Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (HAVO) contains a large number of alien plant species, of which nearly 30 are capable of disrupting intact plant communities. The National Park Service mandate is to preserve the Park in its natural state. Because of the severity of HAVO's alien plant and animal problems, this goal is not possible to achieve parkwide at the present time. The HAVO Resources Management Division has prioritized alien plant problems and developed a three-part strategy to make the most of limited funding. Objectives include: (1) controlling potentially disruptive but currently localized alien plant species, (2) confining the extremely disruptive, fie-adapted fountaingrass (Pennisetum setaceum) to the already disturbed HAVO lowlands, and (3) controlling widespread disruptive alien plant species in 21 proposed Special Ecological Areas (SEAs) - the most intact, unique, and species-rich sites in HAVO. Within seven managed SEAs, alien plant control and research activities are focused on disruptive species such as firetree or faya tree (Myrica faya), strawberry guava (Psidium cattleianwn), kahili ginger (Hedychium gardnerianum), nasturtium (Tropaeolwn majus). banana poka (Passiflora mollissima), and yellow Himalayan raspberry (Rubus ellipticus). Current management and research on these alien plants in HAVO are detailed.
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