Peter Young, chairman of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, has been quoted as saying eradication of coqui frogs on Maui and the Big Island is not possible.
Maui residents (and the Department of Land and Natural Resources ) need to know that we have not given up on the feasibility of control on Maui. With support from the state and county and the essential cooperation of local landowners, the Maui Invasive Species Committee is slowly but surely making progress on the island.Five trained crew members are dedicating their evenings to locating and controlling frogs across Maui. As a result of their efforts, at least 11 properties have been transformed from sites with calling males to sites that are now quiet. Based on repeat surveys, we believe we have eradicated frogs at these locations.
These successes typically are small infestations but represent real progress. Simultaneously, our crew also is working on most of the larger infestations where we are seeing steady improvement.
The ultimate success of our efforts depends on four factors – landowner cooperation, detection and control at infested nurseries, sufficient funding to begin tackling Maliko Gulch and adequate quarantine measures to stop the constant reintroduction of frogs from the Big Island.
In response to calls from concerned residents, MISC is working to develop a coqui-free nursery certification program so consumers will have information about whether plant sellers are taking steps to prevent the spread of coqui frogs.
Make no mistake, without adequate funding and prevention, Maui will be in the same league as Big Island, where, despite expenditures of nearly $1 million this year alone, eradication appears unlikely.
On Maui, we respectfully intend to prove Mr. Young wrong.
Teya M. Penniman,
Manager Maui Invasive Species Committee
Makawao
