KOKE‘E STATE PARK — The Department of Land and Natural Resources has added 486 acres to the existing Hono O Na Pali Natural Area Reserve and the Alaka‘i Wilderness Preserve in the Waimea district of Kaua‘i, according to a press
KOKE‘E STATE PARK — The Department of Land and Natural Resources has added 486 acres to the existing Hono O Na Pali Natural Area Reserve and the Alaka‘i Wilderness Preserve in the Waimea district of Kaua‘i, according to a press release.
The addition of the adjacent lands brings the total size of the Hono O Na Pali Natural Area Reserve to 3,579 acres.
“By adding undisturbed, intact native wet forest to the natural area reserve system, we are taking needed steps to protect Hawai‘i’s natural and cultural heritage,” said DLNR chairperson Laura H. Thielen in the release.
This area is part of the largest system of high-elevation bogs in the Hawaiian Islands. In the intact native wet forest, many species of rare and endangered plants and animals survive. The rare plant Myrsine petiolata, commonly known as Kolea, only exists on Kaua‘i. The sap of this plant is important for making a red dye for decorating kapa. Many other plants in this reserve are also only found on Kaua‘i and have been used for centuries for practical and spiritual purposes by the native Hawaiian people.
Unfortunately, Hawai‘i’s natural and cultural heritage is being lost as threats to these species lead to their extinction. Three native birds known from Kaua‘i – the Kama‘o (Kaua‘i Thrush, Myadestes myadestinus), the ‘O‘u (Psittrostra psittacea), and the Kaua‘i ‘O‘o (Moho braccatus) were last seen in the 1980s, after their habitat was degraded by alien species such as wild pigs, non-native birds, and predatory rats, and after some habitat was lost due to damage in the Alaka‘i Swamp caused by Hurricane ‘Iwa in 1982.
Avian diseases spread by mosquitoes were also likely causes of the decline for these majestic birds, which were traditionally used for their bright plumage by the Hawaiians.
“We’re offering a guided hike into the new section of the reserve on Saturday, May 9 and inviting the families of Kaua‘i to come. This is a great opportunity to learn about the dozens of rare native plants and animals in this area, as well as what DLNR is doing to protect these precious natural resources,” said Thielen.
On Kaua‘i, natural resource managers are protecting habitat as well as the watersheds from threats such as alien invasive plant species like the kahili ginger and strawberry guava, and ungulate damage, primarily from feral pigs and goats. The DLNR also manages a nursery to propagate rare native plants, and works to protect the remaining native forest birds of the Alaka‘i.
The State of Hawai‘i created the Natural Area Reserves System, or NARS, to preserve and protect representative samples of Hawaiian biological ecosystems and geological formations.
The NARS mission is to ensure the highest level of stewardship for Hawai‘i’s unique natural resources through acquisition, active management, and other strategies.
The system presently consists of 19 reserves on five islands, encompassing more than 109,000 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.
A map of the Hono O Na Pali natural area reserve, with the new addition, can be found at hawaii.gov/dlnr/dofaw/nars/reserves/kauai/honoonapali
The Pihea Trail forms the western border, while the Alaka‘i Swamp Trail follows the southern boundary of the Hono O Na Pali addition. On the Pihea trail alone, hikers can view more than 80 native plant species.
Guided hike May 9
DLNR will offer a free guided hike into the new section of the Hono O Na Pali Natural Area Reserve on Saturday, May 9.
Hikers should bring 1 liter of water per person, sunscreen, and raingear. Hiking boots are recommended. The group will meet at 9:30 a.m. at the parking lot at the start of the Pihea trail, and hike for an approximately 1.5 miles round trip to visit the new natural area reserve, ending at 11:45 a.m.
Persons wanting to go further than the Pihea vista are welcome to continue on their own. From Waimea, go up Highway 550 past Koke‘e Park headquarters and past the Kalalau lookout to the end of the road at Pu‘u O Kila lookout.
For more information on the hike, contact Emma Yuen, NARS Enhancement Coordinator, (808) 366-4788 or Emma.Yuen@hawaii.gov
