Department of Land and Natural Resources

HONOLULU -- The Department of Land and Natural Resources has temporarily closed the ‘Aiea Loop Trail in Keaiwa Heiau State Recreational Area, for public safety, due to two landslides with fallen trees on the trail.

LIHU'E – The Department of Land and Natural Resources is reminding Kaua‘i residents that Laysan albatross breeding season on Kaua‘i is from November through July. DLNR’s Division of Forestry and Wildlife is distributing informational flyers on Kaua‘i in the Moloa‘a and Waipeke residential areas of north Kaua‘i, to encourage the public to help protect these vulnerable seabirds.

HONOLULU — The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) reminds the fishing public that the season for ‘ama‘ama (striped mullet) will be closed from Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015, through Thursday, March 31, 2016.

(HONOLULU) – Extensive, mass coral bleaching across the entire Hawaiian archipelago is prompting the development of a comprehensive coral reef management plan for near-shore waters in the main Hawaiian Islands. Dr. Bruce Anderson, the administrator for the DLNR Division of Aquatic (DAR) Resources explained, “Coral bleaching in some parts of Hawaii is unprecedented in recorded history, placing our corals at much greater risk of dying. We need to ensure our reefs are as healthy and resilient as possible to maximize the chances of recovery.” However, in a response to a recent inquiry, Anderson added “Aquarium fish collecting is not thought to contribute significantly to the problem, while declines in populations of large-scale coral scraping herbivores such as parrot fish (uhu) are a significant issue for our reef health.”

(HONOLULU) – The DLNR introduces the Hawai‘i Climate Adaptation Portal, a website which includes a vast wealth information on climate change and how it is impacting Hawaii and other coastal states and locations around the world as well as all things related to the Interagency Climate Adaptation Committee (ICAC). The Hawaiian name for the site is Pili Na Mea a Pau, which translated means, “all things are related.” Sam Lemmo, the administrator of the DLNR Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands and Co-chair of the ICAC said, “The impacts of climate change are far reaching and will have dramatic effects on Hawaii’s economy, health, environment and way of life. These impacts are all related and it’s important that we consider them all as we prepare adaptation strategies.”

HONOLULU - The DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR) is following through to finalize a lease termination with Honey Bee USA, Inc. effective November 15, 2015, for the use of just over three acres of dry and submerged lands at Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor. It was the intended location of a proposed redevelopment project known as “Waikiki Landing.” The project was to have included wedding chapels, restaurants, retail and office space, a boat repair facility and fuel dock.

HONOLULU -- In response to the concerns of community members regarding the status of ocean recreation regulations in Maunalua Bay, the DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR) is taking the next step to establish the Maunalua Bay Recreation Advisory Committee (M-RAC).

(HONOLULU) – While workers associated with the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) on Mauna Kea on Hawaii Island begin maintenance and repair activities, hunting and other recreational activities and research also continue on the mountain. Suzanne Case, Chairperson of the Department of Land and Natural Resources said, “Mauna Kea is very much a multiple-use area for a wide array of cultural, recreational and research activities. Our goal is to ensure that people on the mountain conduct themselves responsibly and with respect for other users. As local workers prepare to begin work at the TMT site, we want to remind people of other simultaneous activities that may be occurring on the mountain.”

(HANALEI, KAUAI) – Hanalei Stream is again flowing freely and within its banks after the completion of a multi-million dollar stream restoration project. Hanalei is one of only two EPA National Heritage rivers west of the Rockies. A breach in its bank, 20 years ago, diverted water from the stream and often flooded adjacent properties after heavy rains. This break also reduced stream flow entering an intake pipe that provides water for Hawaii’s largest taro growing complex, and habitat for endangered native birds within the Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge.

HONOLULU – Two well-known and popular community locations in Honokaa, Hawaii were recently added to the National Register of Historic Places:

Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi, November 3, 2015) A historic project more than 30 years in the making took place on Kauaʻi’s north shore on Monday when 10 downy endangered Hawaiian Petrel chicks were flown by helicopter from their montane nesting area to a new colony protected by a predator-proof fence at Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge.

KAMUELA, HAWAII ­ — The public is invited to an Arbor Day plant sale on Friday, November 5 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife Kamuela State Tree Nursery, located at 66-1220-A Lalamilo Rd. in Kamuela.

LIHU‘E ­ — The public is invited to an Arbor Day plant sale on November 6 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife baseyard and nursery at 4398-D Pua Loke St. (follow the palm trees past the Dept. of Water and Dept. of Agriculture offices).

(HONOLULU) – More than 3,000 people have received a permit at no charge from the DLNR Division of State Parks this year for driving access to a coastal portion of Kaena Point State Park Reserve - Mokuleia section on Oahu’s north shore. The permit system was instituted as an attempt to curtail habitat damage caused by and accelerated by off-road vehicle use; to reduce soil erosion into the high quality near-shore waters frequented by fishers; and to stop other illegal and damaging activities. The permits, valid 24-hours a day, 365-days a year (unless the park is closed for weather or emergency reasons), allow drivers to transit designated roads, in a safe manner, behind a locked gate at the end of the paved road in the park.

HANALEI -- Last night a 33 foot vessel, Serenity, belonging to Randy Perez, was leaving Hanalei bay when his motor died. He hoisted sail but it tore so the vessel drifted back into the bay. The vessel dropped anchor, but due to high surf it broke its mooring and washed onto the rocks on the bay’s west side at Waipa. The vessel suffered a hole in its port side (left) of the hull. Perez was injured while trying to get off the vessel and was taken to a hospital for treatment.

KAILUA-KONA, HAWAI‘I – Planned improvements to Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area in Waimea between Kawaihae and Puako, are the subject of a community meeting taking place from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 29, 2015, at the mauka dining hall in the park.

HONOLULU -- The ‘Aha Moku Advisory Committee (AMAC) has scheduled a series of public meetings on O‘ahu in November 2015 to seek comment from communities in Oahu’s ‘ahupua‘a districts as it develops and adopts rules for its operation and administration

(HONOLULU) - A beautiful stretch of beach at the base of iconic Diamond Head, in the area known as Cromwells, has reappeared from beneath a jungle of naupaka and beach heliotrop. Property owners, who have homes on the shoreline, received letters from the DLNR Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands (OCCL) asking them to cut back vegetation that encroached onto the public beach from their properties.

HILO – The Department of Land and Natural Resources’ (DLNR) Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service, is now accepting applications for vacant seats on the Laupāhoehoe Advisory Council (LAC) and the Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a Advisory Council (PAC) on Hawai‘i island.

(HONOLULU) – William “Kai” Bishop Kaihe’ekai Maioho, has been chosen as the new Curator of the Royal Mausoleum at Mauna ‘Ala on Oahu. He starts October 21, 2015. He will be the 15th curator of the Royal Mausoleum, established in 1865 as the final resting place for the ruling monarchs of the Kingdom of Hawai’i, their families, and close advisors. Kai replaces his father, William “Bill” Maioho, who passed away earlier this year while serving as Curator.

(HONOLULU) – The world’s foremost authority on shark/human interactions has confirmed that a surfer was bitten by an eel off Waikiki last Saturday night. The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) has now completed its investigation into the incident. The surfer who wants to remain anonymous got injuries to his left foot. DLNR staff interviewed the victim, and the information he provided, along with photos of his injuries, were discussed with George Burgess, director of the International Shark Attack File in Florida. The details of the Saturday incident reinforced Burgess’ opinion that the animal involved was an eel, not a shark.

HONOLULU – The popularity of manta ray viewing sites at Makako Bay (Garden Eel Cove) along the coastline fronting the Sheraton Keauhou Bay on the Big Island’s Kona coast has captured media, state and federal attention. These manta ray viewing opportunities are unique worldwide and tours are conducted in two specific areas where mantas tend to congregate at night to feed on plankton. In recent years it has come to the attention of the DLNR that commercial manta ray night snorkeling and diving at these two popular sites has expanded considerably and the activity is in need of regulation in order to preserve the resource and prevent the dangers posed by overcrowding. The DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR) is actively engaged in responsibly investigating the tour operations taking place and working to further regulate manta tour activities for safety and for the environment.

HONOLULU -- The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife announces the opening of the 2015-2016 game bird hunting season on Saturday, November 7, 2015.

LIHU'E – Seven fledgling ‘A‘o (Newell’s Shearwaters) were released by school children from two Kauai schools this week as part of the annual E Ho‘opomaika‘i ‘ia na Manu ‘A‘o (A Cultural Release of the Native Newell’s Shearwater) event. This is the eighth year the Kauai Endangered Seabird Recovery Project (KESRP) and the Save Our Shearwaters (SOS) project teamed up to give local keiki the chance to be a part of the release of rehabilitated ‘A’o fledglings. Fourth-grade students from Wilcox Elementary School and Island School participated in the blessing and releases.

(Hanalei, Kauai) – Kauai taro farmer Rodney Haraguchi can’t wait until the Hanalei Stream Bank Restoration Project is finished in the next two months. For almost 20 years, he and nine other farmers who have loi on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services’ Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge have experienced diminished water flows from the Hanalei River. “You know, like any farmer, without water, you cannot plant any taro or harvest; water is the life-line for our crops,” Haraguchi said.

(HONOLULU) - As a follow up to Friday’s court decision invalidating the emergency rule prohibiting overnight presence along the upper Mauna Kea road corridor, the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) reminds people that camping in forest reserves and public hunting areas without a permit remains illegal under Hawaii Administrative Rules.

(MOLOKINI) - When the Keolahou arrives at Molokini Crater, three miles off Maui’s south coast, more than a dozen commercial tour boats are already moored. The Keolahou is a DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) research vessel. Yesterday it carried five researchers to Molokini to continue, what has been so far, a three-year-long coral bleaching monitoring project. While the researchers dive to lay out transect lines, to tag coral heads and to photograph them, hundreds of tourists snorkel nearby.

HONOLULU -- The Hawai‘i Historic Places Review Board has added 12 properties to the Hawai‘i Register of Historic Places. Properties are eligible for inclusion in the register because of their association with broad patterns or events, or individuals important in the history of Hawai‘i. They are usually significant in architecture and design, are likely to yield important information, and their features retain their qualifying integrity.

(HONOLULU) - Curt Cottrell, a 25-year-long employee of the Department of Land and Natural Resources, has been chosen as the next Administrator for the DLNR Division of State Parks. He replaces Dan Quinn, another veteran manager, who recently retired.

HONOLULU - Hawaii’s unprecedented coral bleaching event this fall prompted dozens of new volunteers to receive training today by the Eyes of the Reef Network (EOR), to spot and report coral bleaching on their local reefs. Billed as Bleachapalozza, today’s statewide training was intended to increase the number of trained volunteers in the water, documenting and reporting bleaching to the network.

HONOLULU --- The Department of Land and Natural Resources is implementing a $1.2 million construction project to install approximately 766 linear feet of rockfall impact protective fencing on a hillside just below the popular Lanikai pillbox trail.

(HONOLULU) - Dr. Bruce Anderson, a well-known Hawaiʻi leader in environmental protection, has been selected to be the Administrator of the DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR).

HONOLULU -- A rock fall today has resulted in closure of the ‘Aiea Loop Trail in Keaiwa Heiau State Recreational Area. No one was hurt.

HILO -- The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) 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), and the Ka‘ohe Game Management Area (Unit G) on the island of Hawai‘i. Aerial shooting is required for compliance with the federal court order mandating the removal of sheep and goats from critical habitat for palila, a bird endemic to Hawai‘i.

(HONOLULU) – Coral 'bleaching', a stress response caused by high ocean temperatures that makes corals appear white and can ultimately lead to their death, is reaching unprecedented levels across Hawaii. Serious concern has already prompted a response from state and federal agencies charged with protecting and monitoring the health of coral reefs and volunteer organizations are also now responding. DLNR’s Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) is supporting the first-ever Bleachapalooza; a grassroots effort that will bring volunteers together statewide to receive training on how to identify coral bleaching in their areas and how to report their findings to the Eyes of the Reef Network (www.eorhawaii.org).

HONOLULU – The Department of Land and Natural Resources, in partnership with Cascadia Research Collective and Hawaii Pacific University, has been awarded nearly $1.2 million dollars over three years from NOAA Fisheries to support the conservation and recovery of Hawaii’s endangered false killer whales.

HONOLULU -- A volunteer clean-up of trash within the Ala Wai small boat harbor is planned for this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, September 26 and 27. Puma Punku Ocean Clean Up, Inc. is a new non-profit business formed to clean the ocean of plastic and marine debris.

HONOLULU -- The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Honolulu District are holding a public meeting on Wednesday, September 30, 2015 to present the Draft Feasibility Study and Environmental Impact Statement on the proposed Ala Wai Canal Project. The meeting will be held at Washington Middle School from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

HONOLULU – Due to the complex nature of the road repaving work and some weather delays in construction, the DLNR Division of State Parks is modifying the closure dates for the Makapu‘u Lighthouse Trail in Kaiwi State Scenic Shoreline.

(HILO) - 19 officers from the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE), with support from four Hawaii Police Department officers and a ranger with the Office of Mauna Kea Management, conducted a third law enforcement operation in the restricted area covered by the 120 day emergency rule, passed in June by the state Board of Land and Natural Resources.

HONOLULU -- The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of State Parks will close its campgrounds at the Kalanai (southern) section of Malaekahana State Recreation Area for approximately one month beginning September 20, 2015 for tree trimming and other needed maintenance.

The Dept. of Land and Natural Resources reached an understanding with protesters on Mauna Kea to remove a large tent across from the Mauna Kea Visitors Center. Yesterday officers from the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) posted the tent as an illegal structure. Today in discussions with DLNR leadership, a protest leader agreed to remove the tent and to “lighten their presence” on the mountain. DOCARE officers will continue to monitor for the removal of illegal structures on the mountain.

(LEHUA ISLAND) – “100% success,” is how a researcher with Island Conservation describes this week’s non-lethal bait experiment on this small island, 17 miles west of Kauai, just off the northern tip of Niihau. State, federal, and non-profit partners conducted helicopter application of bait that is non-toxic, which they hope will ultimately lead to the use of rodent bait to eliminate Lehua’s rat population. Invasive rats are the primary predator of three federally-listed and/or endangered and threatened candidate seabird species that could establish breeding colonies on Lehua. Newell’s shearwaters, Hawaiian petrel, and the Band-rumped storm petrel may have been nesting there prior to the introduction of rats and rabbits. Rabbits have been eradicated from the island.

HONOLULU - The Department of Land and Natural Resources will keep closed its coastal and low-lying state parks and forest areas (including wildlife sanctuaries, natural area reserves and game management areas) on all islands on Thursday morning until staff are able to monitor adjacent ocean conditions for safety before reopening them.

(HONOLULU) – One billion dollars – that’s how much hunters and anglers contribute each year in the U.S. toward fish and wildlife conservation programs through taxes on their sport-related purchases. National Hunting and Fishing Day began in 1972 as a way for states to recognize the contributions of sportsmen and women in wildlife conservation and restoration, hunter education and to the shooting sports. For 78 years the Pittman-Robertson Act (American System of Conservation Funding) has imposed a 10.5%-11% federal excise tax on the sale of firearms, handguns, ammunition, archery equipment and accessories. That’s resulted in contributions of $9.24 billion toward wildlife restoration projects, including an allocation to the states of $808 million in 2015.

HONOLULU – The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), Division of State Parks will close the Makapu‘u Lighthouse Trail and parking lot at the Kaiwi State Scenic Shoreline for seven (7) weekdays, starting tomorrow, Tuesday September 15 through Wednesday, September 23. The trail will be open during the weekend of September 19 and 20, however visitors should be aware that the trail will be rough and unpaved.

(HONOLULU) – As predicted, coral reefs across Hawaii from Kure Atoll, the northernmost land feature in the Hawaiian Archipelago, to Hawaii Island are starting to feel the effects of coral bleaching. This is a result of coral sensitivity to rises in ocean temperatures as small as 1-2 degrees. Climate experts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Coral Reef Watch program forecasted severe coral bleaching conditions for Hawaiian waters beginning in August and continuing through October. The warnings indicate that high ocean temperatures compounded by an El Nino event have a strong likelihood of causing mass coral bleaching across Hawaii. Last summer saw the first documented event of mass bleaching across the entire archipelago, and reefs in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) experienced their third and worst reported mass bleaching event to date.

KAUAI COUNTY – The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) has partnered with the conservation non-profit Island Conservation (IC) and a group of interested stakeholders to study the introduced population of rats on Lehua Island.

LIHU‘E, KAUA‘I — The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of State Parks will continue to accept public comments on the Master Plan and EIS for Ha‘ena State Park through October 8, 2015. The legal public comment period ended today, but is being extended in response to requests from the public to allow more time to review the large and complex document which sets a course for the future of the heavily-visited north shore state park.

(HILO) - Eight people were arrested early this morning at a protest camp across the road from the Mauna Kea Visitors Center on Hawaii island. Seven women and one man were arrested for being present in the restricted area, outlined in the emergency rule passed by the Board of Land and Natural Resources and signed by Governor Ige. All of those arrested were transported by the Hawaii County Police Department to Hilo for booking.

HONOLULU — A state boating administrative rule that is now permanent continues the ban on alcohol and drug use, and disorderly behavior, at the Kane‘ohe Sandbar, also known as Ahu O Laka.

(KAHULUI, MAUI) – The Nakula Natural Area Reserve (NAR) on the Leeward slopes of Maui’s Haleakala covers 1500 acres and spans elevations from 3600-9200 feet above sea level. The Nakula NAR was established in 2011 and is adjacent to the Kahikinui Forest Reserve. Both are components of the Leeward Haleakala Watershed Restoration Partnership (LHWRP).

Due to the continued approach of Hurricane Ignacio, DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife Maui district will close all Maui Forest Reserves, Game Management Areas, Wildlife Sanctuaries and Natural Area Reserves, for public safety due to threats of heavy rain and flash flooding, effective at 6 pm Sunday .

HONOLULU — The Kaulunani Urban and Community Forestry Program is leading the way for urban forestry practices in Hawai‘i with a new cutting-edge forested rain garden project planned for next month in Kailua, O‘ahu. Kaulunani is a federally funded urban forestry program of the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of Forestry and Wildlife, and is operated by the non-profit organization Friends of Hawai‘i’s Urban Forest (dba Smart Trees Pacific.)

HONOLULU – Due in large part to the weather delays in the construction, the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), Division of State Parks is modifying the closure dates for Makapu‘u Lighthouse Trail in Kaiwi State Scenic Shoreline. The trail will now be open from Friday, August 28 through Monday, September 14. To allow for the removal of the existing asphalt road and repaving of the one-mile long road, the trail will be closed for seven (7) days from Tuesday September 15 through Wednesday, September 23. The trail will be open on the weekend of September 19-20.

HILO -- A public vehicular access route to the Ka’u Forest Reserve will soon be established along three miles of road along the lower boundary of this majestic forest reserve that spans over 61,000 acres on the south-eastern slopes of Mauna Loa, Hawaii. It will make more accessible areas of the reserve for public use which includes hunting, recreational opportunities, cultural uses, personal gathering and educational programs and activities.

(HONOLULU) - Andy Bohlander, a Shoreline Specialist with the University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program, working with the DLNR Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands (OCCL), is a man with a lot of miles on his shoes. He is part of the team at OCCL charged with making sure that Hawaii’s public beaches remain accessible to the public and free of encroachments that may inhibit access, like structures and vegetation.

HONOLULU — The Department of Land and NaturalResources (DLNR) is pleased that the federal government has incorporated state input into new rules aimed at further protection for the critically endangered Hawaiian monk seal, by focusing protection on areas most important forforaging, pupping and resting.

HONOLULU -- The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), will hold public hearings on proposed amendments to revise thrill craft zones and restrictions within Keehi Lagoon, Oahu.

HONOLULU -- New fishing rules for the first-ever Community-Based Subsistence Fishing Area (CBSFA) in Ha‘ena, Kaua‘i, which Governor David Ige signed into law last week, take effect today. The rules are aimed to preserve and protect fishing practices that are customarily and traditionally exercised for purposes of native Hawaiian subsistence, culture, and religion.

LIHU‘E, KAUA‘I -- The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of State Parks will hold a public meeting next week on the Master Plan and EIS for Hâ‘ena State Park and will be held on Wednesday, August 19, 2015 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Hanalei Elementary School Cafeteria. The address is 5-5415 Kûhio Highway, Hanalei, HI 96714.

HILO -- The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and County of Hawai‘i are inviting Big Island residents and property owners to attend important upcoming public information meetings next week on changes in the new FEMA Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMs) for Hawai‘i County.

DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES News Release DAVID Y. IGE GOVERNOR SUZANNE D. CASE CHAIRPERSON For Immediate News Release August 7, 2015  PUBLIC MEETINGS PLANNEDTO UPDATE HAWAI‘I STATE WILDLIFE ...
Read More 08/07/15 – Public Meetings Planned To Update Hawai‘i State Wildlife Action Plan

(LIHUE, KAUAI) – The Kalalau Trail in the Na Pali Coast State Wilderness Park is likely the most heavily used hiking trail in Hawaii. An estimated 500,000 visitors and residents use the spectacular trail each year. Sandwiched between the ocean and the towering cliffs of the Na Pali Coast, the trail is widely featured in guide books, on travel websites and in blogs.