OANRP manager named 'Oahu MVP'

By Sarah Pacheco, Hawaii Army Weekly, U.S. Army Garrison-HawaiiMarch 11, 2014

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HONOLULU -- A staff member with U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii's Oahu Army Natural Resources Program (OANRP) took home top honors from the Hawaii Invasive Species Council (HISC), Monday, during the kickoff of the second annual Hawaii Invasive Species Awareness Week at the state Capitol, here.

Jane Beachy, manager of the Ecosystem Restoration Program with OARNP, Directorate of Public Works, USAG-HI, earned the title "Oahu MVP 2014" for her work overseeing the Army's continued control and monitoring efforts to prevent the spread of devil weed on Oahu, expanding roadside weed surveys on military facilities, and displaying dedicated rapid response to new invasive species introductions with an emphasis on collaboration between partners and stakeholders for response and control.

"Ms. Beachy is responsible for one of the most difficult areas within OANRP," said Michelle Mansker, chief, Natural Resources Section, Environmental Division, DPW, USAG-HI.

"She is constantly striving to develop new tools to deal with invasive species and partners regularly with others within the Hawaii community to do so," Mansker continued. "She is a truly dedicated employee who embodies all of the qualities one would wish for in an Army employee."

HISC selected Beachy as the Oahu MVP from a pool of nominees from both the community at large and other island-based invasive species committees.

Presented by members of the Hawaii Legislature, the awards honor individuals, agencies, organizations and businesses that have made a difference in protecting Hawaii from the impacts of invasive species.

"Jane's tireless dedication to protecting Hawaii's resources through combating invasive alien plants is an inspiration to us all," added Joby Rohrer, senior Natural Resource Management coordinator, OANRP.

"She is an extremely effective collaborator who has built OANRP's partnerships over the years to the benefit of the entire conservation community," Rohrer noted. "Her planning and execution of projects are extremely impressive; she does not miss a detail.

"I have watched Jane grow in her position for more than 10 years," Rohrer added, "and I am looking forward to seeing what she can do in the future."