Strawberry Guava Biocontrol
Restoring natural balance to Hawaii's forests and watersheds with the help of a bug

  • The Final Environmental Assessment: Biocontrol of Strawberry Guava by its Natural Control Agent for Preservation of Native Forests in the Hawaiian Islands, View info about Adobe Acrobat PDF format including the Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), is now available as announced in the 08 November 2011 edition of The Environmental Notice (Hawaii Office of Environmental Quality Control).
  • The approving agency was changed from the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources to the Hawaii Department of Agriculture (as allowed by HRS Chapter 343).
  • Public comments were received on the draft version of the environmental assessment in the public comment period (June 23-July 23, 2010). During this time, 211 letters--copies of which are included in the final environmental assessment--were received regarding the draft environmental assessment. Of these letters, approximately two thirds (137) were in support of the proposed biocontrol release; approximately one third (70) were in opposition; and 4 did not state a position regarding the release of the biocontrol agent. An official letter was sent from the Hawaii Department of Agriculture in response to each letter submitted. The comment period is now closed..
Summary of environmental assessment findings:
Why biocontrol for strawberry guava?

  1. Water
  2. Native species
  3. Agriculture
  4. Cultural resources
More details...

Strawberry guava vs. native forest
Overflight of strawberry guava infestation
(Click video once to play in place;
click again to play in new page.)

strawberry guava thicket chokes out native forest
strawberry guava thicket chokes out native forest

strawberry guava infestation (aerial view)
Strawberry guava infestation (aerial view)
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The Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk (HEAR) project is currently funded by the Pacific Basin Information Node (PBIN) of the National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) through PIERC (USGS) with support from HCSU (UH Hilo). More details are available online. Pacific Basin Information Node (PBIN)National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII)
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This page was created on 23 June 2010 by PT, and was last updated on 08 November 2011 by PT. Valid HTML 4.01!