Pulling it all Together
The Proceedings of the conference are now posted!
Check out Maui Invasive Species Committee's 2010 Summer Newsletter 
covering the 2009 International Miconia Conference.
The 2009 International Miconia Conference "Pulling it all Together" brought together scientists, resource managers, field technicians, and funding agencies to focus on the challenges and successes associated with miconia invasions across the Pacific. The conference will provided opportunities to review current control strategies, learn the status of potential biocontrol agents, discuss outreach and funding strategies, and explore the beautiful East Maui region.
Conference Images:
Share your conference images! There is a group photo album created on photobucket.com. under the title 2009 Miconia Conference, http://photobucket.com/Miconia_Conference. If you do not have a photobucket account and do not want to create one contact Lissa Fox, miscpr@hawaii.edu, for a user name and password.
Conference Objectives:
- Provide a synthesis of the state-of-the-art research of miconia biology, impact & control
- Give special attention to progress and needs for biological control of miconia
- Address the needs for further research on miconia economics and ecosystem services issues
- Provide an opportunity for resource managers working on miconia to exchange information on the full range of strategies used to address miconia invasions
- Define gaps in knowledge that may be resulting in suboptimal progress
- Increase support for miconia work in Hawaii and elsewhere
The neotropical tree Miconia calvescens (Melastomataceae) has a well deserved reputation as the most aggressive and damaging invasive plant species (to date) of high island rain forests in the tropical Pacific region. Introduced to French Polynesia in Tahiti in 1937 and to Hawaii about 1960, its aggressive invasiveness and impact began to achieve notoriety by the 1980s. Control operations were initiated in French Polynesia on the island of Raiatea in 1990 and on the Hawaiian island of Maui in 1991. Maui’s response was matched by efforts on three other Hawaiian islands, eventually leading to establishment of island-based Invasive Species Committees.
New miconia populations became apparent during the past decade in Queensland, Australia, and in New Caledonia, stimulating much interest in those locations. The First Regional Conference on Miconia Control was held in Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia in August 1997 (www.hear.org/miconia/1997conference).
Press Release
The pre and post conference press releases are available as pdf's.
Print a conference announcement
