Become a Guardian of the Garden Isle!
Guardians of the Garden Isle are concerned citizens of Kauai who have committed to help protect the island from invasive species.
In order to join the network of Guardians, you must:
- Pledge to take action in helping to prevent the spread of invasive species (read ideas of how to take action below!)
- Choose a membership level and sign up.
- All memberships in the network come with a Guardian of the Garden Isle membership card (provide mailing address to receive). And with a donation, each membership comes with a complimentary Guardians of the Garden Isle gift!
- You may donate by Paypal, or check. Click below to pay by Paypal and click here for our mailing address. If you donate by check (Checks made to: GIRC&D), be sure to still sign up for a membership!
- Already signed up to our mailing list? Click here to update your profile as a Guardian
Here are some actions you can take to become a Guardian of the Garden Isle!
- Clean or brush off your gear/shoes/dogs, after hiking or hunting in the forest. Cleaning you gear ensures that you will not track potentially invasive seeds or other pests to different parts of the island.
- Report a Pest If you think you see a mongoose, hear a coqui frog, or see any other invasive species listed on our KISC Pest page, we want to know about it! Contact us at (808) 821-1490 or KISC@hawaii.edu
- Go native Choosing native plants for landscaping at your home or place of business helps keep the native ecosystem healthy, they provide food and habitat for native insects and birds, and are often easier to maintain that non-native plants!
- Plant Pono Replacing invasive plants in your yard with non-invasive plants helps stop the spread of invasive species. Invasive plants can easily spread from a backyard into a natural area or forest. Check out the Plant Pono website for good replacement plant ideas. And check out the KISC Pests page to learn what invasive plants KISC will remove for free from your yard!
- Buy Local Buying plants from nurseries who source locally or propagate on island, is key in protecting Kauai from invasive species that can easily hitch hike in plants from other islands. For example, Coqui Frogs, and Little Fire Ants are widespread in some nurseries on Big Island. Don’t be afraid to ask a nursery associate if the plants you are buying, were sourced locally.
- Stay informed There are many ways to stay current with invasive species news. Subscribe to our Blog, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Instagram.
