Hawaii Conservation Technology Initiative

The Hawai'i conservation technology initiative aims to facilitate and hasten the application of new conservation tools and technologies, proven effective in at least one high-priority Hawaiian native forest, by groups working in other high-priority conservation areas where these new technologies are not yet in use. The implementation of these cutting-edge technologies will be made faster and easier by sharing successful methodologies, science-based results, conservation data layers, insights and experiences with Hawaii's conservation community through a single, easily accessible online network.

Much of the initial data for the network would come from existing public data layers and from new mapping and monitoring technologies developed by contractors for The Nature Conservancy of Hawai'i. These technologies include extremely high-resolution aerial imaging to locate invasive weeds, and remote wireless equipment applications and networks to transmit data about threats to Hawaii's forested watersheds, including feral animals and wildfires.

• 1) What is your innovation and how will it impact Hawai'i for the better?
  Emerging technologies are advancing exponentially the capacity of public and private conservation partners across the state to perform key functions to protect Hawaii's precious native forests. A number of technologies have been developed, piloted and proven in the field, but are not yet widely implemented throughout Hawai'i. These include:
  
  * Remote sensing mapping: low-cost, high-resolution aerial mapping producing natural color and multi-spectral infrared images, ortho-rectified and adjusted for elevational changes, producing 2cm per pixel resolution, with GPS coordinates for each pixel.
  
  Reference: http://www.resourcemappinghawaii.com http://www.resourcemappinggis.com http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/hawaii/press/press3906.htm
  
  * Invasive Plant Identification: interpret the imagery data collected from remote mapping, through computer algorithms, and visual interpretation working with the UH Hilo Kipuka project and conservation professionals, to develop search images for Hawaii's most threatening canopy-level invasive species: Australian tree fern, Miconia, Strawberry guava, Albizia, ginger, and others.
  
  Reference: Hawaii Conservation Conference 2009 - VideoRemote Sensing and Invasive Weed Management, Stephen Ambagis presenting, working with the University of Hawaii Hilo and native Hawaiian students with Kipuka learning center: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/hawaiiconservation.../id329377708
  
  * Aerial-based invasive species control in remote terrain using specific GPS coordinates and precision direct application.
  
  Reference: http://www.kauaiwatershed.org/projects_ATFcontrol.html
  
  * Radio and satellite-based transmitters to send communication signals from the field into the internet.
  
  * Repeater stations to transmit communication signals out of deep valleys and forested areas
  
  * Video camera technologies to view, and operate via computer from the office, remote devices such as traps, fire cameras, and field monitoring devices.
  
  * Network-based sharing of information and strategies among conservation partners using direct-uploaded data layers specific to an area, and general data layers drawing from one million plus publicly available layers.
  
  Reference: http://www.intelesense.net http://www.intelesense.net/news/article/2010-06-01-the-nature-conservancy-and-intelesense-collaborate-for-conservation
• 2) How has your innovation been tested or piloted?
  Resource Mapping Hawaii (RMH) has mapped tens of thousands of acres of native forest on Kaua'i, O'ahu, Moloka'i, East Maui and Hawai'i Island. Data processing has been completed for thousands of acres. Successful search images have been developed for Australian tree fern, Miconia, Strawberry guava, ginger, albizia and others. Aerial helicopter treatment of Australian tree fern using the remote sensing mapped GPS points have successfully eliminated 2,972 Australian tree fern in the Kaua'i forest, of 3,600 mapped to date. RMH successfully mapped herbicide-treated Australian tree fern demonstrating the utility of this technology to track weed control progress. Radio and satellite repeaters have been installed in Wainiha Valley and Mt. Wai'ale'ale on Kaua'i, and this winter will transmit signals via satellite and internet into the conservation manager's office computer in Lihu'e. These signals have successfully documented, with still and video images, animal movements in the forest by day and by night using infrared viewing. They will also arm and re-set traps. Other applications may include stream monitoring devices transmitting data via radio and satellite. These systems will also be tested for in-office notification of fence breaches using electric signals on the fence line (Kaua'i & South Kona), and for in-office scanning for forest fire smoke using mauka video scanning cameras (South Kona). The Intelesense network, being used around the world for conservation and other applications, was piloted in Hawai'i and is ready for complete integration with TNC's and others' data layers. Note: We are looking for other examples of new tools, or areas where tools have been successfully piloted. If you are reading this, please chime in!
• 3) What community problems or opportunities does your innovation address?
  Hawaii's native forests are among the richest, the most diverse and unique in the world. Healthy native forests actively provide Hawaii's people with their water, through capture of rain and mists and seepage through many layers of canopy, shrubs and mosses, into our aquifers. Damaged forests destroy habitat for wildlife and water catchment ability; runoff sends muddy water into the ocean, destroying our reefs. Invasive species, fire, land conversion and other challenges present the greatest threats to Hawaii's native forests. Dozens of conservation entities are working collaboratively throughout Hawai'i to protect and steward the forests that still cover a third of our islands, including managers of public parks, refuges and private preserves, watershed partnerships, invasvie species committees and others.We can significantly advance conservation in Hawai'i via emerging technologies by spreading knowledge of these new techniques throughout the islands, and by networking together the information gathered so that our stretched resources can be targeted to address the highest threats.
• 4) Why is this project a compelling investment? How will you define success?
  During the past several years, significant resources have been dedicated to research and development of new technology-driven conservation tools. These have demonstrated great success and promise for the future. Statewide collaboration among many partners will enable these tools to be used in numerous locations, advancing conservation and generating new ideas for refinement and development of even better tools. The timing is perfect for taking these tools to scale. Success will be defined as follows: 1) Each priority forested landscape in Hawai'i has implemented one or more of the new tools to successfully identify and or manage an existing forest threat. 2) New refinements and ideas for new tools are generated. 3) An initial website of Hawai'i conservation information accessible to all conservation organizations is created. 4) 3-6 specific networks are created for partners stewarding specific major forested landscapes.
• 5) Why are your orgnization, partners, and key personnel suited to take on this project?
  The Nature Conservancy has worked successfully with many partners throughout Hawai'i to test and pilot these technologies, including the many watershed partnerships throughout Hawai'i, Resource Mapping Hawai'i, Intelesense, the University of Hawai'i, the State of Hawai'i Department of Land and Natural Resources and Department of Agriculture, the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Army, Kamehameha Schools, the Island Invasive Species Committees and private landowners and non-profit organizations throughout Hawai'i dedicated to stewarding our native forests. The Nature Conservancy's island program managers, field crews and science team have worked cooperatively on TNC preserves and on partner lands throughout Hawai'i to develop, test and pilot these technologies.
  
  Several other conservation organizations also submitted concepts that involve data sharing to one degree or another, alongside projects relevant to their priorities. These projects are outlined below. We have reviewed each other’s concepts and had two conference calls with several staff from each of the four organizations, and have agreed that our concepts are complementary, not redundant, reflect the different needs of the groups at different phases, and we have agreed to further participate and share data and processes that inform each others’ projects as we proceed.
  
  "Island-to-Island Data Sharing for Effective Watershed Conservation"
  • Hawai'i Association of Watershed Partnerships (HAWP), of which TNC is a member. Concept involves standardizing data metrics among the various watershed partnerships statewide, then sharing the data
  • i.e. more a focus on how to standardize measures for data collected by different participants than the tools to collect data or the data sharing platform itself.
  
  Standardized metrics (not easy) is a process TNC has been working on for about five years ourselves, and also participates in more broadly through a data hui, so we hope to add value to the HAWP project with our data and experience with metrics.
  
  "Hawaii Island Sensitive Area Detection (HI-SAD) project"
  • A collaboration of the Big Island Invasive Species Committee (BIISC), the Three Mountain Alliance, and the Kohala Mountains Watershed Partnership, all of which TNC is a member of/participates in. This project aims to assemble the basic GIS files and documents needed for Hawai'i Island invasives work, then share them on an existing FTP server accessible to the partners and people doing the on the ground control. TNC has been working with BIISC on collection of imagery and refinement of search profiles for priority weeds.
  
  "Hawai'i Climate Change Greenprint"
  • Trust for Public Land seeks to apply its "Greenprinting" software to identify and prioritize land conservation targets that will allow Hawai'i to adapt to or mitigate the effects of climate change. TPL will gather climate change and GIS data from non-profit organizations and public agencies, integrate them through its software and organizational processes, and use it to prioritize acquisitions. TNC’s online Hawai'i High Island Ecoregional Plan used a similar process to prioritize biodiversity conservation in Hawai'i. TNC will provide biodiversity data to TPL as they proceed, so that those ecosystem priorities can be integrated into and inform TPL’s Greenprinting planning process.