Ecological Site Description Ecological Site Characteristics Site Identification

State 2, Plant Community 4, Weedy Pasture.

State 3 – Tree Plantation

Tree Plantations in this ecological site are primarily eucalyptus plantations that have been established on old sugarcane lands. Remnant guineagrass is common beneath the trees. Common understory weeds are bocconia trees and alien blackberries.

State 4 – Native Forest with Alien Understory

This plant community has an intact or diminished overstory of large ohia and/or koa trees with a dense understory of alien shrubs, ferns, grasses, and/or small trees. Native species are unable to regenerate in this plant community and eventually die out. With time, large alien tree species would probably emerge to form a new overstory.

C = weed control; D = native plant restoration; M = ungulate exclusion.

It is possible to recreate a plant community resembling Native Forest from Native Forest with Alien Understory. Before restoration of native plants, alien understory plants must be eliminated by weed control and brush management practices, and ungulates must be excluded from the restoration site. Native species that have been eliminated or greatly reduced in numbers must be restored by replanting.
To State 2, Pasture, via “A&B&C”:

A = mechanical land clearing; B = pasture establishment; C = weed control.

Pasture may be created from Native Forest with Alien Understory by mechanical clearing of weedy and remnant native understory plants; native overstory trees may be harvested for timber, destroyed, or left for shade. If leaving large native trees for shade, care must be taken to not damage roots within about 20 feet of the trees. Introduced pasture grasses may then be seeded or sprigged into the site. Herbicide applications will be necessary before and during pasture establishment to control reemerging weed species.