LIHU‘E, KAUA‘I -- The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife on Kaua‘i will be opening Nounou Forest Reserve for a trial archery animal control of feral pigs.
Forestry & Wildlife
(Volcano, Hawai‘i) –The eleven young ‘Alalā living in the Pu‘u Maka‘ala Natural Area Reserve on the Island of Hawai‘i continue to thrive, showing increased natural behaviors, foraging on native plants, and even challenging the occasional ‘Io, or Hawaiian Hawk. Conservationists are cautiously optimistic about the birds’ continued success in native habitat and are working together with researchers at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo to analyze vocalizations of these rare birds. Foraging and other social behaviors are also being studied to determine if historically seen activities are increasing now that the group has access to the surroundings in which they evolved.
(KAHULUI, MAUI) – The ‘Ahihi-Kina’u Natural Area Reserve (NAR) on Maui’s south shore will remain closed at least until Monday, April 23, 2018 due to the continued presence of sharks in the popular snorkeling destination. The NAR has been closed for two weeks, after numerous tiger sharks were spotted, apparently coming close to shore to follow pupping reef sharks.
(HILO) - Researchers in Hawaiʻi, working with national and international specialists, have published a paper providing new insight into the origin and development of the tree disease called Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death (ROD). Scientists at the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and the University of Hawaiʻi worked with colleagues at the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute at the University of Pretoria in South Africa, and Iowa State to describe two new species of plant pathogenic fungi known to cause ROD. Initially noticed by landowners in Puna in 2010, ROD spread quickly across tens of thousands of acres on the Big Island, killing hundreds of thousands of native ʻōhiʻa trees (Metrosideros polymorpha) in a short time. A plant pathology team led by Dr. Lisa Keith at the ARS laboratory in Hilo went to work collecting and analyzing samples of dead and dying ʻōhiʻa.
HONOLULU — The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife would like to thank all the wildlife artists who submitted amazing art entries for the 2018-19 Hawai‘i Wildlife Conservation and Game Bird Stamp Art Contest. A committee reviewed all submissions and two winners were chosen last month.
(LIHUE, KAUA’I) – Monitoring teams are observing more albatross on Lehua Island than they have in a long time. There’s also no sign of rats consuming plants or seabird eggs, something that was commonplace a year ago. These are exactly the kind of early indicators project partners might hope to see – signs of a recovering island ecosystem, due to the removal of introduced, damaging (invasive) rats. But there is still work to do!
(Hilo, Hawai‘i) – In Mrs. Wines’ fifth grade classroom recently, 21 students were hard at work drawing pictures of ʻAlalā, the Hawaiian crow that’s been extinct in the wild for nearly two decades. Their drawings are part of their assignment to come up with Hawaiian names for the next set of 12 birds scheduled to be released later this year.
(HONOLULU) - In light of evolving natural resource concerns and the needs of managers and people, the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) is proposing updates to rules regulating activities within Hawaii’s Forest Reserve System. DOFAW is now inviting input and comments.
Pursuant to Section 91-3, Hawaii Revised Statutes (“HRS”), notice is hereby given of proposed rulemaking and public hearing by the Department of Land and Natural Resources (“Department”) to consider amendments to Hawaii Administrative Rules, Title 13, Subtitle 5, Part 1, Chapter 104, Rules Regulating Activities Within Forest Reserves.
HONOLULU -- A two-month project to rehabilitate two historic World War II-era structures known as the Lanikai “pillboxes” on the popular hiking trail on Ka‘iwa ridge, Kailua will begin on Wednesday, March 28, 2018.