Department of Land and Natural Resources

DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES
News Release

DAVID Y. IGE GOVERNOR

WILLIAM J. AILA JR, CHAIRPERSON

For Immediate News Release December 20, 2014     

(Photos Courtesy: DLNR) 

HONOLULU – An access gate at Ka’ena Point State Park Reserve, Mokule’ia section was locked at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2014.  Only people who applied for permits under the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) new vehicle access system can now drive on designated roads within the park.  Pedestrians and bicyclists do not need a permit. 

“So far more than 660 free permits have been issued to people who applied and provided the required information to continue using clearly marked roads at Ka’ena Point,” said William J. Aila, Jr., DLNR Chair. Aila and staff from the Divisions of State Parks & Forestry and Wildlife worked to institute the permit system to try and stem habitat damage caused by off-road vehicle use. 

“Education and information about how the permit system works and what is permitted and what is not at Ka’ena Point, is an important component of our continuing enforcement efforts there,” according to Jason Redulla, acting chief of the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE).  DOCARE officers are manning the gate to check permit compliance, answer questions, and help inform park users of rules and regulations aimed at curbing off-road use, illegal open fires, rubbish disposal and kokua for the fragile natural resources at one of the last “wild” places on Oahu.  Redulla went on to say, “We fully anticipate that education, combined with enforcement, will lead to compliance and an improvement in natural conditions at Ka’ena Point.  We expect that people currently holding permits will help us enforce compliance by reporting access violations. They have a clear set of permit conditions in hand; required for obtaining and keeping their free, annual permits.” 

Permits are available during regular working hours at the DLNR Division of State Parks office at 1151 Punchbowl Street in Honolulu.  Permits are valid 24-hours a day, 365-days a year unless the park is closed for emergency reasons.  More information on permit requirements is available at: https://www.hawaiistateparks.org/documents/hsp_kaena_faqs1.pdf  

 

Media Contact: 
Dan Dennison                                 
Senior Communications Manager                 
Office of the Chair
Hawaii Department of Land & Natural Resources
1151 Punchbowl Street, Room 130 
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 

Tel    808-587-0407 
Cell   808-295-8749 
Fax   808-587-0390 
[email protected]