(BIVN) – A federal grant will help protect Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park’s native ecosystems through advanced aerial technology.
The National Park Foundation innovation grant will fund a two-year project “will use thermal imaging on uncrewed aircraft systems and helicopter-based LiDAR to detect invasive non-native ungulates (hooved animals like pigs and sheep) and identify fence breaches across challenging volcanic terrain”, a news release reported. The Friends of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (FHVNP) is the recipient of the grant, in partnership with Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.
The FHVNP says Hurricane Lala caused extensive damage to protective fencing, which allows invasive animals to enter protected areas, putting native ecosystems at greater risk. “The event underscored the need for faster, more efficient ways to assess fence conditions and detect invasive animals across the park’s rugged, remote terrain,” the news release stated.
“Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park protects some of the most unique ecosystems on Earth, including species found nowhere else in the world. These innovative technologies will help the park more efficiently detect invasive animals, identify vulnerable areas, and focus our efforts on protecting the native and irreplaceable plants and animals for future generations,” said Elizabeth Fien President and CEO of FHVNP.
The grant funding is part of the National Park Foundation’s latest $12 million investment to “support innovation to strengthen parks, expand what is possible, and ensure these extraordinary places endure for generations.”
Friends of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and is the official philanthropic fundraising partner of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. FHVNP operates under a formal philanthropic partnership agreement with the National Park Service.
