The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed that more than 122,000 acres of Big Island land be designated a critical habitat for 11 native endangered plants and one native endangered fly.
According to the proposal, various federal, state, county and public lands around the island would be labeled as “critical habitat” for various native species, which would make those lands eligible for protection from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. That protection would require that any action within those lands authorized by federal agencies be unlikely to adversely affect the habitat in question.
The proposal lists more than 120 sites around the island ranging in area from a few hundred to more than 30,000 acres that would receive the designation.
The species that would be protected by the designation would include
• Ko‘oko‘olau, an herb found on the east Kohala coast
• Haha, a perennial shrub found in South Kona
• ‘Aku, a palm-like shrub that grows on the windward slopes of the island’s mountains
• Ha‘iwale, a shrub found in the forests of Puna
• Ha‘iwale or kanawao ke‘oke‘o, a shrub found in forest areas on the northeastern side of the island
• Ho‘awa or ha‘awa, a small tree found in wet ecosystems around the island
• Ma‘oli‘oli, an herb only found at a single dry forest site between Mauna Loa and Maunakea
• Melicope remyi, a perennial shrub with no known common name found on the mountains’ windward slopes
• Phyllostegia floribunda, a perennial shrub with no known common name found in the windward side’s wet forests
• Schiedea diffusa, a climbing herb with no known common name found in the wet forests in the Kohala mountains and Mauna Loa’s windward slopes
• Stenogyne cranwelliae, a vine with no common name found in the Kohala mountains
• The Hawaii picture wing fly, an insect found in five damp forest sites around the island
The proposal also found that the loulu palm tree and the ‘opae shrimp do not require a critical habitat designation at this time.
The Fish and Wildlife service is accepting public comment on the proposal until May 30.
Comments can be submitted, and the full proposal can be read, at tinyurl.com/4cx77u69.