Department of Land and Natural Resources

HILO -- The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) this month will conduct animal control activities specifically for trapping mouflon/feral sheep hybrids; staff hunting, and/or aerial shooting from helicopters for feral goats, feral sheep, mouflon and mouflon/feral sheep hybrids within palila critical habitat in the Mauna Kea Forest Reserve (Unit A), Mauna Kea Ice Age Natural Area Reserve (Unit K), Palila Mitigation Lands, and the Kaohe Game Management Area (Unit G) on the island of Hawai‘i.

(Lihu‘e, Kaua‘i) – The second scheduled aerial application of a rodenticide to eliminate invasive rats from the State Seabird Sanctuary on Lehua Island was successfully completed today.  As with the first helicopter application on August 23rd, this second application began at first light and was complete in about three hours. 

(Honolulu) – The final stage of work to remove rockfall hazards along the exterior and interior slopes of the iconic Diamond Head State Monument will begin September 18, 2017. This phase will focus on the summit hiking trail, and is expected to be completed by early December 2017. 

(HONOLULU) – Today, hope reigns for Lehua Island, as an operation commenced to make the island’s threatened wildlife safe from introduced, damaging, invasive rats. DLNR and its partners carried out carefully made plans to remove the invasive rats with support from Native Hawaiian and local communities. Dozens of Federal and State permits affirming that the operation poses very little risk to people, marine mammals, fish, sea turtles, birds, or other wildlife were secured in advance of the operation.

HONOLULU -- The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) will be holding two public information meetings on Hawaii island this month on sea level rise vulnerability and adaptation. The first meeting will take place in Hilo this week on Thursday, August 17, 2017, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Aupuni Center Conference Room, located at 101 Pauahi Street.

(Honolulu) – The now famous Hawaiian monk seal pup who spent the past 44 days on busy Kaimana Beach in Waikiki was successfully relocated by a team of expert handlers and veterinarians this morning.  Named ‘Kaimana’, the young seal weaned from her mother ‘Rocky’ midday Friday.

(Honolulu)  - For several hours this afternoon, ‘Rocky’ the mother of the Hawaiian monk seal pup ‘Kaimana’ has not been spotted at Kaimana Beach.  This may indicate that Rocky has weaned her pup, but it’s too soon to know for sure.  

Grants from the State of Hawai‘i Land Conservation Fund support efforts by state agencies, counties, and nonprofit land conservation organizations to acquire land and protect resources for public benefit. The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), through its Legacy Land Conservation Program, seeks applications from these partners for grants to preserve – forever -- land that has natural, environmental, recreational, scenic, cultural, agricultural production, or historic value, including park and trail systems that provide access to such land.

The Hawaiian monk seal pup, PO3, born on O‘ahu’s Kaimana Beach in late June will be relocated to a remote, undisclosed shoreline area where she can continue her natural growth as a wild seal with less human interaction and other hazards. The decision to move the seal was made following extensive discussion and analysis by experts, managers and scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries); the DLNR Chair’s Office and its Divisions of Aquatic Resources (DAR) and Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE). Other agencies involved in managing public and seal safety during its time at Kaimana include the City and County (C&C) of Honolulu Emergency Services Department, Division of Ocean Safety and Life Guard Services, C&C Dept. of Parks and Recreation, the Honolulu Mayor’s Office; and Hawai‘i Marine Animal Response (HMAR).

A first-of-its-kind initiative in Hawai‘i to use carbon offset credits for reforestation and recovery of Hawai‘i Island pasture land is moving forward with the release of a Request for Proposals (RFP). The program involves planting of native tree species such as koa and mamane, restoration of the watershed on the north slopes of Mauna Kea, and habitat restoration for the endangered native bird, the palila. The initiative will generate revenues for all the activities through the sale of carbon offset credits