew, similar to the Maui Invasive Species Committee on the main Hawaiian Islands would help to coordinate control efforts across Atoll boundaries and hopefully get ahead of some of the worst invasions.
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