auropunctatus), rats (Rattus spp.), and cats (Felis catus), feral pigs (Sus scrofa) and Mouflon sheep (Ovis musimon).

Transcription

1 Kahuku The landscape of Kahuku you see today reflects the many different climates, elevations, lava flows and the different ways it has been utilized by humans over the past 1500 years. Kahuku is the name of a large ahupuaʻa, a traditional land division, stretching from the summit of Mauna Loa to the southern tip of the island within the district of Kaʻū. The majority of this ahupuaʻa (150,865 acres) was added to Hawai i Volcanoes National Park in It is is uniquely situated on the volcanically active southwest rift and includes both the wet and dry side of the island, resulting in a biologically diverse landscape including dense ʻōhiʻa (Metrosideros polymorpha) and hāpu u (Cibotium spp) rain forest, koa (Acacia koa) forest, subalpine pūkiawe (Leptecophylla tameiameiae) shrublands, dry lama (Diospyros sandwicensis) and alaheʻe (Psydrax odoratum) woodlands, cinder fields and vast expanses of rocky barren lava flows. These habitats support a variety of native insects and birds. People arriving from distant areas of Polynesia to the South were the first humans to use the land at Kahuku. They procured resources for a localized, subsistence economy. Still, over the course of centuries, their activities modified the natural environment. Early residents cleared native forest and built rock walls to raise edible plants they had introduced such as sweet potato, taro, sugar cane and banana. Remnants of these field systems exist as low, linear earthen mounds and enclosures that can be found in some areas of lower Kahuku. Polynesian settlers also introduced hogs, chickens and rats, all of which impacted native plant and animals as they ate bark, and seeds, or, in the case of hogs, rooted throughout the forest. Settlers felled koa trees for canoes and tools and ʻōhiʻa trees for other wooden implements and firewood. They burned areas of native vegetation to encourage grasses used for thatching. The area became windier and drier due to the loss of forest cover. Destruction of habitat, hunting, and the introduction of nonnative animals caused the extinction of dozens of species of plants and animals, including many unique species of flightless birds. By 1650, environmental degradation and erosion may have contributed to human population decline on Hawaii Island. Even more dramatic social, environmental and economic changes resulted from the arrival of Europeans in Hawaii during the early 1800s. The traditional feudal society and subsistence economy of the Hawaiians began a rapid transition to a market economy that transformed Hawaii s natural resources into extractable commodities valuable in distant markets. A perfect example is the aromatic sandalwood tree, used for incense, furniture and perfume in Asia. British sea captains first harvested and exported the wood in the late eighteenth century, and it remained for a time the most sought-after commodity in the islands. Kahuku was renowned for its sandalwood, and commoners from across the island trespassed on the ahupuaʻa in search of it. Trade in sandalwood began to decline during the 1820s when it was harvested almost to extinction. By that point, many chiefs who had been enticed by modern goods connected with the sandalwood trade had fallen far into debt with their creditors.

2 Throughout the 20 th century, landowners of Kahuku engaged in koa logging, cinder mining, pulu havesting, tree farming, cattle grazing, crop farming and mouflon hunting in order to capitalize on the ranch s natural resources. Perhaps the most significant change was the conversion of native forest to cattle pasture. The first of many attempts to utilize Kahuku as a productive cattle ranch began in 1866 when the area was purchased by the brothers Robert and Theopolis Brown, whale shipmasters from New England. In the years that followed, a series of owners attempted to turn a profit raising livestock in Kahuku. Operations included clearing native forest, introducing dozens of non-native pasture grasses and forbs for forage, controlling pasture weeds, and introducing cattle. Their efforts were consistently hindered by a scarcity of water, the difficulty and expense of transporting cattle from the isolated location, and periodic and destructive lava flows. Despite these difficulties, ranching continued at Kahuku until Today the former cattle pastures of Kahuku are dominated by introduced pasture grasses such as kikuyu (Pennisetum clandestinum) and pangola (Digitaria eriantha), with scattered large ʻōhiʻa and koa trees. Non-native christmasberry (Schinus terebinthifolius), is also common at lower elevations. Following the removal of cattle, park managers have built fences and are removing non-native pigs and mouflon and containg the spread of selected invasive plants to facilitate native species recovery. Native forest remnants containing important species such as ʻōlapa (Cheirodendron trigynum), kōlea (Myrsine lesseriana), hōʻawa (Pittosporum spp.), ʻākala (Rubus hawaiensis), pūkiawe, kāwa u (Ilex amomala), and an assortment of native ferns provide the source material for future forest recovery. In some areas, native forest plants are reestablishing in the former pasture, while in other areas, hundreds of community volunteers have planted thousands of seedlings to assist forest recovery. Many native birds can be observed throughout Kahuku. Two native honeycreepers, Apapane (Himatione sanguinea) and Amakihi (Hemignathus virens), are abundant and frequently observed among the ōhi a lehua. Ōma o or Hawaiian thrushes (Myadestes obscurus) also abound in this area, though are more frequently heard than seen. Endangered Io or Hawaiian hawks (Buteo solitarius) soar over the open areas or perch in trees. Endangered Nēnē or Hawaiian geese (Branta sandvicensis) occasionally visit the open pastures, though more commonly frequent subalpine shrublands. Remote areas of Kahuku are important habitat for additional endangered birds: Ua u or Hawaiian Petrel (Pterodroma sandwichensis), Akepa (Loxops coccineus), Hawai i Creeper (Oreomystis mana) and Akiapōlā au (Hemmignathus munroi). Introduced birds such as Kalij Pheasants (Lophura leucomelana), Erkel s Francolins (Francolinus erkelli), Japanese White-eyes (Zosterops japonicus), Yellow-fronted Canaries (Serinus mozambicus) and Scaly-breasted Munias (Lonchura punctulata) are common. The Hawaiian hoary bat or ōpe ape a (Lasiurus cinereus semotus), Hawai i s only native land mammal, may be roosting in this area. However, because they are nocturnal, you will not likely see any. Kahuku s remaining mammals are all introduced. These include mongooses (Herpestes

3 auropunctatus), rats (Rattus spp.), and cats (Felis catus), feral pigs (Sus scrofa) and Mouflon sheep (Ovis musimon). Many insects can be found in this area; some prefer a single species of plant (specialized) while others live on or near several different plants (generalists). You may see a long-jawed spider (Araneae; Tetragnathidae; Tetragnatha sp.), damsel bug (Heteroptera; Nabidae; Nabis sp.), steel blue ladybird beetle (Coleoptera; Coccinelidae; Halmus chalybeus), bark louse (Psocoptera; Psocidae), koa bug (Heteroptera; Scutellaridae; Coleotichus blackburniae), hapu u snout beetle (Coleoptera; Curculionidae; Stenotrupis prolixum), two-lined long-horned beetle (Coleoptera; Cerambycidae; Plagithmysus bilineatus). Kahuku s environment is a reflection of the natural history and changing human presence over the centuries. Today, visitors expect to see a diverse array of scenic and geologic wonders and the beginning return of its former biological glory.

4 The Kahuku unit of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is outlined on the map. Most habitation, resource procurement and ranching activities occurred in lower elevations between the coast and the tree line. The ahupuaʻa and the ranch property would have extended to the coast. The current NPS boundary reaches from highway 11 up to the summit of Mauna Loa where it connects with the Kilauea section of the park.

5 Avery, Christy Volcano Ranch: An Environmental History of Kahuku Ranch Prepared for the National Park Service Pacific West Region Office, Seattle. Benitez, D., T. Belfield, R. Loh, and L. Pratt Inventory of Vascular Plants of the Kahuku Addition, Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Technical Report 157. Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit, University of Hawai`i, Honolulu, HI. Fraser, H.R., V. Parker-Geisman and G.R. Parish, IV. April Hawaiian hoary bat inventory in national parks on the islands of Hawai`i, Maui and Moloka`i. Technical Report No Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit, University of Hawai`i, Honolulu, Hawai`i. McDaniel, S., R. Loh, S. Dale, and C. Yanger Experimental restoration of mesic and wet forests in former pastureland, Kahuku Unit, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Technical Report No Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit, University of Hawai`i, Honolulu, Hawai`i. 26 pp. Tuggle, H. David and Tomonari-Tuggle, M.J Archaeological Overview and Assessment and Research Design, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Prepared for the National Park Service. International Archaeological Research Institute, Inc., Honolulu. Tweed, E., P.M. Gorresen, R.J. Camp, P.J. Hart and T.K. Pratt Forest Bird Inventory of the Kahuku Unit of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Technical Report No Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit, University of Hawai`i, Honolulu, Hawai`i.