News Releases

More than 60 hikers were either cited or warned today for trespass into the closed Kohala Forest Reserve on Hawai‘i island. A team of eight officers from the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) wrote citations to 49 adults and gave written warnings to 14 hikers under the age of 18.

DLNR Chair Suzanne Case today, applauded Environmental Court Judge Jeannette Castagnetti for sending a strong message to the community and to one of the men convicted of the brutal killing of albatross at Ka‘ena Point Natural Area Reserve (NAR) on O‘ahu in December 2015.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Boating and Ocean Resources (DOBOR) will hold a public meeting to solicit community input on future planning for four sites at Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor. These sites include: the current harbormaster’s office, and the adjacent parking lot, the old fuel dock, the triangle parking lot, and the former haul-out area.

A three day operation last week in the Kalalau section of Kauai’s Napali Coast State Wilderness Park resulted in additional arrests and the dismantling of large, illegal camps in Kalalau Valley.

The Division of Forestry and Wildlife is seeking public input and comments on two draft forest reserve management plans, one for Pūpūkea Forest Reserve on the island of O‘ahu, and the other for Kula Forest Reserve and the Papa‘anui Tract of Kahikinui Forest Reserve on the island of Maui. Draft plans will be posted online at https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/forestry/frs/reserves/management-plans/. Please submit written comments by July 31, 2017 to Jan Pali, Forestry and Watershed Planner via email at [email protected]

Marine resource protection officials are asking the public’s cooperation to keep their distance and avoid disturbing a Hawaiian monk seal mother and her newborn pup on the popular Kaimana beach at Waikiki.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources has issued a Notice of Alleged Violations to Simon Valej of Hang Loose Boat Tours for Alleged Unauthorized Alteration of Historic Properties and Unauthorized Land Use Within the Conservation District Located at Punalu‘u Wharf, Ka‘u, Hawai‘i.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) will open this year’s season for plum harvesting at Koke‘e State Park, Kaua‘i on Saturday, July 1. Permits are required to harvest plums at Koke‘e. They will be available starting on July 1 at the Koke‘e Museum – daily from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. or at the State Parks office in Lihu‘e weekdays from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

A capital improvement project for the DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation’S Manele Small Boat Harbor is scheduled to begin on June 26, 2017, that will include the removal of 11 existing wooden finger piers and installation of new aluminum framed finger piers with slip resistant fiber reinforced plastic decking, plastic lumber fendering, and cleats.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) announces the dates for the opening of the black-tailed deer hunting season on the island of Kaua‘i. Rules and conditions regulating game mammal hunting in Title 13, Chapter 123 will be in effect. For hunt details go to the Division of Forestry and Wildlife website at https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dofaw/