Sturm, Paul

Enhancing the Effectiveness of Restoration Efforts in Honokowai and Kapunakea Preserve

2021

Ridge to Reefs

"The project was focused on the continuation of reducing sediment transport within the Honokowai watershed. The focus particularly is on the impact of dirt roads and the resulting transport of sediment from these roads during rainfall events to the adjacent gulches. The projects goals included: 1) implementing vegetative sediment best management practices developed by Ridge to Reefs and its partners in 8-10 kickouts; 2) removing invasive species within test plots associated with kickouts in order to increase the effectiveness of vetiver kickouts through reducing shading created by invasive species adjacent to the kickouts; and 3) to pilot the use of keylining and chitosan in kickouts to increase the sediment trapping ability of these practices. The project implemented vetiver sediment traps successfully within 11 kickouts; developed new methods locally of controlling invasive tree species without poisonous chemicals (using removal and stump treatment methods that included drilling holes in the stump and killing the stump using Epsom salt and by covering with thick plastic); and finally developed promising methods of using a natural chitosan flocculant product with biodegradable deployment methods that are now undergoing laboratory testing in partnership with USEPA and West Maui Ridge to Reefs."

watershed, sediment transport, vetiver sediment trap, invasive species management, chitosan, keylining, Hawaii, Honokowai watershed

NOS

FY2021; CRCP Project ID 31224; Project Title: FY19 - Domestic Coral Reef Conservation Grants; Principal Investigator: Liz Fairey; Grant NA19NOS4820130.

NA19NOS4820130