Master’s of Environmental Management (MEM) Capstone Reports

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10125/75658

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The effectiveness of video-based education for marine conservation
(2025-05) DeBenedictis, Emma, C.; Vaughan, Mehana; Litton, Creighton M.
As global marine ecosystems face increasing threats, educators must adopt effective strategies to promote conservation awareness and support responsible environmental behavior. Videos have become a key tool in marine education programs, yet few studies have examined their effectiveness or outlined best practices for implementation. This study explores the role of video-based education in two marine programs: the Hanauma Bay Education Program (HBEP) in Hawaiʻi and the Coral Triangle Center (CTC) in Bali, Indonesia, to assess how videos influence visitor engagement, knowledge retention, and conservation behavior. I addressed three key objectives: (1) evaluate the effectiveness of videos in orienting, guiding, and educating visitors, (2) identify which aspects of videos enhance their effectiveness, and (3) determine best practices for implementing videos in marine education programs. I used a mixed-methods approach that included a literature review, visitor surveys at HBEP, video engagement analytics from CTC, and the production and deployment of educational videos at CTC. At HBEP, 96 percent of visitors reported that visuals helped them understand key concepts, and 85 percent said the video influenced their behavior in the water. Respondents most often remembered messages related to Hawaiian culture, marine life etiquette, and reef protection. Visitors also suggested adding practical tips, reef deterioration animations, and more footage of marine species. At CTC, I produced and edited eight short-form videos and supported 17 social media posts on the Saving Oceans Now Instagram account. These efforts led to a major increase in engagement, with likes, shares, and comments rising from 1,273 in April to June 2023 to 34,157 in April to July 2024, and total profile views reaching 76,906. Youth-centered, localized videos such as the Ocean Keeper Club recap performed best. Strategic practices such as optimizing post schedules, tailoring content to Indonesian users aged 25 to 34, and boosting posts significantly improved visibility and interaction. Findings demonstrate that video-based education effectively conveys marine conservation messages, especially when using compelling visuals, narrative storytelling, and interactive elements. This research contributes best practices for marine educators and offers a guidesheet for organizations aiming to strengthen environmental outreach through video.
Stories of water, stories of resilience: community voices of Hāmākualoa
(2025-05) Davis, Lilia; Tsang, Yinphan; Litton, Creighton M.
Climate change is shifting rain patterns and increasing flooding globally. The benefits and challenges of water shape the stories of people and places worldwide, influencing cultures, livelihoods, and ecosystems. In Hawaiʻi, wai (freshwater) is foundational to life, identity, and connection. Community members from Hāmākualoa, Maui, know deeply about their water, streams, and watersheds. They also face uncertainties as increased floods and droughts, exacerbated by climate and land use changes, threaten their homes and livelihoods. Severe flood events in Hāmākualoa, including a dam breach in 2021, highlight the urgent need for community-driven solutions. Guided by the Hawaiian proverb “I kahiki ka ua, ako ʻē ka hale” (While the rain is still far away, thatch the house; Be prepared), the primary objective of this project was to weave the stories of water and resilience in Hāmākualoa, integrating ʻike Hawaiʻi (Indigenous knowledge) and community voices with scientific insights to strengthen preparedness. Through a participatory approach, this study amplifies the voices of Hāmākualoas people—those who have lived through and learned from these events. A community survey (n=33) found that 64% have experienced flooding firsthand, with significant concerns including property damage, blocked waterways, and poor road conditions. Semi-structured interviews (n=9) with residents revealed that traditional stream stewardship once helped regulate water flow, but modern disruptions, such as diversions, climate change, and increased development, have altered natural hydrological patterns. Many emphasized the need to restore traditional stream stewardship practices, to reinforce that resilience is rooted in knowing and caring for the land, and to embrace the unknown. This project has taken meaningful steps toward strengthening community resilience. Specifically, through hosting a stream restoration event that engaged residents in education of stream names/histories along with an activity to create stream name signs for local bridges, reinforcing education and awareness as a step into resilience. These efforts have deepened community awareness, strengthened local stewardship, and provided a foundation for continued collaboration between residents, researchers, agencies, and policymakers. The stories of water in Hāmākualoa are equally stories of resilience, offering lessons for this community and others facing similar climate challenges.
Assessing graduate student volunteer impacts and stewardship reciprocity
(2025-05) Boucher, Olivia, E.; Dacks, Rachel; Litton, Creighton M.
The profound effects of engaging with nature are widely acknowledged, with a growing recognition of the advantages of purposeful activities in nature, such as participation in environmental volunteerism. Cultural ecosystem services (CES) encompass individuals' intangible relationships with their environment, including contributions of nature to mental well-being and a sense of place. One way to experience these CES firsthand is through community-based stewardship opportunities that foster meaningful connections between people and place. The Heʻeia National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) organizes volunteer opportunities, referred to as Laulima (many hands) Days, for graduate students, researchers, and a broader network of collaborators as an opportunity to participate in biocultural restoration projects in the ahupuaʻa (historic land division) of Heʻeia, Hawaiʻi. Further, Laulima Days provide opportunities to further reciprocal relationships with ʻāina by giving back to researched areas. The overarching objective of this capstone project was to discern the CES experienced by graduate students through their participation in biocultural stewardship events. This overarching objective was addressed with three specific objectives: (i) to identify the CES experienced by graduate student participation at Laulima Days; (ii) to investigate what aspects of well-being are influenced by the CES experienced at Laulima Days; and (iii) to determine if participation in biocultural restoration influences graduate student researcher development. Fourteen interviews were conducted with graduate student participants of Laulima Days. Interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify Connect, Learn, Value, Well-being, ʻĀina, and Emotions as the six overarching subjects. Respondents noted several CES, including deepened connection to place, sense of responsibility, and lessened stress. Laulima Days helped students foster reciprocal relationships with place and strengthened relationships between researchers and community members, which is necessary for place-based and co-developed research that aligns with the needs and interests of local communities. These findings provide valuable guidance for integrating CES assessment into restoration monitoring, a need voiced by stewardship communities in Hawai‘i. This research also presents a semi-structured survey, co-developed with interviewees, that can be used to assess the nonmaterial benefits of biocultural restoration projects in He‘eia and beyond.
Farming Practices and Implications for Water Quality and Sustainability at S’ang, Kandal, Cambodia
(2025-05) Chhimcanal, Bunneam; Tsang, Yinphan; Litton, Creighton M.
In Cambodia, the primary water issue is the pollution of surface water by organic and inorganic pollutants linked to agricultural and non-agricultural activities. The objective of this study was to investigate the pressing issue of decreasing water quality linked to agricultural activities using cooperative methods to monitor water quality as influenced by farmer practices. Overall, the goal was to assess the relationship between agricultural runoff and sediment and nutrient levels in local water bodies. As such, this study analyzed the impacts of agricultural practices on water quality in S’ang, Kandal, Cambodia, focusing on farm irrigation, fertilizer application, and manure management via water quality testing, Geographical Information System (GIS) mapping, and qualitative insights from farmer interviews. There were three periods of water sampling, which commenced in May (dry season – with irrigation & fertilizer), August 2024 (wet season – rain-fed period with reduced fertilizer), and March 2025 (dry season – harvest & post-harvest period) to ensure the data captured the complete farming practice and management scenarios. Five farmers participated in the focus group interview. Water samples were analyzed in a laboratory, while Excel was used for data visualization and trend analysis. Nonnumerical Unstructured Data Indexing, Searching, and Theorizing software (NVIVO) facilitated qualitative analysis, identifying themes and patterns from interviews. I found while most parameters such as total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS), and chlorophyll remained within acceptable standards, potassium (K) and turbidity levels frequently exceeded thresholds, particularly during the dry season when fertilizer use and irrigation respectively were most intensive. These elevated K and turbidity levels suggested a strong link between seasonal farming practices and nutrient runoff, although potential contributions from domestic wastewater and industrial sources cannot be ruled out. This study underscored the long-term risks of unmanaged agricultural practices on water quality, potentially affecting both human and ecological health. Promoting best management practices, providing knowledge incentives for sustainable farming, and fostering community-led monitoring programs could help mitigate water contamination. This study provided a critical foundation for improving water resource management in Cambodia and similar agricultural regions globally.
Lessons in Hawaiian Soils: Pedagogical Tools in Soil Science
(2025-05) Barron, Lydia; Crow, Susan E.; Litton, Creighton M.
Soils are the foundation of life, playing a crucial role in supporting ecosystems and human civilization. However, soil degradation and soil loss pose significant threats to food security, water quality, and climate stability. Educating future generations about the importance of soil conservation and management is crucial for sustainable land use practices and environmental stewardship. Soil monoliths are preserved vertical sections of soil that show fundamental concepts in soil science such as soil color, structure, profile, and soil forming processes and factors. This project develops methods to create a tropical soil monolith and evaluates the created monolith as a teaching tool for 3rd and 4th year undergraduate soil science students. Field and laboratory methods were adapted to accommodate the challenges of incoherent tropical soils, including slope stabilization, use of support boards, fabric reinforcement, and preservation using adhesives and drying treatments. These methods were refined through trial and error and are documented to support future efforts in tropical environments. The teaching module showed that both the monolith and soil pans significantly increased student knowledge, though no significant difference was observed between the tools in terms of knowledge gains. I observed the content of student discussions during the teaching module varied based on the teaching tool, where students who used the soil pans tended to discuss color and texture, while students who had the monolith discussed soil structure and depth. Primary outputs of this study include a revised methodology for extraction and preservation of incoherent soil monoliths, an effective pedagogical tool (the Andisol monolith), and teaching module for undergraduate professors to use for explaining soil texture, color, and structure. The methods fill a discrete gap available on monolith creation for tropical soils, which often are incoherent. The created curriculum is publicly available on QUBES, allowing teachers to use and adapt it for their own lesson plans. The study reinforces the advantage of using interactive teaching methods within the classroom. An area of interest for further research would be performing a technical review and refinement of the methodology needed to collect further monoliths from the various unconsolidated soils of Hawai'i including Oxisols and Ultisols.
Exploring the dynamics of women’s inclusion in the ranger workforce
(2025-05) Werner, Kayla; Oleson, Kirsten L.L.; Litton, Creighton M.
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity target of conserving 30% of the planet by 2030 (30x30) requires an estimated 300-500% increase in the global ranger workforce. Despite this critical need, recruitment and retention remain difficult because of poor working conditions and a pronounced gender gap, with women comprising only 3-11% of the global ranger workforce. Although they fulfill an essential role safeguarding biodiversity, rangers face serious workplace hazards and employment challenges, including human-wildlife conflict, violent poaching encounters, corruption, and inadequate training and resources. Adding to these problems, recent incidents of ranger-perpetrated human rights abuses and violent enforcement erode public trust, damage community-ranger relationships, and ultimately undermine conservation efforts. Understanding the potential contributions of women rangers is important, as they can mitigate the personnel shortage and may contribute perspectives and skills that enhance ranger legitimacy and community relationships. This study draws on gender research in both policing and conservation to examine whether, and in what ways, the inclusion of women rangers in Pakistan and Uruguay influences community-ranger relationships. I used thematic analysis to identify patterns and themes from 46 semi-structured interviews conducted with male and female rangers across both countries. A key finding is a common perception that women rangers enhance community trust, especially in Pakistan, where their presence supports de-escalation, encourages respectful communication with communities, and facilitates gender-specific tasks in rural, traditional areas. In Uruguay, more equitable societal views on gender roles have created more opportunities for women’s inclusion but have also diminished the perception of women rangers’ unique contributions towards community-ranger relationships. Cultural and structural barriers limit women’s participation in both countries, validating the importance of gender-sensitive conservation approaches that are informed by the specific social contexts of each site. Creating initial workforce entry points for women may require inclusion strategies which emphasize roles aligned with traditional gender norms. This method may inadvertently reinforce stereotypes that limit women to narrowly defined professional responsibilities, but it can serve as a necessary starting point to drive deeper structural transformation. This research points to the importance of targeted, site-specific approaches for integrating women rangers in ways that strengthen community-ranger relationships and improve conservation outcomes.
The Effectiveness of Reforesting Acacia koa by Crushing Rows in Gorse Thickets (Ulex europaeus) in Humuula, Hawai’i
(UH Mānoa, 2024-05-10) Wehrman, Aaron CK; Idol, Travis; Natural Resources and Environmental Management; Master's of Environmental Management; Idol, Travis
The Effectiveness of Reforesting Acacia koa by Crushing Rows in Gorse Thickets (Ulex europaeus) in Humuula, Hawai’i
Correlating the Current and Potential Ranges of Hawaiʻi’s Declining Native Plant Species in Relation to Slope and Aspect on the Summit of Puʻu Kōnāhuanui on the Island of Oʻahu
(UH Mānoa, 2024-05-10) Ragone, Noah L.; Idol, Travis; Natural Resources and Environmental Management; Master's of Environmental Management; Idol, Travis
The Koʻolau mountain range on Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi, is home to an exceptional amount of endemic plant life. However, the mountain range’s unique biodiversity is under threat from drought and the spread of invasive species, which is exemplified by declining rainfall patterns (Giambelluca et al., 2013). Since rainfall in Hawai’i is strongly related to the dominant trade wind pattern and orographic uplift, this study focused on understanding where certain Koʻolau endemic species are likely to be found and most resistant to these threats based on the aspect of slopes in relation to Oʻahu’s prevailing trade winds. The study surveyed species communities on the summit of Puʻu Kōnāhuanui, with the primary study site being the north, and east-facing aspects of the mountain. Labordia hosakana and Lobelia gaudichaudii subsp. gaudichaudii were the two species surveyed for this study, as both are considered to be high-risk wink-out species, meaning there is no other habitat for them to migrate to in the event their habitat becomes too degraded for their survival (Fortini et al., 2013). The data from the surveys was subsequently used to predict the most viable windswept habitats, in order to provide range information to natural resource managers on Oʻahu. The data showed that only the steepest slopes, ranging from 47.5º - 85º, and the most northerly to easterly aspects, ranging from 30º - 127.5º, proved to harbor the windswept species of concern, with the primary habitats being located between a slope of 40-60º and an aspect between 55-95º. The research findings were used to provide resource managers within the Plant Extinction Prevention Program (PEPP) the best information for protecting rare and declining plant species on the windswept Koʻolau summit from encroaching noxious weeds and for making informed management decisions regarding species of concern in the future, potentially establishing new habitats in other suitable locations throughout the range. Recommendations from the PEPP included future on-the-ground work to survey for species, targeted weed treatment to protect rare plant populations, and fencing, which has not been implemented anywhere in the southern Koʻolau mountains.
Invasive Vegetation Management: An Overview of Two Key Fire Risk Plant Species in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park
(UH Mānoa, 2024-04-28) Oxley, Katherine; Trauernicht, Parker Clay; Natural Resources and Environmental Management; Master's of Environmental Management; Idol, Travis
Morella faya tree (Morella faya) and fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum) have both been continuously managed throughout Hawai‘i due to their invasiveness and contribution to fire risk. Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park (HAVO) has identified these specifically as fire-promoting invasive species. The islands have been experiencing an increase in wildfire occurrences over several years. Widespread fires have caused significant damage to native ecosystems and threatened the safety of local communities. Treatment patterns regarding these two plants over time may provide insight into how invasive species management impacts wildfire behavior allowing land managers to create solutions to try to prevent future fires. This study’s purpose was to identify literature gaps concerning invasive species management in Hawai‘i and work with an organized dataset of fire-related invasive species control in HAVO for potential future analysis. Having a dataset with several years of treatment data can provide land managers with an idea of the impact of current treatments now and in the future. The literature review focused on the management of faya and fountain grass as fire-promoting invasive species. Information for my research solely concerned management areas within HAVO. A dataset obtained from the park containing treatment dates, herbicide details, and worker efforts per management unit over 20 years was provided to interpret trends. Microsoft Excel was used to organize and extract the variables needed to track work efforts. Looking at only faya and fountain grass data, the variables chosen for building the table were individual plants treated, hours of effort workers worked on sweeps, and the amount of herbicide used each time. The outputs of my study were the dataset containing only the extracted variables created as a product to be utilized by park staff for management decisions and the literature review. There was a significant number of studies concerning the use of chemical management treatments on invasive species. However, not much is currently known about how an ecosystem is affected in the long term after these treatments. Further studies need to be conducted to determine the effectiveness of long-term management plans.
Investigating Factors of Understaffing for Natural Resource Management Agencies of Hawai‘i
(UH Mānoa, 2024-05-07) Kauka, Tatum K.; Chan, Catherine; Natural Resources and Environmental Management; Master's of Environmental Management; Idol, Travis
Increased natural resource depletion has encouraged government initiatives at various levels to better conserve, protect, and manage them. Unfortunately, many objectives are impossible to achieve due to current understaffing within natural resource management agencies. Public data from Hawai‘i agencies reveal that excessive staff shortages are a large contributor to their failure to meet ecological and social targets. This project aims to better understand the factors affecting the understaffing crisis across natural resource management agencies of Hawai‘i. Primary sources reveal that there are roughly eight existing retention and recruitment factors affecting understaffing in a workplace. Factors were translated into job attributes in which an evaluation of each was performed. Using a perception survey amongst current and potential employee candidates for the natural resources field, a total of 132 survey responses were collected. Through descriptive statistics, a respondent data set was generated to separate respondents into groups based on their responses to demographic questions. Then multilinear regression and thematic analyses were performed to evaluate the differences or similarities of groups' perceptions of the identified workforce factors. Key findings reveal that across all respondent groups, factors related to compensation and work environment were ranked as highly important, while other factors such as career advancement and recognition were ranked as least important. Demographics including age, gender, education level, college major, and professional experience correlated positively with the workforce factors. Specific demographic groups were significant in determining the importance of factors. Participants identified several emerging barriers related to job satisfaction which are separate from those already identified in this study. Results were shared to interested parties through a perception dataset, this report, and a presentation. All outputs identify the advantages and potential gaps existing within current natural resource management positions. These areas of concern are addressed in the hopes that agencies across these fields will utilize project findings as evidence to target the improvement of marketing or structuring job positions. With these appropriate changes, agencies may enhance staffing and refine management operations in the near future.
Improving Collaboration Between Native Hawaiians and Energy Professionals to Explore Geothermal Energy Potential in Hawai‘i
(UH Mānoa, 2024-05-08) Kamanā, Noa; Vaughan, Mehana; Natural Resources and Environmental Management; Master's of Environmental Management; Idol, Travis
Climate change is threatening vulnerable islands like Hawaiʻi, posing major economic and social risks. The development of renewable energy in Hawaiʻi offers the possibility for energy independence and improving Hawaiʻi’s overall carbon footprint. Geothermal energy is one renewable energy source with promising possibilities to contribute to Hawaiʻi’s 2045 goal to transition to 100% renewables. Geothermal is a firm renewable energy option available in Hawaiʻi for the foreseeable future. However, geothermal development consistently faces opposition from the Native Hawaiian community, stemming from Hawaiian cultural identity and beliefs that natural resources are akua (Gods). Volcanic resources are the kinolau (physical form) of the goddess Pele. Throughout Hawaiʻi’s history post overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy, Native Hawaiians have been marginalized by government officials and developers making it difficult to receive recognition in western decision making processes that overlook the cultural implications of development. This capstone project explores how to improve collaboration between Native Hawaiians and decision-makers for geothermal energy development. Seven semi-structured interviews were conducted with individuals from three groups; (1) Native Hawaiians community members, (2) Native Hawaiian geothermal professionals, and (3) non-native geothermal professionals. Interviews focused on the current status of geothermal development, participant feelings towards geothermal, perceived obstacles, knowledge gaps and recommendations to improve future geothermal and other renewable energy developments in Hawaiʻi. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed to identify similarities and differences in responses. Findings include six key themes. 1) shared understanding of the need for renewable energy in Hawaiʻi, (2) primary obstacles facing geothermal are not cultural opposition, (3) reasons for support of geothermal, (4) cultural implications of geothermal, (5) need for improved dialogue and rebuilding trust between Native Hawaiians and government, (6) improvement of social justice for affected communities. However, there is still much work that needs to be done to fill current knowledge gaps and rebuild the trust that has been lost to improve future geothermal energy efforts.
Where Kāhuli Wander: Climate change and a Hawaiian tree snail
(UH Mānoa, 2024-05-08) Hee, Charlton Kūpa'a; Price, Melissa; Natural Resources and Environmental Management; Master's of Environmental Management; Idol, Travis
As climate-suitable envelopes shift for increasing numbers of sensitive species, assisted translocations may be necessary for hundreds of native Hawaiian species that have no overlap between current and future climate-suitable habitat. Translocations are fraught with risk for source populations. The development of protocols and benchmarks for translocation, release, and monitoring are critical to successfully moving species into climate-suitable habitat. Hawaiian tree snails, Kāhuli in the Hawaiian language, have dramatically declined over the last century due to invasive predators, habitat loss, and climate change. As predator-exclusion fences have proven effective in protecting snails from invasive predators, the Division of Forestry and Wildlife Snail Extinction Prevention Program (SEPP) is translocating wild snails into predator-exclusion fences in climate-suitable areas outside their known historical range. These translocations provide an optimal case study to examine the home range establishment of a climate-sensitive species. In this study I used capture-mark-recapture techniques to evaluate movement patterns and reconstruct individual home ranges for 70 translocated snails, 35 at two predator-exclusion sites. I also pioneered use of a new photo-identification tool and optimized protocols that can be used as a template for future translocations, releases and monitoring . Released individuals established stable home ranges within 2-4 months, supporting the hypothesis that after an initial wandering phase a stable home range would be established. Home range size varied between two locations, one with an established native snail population and one without . My capstone report and a subsequent peer-reviewed scientific article will serve SEPP as credible justification for future conservation introductions of at-risk species into areas outside of their historical range. The study results demonstrate that translocated populations are likely to persist, establishing novel home ranges when translocated into climate-suitable habitat.
Fire in the House of Water: Monitoring the Impact of Anthropogenic Wildfire on Native Forest in West Maui
(UH Mānoa, 2024-05-07) Carter, William; Friday, James B; Natural Resources and Environmental Management; Master's of Environmental Management; Idol, Travis
Anthropogenic wildfire has become a dominant threat to Hawaiʻi’s native ecosystems. Shifting land use patterns, human activity, and climate change have resulted in an exponential increase in land area burned across the island chain over the last century. This project addresses the threat that wildfire poses to native forests, using one particular fire as a case study: the Kauaʻula fire that occurred in November 2022 in West Maui. This fire was a result of human ignition in unmanaged invasive grasslands. It burned close to 2,000 acres across various ecological zones and a roughly 3,000 foot elevation gradient into pristine native forest that had never burned in recorded history. This fire overlapped and surpassed a smaller fire that occurred in 2007. The Kauaʻula fire was a particularly extreme example of the well documented grass-fire cycle, considering the extent to which the fire breached into pristine native habitat. In collaboration with the Mauna Kahālāwai Watershed Partnership (MKWP), the goal of this project was to establish a photo monitoring study of the area to show change over time along the elevation gradient of the burn zone, specifically documenting initial ecological succession of native and invasive plant species. Data collection was done 9 months post-fire and 16 months post-fire. Invasive grass species such as Andropogon virginicus, Melinis minutiflora, and other weeds dominated the lower plots, while the upper plots showed a mix of native/invasive re-growth. Much of the new upper elevation burn area remained bare and prone to erosion for the extent of the study. In Hawaiʻi it is critical to have location-specific data to guide management decisions as we continue to adapt to the growing threat of wildfire. The results of this study provide a general timeline of re-growth and invasion trends, suggesting when and where to implement restoration efforts for similar disturbances in the future.
Place-Based Equity for Hawaiʻi's Local Producers
(UH Mānoa, 2024-05-08) Apilado, Destiny M.; Crow, Susan; Natural Resources and Environmental Management; Master's of Environmental Management; Idol, Travis
To rectify the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) extensive history of discrimination against small and minority farmers nationwide, the USDA Equity Commission and Farm Bill policies were established to improve the equitable distribution of federal resources (i.e., grants, incentives, and loans). Although USDA equity policies acknowledge national injustices, they fail to address the context of values, challenges, and histories unique to Hawaiʻi’s producers. This research leveraged the community’s knowledge by conducting 20 talk-story interviews with producer-supporting organizations and collecting 72 survey responses from producers to explore the locally existing barriers to accessing financial resources and identify the communities of producers who are most impacted by barriers. Thematic analysis of community input suggests the most underinvested producers in Hawaiʻi include Native Hawaiian, immigrant, subsistence, and small-land leaseholder farmers and ranchers. Systemic barriers, program desirability and eligibility, and institutional distrust affect these producers’ access to financial resources. These findings were used to develop policy recommendations within a place-based, five-dimensional equity framework. The primary recommendation is to improve outreach within Native Hawaiian, immigrant, subsistence, and small-land leaseholder producer communities by applying place-based research ethics. Equitable outreach would increase local awareness of opportunities and create a foundation for bidirectional communication between local communities and institutions that can expand the capacity to make future well-informed equity decisions. Implications of this research are especially relevant for policymakers in the Hawaiʻi State Legislators, federally-funded agriculture projects, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service Pacific Island Area to holistically drive Hawaiʻi’s socio-ecological resilience outcomes.
Community-based streamside Albizia removal and restoration in Hawaiʻi
(2023-05) Streamfellow, Sienna Camile Trinity; Watson, JC; Litton, Creighton M.
Degraded watersheds and the associated loss of ecological services exacerbate erosion and fail to protect human infrastructure during extreme precipitation events which are becoming more frequent globally. Non-native plant invasions are a major contributor to watershed degradation, necessitating their removal to restore watershed function. In Hawaiʻi, Albizia (Falcataria moluccana) is a highly invasive and hazardous tree that can grow up to 5m annually. During high flow events, Albizia can clog streamways, damaging homes, and threatening human life. The objective of this project was to create an publicly accessible document on streamside Albizia in Hawaiʻi that outlines a framework for communities to follow and provides recommendations on (i) removal techniques, and (ii) streamside ecological restoration following Albizia removal. Recommendations were created by synthesizing information from a literature review of available resources on Albizia removal and restoration (e.g., peer reviewed documents, websites, management plans). In addition, interviews were conducted with local land practitioners (non-profit groups and small community groups) conducting Albizia management in Hawaiʻi. I assisted a case study site on the Kalihiwai River, Kauaʻi conducting similar work to test and refine recommendations. The literature review and interviews were used to create a streamside ecological restoration flowchart designed to guide community members in streamside Albizia removal and restoration projects. Resources in the flowchart include a compiled reference list of ecologically and culturally important plants to inform replanting of restoration sites. At the case study site, several hazardous trees were identified and removed along the streamside and non-hazardous tree removal techniques were shared with members of the community. The case study site highlighted the social intricacies of invasive species management as well as the foundational work needed to continue maintenance and monitoring of restoration projects. Most restoration projects lack funding for long-term restoration monitoring beyond the large initial cost of tree removal. In particular, conducting large-scale removal of mature, hazardous trees takes substantial effort and money from community groups to execute. Access to the results of this project can provide a framework for similar efforts in Hawaiʻi and on other Pacific Islands in cases that require community management with limited initial knowledge and funding.
Which Factors Influence Oʻahu ʻElepaio (Chasiempis ibidis) Nesting Success in Rodent-Controlled and Uncontrolled Areas?
(2023-05) Preston, Nicole; Price, Melissa; Litton, Creighton M.
Reducing invasive rat populations is a common approach when protecting endangered birds globally, but as populations recover following conservation actions, they may expand into nearby areas without rat control and experience higher mortality in these unprotected areas, developing a ‘source-sink’ dynamic. Nesting success of breeding populations of O’ahu ‘Elepaio (Chasiempis ibidis) has increased following rat control over the last decade, and dispersing individuals are now establishing breeding territories in nearby areas without rat control. This may leave ‘Elepaio nests in newly-occupied areas vulnerable to rat predation. The objective of this study was to compare the nesting success and nest-site characteristics of ‘Elepaio between sites with and without rodent control. A total of 48 nests were monitored, 29 at the site with rodent control and 19 at the site without rodent control. Nesting success and potential causes of nest failure were determined using motion-activated game cameras placed near ‘Elepaio nests, as well as direct observations. Rat tracking tunnels were utilized to evaluate rodent presence. Logistic exposure models were used to investigate the relationship between survival probability and nest-site characteristics (tree height, nest height, tree species relative dominance, and rodent abundance). Rat activity was significantly lower at the site with rat control, consistent with expectations (p<0.01, t=4.8). Between sites, a total of 27 nests hatched chicks and only 2 nests failed due to depredation. There was no difference in nesting success between sites (p=0.96; X2= 0.002). The site without rodent control produced 18 chicks, and the site with rat control produced 15 chicks. The top logistic exposure model predicted that nest survival is highest when the nest is positioned at the highest point in the tree. Vegetation composition was similar between sites and did not influence nesting success. Our results suggest that expanding populations of ‘Elepaio in areas without rat control are able to nest successfully. Nesting habitats should be managed for optimum tree heights to support the persistence and expansion of O’ahu ‘Elepaio populations. Further, ground-based rat control may not adequately protect tree-nesting birds from rats with arboreal tendencies, and future studies should explore alternatives that better remove arboreal rats.
No Ka Lāhui: Using IUCN Data to Inform Recovery of Imperiled Species of Hawaiʻi, for Hawaiʻi
(2023-05) Christophersen, Brissa Kamakaniokekai; Price, Melissa R.; Litton, Creighton M.
Extinction rates have increased dramatically over the past century, a trend that is likely to continue with the increasing prevalence of threats such as climate change. Global databases are critical not only to highlight potential conservation solutions, but also to provide global and regional datasets for increased collaboration. Despite this potential, many global databases still lack comprehensive data regarding threats and conservation actions. The IUCN Red List is the most well-known of these global databases for species assessments. In this study IUCN Red List data for at-risk species in Hawai‘i were evaluated in regards to: (1) threats and conservation actions across taxonomic groups; (2) recovery actions to address climate change explicitly addressed in Red List data; and (3) incorporation of Indigenous and Local Knowledge (ILK). A total of 401 species from the Hawaiian Islands had threat and conservation action data on the IUCN Red List, and were therefore included in this study. Plants were the most numerous taxonomic group (n=361), followed by vertebrates (n=32) and invertebrates (n=8). Plants faced the highest number of threats, with habitat loss/modification and nonnative species invasion identified as the main threats. The number of species in each threat category differed significantly (X²12=1449.7, p<0.05). Although climate change was identified as a threat for some species, no specific conservation actions were identified to address this threat, in contrast to other identified threats. The disparity in data availability across taxonomic groups limited analyses for invertebrates, with threat data only available for eight arthropods and absent for all tree snail species, many of which are well-known locally to be on the brink of extinction. Hawaiian names were noted for some species, but other forms of ILK have yet to be incorporated in the Red List, despite published and written repositories of knowledge regarding Hawaiian species that are available in both English and Hawaiian languages. These results highlight the need for a structured elicitation process to be incorporated into the IUCN listing framework to increase inclusion of ILK knowledge and the identification of specific actions to address the threat posed by climate change to globally threatened species.
Assessment of Habitat Change for the Critically Endangered Kiwikiu
(2023-05) Morrison, Leila; Warren, Christopher; Litton, Creighton M.
The kiwikiu (Maui Parrotbill; Pseudonestor xanthophrys) is a critically endangered Hawaiian honeycreeper with fewer than 200 estimated individuals remaining in 30km2 of high-elevation native forest in East Maui. Kiwikiu have experienced vast historical habitat loss and continue to be threatened by predation, disease, non-native species, and associated habitat loss and degradation. The introduced avian malaria disease is currently the primary restriction for kiwikiu range, severely limiting the species’ potential habitat occupancy to higher-elevation forests, with further range restrictions from this threat expected by global climate change. In turn, existing suitable habitat remains highly threatened by non-native invasive plants and ungulates. Therefore, current site-specific habitat assessments are needed to prioritize management actions (e.g., fencing and ungulate management, invasive plant control, outplantings). The primary objective of this project was to document habitat change that occurred over the past 16 years within the Manawainui region of Haleakalā National Park by designing and applying an efficient vegetation survey protocol to pre-existing vegetation plots from a 2005–2006 kiwikiu habitat study. The vegetation survey methodology was designed to accurately and rapidly assess select indicators of preferred kiwikiu habitat identified in the initial study (i.e., community composition and vegetation structure). Vegetation surveys were conducted in July and August of 2022. Habitat variables were analyzed individually in R and via multivariate analyses in PC-ORD to identify changes in habitat over time. Survey results indicated a significant increase in species richness across woody and herbaceous taxa, while non-native plants continue to be minimally distributed within the survey area. Results also showed a significant increase in tree diversity. In contrast, vegetative ground cover decreased significantly. These results indicate substantial habitat recovery due to prolonged low ungulate densities. However, increased understory disturbance indicates recent increases in feral pig activity. To prevent further degradation, the complete removal and exclusion of feral ungulates from Manawainui should be prioritized, allowing for continued large-scale passive restoration. Vegetation surveys should be reconducted at 5–10 year intervals, which will allow continued documentation of habitat recovery necessary to inform management actions for kiwikiu and other forest bird habitat, as well as overall ecosystem health.
Lessons from the Loʻi: Hoʻokuaʻāina and Biocultural Stewardship
(2023-05) Farrant, Vance Kaleohano; Vaughan, Mehana; Litton, Creighton M.
Communities globally are advocating for their biocultural landscapes, which are increasingly threatened by extractive models of resource management. In Hawaiʻi, many ʻāina-based organizations (ʻāina: land, nearshore sea, that which feeds) have formed since the 1970s to care for people and places, but these organizations can struggle to receive adequate funding, volunteers, and research to sustain and scale their efforts. Hoʻokuaʻāina is an ʻāina-based organization in Kailua, Oʻahu that cultivates community through kalo farming and educational programs. My overarching project goal was to empower ʻāina-based organizations to share the perspectives of their community members with a broad audience. I achieved this goal by (1) supporting Hoʻokuaʻāina’s specific research interests, (2) developing an interview-to-essay methodological model, and (3) discussing these topics in relation to biocultural stewardship. Building upon two prior years of volunteering at this site, I partnered with Hoʻokuaʻāina to conduct and transcribe 40 interviews (30-90 minutes each) from 2020-2022 about peoples’ experiences with and perspectives on Hoʻokuaʻāina. Interviewees included staff and interns, children of the executive directors, organizational consultants, local elders, and a local elementary school teacher. I chose a group of 12 interviews that exhibited a diversity of perspectives and converted each of those interview transcripts into a short essay. I edited the essays with the interviewees and Hoʻokuaʻāina’s executive directors, which included adding, trimming, reordering, and rephrasing content. I produced 12 essays, each ~1500 words. I analyzed the essays for emergent themes using an iterative coding system to organize essay excerpts. These essays demonstrate that Hoʻokuaʻāina provides a healthy educational environment that creates the potential for personal and collective growth when people commit themselves to the place and its community, whether that is for a day, a season, or a lifetime. The essays highlighted that relationships filled with love were key to personal transformation at Hoʻokuaʻāina. This essay collection demonstrates the value of Hoʻokuaʻāina to the people that the organization serves, which will ideally increase awareness, understanding, and support of Hoʻokuaʻāina and other ʻāina-based organizations. This project may inspire future efforts to communicate the value of biocultural stewardship in Hawaiʻi and beyond.
Online Environmental Management: Connecting Management and Stakeholders Via Influencer Marketing
(2023-05) Gaughen, Kapono M.; Idol, Travis; Litton, Creighton M.
To effectively address modern environmental problems, managers require the input of practitioners, scientists, and stakeholders on local to international scales. With the rise of social media, traditional approaches to engaging stakeholders risk becoming antiquated. Social-media-based marketing methods may represent opportunities for managers to enhance their stakeholder engagement abilities. This project tested the utilization of Influencer Marketing (IM), an approach used to reach particular demographics through pre-established online communities and relationships, to increase the number of core stakeholders engaged by The State of Hawaii Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR). DAR sponsored Social Media Influencers (SMIs) to post sponsored content designed to engage DAR’s core stakeholders and elicit their participation in four projects. Project-1 and Project-3 were meetings used to engage and inform DAR’s stakeholders. Project-2 and Project-4 were online stakeholder surveys used to begin designing DAR’s new policies. Each Project provided methodology lessons and potential trends adapted to the subsequent Projects. Effectiveness was determined through comparisons with DAR’s past projects, survey results, SMI metadata, and independently tracked URLs. The results of each project varied, but all showed an increase in the number of engaged stakeholders compared to DAR’s traditional approaches: Project-1 yielded an 83.1% increase in meeting attendance (p<0.01); Project-2 resulted in 3,277 survey responses, 90.3% originating from the survey “going viral” by the posts of unsponsored SMIs; Project-3 yielded a 50.7% increase in meeting attendance (p<0.05); Project-4 resulted in 191 survey responses, of which stakeholders submitted 99.5%. The effectiveness of IM for stakeholder engagement appears to be affected by the messaging used by sponsored SMI and the platforms sponsored content is posted on. This project demonstrated that IM could be utilized to engage the stakeholders of environmental managers and that SMIs with identities similar to those of stakeholders can have concentrations of stakeholders in their followings. Furthermore, independent SMIs were found to be able to unilaterally affect policy.

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