(Honolulu) – The current eruption of Kīlauea has forever destroyed the Waiopae Tidepools Marine Life Conservation District (MLCD). Less than 1% of the marine environment in Hawai‘i is fully protected by these districts, so the loss of Waiopae is extremely significant.
State Parks
(HONOLULU) – The Board of Land and Natural Resources today reviewed the draft Hā’ena State Parks Master Plan, recommended that the Governor accept the Final Environmental Impact Statement, and delegated authority to the Chair of the Board to approve the final Master Plan following acceptance of the EIS by the Governor.
LIHU‘E -- The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) is reminding residents and visitors to Kaua‘i that certain forest and park areas on Kaua‘i which suffered damage during historic flooding in mid-April remain closed.
HONOLULU -- Kids of all ages are invited to find their own adventure at the iconic Diamond Head State Monument, on “Kids to Parks Day,” Saturday May 19 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
LIHU‘E, KAUA‘I -- Polihale State Park on Kaua‘i will reopen to the public on Tuesday May 15, following repairs to the heavily flood-damaged entry road. The initial repairs, consisting of filling and grading the most damaged section of the unpaved 5-mile roadway and making drainage improvements, will allow for hardy vehicles to access the beach and camping areas within the popular West Kaua‘i park. A second phase of road repair will be ongoing for approximately two weeks after the reopening, and park visitors may experience some delays due to the construction.
Effective immediately, the DLNR Division of State Parks has closed its Lava Tree State Monument and Mackenzie State Recreation Area until further notice. Gates to these parks will be locked and closure signs posted. This action was taken after consultation with Hawaii County Emergency and Parks and Recreation which recommended the closures due to earthquake activity in the Puna area.
(HONOLULU) – A simultaneous removal of illegal camps on DLNR Division of State Parks land and enforcement of the Stored Property Ordinance by the City and County of Honolulu Dept. of Facility Maintenance on land under the control of the Department of Parks and Recreation started at 8 a.m. today. 26 camps were removed at the Diamond Head State Monument on the mauka-side of Diamond Head Road. The city focused on the removal of camps on the makai-side of the road, but does not yet have an estimate on the amount of material removed.
(LIHUE) – Two major State Parks on Kaua‘i will remain closed indefinitely. Hāʻena State Park and the adjacent Nāpali Coast State Wilderness Park (including the Kalalau Trail) on Kauai are closed due to flood damage affecting both parks. Kuhio Highway, the only way in and out of both parks has been closed by multiple landslides since record-breaking rains pounded the north shore of Kaua‘I last weekend. Closures will likely be for an extended period, while damage assessments and repairs are completed.
(HONOLULU) – An estimated 25 people elected to be airlifted out of the Kalalau area of the Napali Coast State Wilderness Park yesterday. They’d been stranded there since last weekend’s record-breaking rain storm that cut off road access from the trail head back to Hanalei and other Kaua‘i locales. A helicopter pilot who participated in the evacuation operation reports that at least two people decided to stay behind. Initial reports indicate that the 11-mile-long Kalalau Trail did not experience significant damage, but that can’t be confirmed until a DLNR Division of State Parks maintenance team visits the trail sometime in the next week. It’s not known at this time whether others decided to shelter in place at the designated camping area at Hanakoa or at Hanakapai‘ai at the two mile point, where people can travel without a state permit.
(LIHUE) – The record-breaking rain storm on Kaua‘i last weekend has resulted in the DLNR Division of State Parks closing the following Garden Island parks: Napali Coast State Wilderness Park, Ha’ena State Park, Polihale State Park and portions of Wailua River State Park. Currently there are an estimated 30 campers stranded in the Kalalau section of the Napali Coast State Wilderness Park. Efforts are underway to contact people who have camping permits to check on their status or to determine whether they made it out of the park safely?