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Hanalei resident restores wetlands
by Charlotte Woolard - The Garden Island
Hanalei resident Ed Ben-Dor had no idea that he would be slapped with an environmental violation when he cleared invasive hau and widened a passageway to allow a canoe to move through wetlands adjacent to his home along the Hanalei River.
He also had no idea that the violation would lead him to create a “spot treatment” of hau eradication and plant replacement that conservationists currently seek permission to begin.
Last Friday the Environmental Protection Agency announced that Ben-Dor had restored the wetlands near his home as it requested: by not only removing soil structures, but also re-establishing native vegetation.
The agency now holds Ben-Dor to a higher standard than his neighbors, said Wendy Wiltse, an environmental scientist with the EPA. He must maintain the native species and keep out invasives like the hau he eradicated during the 2002 and 2003 work cited in the violation, she said.
Hau, a member of the hibiscus family, thrives in wet areas, shading out absorbent ground cover and choking waterways, redirecting water into the flood plain where it picks up soil, said Lex Riggle, district conservationist with the Natural Resource Conservation Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
His organization is currently seeking permits from the Army Corps of Engineers to do similar work to eradicate hau.
“We’re hoping that we can get the authorization to do this project,” Riggle said. “It’s created this impenetrable barrier along our riverways. You’ll want to replace that with plants with a root system that will anchor, but that will lay down with flood events.”
Ben-Dor’s property now boasts native grasses and other plants that do just that.
The 2004 EPA action stemmed from 30 hours of work done to clear a passageway from the property to the Hanalei River, Ben-Dor said. The restoration took two days, he said — and two years of planning.
“We fell into a technical violation,” he said, noting that he began clearing hau bush with hand-held equipment and then used an excavator to finish the job.
A high number of unpermitted activities on the North Shore prompted the action against Ben-Dor, Wiltse said.
“One can fill wetlands if you obtain a permit,” she said. “I hope by taking this action, we’ll raise awareness about permits.”
The most difficult part of the action came with community perception of the violation, Ben-Dor said.
“I’m anything but a person who pollutes,” he said. “This is the first time I’ve been in trouble in my entire life.”
But the action also brought benefits, he said.
“It’s all planted. It’s all full of birds,” Ben-Dor said. “I’m proud of what we’ve done. I’ve lost a lot of anger because I’ve met some sensational people and we’ve gotten some wisdom.”
He also had no idea that the violation would lead him to create a “spot treatment” of hau eradication and plant replacement that conservationists currently seek permission to begin.
Last Friday the Environmental Protection Agency announced that Ben-Dor had restored the wetlands near his home as it requested: by not only removing soil structures, but also re-establishing native vegetation.
The agency now holds Ben-Dor to a higher standard than his neighbors, said Wendy Wiltse, an environmental scientist with the EPA. He must maintain the native species and keep out invasives like the hau he eradicated during the 2002 and 2003 work cited in the violation, she said.
Hau, a member of the hibiscus family, thrives in wet areas, shading out absorbent ground cover and choking waterways, redirecting water into the flood plain where it picks up soil, said Lex Riggle, district conservationist with the Natural Resource Conservation Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
His organization is currently seeking permits from the Army Corps of Engineers to do similar work to eradicate hau.
“We’re hoping that we can get the authorization to do this project,” Riggle said. “It’s created this impenetrable barrier along our riverways. You’ll want to replace that with plants with a root system that will anchor, but that will lay down with flood events.”
Ben-Dor’s property now boasts native grasses and other plants that do just that.
The 2004 EPA action stemmed from 30 hours of work done to clear a passageway from the property to the Hanalei River, Ben-Dor said. The restoration took two days, he said — and two years of planning.
“We fell into a technical violation,” he said, noting that he began clearing hau bush with hand-held equipment and then used an excavator to finish the job.
A high number of unpermitted activities on the North Shore prompted the action against Ben-Dor, Wiltse said.
“One can fill wetlands if you obtain a permit,” she said. “I hope by taking this action, we’ll raise awareness about permits.”
The most difficult part of the action came with community perception of the violation, Ben-Dor said.
“I’m anything but a person who pollutes,” he said. “This is the first time I’ve been in trouble in my entire life.”
But the action also brought benefits, he said.
“It’s all planted. It’s all full of birds,” Ben-Dor said. “I’m proud of what we’ve done. I’ve lost a lot of anger because I’ve met some sensational people and we’ve gotten some wisdom.”
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| Aegis test to strike twice |
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The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of kauaiworld.com.
candyrosh wrote on Jun 10, 2009 10:21 PM:
" “The burial treatment plan is very flawed,” Huff said. “It is a clear violation of our rights as indigenous people.”
“We will be staying until further notice and until the state of Hawai�i acknowledges the property was fraudulently sold to Brescia,” Huff said.
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candyrosh
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camper trailer--camper trailer "
“We will be staying until further notice and until the state of Hawai�i acknowledges the property was fraudulently sold to Brescia,” Huff said.
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candyrosh
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camper trailer--camper trailer "
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victor2008 wrote on Oct 31, 2008 12:01 AM:
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Victor
Addiction Rehabs "