PROJECT NARRATIVE Administrator 10/14/14 10:40 AM Deleted: 3. (a) Project Background Harvested for centuries and throughout their range, green turtle populations have declined dramatically and their role in coastal ecosystems is greatly diminished (Bjorndal & Jackson 2003; Kittinger et al. 2013; McClenachan et al. 2006). Though protected by various laws and statutes, including the US Endangered Species Act, a number of anthropogenic threats and life history traits challenge green turtle conservation. Despite these significant challenges, substantial increases of green turtle populations have followed conservation protections Figure 1: Aerial image of Kahalu u Bay in Kailua- Kona, Hawai i Island, Hawai i. (Chaloupka et al. 2008; Lotze et al. 2011). In Hawai i, green turtle populations have recovered dramatically from historical exploitation (Balazs & Chaloupka 2004), providing compelling evidence of the effectiveness of legal protections. Kahalu u Bay is a unique site in Kailua- Kona, Hawai i, with immense cultural value, a large tourism- based economy, and culturally and biologically significant coral reef ecosystems frequented by green turtles (Figure 1). Kahalu u Bay hosts several significant cultural sites, including a fishpond, and wahi pana (Native Hawaiian sacred sites). Additionally, the site is endowed with biologically diverse coral reef ecosystems that provide food provisioning services to local communities (through a fishery) and recreational services (e.g., surfing, diving, swimming, turtle viewing, etc.). There has been significant ecological work at Kahalu u Bay providing unique baselines and datasets on biological and social (cultural, economic) characteristics of the site. These include biological assessments by coral reef researchers (K. Rodgers, P. Jokiel, K. Perez, M. Connelly, C. Saltonstall Couch, J. Stewart, and others), sociocultural and economic assessments (e.g., Gundaya & Inazu 2011), and engineering and construction studies (e.g., Sea Engineering Inc. 1992); see also citations in Kahalu u Beach Park: Sequencing for Studies and Planning report). This research is currently being compiled and put online in a single portal for use by researchers and community members (The Kohala Center 2013). The Kohala Center has for several years developed and implemented an active citizen science 1
program at Kahalu u, which includes a ReefTeach volunteer program that educates the public about the reef and an active community engagement and education/outreach program. As a result of this program, The Kohala Center has developed a robust social network of researchers, community constituents, and site champions. Additionally, The Kohala Center has also deployed an in- water monitoring system in the bay, with active monitoring from site- based personnel to maintain equipment, collect and analyze data, and implement monitoring activities for both social (cultural, economic) and biological data. Key problem and knowledge gaps Despite the recovery of green turtles, site- specific challenges to green turtle conservation remain, especially at heavily trafficked sites where turtles and humans regularly interact. Along the Kona coast of Hawai i Island, tourism is a major economic activity. Kahalu u Bay is an area of intensive human use. It is a premier snorkeling site that receives in excess of 400,000 visitors per year. At the same time, green turtles thrive in Kahalu u s fringing coral reef environment, an important forage ground for a juvenile and subadult green turtles (Balazs 1996). Tourism can provide benefits to turtle conservation, including increased awareness of the species through environmental and cultural education programs (Tisdell & Wilson 2001, 2005). However, tourism can also carry impacts to turtle populations through inadvertent or blatant harassment, human- turtle interactions, and impacts to beach environments used for nesting or basking (NMFS & USFWS 1998). In this study, we seek to understand human- turtle interactions through a citizen science program, and develop site- based management plans to enhance both turtle conservation and visitor awareness and education to reduce harmful human- turtle interactions. To do this, we need to address several key knowledge gaps, including 1. Gaps in understanding turtle biology at Kahalu u. Research at multiple sites in nearshore waters is ongoing to gather baseline data on growth rates, food sources, movements, health status, habitat requirements, and population trends for green turtles (Balazs 1996). Existing research programs need to be supplemented with a site- based assessment of turtle foraging dynamics and habitat use patterns in order to understand place- specific processes relevant to turtle recovery and conservation. 2. Spatial patterns in human use and the full scale of human- turtle interactions. Currently we have been documenting human use patterns at Kahalu u at a limited scale, but we need to identify problematic human- turtle interactions (take) at this intensively used site in order to develop site- based conversation actions to ameliorate these threats. Why action is necessary to address these gaps: Across the US Pacific and internationally, tourism and turtle populations are found in a variety of sites. In order to better manage turtle populations at such sites, it is critical to develop site- based approaches to sustainably manage tourism uses and green turtle populations. We seek to engage community members in a citizen science program to build local capacity and ameliorate threats to green turtle populations. Our project will build capacity for the conservation and management of green turtles at our site and beyond. Further, our project objectives relate to several actions in the Step Down Outline and Narrative for Recovery 2
(Section 2: Marine Environment, pgs. 57-63) of the Recovery Plan for U.S. Pacific Populations of the Green Turtle (NMFS & USFWS 1998), as well as program priorities outlined in the NOAA Pacific Islands Region Marine Turtle Recovery Program, including: Program Priority 1. Projects that advance the scientific understanding or promote conservation of in- water populations of sea turtles occurring within the PIR. We will develop and execute a site- based scientific assessment of sea turtle populations and habitats. This assessment will inform site- based conservation of green turtles at Kahalu u Bay, and is designed to be transferrable to other geographies in the PIR. Program Priority 4. Community- based education, outreach, or training projects designed to elevate public awareness and build local capacity for sea turtle conservation and stewardship to reduce the take (i.e., harvest) of green and hawksbill turtles of the PIR or in international regions with population linkages to the PIR. Our project involves a strong citizen science program that will build education and awareness among community volunteers and thousands of visitors at Kahalu u Bay. This will reduce take of green turtles in the Kahalu u region, and potentially beyond, as visitors understand the correct behaviors to engage in with sea turtles present. Program Priority 5. Projects that provide a high conservation value for low expenditure of resources. Our site- based project provides substantial impact reaching up to 400,000 visitors annually with a very modest budget. (b) Project goals and objectives: Our overarching objective is to understand how to sustainably manage tourism together with turtle conservation and develop site- based management approaches that are transferrable to a variety of settings that face similar challenges. Our specific goals are to answer the following key questions that are relevant to green turtle conservation and stewardship, including: (1) Are the same turtles foraging at Kahalu u?; Objective 1: Determine site fidelity for green turtles at Kahalu u Bay. Performance metric: Turtle tagging study completed, and assessment of site fidelity determined (2) What are the spatial and temporal dynamics of green turtle foraging, and specifically a. how do daily, tidal, or lunar cycles mediate foraging behaviors, b. what habitats and food resources do green turtles access in the bay, and c. what is the spatial distribution of foraging at this site? Objective 2: Determine the spatial and temporal dynamics of green turtle foraging at Kahalu u. Performance metric: Biological assessment completed for spatial and temporal variability in turtle foraging. (3) What is the spatial distribution of human uses at this heavily trafficked site, and is there a relationship between human use patterns (intensity, spatial distribution, temporal shifts in use) and green turtle foraging? 3
Objective 3: Determine the spatial pattern of human uses and assess human- turtle interactions at Kahalu u. Performance metric: Human use study completed, with assessments of patterns of human uses determined. (4) How can we reduce negative human- turtle interactions (take) at Kahalu u? Objective 4: Reduce negative human- turtle interactions (take) at Kahalu u through increased visitor education through the existing ReefTeach program, and through site- based conservation planning and management. Performance metric: Human- turtle interactions documented, problematic interactions (take) identified, and visitor education program modified to educate visitors about harmful interactions. Harmful interactions (takes) are reduced by 50% at Kahaluu, as determined through human use monitoring. (c) Project methods Our methods comprise two primary activities, including (1) assessing turtle foraging behaviors and site fidelity, and (2) monitoring of human ocean uses and human- turtle interactions. These are described in greater detail below. Assessing turtle foraging behaviors and site fidelity Kahalu u Bay is an important forage ground for a resident population of juvenile and subadult green turtles or honu (Chelonia mydas). The bay is a heavily used by tourists for snorkeling and the effects of the interactions between turtles and green turtles are poorly documented. We will conduct 8, 1- day trips over the course of one year during which we will capture and tag green turtles, conduct a full morphometric analysis, collect mouth samples to determine food preferences and mark each animal with a distinct number so that volunteers/monitoring personnel will be able to recognize individuals from a distance of 3 meters (dependent on water clarity). In addition to the 8 trips, we proposed to make a number night dives to ascertain where turtles are resting/sleeping within the confines of Kahalu u Bay. By creating a scheduled monitoring protocol we hope to better clarify the areas in Kahalu u bay where turtles occur. Our volunteers will monitor people on the beach and in the tidepools, and will observe and record turtles behavior, location and reactions to snorkelers. These data will be entered into a database, helping to understand areas in the bay that are particularly important to green turtles, what they use these areas for and what impact snorkelers have on their behavior. In addition to the behavioral observations, we will conduct algal surveys and confirm/elucidate favorite algal food species used by green turtles. Turtle data collection times will be chosen to reflect different points in tidal and lunar cycles in order to understand how these processes influence turtle foraging dynamics. At pre- determined time intervals, volunteers will patrol the turtle foraging and resting area, recording time, turtle ID number, GPS location, and behavior of each turtle observed. Human interactions will also be recorded at this time. Data from observations will be recorded onto a data sheet 4
designed by the PI and provided to volunteers. Monitoring of human ocean uses and human- turtle interactions We will develop a citizen science program to monitor human uses and human- turtle interactions at Kahalu u. Our volunteers currently collect human use data at Kahalu u on a daily basis, at three designated times throughout the day. Data recorded include the number of people on the beach, the number of people snorkeling or swimming, the number of people surfing, number of turtles present, and basic weather and ocean conditions. This project seeks to expand the human use monitoring to also include the number of people interacting with turtles and the nature of human- turtle interactions. Specifically, volunteers will record the number of people observing or in close proximity to each turtle, using set intervals (e.g., 0-1, 1-3, 3-5, 5+ meters). Further details will be noted as to whether people are observing, touching, swimming with, or photographing turtles. These counts will be made at the time that volunteers are observing each turtle, which will be based on lunar and tidal cycles. Our citizen science program (including resident citizen science volunteers and ReefTeach volunteers), will conduct this monitoring for 6 months in order to account for seasonal variability in both turtle and human abundance. This will enable us to: understand the intensity and nature of human- turtle interactions understand the spatial pattern of different human uses, for both visitors (largely wading, snorkeling and swimming) and residents (surfing, diving, fishing, snorkeling and other activities), and how these activities occur in relation to turtles and turtle habitats Data Portal The data will be entered into an online database, The Kohala Center Portal (The Kohala Center 2013), where it can be accessed freely by anyone with an internet connection. This will make our findings publically accessible for community members, researchers, and the public. Project Timeline and Gantt Chart Objectives and activities 1 Objective 1: Determine site fidelity for green turtles at Kahalu u Bay. Activity 1a: Recruit and train volunteers and design data sheets and monitoring schedule Activity 1b: Conduct turtle tagging, and initiative monitoring Activity 1c: Finalize assessment of site fidelity 2 Objective 2: Determine the spatial and temporal dynamics of green turtle foraging at Kahalu u Activity 2a: Conduct monitoring of turtle foraging at Kahalu u Activity 2b: Finalize assessment of foraging dynamics 3 Objective 3: Determine the spatial pattern of human uses and assess human- turtle interactions at Kahalu u. Activity 3a: Revise human use monitoring protocol Activity 3b: Conduct human use monitoring and assessment of human- turtle interactions Year 1 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 5
Objective 4: Reduce negative human- turtle interactions (take) at Kahalu u through increased visitor education through the existing ReefTeach program Activity 4a: Conduct human use monitoring and assessment of human- turtle interactions Activity 4b: Revise existing ReefTeach program to better educate visitors about harmful human- turtle interactions Activity 4c: Develop and implement place- based spatial management to protect important turtle foraging habitat and reduce human- turtle interactions (d) Benefits or results expected This project will develop site- based approaches that managers, community organizations, and citizen science programs can employ to sustainably co- manage coastal tourism pressures and sea turtle recovery. Further, our program will engage community members in a citizen science program to build local capacity and ameliorate threats to green turtle populations. Our specific outcomes and anticipated benefits include: 1. Decreased negative interactions between humans and turtles through a site- based plan for monitoring and managing both human uses and turtle populations and engaging the public on acceptable human- turtle interactions through our existing citizen science and volunteer programs; 2. Protection of valuable foraging habitat areas through a site- based characterization of spatiotemporal turtle foraging dynamics that can inform a site- based conservation plan for green turtle stewardship; 3. Increased community education, outreach, and training, developed through a citizen science program, which will build local capacity for sea turtle stewardship and reduce negative interactions with turtles at our site. (e) Need for Government financial assistance This project requires funding in order to be realized. Through the existing program of The Kohala Center at Kahalu u Bay, we are able to dedicate some matching staff time on this project. However, without these funds, this project will not occur. No other funds are currently being sought for this project. (f) Federal, State and local government activities The Kohala Center has relationships with several local, state, and federal partners that will enable the success of this project. In October 2011, The Kohala Center (TKC) signed a ten- year contract with The County of Hawai i Department of Parks and Recreation to operate a seven- day- a- week marine education center and snorkel rental concession at Kahalu u Beach Park. 6
ReefTeach volunteers are also on- site seven days a week to educate visitors on reef etiquette and ensure that visitors are respectful and keep a safe distance from the green turtles. TKC is also in the beginning planning stages of the restoration of Kahalu u Beach Park and planning to build a marine education center. TKC is also working with several partners to assure that the final master plan includes the well- being of all natural and marine resources at Kahalu u Bay. These partners include county and state agencies, including the Hawai i County Parks and Recreation, The State of Hawai i Coastal Zone Management Program, the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority, the State of Hawai i Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism, and the State of Hawai i Division of Aquatic Resources. [See letters of support in the appendices for specific state and county agency partners that will be involved in this project]. Additionally, TKC has built lasting relationships with several federal agencies and partners, including the National Marine Fisheries Service (as indicated by collaborator G. Balazs), and the US Army Corps of Engineers. Finally, TKC works continually with community members, private consultants, local and large non- governmental organizations (including the Hawai i Fish Trust, as indicated with collaborator J. Kittinger) and local cultural practitioners, to ensure collaborative stewardship of Kahalu u Bay. The data collected from this project will help the community and the park restoration team make good decisions about natural and marine resources as the community moves forward with the Kahalu u Beach Park Master Plan. (g) Project management Overall: The overall project management will be overseen by Principal Investigator (PI) R. Silverman. Co- Investigator C. Punihaole will provide overall project supervision, management, and financial oversight of this collaborative research initiative. R. Silverman and C. Punihaole will oversee the citizen science program (including human use monitoring), partner coordination, and project logistics and implementation. Co- Investigator M. Rice will oversee the biological surveys of turtle populations with collaborator G. Balazs. Technical and Science Aspects: Technical and scientific aspects of the project will be overseen by PI R. Silverman. R. Silverman will also help manage the citizen science program and will coordinate the logistics with M. Rice (Hawaii Preparatory Academy) and collaborator G. Balazs of the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center. Human use monitoring will be developed by PI R. Silverman together with collaborator J. Kittinger. Biological monitoring of turtles will be conducted by M. Rice (Hawaii Preparatory Academy), with PI R. Silverman and collaborator G. Balazs of the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center. Data analysis will be conducted by PI R. Silverman, together with Co- Investigator M. Rice and collaborator G. Balazs. Implementation & Administration: Administrative staff with The Kohala Center will assist with fiscal and administrative aspects of the project. About The Kohala Center The Kohala Center is an independent, not- for- profit institute for research, conservation, and education. The Kohala Center was established in late 2000 to create greater employment and 7
educational opportunities by caring for and celebrating Hawai i Island s spectacular natural and cultural landscape. Its major areas of interest are: energy self- reliance, food self- reliance, and ecosystem health. The Kohala Center s work at Kahalu u Bay is its most significant ecosystem health project. In 2006, the residents and leaders of Kailua- Kona asked The Kohala Center to assist with a small, volunteer ReefTeach program to prevent the trampling death of Kahalu u Bay: the bay and beach park, only four acres in total size, receive approximately 400,000 visitors per year, most of whom are unfamiliar with Hawai i s nearshore ecosystems. The ReefTeach program has grown to the point, where last year staff with the assistance of 400 volunteer ReefTeachers reached 52,000 visitors in face- to- face educational encounters, teaching them how to enjoy the bay while protecting its fragile coral reef environment. Studies have shown that destructive human behavior has decreased significantly because of this effort. Given the success of this work, the County of Hawai i partnered with The Kohala Center in December 2011 to create the Kahalu u Bay Education Center. Through a ten- year contract, The Kohala Center is authorized to develop educational and research programs, manage the beach park, and work with the County of Hawai i on park improvements this agreement between a nonprofit agency and a county government is the only one of its kind in the state of Hawai i. The Kahalu u Bay Education Center (KBEC), a Kohala Center program developed in partnership with the County of Hawai i, currently has a staff of two full- time and two part- time employees, with several hundred volunteers. In June 2008, a week- long public process was undertaken in order to initiate a community- based planning process for Kahalu u Beach Park and Bay. This charrette was arranged and facilitated by The Kohala Center and the County of Hawaii Planning Department and sponsored by the County of Hawaii s Department of Parks and Recreation, with the technical support of students and professors from the University of Washington Department of Landscape Architecture and Hawaii County Planning Department. The charrette was attended by numerous kūpuna [elders], lineal descendants/families of the area, local residents, local business persons, school leaders, environmental leaders, government agencies (local, state, and federal), and visitors to the area, all of whom were integral to the planning process. The Conceptual Master Plan, the product of the design charrette, addresses both the restoration and protection of cultural, historic and ecologic resources 1 and the potential development of community improvements including concessions, recreation, and educational facilities that enhance this protection and improve the user s experience. References Balazs, G. 1996. Behavioral changes within the recovering Hawaiian green sea turtle population. Pages 16-21 in J. A. Keinath, D. E. Barnard, J. A. Musick, and B. A. Bell, editors. Proceedings of the fiteenth annual symposium on sea turtle biology and conservation. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS- SEFSC- 387, Hilton Head, S.C. Balazs, G. H., and M. Chaloupka. 2004. Thirty- year recovery trend in the once depleted Hawaiian green sea turtle stock. Biological Conservation 117:491-498. 1 http://www.spatial.redlands.edu/waipunikahaluu/concepts/default.aspx 8
Bjorndal, K. A., and J. B. C. Jackson. 2003. Roles of sea turtles in marine ecosystems: reconstructing the past. Pages 259-274 in P. L. Lutz, J. A. Musick, and J. Wyneken, editors. The Biology of Sea Turtles Volume II. CRC Press. Chaloupka, M., K. A. Bjorndal, G. H. Balazs, A. B. Bolten, L. M. Ehrhart, C. J. Limpus, H. Suganuma, S. Troëng, and M. Yamaguchi. 2008. Encouraging outlook for recovery of a once severely exploited marine megaherbivore. Global Ecology and Biogeography 17:297-304. Gundaya, D., and J. K. Inazu. 2011. The Economic Impact of Federal Funds on a Local Community in Hawaii. Social Science Research Institute, University of Hawai`i at Mānoa, Honolulu. Kittinger, J. N., K. S. Van Houtan, L. E. McClenachan, and A. L. Lawrence. 2013. Using historical data to assess the biogeography of population recovery. Ecography 36:868-872. Lotze, H. K., M. Coll, A. M. Magera, C. Ward- Paige, and L. Airoldi. 2011. Recovery of marine animal populations and ecosystems. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 26:595-605. McClenachan, L., J. B. C. Jackson, and M. J. H. Newman. 2006. Conservation implications of historic sea turtle nesting beach loss. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 4:290-296. NMFS, and USFWS. 1998. Recovery Plan for U.S. Pacific Populations of the Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas). U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) & U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Silver Spring, MD & Portland, OR. Sea Engineering Inc. 1992. Kahaluu Beach Park, Kona- Hawaii Coastal Engineering Evaluation. Prepared for R.M. Towill Corporation, Waimanalo, Hawaii. The Kohala Center. 2013. The Kohala Center Portal, [online] http://hbmpweb.pbrc.hawaii.edu/tkc/ Tisdell, C., and C. Wilson. 2001. Wildlife- based tourism and increased support for nature conservation financially and otherwise: evidence from sea turtle ecotourism at Mon Repos. Tourism Economics 7:233-249. Tisdell, C., and C. Wilson. 2005. Perceived impacts of ecotourism on environmental learning and conservation: turtle watching as a case study. Environment, Development and Sustainability 7:291-302. 9