5/7/26 – HAWAIʻI INVASIVE SPECIES AWARENESS MONTH 2026

HAWAIʻI INVASIVE SPECIES AWARENESS MONTH 2026

Communities and Partners Statewide Work Together to Protect Hawaiʻi

HONOLULU - Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Awareness Month (HISAM) returns this May for its ninth year as a monthlong commemoration. Growing from a weeklong event first launched in 2013, HISAM brings together communities, farmers, government agencies and organizations to address one of Hawaiʻi's most pressing environmental and economic challenges: invasive species.

Throughout May, HISAM 2026 will feature a diverse series of educational webinars and community events covering topics from invasive ants, Queensland longhorn beetle, rat lungworm disease, aquatic invasives and the bio-cultural conservation of Hawaiʻi's native loulu palms. Presentations will highlight cutting-edge research, on-the-ground management and the cross-agency and cross-Pacific collaboration that defines Hawaiʻi's approach to biosecurity. The month will culminate in a HISAM awards ceremony on May 29.

Residents, farmers and landowners are encouraged to take simple but meaningful actions:

• Report pest sightings to 643-PEST or 643pest.org,
• Clean gear and equipment before and after outdoor activities
• Get involved in local invasive species efforts in their communities

Webinars, events, and resources will be added throughout May at: https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/hisc/hisam2026/

"Protecting Hawaiʻi from invasive species is a shared kuleana," said DLNR Invasive Species Biologist Helmuth Rogg. "Whether it's a farmer protecting their crops, a resident reporting a pest in their neighborhood, or agencies coordinating across islands, our success depends on working together, on turning our hands to the land and doing the work side by side."

Guided by the ʻōlelo noʻeau, "ʻAʻo he hana nui ke alu ʻia - no task is too big when done together by all," HISAM 2026 celebrates the power of collective action in protecting Hawaiʻi's ecosystems, culture, agricultural heritage and communities from the threat of invasive species.

That spirit of working together is rooted in something deeper: huli ka lima i lalo, turning hands to the land. Farmers, field crews, community volunteers, kamaʻāina and conservation professionals across Hawaiʻi are doing exactly that: showing up, working the land and tackling invasive species one action at a time.

Invasive species such as coconut rhinoceros beetle, little fire ant and coqui threaten not only Hawaiʻi's native ecosystems, but also its farms, ranches and food security. These pests can quickly overwhelm individual efforts when addressed alone. When farmers, communities and agencies come together and support one another, meaningful progress becomes possible in preventing and managing these species.

Invasive species do not recognize political or property boundaries. Effective prevention, early detection and rapid response depend on strong coordination across federal, state and county agencies, as well as agricultural producers, ranchers, nonprofit organizations, businesses and community partners throughout our islands.

About the Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council (HISC)

The Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council (HISC) is a state interdepartmental collaboration established in 2003 by the Hawaiʻi State Legislature under Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 194. HISC was created to provide policy-level direction, coordination and planning among state departments, federal agencies and local and international initiatives for the control and eradication of harmful invasive species, as well as to prevent the introduction of new ones.

HISC's voting membership includes the chairs, directors or designees of six state agencies: the Department of Land and Natural Resources (co-chair), the Department of Agriculture (co-chair), the Department of Health, the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, the Department of Transportation and the University of Hawaiʻi. Non-voting participants include state legislators, county mayors, additional state agencies and federal representatives from the U.S. Departments of the Interior, Agriculture and Defense.

For more information about HISC, visit: dlnr.hawaii.gov/hisc.

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Media contact:

Patti Jette

Communications Specialist

State of Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources

E-mail: [email protected]