An estimation of the costs of protecting Hawaiʻi's native birds in the event of the establishment of the brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis)

Abstract

This thesis estimates the potential economic impacts of protecting Hawaii's native birds in the event of the establishment of the brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis) by estimating the costs of specific snake control and bird conservation measures. The first part of this study (Chapter 3) develops two hypothetical conservation scenarios, one that only includes the most imperiled bird species and sites in which they are found, and a second, more inclusive scenario that expands the numbers of species and sites that would be protected. Inventories of native Hawaiian birds and the sites where they live were compiled, and interviews were conducted with wildlife managers and biologists familiar with the brown treesnake in order to prioritize species and sites in order of importance to protect. The second part of the study (Chapter 4) creates cost estimations for the sites selected for each of the two conservation scenarios. Interviews with brown treesnake management experts were conducted to determine what methods would be best suited to snake control in Hawaii, as well as what these methods would cost to implement. These costs were used to create an enterprise budget for a prototypical 400 ha conservation area. The perhectare, per-meter, and per-unit costs from this budget were then extrapolated to determine the overall costs for snake management in the selected sites.