(Pololū Valley, Hawai‘i Island) – “Everyone is recognizing the overuse of Pololū and the community wanting to do something about it,” begins Jackson Bauer. He’s a specialist with the Na Ala Hele Trails and Access System and the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife’s (DOFAW) point-of-contact with a rural, end-of-the pavement community that has been besieged for years by too many visitors.
Forestry & Wildlife
(HONOLULU) – Significant federal dollars are headed to Hawai‘i to help address the extinction crisis facing at least four species of native Hawaiian birds. An unprecedented $14 million for Hawai‘i ecosystem restoration is included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, described as a major investment in the conservation and stewardship of America’s public lands.
(HONOLULU) – How do forests in Hawaiʻi inspire you? This was the question answered by dozens of students across the state who submitted entries in the ʻŌlelo Youth Xchange video competition under the category “Forest Inspired.”
(Honolulu) – Winners of the 2022-2023 Hawai‘i Wildlife Conservation and Game Bird Stamp Art Contest were announced this week by the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW). DOFAW would like to thank all the wildlife artists that submitted entries for this year’s contest. A committee reviewed all submissions, and two winners were chosen
(Kīlauea, Kaua‘i) – Seabirds nesting on three-acre Moku‘ae‘ae Island, just off Kīlauea Point, have one of the best views of natural and manmade features in Hawai‘i. The iconic Kīlauea Point Lighthouse is in full-view atop the rugged cliffs, often inhabited by thousands of seabirds.
(Honolulu) - Who takes care of the landscapes and seascapes across Hawaiʻi? Where do stewardship projects overlap, and where are there gaps? To address these questions, the Kaulunani Urban and Community Forestry Program, a DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) program announces the launch of the online interactive Stewardship Mapping and Assessment Project (STEW-MAP).
(Kanaio, Maui) – Over the next three weeks, an estimated 175 abandoned derelict cars and trucks are being removed from unencumbered State land in a remote area of Maui. This morning, two flatbed tow trucks hauled seven vehicles down the long and winding road, after they’d been towed to the paved highway several miles beyond Ulupalakua Ranch. It’s the same trip the tow operators will make dozens of times until all of the vehicles are removed and transported to a salvage yard.
(HONOLULU) – Kaniakapūpū, the summer palace of King Kamehameha III, lies within a restricted watershed in a densely forested part of Nuʻuanu. The site is closed to people, with the exception of Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners or permitted caretakers.
(HONOLULU) – One of the most dramatic and troubling impacts of accelerating climate change is the expansion of mosquito range into upper elevation Hawaiian forest. Avian malaria, a disease transmitted by invasive mosquitoes, is driving the potential extinction of four native honeycreepers: ‘akikiki, ‘akeke‘e, kiwikiu, and ʻākohekohe. Kiwikiu and ‘akikiki have fewer than 200 birds remaining and could go extinct in the next two years. A single bite from an infected mosquito can kill.
(HILO) – A newly released study by federal and university researchers provides “encouragement and guidance” for land managers wanting to reestablish ʻōhiʻa stands wiped out by the fungal disease, Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death, or impacted by other disturbances like volcanic activity and wildland fires.