International Union for Conservation of Nature

DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES

DAVID Y. IGE
GOVERNOR

SUZANNE D. CASE
CHAIRPERSON

MEDIA ADVISORY

 

HAWAII’S NATURAL AREA RESERVES SYSTEM PROTECTS 
HAWAII’S MOST PRISTINE AND WILD PLACES

WHAT:  The statewide Natural Area Reserves System (NARS) was established to preserve in perpetuity, specific land and water areas which support communities, as relatively unmodified as possible, of the natural flora and fauna, as well as geological sites, of Hawai‘i. The system presently consists of 21 reserves on five islands, encompassing 123,810 acres of the State’s most unique ecosystems. The diverse areas found in the NARS, range from marine and coastal environments to lava flows, tropical rainforests, and even an alpine desert. Within these areas one can find rare endemic plants and animals, many of which are on the edge of extinction. We present two examples of how communities are learning about and helping to care for these pristine and wild places.  

WHEN: Tuesday, August 23, 2016, 11 a.m.

WHERE: Dept. of Land & Natural Resources, Kalanimoku Building, 1151 Punchbowl Street, Honolulu (first floor makai breezeway)

WHO:  Emma Yuen, acting manager, DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife Native Ecosystems Program and Management

WHY: This is the second of 19 daily DLNR & YOU news conferences associated with the IUCN World Conservation Congress Hawai’i 2016, Sept. 1^st-10th. Complete media packages with HD Video, photographs, and a video news release will be available.

 

MEDIA CONTACT:

Dan Dennison
Senior Communications Manager
(808) 587-0407