Department of Land and Natural Resources

(HILO, HAWAI‘I) – You usually hear them before you see them.  There’s no mistaking the loud and often times synchronized cacophony of caws from eleven ‘Alalā released into a Hawai‘i Island Natural Area Reserve (NAR) last fall. These birds, seven young males and four young females, represent what conservationists hope is the beginning of a recovered population of the endangered Hawaiian crow on the island.  ‘Alalā have been extinct in the wild since 2002. Since the birds took flight from a remote forest aviary in September and October 2017, they’ve been under the daily, watchful eyes of a monitoring team from the Hawai‘i Endangered Conservation Program, a field program of the San Diego Zoo Global (SDZG).  In partnership with the Hawai‘i Dept. of Land & Natural Resources, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and others, SDZG reared the ‘Alalā at its centers on the Big Island and on Maui.

(LIHU‘E, KAUA‘I) --   This winter, the Wailua Management Road (aka.Loop Road), which leads to Kaua‘i’s Blue Hole area, has experienced severe damage due to heavy rains and falling trees. The road was closed on November 26, 2017 to all public access (foot and vehicular travel) beyond the point popularly known as “Jurassic” gate, due to hazardous road conditions. 

KAHULUI --  A project to remove and trim hazardous trees within the Waihou Springs State Forest Reserve along the Olinda and Piiholo road corridor began yesterday and is anticipated to take between five to seven days between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m.  There will be no road closures, however there may be temporary stoppage of vehicular traffic lasting no more than five minutes.

(Honolulu) – All across Hawai‘i dialog about the impacts of climate change on our island state are ramping up.  The past year’s ‘King Tides’, along with the erosion caused by typical winter swells, are among the events that are helping to raise awareness about what is predicted to happen in the future as the planet faces warming.

HONOLULU – The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) announces a shorter hunting season for the mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) in the State of Hawaii. To comply with federal mandates, including the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and to meet current state regulations, the last day for hunting mourning dove is now January 17, 2018.

HONOLULU --  People who sell the fish they catch in Hawaiian waters are required to have a commercial marine license (CML), whether they’re full-time fishers or “weekend warriors.”  At its December 8, 2017 meeting, the Board of Land and Natural Resources approved an increase in the annual commercial marine license fee, from $50 per year to $100.  The increase becomes effective January 16, 2018.

HONOLULU -- The DLNR Division of State Parks today completed improvements to a section of the lower hiking trail at the Diamond Head State Monument summit trail.  The work was completed a week ahead of schedule. This completes a multi-phase rockfall mitigation and trail improvement work that began last year at the park.   

HONOLULU -- The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW), in partnership with the Division of State Parks is updating the master plan for the Kawainui-Hāmākua project area. Various improvements are proposed that are addressed in a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) published on December 8, 2017.

HONOLULU -- The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of Forestry and Wildlife, Nā Ala Hele Trails and Access Program is conducting an online survey and community meeting to seek input on future planning for the Ka‘iwa Ridge Trail (commonly known as the Lanikai Pillbox Trail).

(Honolulu) - DLNR announced today that after applying a Hawai‘i Supreme Court ruling from last year to an existing DLNR rule, no aquatic life may be taken for commercial aquarium purposes off West Hawai‘i until an environmental review is completed.