Free training to combat Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle infestations on Maui

The County of Maui Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle Working Group, in collaboration with the University of Hawaiʻi College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources and the multi-agency Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle Response team, will hold free training sessions Tuesday, Jan. 16, and Wednesday, Jan. 17, to equip attendees with information to identify, report and treat infestations of CRB. 

CRB (Oryctes rhinoceros), a highly invasive pest, has recently been identified as a significant threat to the cultural, agricultural, economic and ecological well-being on Maui.

Five training sessions will be held from 10 a.m. to noon; 2 to 4 p.m.; and 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 16; and from 10 a.m. to noon; and 2 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 17. The public is invited to participate in person at University of Hawaiʻi Maui College Community Service Building or online via Zoom. 

Farming, landscaping, tree health, tree trimming or any green waste handling professionals are urged to attend the training. Participants will benefit from hands-on learning and insights from experts in the field, equipping them to contribute to the ongoing efforts against this invasive pest.

In response to the Maui threat, the County of Maui last month formed a CRB Working Group to coordinate resources, expertise and collaboration among government agencies and response groups. 

In partnership with Mayor Richard Bissen’s Office of Innovation and the county Department of Environmental Management, the county Department of Agriculture is spearheading the CRB Working Group with leaders from Hawai’i Department of Agriculture, University of Hawaiʻi College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle Response Team and Maui Invasive Species Committee.

To register for the free training sessions or to receive a Zoom link, call the County of Maui at 808-270-7880. For general information about CRB response, visit www.crbhawaii.org.