Bishop Museum

The November 2023 Wildfires in the Mililani Mauka Portion of the Oahu Forest National Wildlife Refuge (OFNWR) Destroyed Approximately 1700 Acres of Mixed Native and Alien Forest. This Forest Is Home to 22 Species of Plants and Animals Listed as Threatened or Endangered (T E) by the Usfws and the Area Includes Many Other Non Listed and Rare Native Species. the Purpose of the Ofnwr Is to Provide Habitat for the T E Species. Without Intervention Natural Post Fire Succession in the Area Is Likely to Be Dominated by Invasive Species Which Will Compromise the Ability of Native Species to Establish in the Area. If Invasive Species Become Established in the Burned Area They Will Spread Into Nearby Forests Further Compromising the Ecosystem and Potentially Changing the Landscape Towards a More Fire Prone System.one Important Component of the Post Fire Management for the Area Is the Reestablishment of Native Plants in the Burned Area. Unfortunately the Natural Recruitment of Native Plants Is Seriously Limited Due to the Presence of Numerous Non Native Seed and Seedling Predators and Light Moisture and Space Competition From Invasive Plant Species. Therefore the Large Scale Successful Reestablishment of Native Plants in Hawaii Requires Human Assistance to Complete the Lifecycle From Seed to Established Plant.we Propose to Support the Fish and Wildlife Service Work to Manage and Restore the Burned Portions of the Oahu Forest National Wildlife Refuge Through Native Seed Collection Processing Storage and Germination Services. Bishop Museum Botanists Will Conduct a Review of Plants Observed Historically From the Area. Using This Information and Associated Occurrence Records Our Botanists Will Work With FWS Staff to Develop a List of Species Targeted for Collection. We Will Locate and Monitor Native Plant Populations and Collect Seeds Over Five Years. All Collection Locations Will Be Documented and Voucher Specimens of Plants Will Be Deposited at the Bishop Museum Herbarium. Seeds Will Be Cleaned Counted Dried and Stored at the Bishop Museum Seed Bank. We Will Conduct Germination Trials to Estimate Viability. in Coordination With FWS Staff Seeds Will Be Removed From Storage Germinated and Grown to a Suitable Size in Anticipation of Planting Into the Burned Areas. All Collection Activities and the Number of Seeds at Each Step of Processing Will Be Reported to FWS Personnel Annually or More Frequently as Needed for Management Activities and Planning. (please Note That the Grantsolutions.gov Portal Did Not Allow for Commas Dashes and Other Punctuation or Diacritical Markings. These Were Removed From the Text.)