News Releases

HONOLULU – A keyword search of “Sacred Falls” online reveals dozens and dozens of websites related to the long-closed Hawaii state park. Unfortunately many of these sites and blogs continue to encourage hikers and others to visit Sacred Falls State Park, though it's been closed since shortly after a 1999 Mother’s Day accident which killed eight people and left dozens of others seriously hurt.

HILO -- The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of Forestry and Wildlife, announces the opening of archery hunting in the Hawaii Island Puuanahulu Game Management Area (GMA) beginning Sunday, March 1, 2015, and continuing on weekends and State Holidays through Sunday, June 28, 2015.

HILO -- The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife, Hawaii Island Branch announces the opening of the 2015 Spring Bearded Turkey Hunting Season on Sunday, March 1, 2015. The spring season will run 31 consecutive days through Tuesday, March 31, 2015. The spring season will be for bearded turkeys only in locations identified below. The season length, bag limits, and hunting areas are those established in Title 13, Chapter 122, “Rules Regulating Game Bird Hunting, Field Trials and Commercial Shooting Preserves.” The appellate court ruling (Tanaka v. State, December 31, 2007) removed the Department’s ability to make any seasonal adjustments.

MAKENA, MAUI -- The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), Division of State Parks will close the Pu‘u Olai area (Little Beach) and a portion of Makena Beach State Park tomorrow February 18, while DLNR staff and military ordnance experts investigate a potential hazardous situation fronting the beach at Pu‘u Olai.

Logging operations begin in the Koke'e area of Kauai begin this month. Crews will be felling, removing and trucking an estimated 15,000 tons of trees burned in a series of fires during the summer of 2012. In this video, representatives from the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife discuss this project along with the contract logging company, Woodward and Companies. This video was produced from a public informational meeting held in Kekaha on Feb. 11, 2015.

PUNA DISTRICT, HAWAII COUNTY— State Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) officers last night arrested a tour guide involved in conducting illegal commercial tours within the Kahaualea Natural Area Reserve. The Kahaualea Natural Area Reserve has been closed by DLNR due to hazardous conditions related to ongoing volcanic activity in the area.

HONOLULU – Two weeks after scientists announced that many coral colonies in Kaneohe Bay were showing signs of recovery from a fall 2014 bleaching event, reefs there are now facing a new threat. The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB) and the US Geological Survey (USGS) are investigating the presence of a disease called Acute Montipora White Syndrome (aMWS). It was first detected on patch reefs in the bay within the past few weeks.

"The Makapu'u lighthouse road (trail) at Kaiwi State Scenic Shoreline in East Oahu, is undergoing six months of repairs which will involve 25 days of park closures during February, March and July. In this video, DLNR Division of State Parks Administrator Dan Quinn discusses the project, and we take you to the construction blessing. The first closure day is Monday, February 9, 2015.

DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCESNews Release DAVID Y. IGEGOVERNOR CARTY CHANGACTING CHAIRPERSON For Immediate News Release February 05, 2015     DLNR BEGINS REPAIRS & IMPROVEMENTS TO THE MAKAPU‘U ...
Read More 02/05/15 – DLNR Begins Repairs & Improvements To The Makapu’u Trail (Road); Hikers Will Experience Closures & Delays

HONOLULU – In order to try and prevent potential resource damage and to ensure that any damage is repaired, the DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR) and Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) are closely monitoring the salvage operation of a Pacific Whale Foundation (PWF) vessel that grounded in Lahaina Harbor on Monday.