Forestry & Wildlife

(Līhuʻe) – Two fences, one predator proof and the other ungulate proof, are currently under construction in the Nā Pali-Kona Forest Reserve and adjacent Kōke’e State Park. Much of the funding for the project is coming from the Department of Defense’s Readiness Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) program. The funding is the first in the nation for what is considered a non-mitigation project.

(Honolulu) – The DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) is seeking applicants for two new U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service competitive grant programs: wildland-urban interface and landscape scale restoration grants.

(Kahului, Maui) – A remarkable discovery on Wednesday is providing a morale boast and hope to the dozens of experts working to save kiwikiu from extinction. One bird, released into the Nakula Natural Area Reserve (NAR) on the leeward slopes of Haleakalā, was found alive and well, after being thought dead for 605 days.

(HILO) –  Next week, Pano Pau and Loli‘ana will begin greeting visitors to Hawai‘i island and the Pana‘ewa Rainforest Zoo and Gardens with their distinctive calls and their curious looks. The young male birds will be ambassadors for the endangered species.

(HONOLULU) – A blessing was held today to mark the beginning of a long-term management plan to protect the Maunawili Falls Trail and the surrounding neighborhoods. The popular trail will be temporarily closed beginning next week on July 15. The closure is expected to be for two years and includes the trailhead near the Maunawili Estates subdivision.  

(Kailua-Kona) – Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau, on the west side of Hawaiʻi Island, is an important cultural and historical location that once served as a hub of political and religious activity within the Kona district. The site, now a National Historic Park including 420 acres spread across three ahupuaʻa, contains an area that is being overrun by invasive goats. In order to protect those resources, the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) announce a goat salvage project in cooperation with the Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park.

(Hilo) – The DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) will be conducting maintenance work on Muliwai trail and Waimanu campground between July 12-16. The Muliwai trail will be closed to all users during this period. The Waimanu Campgrounds remain closed due to COVID concerns since March 17, 2020.

(HONOLULU) – A new free application that provides official information on hiking trails, hunting areas statewide debuted today.   The DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) is the latest state agency to adopt the OuterSpatial platform to provide current and official information about trails and other outdoor recreation spots, and hunting seasons, rules, areas, and check-ins/checkouts. 

(HONOLULU) – A new hunting season opens from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022. Effective June 15th, the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) will begin issuing hunting licenses and stamps for this new season.

(Hāmākua District, Hawai‘i Island) – To seasoned wildland firefighters, the 1,400-acre brush fire that swept through former sugar cane fields in Pa‘auilo last Friday, was not a huge surprise.