Department of Land and Natural Resources

(Honolulu) - Dredging of the Ala Wai Canal to remove accumulated silt and sediments, remove abandoned Hawaiian Electric Company cables, and to repair two sections of canal wall begins this month. Extensive public outreach was conducted by the DLNR Engineering Division to inform canal users, like canoe clubs, of the work.

(Honolulu) – The Legacy Land Conservation Commission has prioritized applications to protect 19,270 acres stretching from the southeast shore at Ka‘ū, Hawai‘i, to Kaua‘i's north shore, including lands on Maui, Moloka‘i, and O‘ahu.

 (Honolulu) – Today, following-up on a citizen complaint, officers from the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) recovered an estimated 1,000 feet of unattended lay net within Kaneohe Bay.

(Honolulu)- One of Hawaii’s most important native plants is the Naio tree. Naio has been widely planted in landscapes and is an important component of our island’s coastal ecosystems. A decade ago naio became threatened with a small invasive insect pest known as thrips found on Hawai’i Island. Thrips are narrow, dark brown to black and approximately 2.2.5 mm in size and are native to Tasmania. They were likely first accidentally introduced in the U.S. in California.

Haleakalā, Maui; September 30, 2019) In a bold action aimed at saving the endangered Kiwikiu (Maui Parrotbill, or Pseudonestor xanthophrys), in October four conservation partners will begin translocating both captive-bred and wild birds to a restored forest with the goal of creating a second, “insurance” population for this species. The Kiwikiu has declined by over 50 percent in recent years, and fewer than 312 birds remain in the wild.

This September, seven additional ʻAlalā were released into the Puʻu Makaʻala Natural Area Reserve (NAR) on the windward slopes of Mauna Loa.

(Honolulu)-In 1988 National Estuaries Day began to help promote the importance of estuaries and the need to protect them. It was decided in 2013 to expand the day of celebration of estuaries into a week-long event.

(Līhuʻe) – On Sunday September 8, 2019 at the King Kaumualiʻi Elementary School Cafeteria with the help of Congresswoman Cowden, the DLNR Kaua’i Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) held an informational meeting regarding the timeline and plan for the Līhu‘e-Kōloa Forest Reserve Loop Road repair work. It was a great opportunity to hear the community interest and hopes for this area. DOFAW Kaua'i wishes to work better with open communication so that our actions in the future will help create a positive space for the community and future generations to enjoy.

 (Honolulu) – The DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) is investigating the possible destruction of four, endangered Hawaiian ʻānunu vines in the Mauna Loa Forest Reserve on the backside of Pu‘u Huluhulu.  This is where thousands of protesters have been illegally blocking Mauna Kea Access Road since mid-July. In addition to the alleged cutting of these vines, DOCARE officers found evidence that other rare plants have been trampled, either inadvertently or intentionally.

(Honolulu) – The severe and widespread coral bleaching event predicted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is already occurring along reefs across the state. Last week, a team from the DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) conducted a rapid assessment of coral health at Molokini and along Maui’s south shore from Makena to Maalaea.