Forest-users website to relocate, receives updates

LIHU‘E — The local Kaua‘i Forest Users web hub, which combined access to Kaua‘i-specific information across the state Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry &Wildlife programs, will move to a new home.

A newly redesigned DOFAW website features a number of user-focused updates, including the ability to filter statewide information by island. The previously used kauaiforestusers.com will be phased out, according to DLNR.

The Kaua‘i hub is now joined by the Maui Nui Forest Users, Hawai‘i Island Forest Users and O‘ahu Forest Users hubs, providing locally relevant information for users across the state to access DOFAW programs for trails, hunting, ecosystem protection and management of plants and wildlife.

DOFAW is also developing community-focused, social-media accounts to highlight local opportunities for volunteering and to celebrate the plants, animals and areas that make each island unique.

“Experiencing nature is a very personal thing,” said David Smith, DOFAW administrator. “Like all our conservation work, it’s rooted in place. We want our outreach to reflect that, and to help people learn and care about what is around them.”

These accounts, including the newly launched O‘ahu DOFAW and Kaua‘i DOFAW accounts on Instagram, are local complements to the statewide, department-wide DLNR accounts. Accounts focusing on forest resources on Hawai‘i Island or Maui Nui are under discussion.

“This is also an equity and accessibility issue for us,” continued Smith.

“We want to remove some of the barriers people may have to experiencing public resources. Some of our areas are closed to in-person visits in order to protect rare species, and even for our open areas there are going to be people who don’t have the physical ability or experience to hike to remote places or travel to reserves on different islands. If people can’t be outdoors in person, we’re going to bring some of what makes Hawai‘i special to them,” Smith said.