
**IMPORTANT PARK NOTICES**
Monitor weather reports before your park visit!
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[HAWAI'I] - UPDATE 6/17/25: West Hawai’i Island Parks to Close Early on 4th of July Holiday. To prevent unauthorized use of fireworks on the 4th of July, and the potential for wildfire, three west side parks will close early on that day. Park visitors must exit these dry, leeward parks by 5pm, when the gates will be locked. The parks affected include Hāpuna Beach State Recreation Area, including Waialea Beach section, Kīholo State Park Reserve, and Kekaha Kai State Park (both the Mahaiʻula and Maniniʻōwali sections). The public is reminded that fireworks are prohibited at all times, in all Hawaiʻi State Parks.
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[MOLOKA’I] - UPDATE 6/16/25: Pala’au State Park Pavilion: Due to continued renovation work, the pavilion closure has been extended from June 1 to July 31. The Pala’au Camping Area has been CLOSED from June 1 to July 31, 2025.
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[MAUI] UPDATED 6/4/25 – Kaumahina State Wayside - CLOSED June 12 to June 22 for tree removal project.
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[MAUI] UPDATED 5/23/25 – Mākena State Park - State Parks is issuing an Invitation for Bids (“IFB”) to qualified parties interested in a Mobile Food Truck Concession Agreement to operate a Mobile Food Truck (“MFT”) Concession at Mākena State Park. More information may be obtained on the following link: https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dsp/announcements/invitation-for-bid-for-sealed-bid-proposal-to-provide-a-mobile-food-truck-concession-at-makena-state-park-on-maui/.
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[OʻAHU] UPDATED 5/21/25 – Diamond Head State Monument (DHSM): Updated June Operating Hours - The rockfall mitigation project began January 6, 2025 and will run until September 5, 2025 or upon completion of the construction project at the Kahala Tunnel. Please check the Diamond Head State Monument website for updated park operation hours during this time.
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[KAUAʻI] - UPDATE 3/21/25: Pā‘ula‘ula State Historic Site - Due to construction improvements, the park closure will begin starting March 24 until further notice.
Lunar Cycle and Spring Tides Spawn Coral Spawning
Posted on Jun 1, 2021(Kohala Coast, Hawai‘i Island) – Shortly after dawn, today and yesterday, a trio of aquatic biologists with the DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) carefully watched coral colonies at Waialea Bay at Hāpuna Beach State Recreation Area (SRA).
Once a year, with spring tides and the full moon, corals spawn and send millions of tiny gametes into the water column. However, the annual cycle can be broken.
“A lot of factors come into play,” said DAR Fish and Habitat Monitoring Planner Lindsey Kramer. “Water temperature and salinity are important. Rain events can cause the colonies to wait until the next lunar cycle. The moon cycles are the primary drivers of these spawning events of cauliflower corals.”
She and her colleagues hope the gametes will fertilize with nearby colonies, float to the surface, and within 24-48 hours produce larvae to reseed reef structures with new corals.
Cauliflower coral (Pocillopora meandrina) reefs in west Hawai‘i waters were heavily impacted by a 2015 mass coral bleaching event. Kramer explained, “We’re down to about 5% of the population of this species in West Hawai‘i. Cauliflower coral are especially susceptible to bleaching, so with that 95% loss of cover these spawning events are vitally important. We need to do everything possible to help these reefs recover through this natural reproductive cycle.”
Researchers have now recorded active spawning over the past five years. To give the coral recovery even more of an advantage, this year, in cooperation with the DLNR Division of State Parks, the parking lot at the bay was closed and people were asked to avoid going into the water before noon each day.
At the entrance State Parks Outreach Specialist Dena Sedar explained the reason for the closure to would-be snorkelers. “Everyone really understood the reasons not to interrupt the coral spawning. One of the biggest is to keep personal care products out of the water,” she said.
Scientists say sunscreens form a surface on the water that interact with the coral larvae. Reef-safe sunscreen dispensers are scheduled to be installed at the Waialea Bay Section of the SRA later this year.
DAR Aquatic Biologist Chris Teague commented, “It’s good to let them do their thing without people around as hopefully that allows more settling later on.”
Seeing the results of the spawning is tricky. “Some are carried off-shore and it could be a couple of months before they’re back down on the reef. They might settle back at Waialea, but the spawn could go elsewhere within the region or even across the state,” Teague added.
The spawning was light both days during the closure window. Yet, Kramer said, “I think minimizing the disturbance during these really sensitive times for the corals is definitely a good way to help protect the larvae and ensure they’re healthy.”
Teague concluded, “It’s great when we get to work with other DLNR divisions like State Parks, on a common cause.” DAR has also worked closely with the County of Hawai‘i and the Kahulu‘u Bay Education Center (KBEC) on the closure of the parking lot at that popular snorkeling site, which began yesterday and continues until June 5. KBEC Director Cindi Punihaole reported, “We observed coral spawning at 7:04 a.m. yesterday.”
With the resurgence in tourism, coral experts are renewing pleas to ocean-goers to be aware of their personal impacts on marine environments. Do not touch, sit, or walk on corals. Use sun-protective clothing and head wear and use only reef-safe sunscreens.
KBEC is a program of the Kohala Center and Lindsey Kramer is on contract to the State from the Hawai‘i Coral Reef Initiative (HCRI).