The Hawaii Department of Agriculture announced Monday the recipients of its grants to fund community-based programs aimed at mitigating coconut rhinoceros beetles on Oahu and for green waste management on Kauai, Maui and Oahu.

What You Need To Know

  • HDOA’s awards for the two grant programs totaled $293,000

  • For the grants to fund community-based programs aimed at mitigating coconut rhinoceros beetles, HDOA awarded seven Oahu-based nonprofits about $25,000 each

  • For the grants aimed at green waste management, HDOA awarded three community nonprofits, about $40,000 each

HDOA’s awards for the two grant programs totaled $293,000. However, HDOA had previously said $400,000 in funds were available.  

The coconut rhinoceros beetle was first detected on Oahu in Dec. 2013 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and is now widespread. In the last year, coconut rhinoceros beetles have been found in every county in Hawaii. The highly destructive species bores into the crowns of palm trees to feed on sap. CRB primarily breed in green waste. 

Coconut rhinoceros beetle grubs or larvae. (Photo courtesy of the Hawaii Department of Agriculture)

“The department appreciates the concern and willingness of community organizations to assist in the battle against the coconut rhinoceros beetle,” said Sharon Hurd, chairperson of the Hawaii Board of Agriculture, in a statement. “We look forward to the results of their efforts, which may be replicated in other communities in the future.” 

For the grants to fund community-based programs aimed at mitigating coconut rhinoceros beetles, applicants were required to be Hawaii-registered nonprofits on Oahu that had developed viable projects to control CRB in their neighborhoods. HDOA awarded seven organizations about $25,000 each. 

  1. “Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle Ko‘olau,” Waihapakai, (Dane Kanaloa Bishop)

  2. “Three-Pronged Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle Management Model o Kahalu‘u,” Hui Aloha ‘Āina Momona, (Daniel Anthony)

  3. “Outreach and Education to Promote Community-Level Actions Toward Reducing CRB Populations in West O‘ahu,” Mālama Learning Center, (Pauline Sato)

  4. “Community CRB Coalition,” HFUU North Shore Chapter, (Thanh Bidwell)

  5. “Managing Green Waste and the Spread of CRB in the North Shore Community Through an In-Vessel Composting System,” Kōkua Hawai‘i Foundation, (Janice Staab)

  6. “E Ho‘ola Ulu Niu a Maunalua,” Maunalua Fishpond Heritage Center, (Chris Cramer)

  7. “Protect Our Palms: Hawai‘i’s Fight Against the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle,” Kinai ‘Eha-Diversion, (Melissa Waiters)

For the grants aimed at green waste management, HDOA awarded three grants to community nonprofits. HDOA awarded three organizations about $40,000 each. 

  1. “Rapid Response, Prevention and Treatment,” Food Security Hawai‘i, Maui (Robin Leimomi Proctor)

  2. “North and East Kaua‘i CRB eradication strategy through green waste management sites,” ‘Āina Ho‘okupu O Kīlauea, (Yoshito L’Hote)

  3. “Managing Green Waste and the Spread of CRB in the North Shore Community Through an In-Vessel Composting System,” Kōkua Hawai‘i Foundation, (Janice Staab)

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