Department of Land and Natural Resources

(Honolulu) – All across Hawai‘i dialog about the impacts of climate change on our island state are ramping up.  The past year’s ‘King Tides’, along with the erosion caused by typical winter swells, are among the events that are helping to raise awareness about what is predicted to happen in the future as the planet faces warming.

HONOLULU – The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) announces a shorter hunting season for the mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) in the State of Hawaii. To comply with federal mandates, including the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and to meet current state regulations, the last day for hunting mourning dove is now January 17, 2018.

HONOLULU --  People who sell the fish they catch in Hawaiian waters are required to have a commercial marine license (CML), whether they’re full-time fishers or “weekend warriors.”  At its December 8, 2017 meeting, the Board of Land and Natural Resources approved an increase in the annual commercial marine license fee, from $50 per year to $100.  The increase becomes effective January 16, 2018.

HONOLULU -- The DLNR Division of State Parks today completed improvements to a section of the lower hiking trail at the Diamond Head State Monument summit trail.  The work was completed a week ahead of schedule. This completes a multi-phase rockfall mitigation and trail improvement work that began last year at the park.   

HONOLULU -- The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW), in partnership with the Division of State Parks is updating the master plan for the Kawainui-Hāmākua project area. Various improvements are proposed that are addressed in a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) published on December 8, 2017.

HONOLULU -- The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of Forestry and Wildlife, Nā Ala Hele Trails and Access Program is conducting an online survey and community meeting to seek input on future planning for the Ka‘iwa Ridge Trail (commonly known as the Lanikai Pillbox Trail).

(Honolulu) - DLNR announced today that after applying a Hawai‘i Supreme Court ruling from last year to an existing DLNR rule, no aquatic life may be taken for commercial aquarium purposes off West Hawai‘i until an environmental review is completed.

(Lihue, Kaua‘i) – A rapid assessment team comprised of experts from Island Conservation (IC), the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife’s (DOFAW) non-native avian predator control team, and the Kaua‘i Endangered Seabird Recovery Project (KESRP) flew to Lehua island Tuesday, after checks of motion-detecting field cameras showed the presence of two rats on the island. 

HONOLULU -- The DLNR Division of State Parks announces an additional Diamond Head summit trail repair project to improve a section of the lower hiking trail along the Diamond Head State Monument summit trail. Anyone planning to hike the summit trail between Wednesday January 3 – through Friday, January 19, 2018, needs to be aware that the summit trail will be closed all day Mondays through Fridays.

(Ka’iwi State Scenic Shoreline, O‘ahu) – Under a nearly full moon, with the temperature right around 70 degrees, clear skies, and the promise of a spectacular sunrise on the first day of 2018, hundreds of people made the relatively short walk to the Makapu‘u Overlook at the Ka‘iwi State Scenic Shoreline in East O‘ahu. This was the seventh First Day Hike put on by the DLNR Division of State Parks and is considered one of the largest and certainly most unique hikes that occur on New Year’s Day in state parks all across the country.