Pest removal corps A three-month work force initiated in November to give unemployed people jobs attacking Hawaii's invasive pests has turned skeptics into champions of the program.
convinces skeptics
A post-Sept. 11 jobs program helps
reduce miconia and fire antsBy Helen Altonn
haltonn@starbulletin.com"They are a godsend ... amazing," Christy Martin said of 15 environmental workers assigned to the Maui Invasive Species Committee. "We went into it a little bit skeptical like everybody else did, saying we hope we can get some work done ... that they get into it, and they've been all of that and more."
The Legislature provided $1.5 million to give work to people who lost jobs after Sept. 11. The workers were dispersed around the islands to eradicate or reduce coqui frogs, dengue fever mosquitoes, miconia, fire ants, fire weed and other pest species.
The bill authorizing the work force was signed Nov. 3, and the first people were on the payroll in Hana Dec. 3. They received their first paycheck on Dec. 21 -- in time for Christmas.
Legislation has been introduced to continue the program from April until June 30 or extend it into the next fiscal year, which begins July 1.
"I think everybody likes it," said botanist David Duffy, who leads the University of Hawaii Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit.
The environmental workers since Dec. 3 have removed 68 tons of debris in Hana; destroyed 22,564 miconia seedlings, 7,585 saplings and 530 trees on 223 acres on the Big Island; destroyed 19,222 miconia plants on Maui; treated eight acres for fire ants; and eliminated 210 coqui frogs.
"If we don't keep it going, it (the pest problem) is going to get swept under the rug again, and it's a waste of money," Martin said. "If you're funded one year and not the next, we move back not an equal amount, but double or more than that."
The Research Corporation of the University of Hawaii teamed up with Duffy's unit to conduct the program.
RCUH Human Services Director Nelson Sakamoto cited many challenges but said Maui's positive experience with the environmental work force has been repeated on Oahu, the Big Island and Kauai.
"One of the biggest challenges was not only finding people, but to make sure the work out there was real work and not make work," he said.
A lot of "doubters" suggested people would rather sit at home and collect unemployment benefits than do a back-breaking job for basically the same money, $9.96 per hour, Sakamoto said.
But there were 914 applicants for 234 jobs. The number of hires has slipped to 206 with a few not liking the work and others rehired at former jobs or finding regular work.
The Legislature had hoped 400 to 450 people could be hired, but costs of providing transportation and equipment were higher than anticipated, Sakamoto said.
He said the workers can have a lot of pride in their accomplishments. Yet, "they are just touching the surface" in eliminating or reducing invasive pests.
Duane Nelson, who heads the Big Island Invasive Species Committee and the State Coordinating Group for Alien Pest Species, said many people initially felt the program would be more trouble than it was worth. He also was a "garden skeptic" but felt the opportunity could not be passed up, he said. "I am stunningly and pleasingly surprised by the results. The environmental work force has far exceeded any of our hopes and expectations to get the work done."